Dave Grohl has reportedly been named the nicest man in rock, but in the movie “Studio 666,” he shows an evil side, albeit humorously.
“Studio 666” tells the story of the Foo Fighters looking for a new angle for their next album — with added pressure from the record executive.
They throw around ideas, but the Foos need inspiration. Grohl says he’s interested in a Led Zeppelin-era location. Their label’s chief executive, Jeremy Shill, (played by Jeff Garlin) has an aha moment and picks up the phone to make arrangements.
That spot is an older home in the hills of Encino. As the band tours the premises, they are told of bands who have recorded there, but details are scant.
The Foo Fighters have mixed feelings about the house. However, strange images flash when Grohl claps to test the acoustics. Impressed, Grohl decides to make the Foos’ 10th album in this spooky settlement.
The band looks to Grohl to show them new riffs — all of which mirror its released songs. Frustration ensues. After a visitor (Will Forte) botches a food delivery, Grohl discovers a weird ritualistic room in the basement with a reel-to-reel tape machine that he plays and becomes possessed.
This is when things get crazy fast as Grohl shows the rest of the guys the new sound for the album, which sounds like a cross between classic Black Sabbath and Metallica. A running gag in the film is the key he “invented” called L#, which confuses the band. The studio’s neighbor, Samantha (Whitney Cummings) warns the rest of the band that the house is cursed and that Grohl needs to be exorcised.
Grohl rapidly becomes more obsessive, creating an annoying 40-minute-plus song. One by one, the possessed lead singer picks off his bandmates — Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee and Taylor Hawkins — in glorious gory ways. Foo Fighters’ Pat Smear and Nate Mendel then take it upon themselves with an attempt to exorcise Grohl.
The movie is made not to be taken seriously, with a couple of fun cameos to look out for. It is great for fans to see Foo Fighters in this kooky situation with great music and film score throughout.
