Punk Rock Holocaust
Encyclopedia
Punk Rock Holocaust is a 2004 low-budget slasher film
/horror-comedy directed by Doug Sakmann. It is about a serial killer on the loose at the Vans Warped Tour who tries killing off the bands one by one, and features bands such as Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
, Less Than Jake
, The Used
, Big D and the Kids Table
, Rancid
, The Horrorpops, The Suicide Machines
, Dropkick Murphys
, The Phenomenauts and many more. It was principally filmed during the summer of 2003 on the Vans Warped Tour, and features live performances from many of the bands. The director also appears as the bandana-wrapped killer. With 110 onscreen deaths, it held the record for individual deaths in a horror film. Four of the five members of Simple Plan are individually killed, making them the only band to get such individual treatment. According to the director's commentary, bassist David Desrosiers
did not want to be killed. The Phenomenauts' actual tour bus, the "Phenomebomber" was blown up specially for the film.
The backstory to this film is that Warped Tour head Kevin Lyman
once allowed a hideously bad band called Brutal Enigma on the tour since they submitted a phony demo tape. However, once Lyman heard the band play, they were permanently banned from the tour. The band acquired powers from the Devil
, who is walking the earth as Mega Records head Belial, and the band now seeks revenge on the tour.
At first, the deaths that occur at the Warped Tour are ascribed by Lyman to negligence at the climbing wall or security being too hard on the kids. However, when Simple Plan
's guitarist, Jeff Stinco
, is impaled on a bass guitar, this is harder to explain away. The deaths continue to mount.
Heather is suspicious that a bandanna-wrapped, goggle-wearing, sword bearing killer who seems responsible for many of the deaths, might be Lyman. Her suspicions are substantiated when he is seen dragging away a blood-daubed punk rock girl, who feebly protests that she is not dead and is promptly killed by Lyman for her trouble (a possible homage
to the "bring out your dead" scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
). The dead kids are apparently being used at the commissary to feed the bands and tour staff. Still, Lyman can't possibly be responsible for all the deaths, ranging from Bert McCracken
of The Used
to dozens, if not hundreds of fans. Despite this, and despite the continuing attrition of members of Simple Plan (whose members are killed off one by one), the show must go on.
Meanwhile, Belial is becoming increasingly concerned about the deaths of his bands, and sends two of his henchmen to scope out the situation. They find that the remaining members of Simple Plan and The Used have combined to form a new band, Simply Used (resulting in a scene where Pierre Bouvier
sings the final stanza of "The Taste of Ink
"). The new band and the henchmen are promptly electrocuted by the killer.
Deprived of most of its headliners, the tour limps on until finally, all the fans and most of the bands are killed in the destruction of the Tour venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey
--what is seen is the implosion
of Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium
. Heather goes to New York to confront Belial, who claims to be unable to retrieve the demonic powers he gave Brutal Enigma. But Heather and Kevin are able to stop the killers, who turn out to be zombies. The Tour will go on—next year—with the headliner the fictional band Atticus, given actual life thanks to Belial.
Slasher film
A slasher film is a type of horror film typically involving a psychopathic killer stalking and killing a sequence of victims in a graphically violent manner, often with a cutting tool such as a knife or axe...
/horror-comedy directed by Doug Sakmann. It is about a serial killer on the loose at the Vans Warped Tour who tries killing off the bands one by one, and features bands such as Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
, Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
, The Used
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
, Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Allston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork In Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy...
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, The Horrorpops, The Suicide Machines
The Suicide Machines
The Suicide Machines were an American punk rock band formed in March 1991 in Detroit, Michigan and disbanded in May 2006. During the course of their career the band released six full-length albums on the labels Hollywood Records and Side One Dummy Records...
, Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
, The Phenomenauts and many more. It was principally filmed during the summer of 2003 on the Vans Warped Tour, and features live performances from many of the bands. The director also appears as the bandana-wrapped killer. With 110 onscreen deaths, it held the record for individual deaths in a horror film. Four of the five members of Simple Plan are individually killed, making them the only band to get such individual treatment. According to the director's commentary, bassist David Desrosiers
David Desrosiers
David Philippe Desrosiers is a French Canadian musician, who is best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for pop punk band Simple Plan. He grew up in Matane, Quebec.-Career:...
did not want to be killed. The Phenomenauts' actual tour bus, the "Phenomebomber" was blown up specially for the film.
The backstory to this film is that Warped Tour head Kevin Lyman
Kevin Lyman
Kevin Lyman is creator of a touring music and extreme sports festival called the Warped Tour, the Taste of Chaos, and the Mayhem tours. He also is a partner at SideOneDummy Records. He owns 4FINI which annually produces the above-mentioned tours as well as produced past tours such as the Down From...
once allowed a hideously bad band called Brutal Enigma on the tour since they submitted a phony demo tape. However, once Lyman heard the band play, they were permanently banned from the tour. The band acquired powers from the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, who is walking the earth as Mega Records head Belial, and the band now seeks revenge on the tour.
Plot summary
The story is a retrospective, from the point of view of pit reporter Heather Vantress, who sits and remembers the horrors of the previous summer, the friends she made—few of whom survive.At first, the deaths that occur at the Warped Tour are ascribed by Lyman to negligence at the climbing wall or security being too hard on the kids. However, when Simple Plan
Simple Plan
Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk band from Montréal, Québec. The band has had no line up changes since its inception in 1999. Members are Pierre Bouvier , Jeff Stinco , Sébastien Lefebvre , David Desrosiers and Chuck Comeau...
's guitarist, Jeff Stinco
Jeff Stinco
Jean-François "Jeff" Stinco is a French Canadian musician, who is best known as the lead guitarist for pop punk band Simple Plan.-Early life:...
, is impaled on a bass guitar, this is harder to explain away. The deaths continue to mount.
Heather is suspicious that a bandanna-wrapped, goggle-wearing, sword bearing killer who seems responsible for many of the deaths, might be Lyman. Her suspicions are substantiated when he is seen dragging away a blood-daubed punk rock girl, who feebly protests that she is not dead and is promptly killed by Lyman for her trouble (a possible homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to the "bring out your dead" scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1974 British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python , and directed by Gilliam and Jones...
). The dead kids are apparently being used at the commissary to feed the bands and tour staff. Still, Lyman can't possibly be responsible for all the deaths, ranging from Bert McCracken
Bert McCracken
Robert Edward "Bert" McCracken is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock band The Used.-Biography:McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family...
of The Used
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
to dozens, if not hundreds of fans. Despite this, and despite the continuing attrition of members of Simple Plan (whose members are killed off one by one), the show must go on.
Meanwhile, Belial is becoming increasingly concerned about the deaths of his bands, and sends two of his henchmen to scope out the situation. They find that the remaining members of Simple Plan and The Used have combined to form a new band, Simply Used (resulting in a scene where Pierre Bouvier
Pierre Bouvier
Pierre Charles Bouvier is a French Canadian musician, who is best known as the lead singer for pop punk band Simple Plan.At the age of 13, he founded the punk rock band Reset with his best friend Chuck Comeau in which he was the bassist and lead vocalist. He eventually wasn't enjoying his role...
sings the final stanza of "The Taste of Ink
The Taste of Ink
"The Taste of Ink" is the second single from The Used's self-titled debut album The Used. The video was released in fall 2002 and the single was released on March 10, 2003....
"). The new band and the henchmen are promptly electrocuted by the killer.
Deprived of most of its headliners, the tour limps on until finally, all the fans and most of the bands are killed in the destruction of the Tour venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
--what is seen is the implosion
Building implosion
In the controlled demolition industry, building implosion is the strategic placing of explosive material and timing of its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds, minimizing the physical damage to its immediate surroundings...
of Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
. Heather goes to New York to confront Belial, who claims to be unable to retrieve the demonic powers he gave Brutal Enigma. But Heather and Kevin are able to stop the killers, who turn out to be zombies. The Tour will go on—next year—with the headliner the fictional band Atticus, given actual life thanks to Belial.
Cast
- Kevin LymanKevin LymanKevin Lyman is creator of a touring music and extreme sports festival called the Warped Tour, the Taste of Chaos, and the Mayhem tours. He also is a partner at SideOneDummy Records. He owns 4FINI which annually produces the above-mentioned tours as well as produced past tours such as the Down From...
as the Warped Tour Founder - Heather Vantress as the Warped Tour Reporter
- Lloyd KaufmanLloyd KaufmanLloyd Kaufman is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and occasional actor. With producer Michael Herz, he is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment film studio, and the director of many of their feature films, including The Toxic Avenger and Tromeo and Juliet. Kaufman also serves as...
as Belial / Satan - Doug Sakmann as William Van Landingham, III / Main Executioner / Explosion Stunt Executioner
- Steven Smith as the Fuse Action News Reporter
- Laura Sanders as part of the Warped Tour Production Team
- Keri Lee as part of the Warped Tour Production Team
- Kerry Nicholson as part of the Warped Tour Production Team
- Lisa Brownlee as part of the Warped Tour Production Team
- Steve Sullivan as part of the Warped Tour Security
- Mitch Alden as part of the Warped Tour Security
- Doug Goodstein as the Warped Tour Accountant
- Matt Hollenberg as a Monster Rock Guy
- Chris Weindell as a Monster Rock Guy
- James Jackson as part of the Chris Monkey