Strange Frequency (TV Movie 2001) Poster

(2001 TV Movie)

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6/10
Not bad for a basic cable horror themed show
ThrownMuse13 December 2007
The tagline here reads "Imagine "The Twilight Zone" on Rock 'n' Roll." I wouldn't go that far, but it was amusing for what it was. I guess this was a show that aired on VH-1, and it's about what you'd expect of a scripted series on a cable music channel. One fun episode features two metalheads who end up in "disco hell." Another stars Eric Roberts and Chris Masterson as dueling music-lovin' serial killers from two different generations who go at each other (very similar to the "Pick Me Up" MOH episode, really.) My favorite one is about an obnoxious rock star who trashes his hotel suite every night to tick off the sweet elderly room service lady, who has some tricks up her own sleeve. The last episode is the only one with a serious tone, starring Judd Nelson as a record exec who gets a "calling" whenever he hears talent that will hit it big. Unfortunately for his up and coming acts, they all kick the bucket in some godawful way as soon as their records start to sell. Overall, it isn't anything groundbreaking or frightening, but it's an amusing show that most rock fans can probably appreciate.
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6/10
The first two stories are great !
goremaster9 January 2003
I've watched this movie last night on cable and got very excited with the first story where 2 rockers crash their car and seek for help in a Disco. The second story is also very good (the one with the hitchhiker). Unfortunately, the other 2 stories are lame. The concept of this rock and roll twilight zone movie is great, but only the 2 first stories make it worth seeing.
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5/10
Music anthology
BandSAboutMovies22 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Mary Lambert (Pet Semetary) and Bryan Spicer (McHale's Navy) came up with this VH1 series, of which this movie was the pilot and also provided four episodes. Unlike Tales from the Crypt, which used the old comic books for inspiration or the morality plays of The Twilight Zone or Night Gallery, this show turned to rock and roll to create its stories.



The Who's Roger Daltry serves as the narrator for this first go-round, which originally aired on January 24, 2001.

The first story, "Disco Inferno," finds two rockers stuck within their own personal hell - a disco that never stops playing the music they hate. Penthouse 1992 Pet of the Year Brandy Ledford appears, as does That 70's Show actor Danny Masterson.

"My Generation" has Danny's brother Chris matching wits with Eric Roberts (here he is again) as two serial killers with deadly taste in music.

"Room Service" has a real rock star, Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, who is trying to destroy his hotel room but the maid always fixes it.

"More Than A Feeling" has Judd Nelson as a music producer who keeps breaking new artists who sadly die right after they find their success.

Sadly, the follow-up series only lasted ten episode, with "Daydream Believer" never airing. It was a good concept, if you ask me. But then again, I love anthologies, so put another dime in the Mystic Seer, baby.
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Trippy...
Phantom-438 February 2001
I was pleasantly surprised by this little anthology film. It's not half-bad. A little bit Twilight Zone, a little bit Urban Legends, a little bit...well, VH1. It takes a lot of legends and conventions about rock starts, the music business, and the effect of music on our lives and does some pretty cool things with it. But as is the case with most anthology films, not all are created equal. There's one story that's very good, a couple of cute ones, and one bad one. But even the bad one isn't THAT bad. The first story, "Disco Inferno" is that one. It's not so much bad as it is very predictable. A couple of stoners who don't have much going for them except that they're rabid rock fans get into an accident driving home from a concert, and find themselves at a mysterious club where disco lives all night long. I'm probably spoiling the ending, but it's pretty obvious that they've died and gone to hell...and for them, hell is disco. I can relate. The best thing about this tale is that it features Danny Masterson putting a spin on his "That 70's Show" character. The second tale, "My Generation" is weird and darkly funny. It's about two music-loving, philosophically-minded serial killers who meet up and square off in the Pacific Northwest. If you can get over Eric Roberts as the psychotic Deadhead, you're in for a rather humorous satirical statement on music of this generation and the one before, how they compare and, perhaps, how the statement of the music of the 60's was lost on both generations involved. The third, "Room Service," is pretty straightforward. The story of the constantly-escalating battle of wills between an excess-loving, hotel-room trashing rock star (Geez, they still do that?), and the ultra-efficient housekeeping matron who manages to clean up all his messes with superhuman skill. It's fun to watch because it's so contrived, so based on legend that the tale seems familiar (and check it out, the guy from Duran Duran! An actual excess-loving rock star playing himself!). Not great, but fun. The final tale, "More than a Feeling" is the darkest and the best. It's the story of a recording company exec with a conscience (and no, that's not the fantasy part), who has a talent for picking the next rising star. Unfortunately, every one of his charges rises fast and crashes and burns even faster. This leaves him with guilt beyond all measure, and leaves him ultra-protective of his latest - and last surviving - artist, a young and talented female vocalist played with big-eyed innocence by Marla Sokoloff. I was a little thrown by this one, it being so dark and having Judd Nelson playing a character that wasn't a total sleaze, but in the end I was impressed - especially by the ultra-chilling final scene. Not a mast
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7/10
really good, for the most part
Primate8423 March 2001
Warning: Spoilers
I basically really liked Strange Frequency, except for one part: the final story, "More Than a Feeling". Although Judd Nelson does really well in this segment, I found the story to be simply too disturbing for me. Also, since the other three stories were obviously intended to be funny, why couldn't they have done the same for this one? However, the other three segments are all thoroughly enjoyable. The first story, "Disco Inferno", was OK, and I thought it was funny to see that guy turn into a disco dancer(I'm not naming anyone, for fear of this being considered a spoiler). The second story, "My Generation", was quite good. Eric Roberts and Chris Masterson do a great job in creating these two interesting, entertaining characters, and I couldn't help laughing when they were discussing which of them should kill certain people, and with what weapon.My favorite story, however, was the third one, "Room Service". John Taylor makes an excellent rock star degenerate/ hotel trasher, and I also really liked the calm, prissy maid, although I fail to see how she could put up with guests like him. My two favorite scenes in this segment were when the maid is telling the reporter about all of the musical legends that stayed at that hotel( I loved how she referred to all of them as Mr., such as Mr. Presley, Mr. Jagger,etc.) and the immensely funny scene in which Jimmy was involved in that little feud with the maid. I couldn't stop laughing as I watched the maid calmly repair all the almost irreparable damages Jimmy did to the hotel room. All in all, this was a pretty good movie.
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8/10
Rock-n-roll TWILIGHT ZONE!! Finally!!!!
triple81 December 2003
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS THROUGH:

This was really creepy but REALLY GOOD! First I must start by saying this was a GREAT idea!! To bad it wasn't released as a major motion picture. I think there's an audience for this and it would have done really well! This is basically The Twilight Zone-rock-n-roll style. There are four stories, one right after the other and each one is rock oriented while keeping the original Twilight Zone premise. Whoever thought this up is a genius.

As for the stories-they all varied. The first one, Disco Inferno could have been a story in itself and concerns two metal heads(boys) who....

WARNING-MINOR SPOILER ON THE DISCO INFERNO STORY!

Find hell as one big Disco. That's all I'm gonna say. This was supposed to be funny and it WAS to an extent but I actually found it rather creepy as well. Seeing these tough biker/metal dudes morph right on screen into disco guys freaked me out. I also felt a little hypocritical laughing because I LOVE BOTH METAL AND DISCO!! But that didn't detract from empathizing with these kids for the idea of being trapped forever in their worst nightmare. Definitely the best story.

The 2nd one was REALLY creepy but the bantering about the different musical generations was funny too and the storyline in general was fascinating. Actually, I take it back about Disco Inferno being the best, the first two were equal.

The third one about the maid and the rock star(room service?) again-familiar theme-both comic and sad, the lady who played the maid was GREAT-this story was good too.

The LAST one however(more then a feeling I think it was called) I DID NOT LIKE AT ALL!!) MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD!!

This was not only just plain sad, but heartbreaking and rather twisted(scratch the "rather" on that.) Didn't go with the rest and didn't belong in the movie. Lousy way to end a great hour or two.

This is a must see for any music fan- a MUSTSEE-VH1 should make more of these and I am surprised this, or something similar hasn't been brought to the big screen yet.
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8/10
Not too bad for a made for cable movie
MadRain7 February 2001
I think it's hilariously ironic that the writers of the "Disco Inferno" episode of STRANGE FREQUENCY made hell into a disco. I find that would be my luck... I die and go to hell and it's just YMCA playing again and again on an endless loop. I was definitely into the second episode, "My Generation". How true it is.... how growing up and listening to my father's music I would chide it because it was not good like the stuff I was listening to (and that stuff, growing up was all hair bands...). It takes the argument of whose generation of music is better to a whole new scary level... I should have paid more attention to the third episode, as I clean up peoples' messes for a living. However, it lost me on its moral revenge message. The final episode disturbed me. I find it very unnerving a father would actually trick his daughter like this one did at the end. I understand his motives, but still find that he was a little slightly off his rocker.
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Wicked and a little DeMented! Loved It!
Pat19738 February 2001
Well there are 4 stories that are charged with great plots and great acting! It's a great movie in a whole! My favorite one was the one with Judd Nelson. He plays a record executive that just knows the future of his clients. There is one catch, he knows too much! It's a wicked ending not to miss! Now the Eric Roberts plot was with a hitchhicker that kills people. A wicked test of what people that are demented of what they are capable of doing! The whole cast is talented and sometimes funny! It reminds me of Tales from the Crypt with a rok edge! Watch all 4 it's a treat! Out of 4 stars I give it 3 1/2 stars! Watch it it's on VH1"Movies that Rock"! Worth it!
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10/10
this rocks!
khanada rhodes27 February 2001
this is a really good movie. like the taglines say, it's the twilight zone meets rock n roll. of course, my favourite is "room service." it features john taylor. too bad they identified him as "john taylor of duran duran," even though he quit the band over four years ago! anyway, this really showcases his acting talents to the general vh1-viewing public, since i'm sure 95% of the people watching it haven't seen "sugar town." i just hope he doesn't keep getting typecasted as playing a rock-n-roller in all his movies. he was previously in "a diva's christmas carol," but unlike that movie, and "sugar town," this movie shows his ability to act as a serious person, and also kind of lets us see what life might have been like for him in the mid/late 80's (the fame, the parties, the girls, the hotel rooms). a great movie!
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Entertainment
THEHELLHECOULD8 November 2003
A very original movie (in a derivative kind of way!!!) First saw it on cable and it was a nice surprise as I was not expecting anything of it. Particularly liked the hitchhiker story .
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I'm kind of ashamed I liked this one...
venuswicked22 February 2001
Okay, so I watched it because the Masterson brothers are too cute for words and Eric Roberts is always a believable psycho (deliciously so) but I actually liked it!

Not entirely original (some of the stories were quite predictable) but fun nonetheless. The last story with Judd Nelson was definitely the best...and that ending actually made my jaw drop!

Might have been a bit edgier (and less predictable) if done by another channel (ahem, not necessarily MTV) and the reference to "Behind the Music" was pretty shameless, but overall an entertaining way to spend 90 minutes. Would probably make a good weekly series if they could push the envelope a bit more.

As a fan of "The Twilight Zone" I was impressed with how they put a rock and roll spin on some "classic" spooky stories and intriguing ideas about human nature and the supernatural.
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