'Rock Star' A Tumultuous Journey Worth Revisiting 25 Years Later
- Mike Johnston
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
By: Mike Johnston - Starring Mark Wahlberg, Rock Star is inspired by the story of Tim "Ripper" Owens. In 1996, he was performing in a Judas Priest cover band when the unthinkable happened.
Priest’s vocalist Rob Halford departed in 1992, triggering their hiatus. Now, with
the rest of the band ready to tour again, they needed a singer. After seeing a
tape of Owens perform, they found him. “I get a call saying ‘you have to call this number-it's Judas Priest.’” The script almost writes itself. So when producer Robert Lawrence read Owens’ story, Rock Star was born.
Despite inspiring the movie, Priest refused to participate. They were unhappy
with their portrayal, and the lack of creative control to change it. Although rated
R, it was seen as a sanitized, cartoonish depiction of the 80’s. “It had kind of the cheese factor…” said Owens.
Amidst the negativity, Wahlberg’s performance was lauded. Alongside Jennifer Aniston, Timothy Spall, and Timothy Olyphant, the cast added credibility. Musicians like Zakk Wylde, Jason Bonham, Myles Kennedy and Jeff Pilson
joined them. Pilson was more forgiving, and perhaps reflective of the movie’s fans. “Is it exactly like the 80s? No. They did it in a nice way where it’s a little bit of a parody, a little bit of a tribute. They took some liberties, but all in all I think they did a great job.”
Rock Star made its mistakes; lack of tone created uncertainty in itself. More importantly, Priest’s absence robs the movie of its anchor. Without their input we are left with a writer's impression of the story. Which, gone unchecked, will undoubtably lead to tropes, stereotypes and altered details for narrative. Simply put, if you want the real story, get the real band.
Rock Star provided a blue print for modern music dramas. The Dirt and
Straight Outta Compton set clear, dark and dramatic tones. Like Rock Star
they also feature some electrifying live music. These films not only included their artists, they had them on set.
Like the industry that inspired it, Rock Star was tumultuous, but critics have
thawed over time. It was an attempt at something different... a rarity in Hollywood; and like Tim Owens, Rock Star deserved the chance.
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