Oh, Rob, you take a mighty big risk giving your sophomore film a title like Suck. Either you are supremely confident or supremely foolish ... and my money is on confident.
Canada's Rob Stefaniuk earned himself a small but dedicated cult with his debut scifi comedy - Phil The Alien - a cult which he now looks ready to expand upon with his sophomore film Suck, a vampire comedy slated to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. And it's not just any rock and roll comedy, either ... no, this one boasts songs written by Stefaniuk himself, a soundtrack by John Kastner from The Asexuals and The Doughboys - who you probably don't know but are very, very good nonetheless - and cameo appearances by Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Carol Pope, Henry Rollins and Moby along with the likes of Malcolm McDowell. Stunt casting? Hell, yes. But fantastic stunt casting. Here's a synopsis:
Written and directed by musician/actor Rob Stefaniuk - and featuring acting turns from the likes of Iggy Pop Alice Cooper, Henry Rollins and Moby - SUCK, follows a group of rock ‘n’ roll wannabes in search of immortality and a record deal. Seemingly doomed to roadtrip doldrums and dives, the band The Winners break their slump when their female bass player disappears one night with a studly, stylin’ vampire. She returns charged with sexual charisma that creates audience frenzy and eventually ensnares the rest of the band. Their “hook” launches them to fame. But fame turns out to be a different kind of Hell than AC/DC promised.Following an “incident” on a national radio show with “Rockn’ Roger” The Winners hit mega-stardom beyond their wildest dreams. But Joey is haunted by an eerie bartender with a dark secret. And legendary vampire hunter, Eddie Van Helsing, is on their tail tracking them down despite his fear of the dark. But when a veteran music producer calls them on becoming a vampire freak show, their rock’n’roll bubble bursts.
Stefaniuk (Phil The Alien) stars as Joey, the lead singer of The Winners. Jessica Paré (The Trotsky, Wicker Park) plays bassist Jennifer, the first Winner to succumb to blood lust. Malcolm McDowell (Heroes, A Clockwork Orange) plays the nichtophobic Van Helsing, while Dave Foley (Kids In The Hall) is the band’s sleazy manager. Rounding out the cast is Dimitri Coates (from the band Burning Brides) as Jennifer’s vampiric “Maker.” Carole Pope (Rough Trade) plays a club manager, Henry Rollins strikes a chord as an edgy radio show host, and Moby plays the lead singer of the rock band Secretaries of Steak. Iggy Pop plays a music producer, and Alice Cooper is a sinister bartender alongside daughter Calico Cooper who plays his cheeky sidekick/waitress.
The image to the left features The Winners in action, for a larger version of that plus shots of Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop, hit the link below!