Trick or Treat 4K UHD Review

4 stars, a belting restoration, crank up the volume.

Metal Heads rejoice! Just in time for Halloween we see the release of Trick or Treat, a 1986 American comedy supernatural horror film and very impressive directorial debut for Charles Martin Smith (Stone of Destiny, Dolphin Tale).

It has enjoyed a 4K UHD restoration and is available to own on in the UK on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from 5th October 2026, courtesy of Toy Robot Video.

“Airheads and brain deads are everywhere. Who needs ’em? What have they got that I need? Okay, one thing. Leslie.”

Eddie Weinbauer (Marc Price – Family Ties (TV Series), The Rescue) is a troubled teenage metalhead, living with his mother Angie (Elaine Joyce – Motel Hell). Due to his alternate taste in music and clothes, he is marginalised at school and plagued by bullies, led by Tim Hainey (Doug Savant – Desperate Housewives (TV Series), Godzilla). This is made even worse by the fact that he carries a torch for Tim’s girlfriend Leslie (Lisa Orgolini – Born to Ride)

He finds solace in music, especially that of Sammi Curr (Tony Fields – Dance Academy, A Chorus Line) a successful, if controversial, heavy metal artist who also attended Lakeridge High School, whose goal was to perform at the school Halloween party. He was blocked by the local moral movement, led by Mrs. Sylvia Cavell (Alice Nunn – Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, The Fury) and shortly after killed in a hotel fire.

Eddie is distraught and heads to see his friend, local late night DJ Nuke (Gene Simmons – Detroit Rock City, Runaway) who was a classmate of Sammi. He has the only copy of Sammi’s unreleased album “Songs in the Key of Death”, which he gifts to Eddie, having made a copy to play at midnight on Halloween, as per Sammi’s instructions. When he listens to it, he realises that by playing it backwards, he can hear messages and comes to believe they are for him. Sammi wants to help him get revenge, but is it as harmless as he thinks, or is it going to be proper rock and roll carnage?

“Eddie, he did this to himself, don’t you get it? He started to believe his own hype. He did it to himself, Eddie.”

Trick or Treat is a highly enjoyable film, packed with big hair, loud music and a rocking soundtrack from rock band Fastway, which sounds better than ever. It also features epic appearances from Gene Simmons of Kiss fame and rock legend Ozzy Osbourne (Private Parts, Little Nicky) in a hilarious cameo as Rvd. Aaron Gilstrom, the voice of morality of all things.

It’s a fun romp and the cool eighties special effects look their crispy well defined best following the restoration. A must own to add to your eighties nostalgia collection.

“I’m gonna nail every one of those b*stards. I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but I’m gonna nail them.”

Trick or Treat is available to own now on 4K UHD from HMV and Zavvi.

Extras:

Language(s): English, Hard of Hearing Subtitles: English, Interactive Menu,Screen ratio 1 – 1.85:1, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo, Bonus Tracks: ‘After Midnight’, Commentary: Charles Martin Smith (director) moderated by Mark Savage (film-maker), Documentaries: ‘Rock & Shock’; ‘In the Spotlight: A Tribute to Tony Fields’; ‘Horror’s Hallowed Grounds: The Filming Locations of ‘Trick Or Treat”, Interviews: Michael S. Murphey (writer/producer); Rhet Topham (writer); Audio conversation with Paul Corupe and Allison Lang (authors), Stills Gallery featuring optional audio interview with photographer Phillip V. Caruso; TV spots; Radio spots; Press kit, Trailers