Rock: It's Your Decision (1982)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Memorable, crazy movie

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Purports to tell the story of a young Christian man's discovery that rock music is (allegedly) evil, and his subsequent salvation, but film ends up showing us a guy becoming so unlikeable, homophobic, and holier-than-thou that we start to root for his friends to save themselves, and get away from this fruitcake.He ends up completely alienated from all his friends, and his girlfriend, and becomes so utterly paranoid about the evils of rock music, that it ruins his life.There's this film's hero for you! Imagine if Jack Nicholson had found Christianity, rather than go bonkers, in The Shining, and it had been an after school special.Horribly outdated, even for the 1980s, it seems more like 1940s Bible belt propaganda for the already converted. Or, was the purpose of this film to show how religion can, and does, ruin some peoples' lives? The film's climactic sermon makes it especially difficult to tell.

No doubt you've seen footage of clergymen telling people that rock 'n' roll is evil. It was inevitable that there would be a movie about a rock fan who has to choose between Jesus and his favorite music. "Rock: It's Your Decision" is more subdued than I predicted. I expected an hour of pastors shouting about how rock music pollutes our minds. Instead I got a lousy attempt at a character study. The main character likes rock but soon "realizes" that much of it is overtly sexual and even "satanic". Yeah, like I'm sure that everyone who listens to rock is going to become a diabolical, sex-crazed psychopath.Basically, this movie isn't even over-the-top enough to function as an accidental comedy like "Reefer Madness". It's just boring.

Jeff is a 30-year-old teenage boy who has it all. He has a loyal best friend (who is kind of a tool, but still), a fun, easygoing girlfriend and his life is full of fun activities, including going to "the rock concert". Kids in those days apparently didn't bother to mention band names, "the rock concert" was clear enough. There's only one problem though: Jeff is also a devote Christian, which doesn't mix well with the evils of AC/DC, KISS and I'm not joking, Barry Manilow. Thankfully Jeff has gotten rid of his sinful addiction well before halfway, so that gives him plenty of time to convince others. The movie sorta meanders along until it reaches its legendary climax, the fantastic speech scene in the church. It has gotten a second life on Youtube now, but if you're really busy: the bottom line is that every rock song ever is about either sex or satanism. Santana's "Evil Ways" starts with the line "you have to change your evil ways", but actually listening to fifteen seconds of every song was a bit too much research. "One Of These Nights" by The Eagles is also evil. The Captain and Tennille, can't get more evil than that. Getting the target audience for this kind of film to hate stuff like The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy For The Devil" or AC/DC's "Highway To Hell" is a cakewalk, but somehow they got cocky and tried to see what they could get away with. Which perhaps was a good thing, because at least the movie stuck around because of that and we can still enjoy it tremendously. On the other hand it's weird how this can serve as propaganda: Jeff starts out as this happy, somewhat awkward but nice guy, then Jesus somehow turns him into a grumpy, unbearable know-it-all who loses everyone dear to him. Not a big endorsement I'd say, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.

I don't know if this was brainless ignorance or the smartest movie that show how being a blind fundamentalist without understanding the issue beforehand, can make a human being into a crude unlikable person. It's a great insight of the psychological level on how brainwashed some of these people are. This movie is very interesting, to the point, that in a way, it's has this downfall arch, that seem that it could happen. The kid destroys his life on the basis that the music he genuinely enjoys is made out to be 'evil' by his controlling parents. Clearly, I don't think that is the movie was going for, but as an audience member watching this. That is what I saw. I think the movie fails to get its message across on film, but not doing any research or provide any examples to back up their claim that rock music is Satan's work. Anyways, who are their target audience? Clearly, this movie wasn't made during the 1950's where old fashion parents thought rock music was threat. It would have made more sense. No, this movie was made in the 1980's, where at the time, most parents of 1980's were teenagers growing up at the 1950's or the 1960's, rebelling their previous generation by listening to the works of Elvis Pressley, Beatles and other rock bands at the time. Clearly, this movie wasn't made for them. Was this movie made for the Christians? Growing up, Christians, I have never heard that rock music is the devil's work. There is plenty of examples of Christian's rock bands that were playing in churches in the 1980's. I guess Norman Greenbaum and Petra are evil rock band. So, I don't understand the logic of this film. The message doesn't get across, as it's executed is so poorly done, that it just gets the audience to oppose the message of the movie. This movie should probably be preserved for future generations to admire its groundbreaking stupidity at the time. Just wait until they get hold off the music that 1990's and 2000s have product. Then, they have something to talk about. Even if, it was made today, I doubt people would think music is clearly evil, because many of people grew up with music, and for the most part, people turn out semi- alright after listening to those tunes. There are plenty of Christians that listen to Eagles, Rolling Stones, and other hits. They even had something against The Captain and Tennille. When I think of Death Metal, yeah Captain and Tennille are truly the bad seeds of hell. The acting is over the top, and has way too much depressing undertones. Jeff (Ty Taylor) is the man driven by his love of rock music, who only sin is that. He basically a good kid, but his mother becomes terrified about her son's attitude. Like she never heard a teenager rebellions. She force Jeff to speak to a youth pastor, who then influence Jeff into thinking that all rock music is against God. Soon, he become torture to the point that he alienated his friends. Ty Taylor's acting is so laughable, as it makes it sound like without music, it's like he's kicking heroin. There is no major struggle. You would think a movie like this would show bad things happening to the kids who like Rock music, like getting addicted to drugs, worshiping Satan, or having pre-marital sex, or something. While this movie is pretty brief, only clocking in for 53 minutes. It's just painful to watch. There is nothing really much to see, besides talking, and yelling. I really didn't his music choices really contradicting his belief to God. This movie was trite propaganda, it's no accident: the primary source for Jeff's research is Frank Garlock's "The Big Beat", one of several reactionary Christian literary works devoted to the supposed "evils" of rock music. It's funny in a way because Frank Garlock is a music professor. I guess, he doesn't see that he limiting his own passion. This is just nothing wrong, with listening to music, even if it's violence music, as long as you don't act upon what they're saying. Music is created by an individual and can be interpreted in many different ways. Going beyond that and using the music as an excuse to fling your religious beliefs at people is outlandish. If anything, most of the examples in this film are pretty tame, and mainstream. One would have to live a pretty sheltered life to think they're a Satan cult. This movie is deeply dated. The movie become too preachy that it lost value. As far as I can tell, God loves music, all kinds of music. I mean, if there is a God, he made it, right? It's a shame that the movie was basically extreme fundamentalist propaganda because it could have told a great story if it had an ounce of impartiality. Not only do they attack rock music, but foreign music because as the film put out, foreign music forced people to believe in their foreign beliefs. A bunch of hypocrites made this movie. So it's OK for the film to use Christian gospel music to get people to believe in Jesus, but foreign music is outlaw because might turn them Hindu or Muslim! It seem that the film want to destroy other outside influences that might foster interests other than Jesus. I don't know why homosexuals were also attack on this film, but it's seem like the movie is trying to make music to blame for all the homosexuals in the world. It wasn't needed. I don't think the company that made this movie should be preaching. Olive's Film did produce Christian movies in the early 1980s, but also they made porn in a later date. I try to look both ways on the coin with this issue, but, I just can't find anything to support this film's message. This movie is your decision to watch.