Rocker cast meets goth princess with fangs

• Director/writer: Rob Stefaniuk
• Producers: Robin Crumley, Jeff Rogers, Victoria Hirst
• Production company: Capri Vision
• Key cast: Rob Stefaniuk, Jessica Paré, Malcolm McDowell, Dave Foley
• Distributor: Equinoxe Films
• International sales: Insight Film Releasing
• Budget: $4 million

In a seedy motel somewhere along Mississauga’s lakeshore, director Rob Stefaniuk is shooting a scene in which a sleazy rocker is about to be fellated by a goth princess. Unfortunately for him, the goth princess is a vampire who is about to hit the holy grail of blood.

If this sounds like a scene from another raunchy episode of True Blood, you’re half right. Stefaniuk’s new film, Suck, is tapping the same rich vein as the HBO series and the Twilight franchise. But hopefully it will be much funnier. If Stefaniunk’s previous film, Phil the Alien, is any indication, chances are good that Suck won’t suck.

A high-concept collision between The Rocky Horror Picture Show and This Is Spinal Tap, Stefaniuk’s script follows a no-talent band that calls themselves The Winners as they trade their souls for a chance at the big time. If this sounds like undead boilerplate, Suck has a unique selling point. A few supporting roles are played by people who may well have sold their souls for real.

Iggy Pop plays a sleazy music producer, former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins plays a radio shock-jock and Alice Cooper plays a sinister bartender who may well be the prince of darkness.

The rock ‘n’ roll connection was established by one of the film’s producers, Jeff Rogers, a recording industry veteran who has represented a number of major artists during his career. Several of them appear in Suck, including Moby, who plays Beef Bellows, the lead singer of The Secretaries of Steak, the sleazy rocker in the opening paragraph.

There is some deep acting talent along for the ride. Malcolm McDowell plays Eddie Van Helsing, a vampire hunter, while Kids in the Hall stalwart Dave Foley plays the manager of The Winners. The goth princess, the band’s bassist, is Jessica Paré (a featured player in another TIFF09 comedy, The Trotsky), while Stefaniuk exercises his comic chops as the band’s lead singer.

Stefaniuk also contributed seven of the soundtrack’s 11 original songs in collaboration with John Kastner, recorded in Montreal and L.A. prior to filming. Other musical contributors are Ivan Doroshuk of Men Without Hats, Carole Pope, Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Dimitri Coates of Burning Brides.

Shot last winter in Toronto, the film is the debut production of Capri Vision, a low-budget label of Toronto-based Capri Films, aimed at teens and young adults. Capri president Gabriella Martinelli launched the label as part of a mentorship program uniting film professionals with emerging filmmakers. And sometimes their kids. Martinelli’s son, Robin Crumley, is one of the producers alongside Rogers and veteran Toronto-based Victoria Hirst of Victorious Films.