There was no bigger fan of “Don’t Fear the Reaper” than Joe. For the uninitiated, be aware, The Stoned Age is THE ultimate Blue Oyster Cult movie. Halloween had already picked up on the stoner connection but no movie embraced this aesthetic more than The Stoned Age.

Many films used “Reaper” to elicit nostalgic memories of rolling joints on vinyl gatefolds. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” doesn’t HAVE to be dark. Once again, “Reaper” is the perfect soundtrack to death. A few brave souls makes it to the exit before succumbing to a deadly virus. When The Stand was adapted into a TV miniseries, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” received a prominent airing.Īs the opening credits roll, the aftermath of a government lab’s security breech is shown in gruesome detail. Taking inspiration for The Stand, King quoted the famous lyrics in his post-apocalyptic novel. Stephen King also recognized the song’s darker side. “Reaper” plays on as Michael brutally murders his sister. A young Michael Myers discovers his iconic mask to the tune of Blue Oyster Cult. Rob Zombie’s reprised “Don’t Fear the Reaper” in his remake of Halloween. Literally stalked by death, the song assumes an eerie relevancy.

As Laurie and Annie share an after school joint, “Reaper” ominously plays on the radio. Unbeknownst to the doomed teenagers, Michael Myers follows behind in a stolen car.

Expertly combining the song’s fixation on death with marijuana culture, he touched on two themes that future filmmakers would revisit.Įven in the seventies, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” was a stoner anthem. John Carpenter set quite a precedent when using “Don’t Fear the Reaper” in Halloween. With a creepy riff that highlighted a lyrical embrace of death, it’s little wonder that “Reaper” first appeared in a horror film. Blue Oyster Cult scored their biggest hit with “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” The macabre love song quickly transcended the music world to appear in movies and television.

Blue oyster cult don't fear the reaper