Troma Serves Up Some ‘Sweet Meats’ [New Blood Reviews]
Cannibalism is a longtime cornerstone of the food industry as far as horror is concerned. Think about it—Sweeny Todd first emerged in the penny dreadful serial The String of Pearls back in the late 1840s, reaching the Broadway stage in 1979 and solidifying itself as the prime example of cannibal-based storytelling. Then, there’s Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Blood Feast. Further down the menu, we have plenty of other dishes to suit one’s tastes—Jackie Kong’s Blood Diner, Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Herman Yau’s The Untold Story, that one episode of Tales of the Crypt by Gilbert Adler, there’s a whole smorgasbord to nibble at.
But for the cutting-edge connoisseur of cannibalism, Ricky Glore (All Your Friends Are Dead) has now teamed up with Troma Films to serve his own course to the meal with a dish that’s not only a cannibal romp, but also a musical… Kind of like that other movie. The title—Sweet Meats!
“Bobby Sweet is a country music legend and has been the world-renowned face of ‘Sweet Meats’ since establishing his first restaurant with his wife. Sometimes a “secret ingredient” should stay that way.” – IMDb
There’s more than a little Motel Hell in here, I’m not going to lie. Not too much, but the notes are present enough to pick out. That being said, it holds up on its own, and—on the Troma scale of quality—is pretty damn good. When judging a Troma film, one usually has to compare it to its contemporaries. That’s not an insult towards them, it just helps to give them a fair comparison. In this case, I’m comparing it to other musicals under the Troma label.
When it comes to said Troma musicals, I feel the charm comes less from the actual quality of the music and lyrics, and more from the absolute absurdity of their content. That’s expected… I mean, it’s fucking TROMA. Is it really a Troma film if it isn’t absurd as all hell? The answer’s no, of course, but I know you know that. However, this is an interesting case, because—rudely defying my expectations—Sweet Meats actually has some bangers. Like, I’m talking legitimately good music. Honestly, I’m kind of insulted by how much thought and talent went into these songs. Don’t you know you’re supposed to be a Troma flick? You’re supposed to be purposely bad and off-kilter! Despite how good the music is, the lyrics are still a bit looney, so the umami of Troma is there.
That goes beyond just the music and lyrics, though. The singing itself is good, too. Ricky Glore—who stars as Bobby Sweet—shows an incredible amount of skill throughout the film. The directing, the acting, the singing, it’s 10s across the board. In fact, the way the music is incorporated into the story reminds me of another low-budget gem from decades back — Dead and Breakfast, a zombedy starring Osgood Perkins of Longlegs fame. Both films use the music as a connective tissue between scenes, expositing information that would otherwise take full scenes to tell. It’s a fun way to go about the narrative, and I think more horror-comedy musicals should take note. It’s a niche sub-genre for sure, but it’s also a slowly growing one.
On another note, all the acting is solidly done, with Eileen Earnest as the proactive Laddie Gruoch— the one who gets her hands dirty as the restaurant’s “butcher”—being the highlight next to Glore’s performance. Both manage to steal whatever scene they’re in together, with Laddie’s manipulative sadism complementing Bobby’s charming naivety. Timmy H. Barron’s Jerry Gruoch offers even more of that naivety, being the less-than-dumb brother of Laddie who’s also Bobby’s biggest fan. Between Bobby and Jerry, the humor section is blaring, all chairs enthusiastically and uproariously filled.
The story—while not wholly original—is told entertainingly with several appreciated inversions that keep it as fresh as the titular sweet meats. Laddie’s the main source of most of them, being the murderous devil on Bobby’s shoulder, taking him deeper and deeper into the business serving up man-meat. She’s completely crazy, but given what she’s had to deal with throughout her life, it’s understandable where she’s coming from. Being shunned from the family business by one’s sexist father tends to stress someone out, you know? It almost makes you wish someone would teach him a lesson utilizing a meat grinder and a grill… Almost.
Overall, Sweet Meats is a perfect stick-in-the-ribs meal for any member of the horror community hankering for zany, blood-covered, flame-grilled, cannibalistic musical tales of triumph that only Troma can serve. More specifically, Ricky Glore is the master chef of this kitchen, given that this is the only movie I can think of that fits this niche subgenre. Maybe he’ll franchise it out.
Sweat Meats premieres at the Esquire Theatre in Cincinnati, Ohio on March 22, 2025. Get your tickets here.
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