The war was over . . . The only survivors were street animals - dogs, cats and rats. From them, a new race of mutants evolved. That was a long time ago. Mok, a legendary super rocker, has retired to Ohmtown. There his computers work at deciphering an ancient code which would unlock a doorway between this world and another dimension. Obssessed with his dark experiment, Mok himself searches for the last crucial component: a very special voice.
After the End: There's some jazz in the prologue about how an apocalyptic war killed off all the humans and now extremely anthropomorphic animals have taken our place as detailed in the quote above. It has absolutely no bearing on the plot at all, just go with it.
Air Vent Passageway: Cindy Schlepper escapes this way every Saturday night, apparently, which is convenient for Angel.
All Girls Want Bad Boys: Angel for Omar, probably, though she's not exactly a saint herself.
All Part of the Show: After the demon is sent back and Mok vanishes, Mylar states this, and claims that Mok's just backstage relaxing.
Anti-Love Song: Born to Raise Hell ("You're so pretty / Pretty useless!")
An Axe to Grind: In a manner of speaking. Omar wields his guitar as weapon almost as much as he does an instrument.
Badass Damsel: Angel doesn't put up with being kidnapped and refuses to cooperate with Mok so much that he finally has her drugged and wired to a computer just to make her sing.
Bald of Evil: Mok. Any hair he has is really a wig.
By the Lights of Their Eyes: Mok is often shown this way, especially in the first twenty minutes of so of the movie where he's only ever shown in shadow, with only his eyes visible.
Card-Carrying Villain. Mok. ("My name is Mok, thanks a lot. I know you love that thing I've got. You've never seen the likes of me; why, I'm the biggest thing since World War III - girls?")
The Caretaker: Toad seems to be this with his brothers and sister. It doesn't stop him from being a jerk to other people, though.
Cat Girl: Angel may be either this or a rat girl. Singing voice of Debbie Harry no less! (Her speaking voice was Susan Roman.)
Chekhov's Gun: Ohmtown's name sounds like an Incredibly Lame Pun on "Hometown". Then Mok finds he needs more electrical power for his summoning rite, and you realize "ohm" is a good name for a town with a gigantic power plant.
Executive Meddling: Before releasing the film to US theaters, MGM redubbed the hero's part completely and changed the title to Ring of Power. Never mind that the only ring in the entire film appears, serves its purpose, and dutifully vanishes within the first 10 minutes.
Fan Disservice: Cindie Schlepper—essentially a Top Heavy Guy with boobs—is only in a few scenes, yet she shows off more of her boobs and butt than Angel does in the whole movie.
Fantastic Racism: Mutants. Never mind that the opening narration established that they were allmutants. In a more straightforward example, Toad calling a rat a fink.
Furry Confusion: The scene where a Dog-Woman character gives a Rat-man a tattoo of a traditional mermaid (fish tail on a human lady) as a non-anthropomorphic cat looks on is practically a Lampshade Hanging.
Funbag Airbag: Stretch turns right and his face wedges into a lady's chest in Club 666. She doesn't appreciate it.
Good Bad Girl: Angel is only really intimate with Omar, but she's not above using feminine charms to get her way.
G-Rated Drug: The Edison balls. You wait and wait for someone to say "I'm trippin' balls!" though.
Considering Mok smokes marijuana and snorts cocaine, and at Club 666 they're selling 'ludes and uppers, the Edison Balls are more of a Shout Out to Sleeper.
Actually, Mok is voiced by Don Francks, who had previously done the voice for Boba Fett's first appearance in the Nelvana-animated segment for the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. Francks is also the father of Cree Summer. Lou Reed did one of the songs sung by Mok in the movie, as did Iggy Pop.
Catherine O'Hara has a bit role as Aunt Edith, you little scumbag.
Mok: (completely unfazed): "Thank you. Shall we see them off?"
It's All About Me: Mok, to the point where it often falls squarely into A God Am I territory - this is a man who routinely writes songs solely about how divinely awesome he is, and how everyone must worship him. When people don't completely worship him, he snaps and decides to summon a demon to teach them a lesson.
"I Want" Song: Angel's song qualifies. It's essentially about her faithfulness to Omar, despite his apparent coldness.
Monumental Damage: Played with in a shot of the Statue of Liberty, still standing but tilted and battered, with ramshackle houses attached to her sides. Apparently she survived the war, but is no longer considered anything more than odd-looking real estate.
No Man of Woman Born: Mok's computer predicts that the demon can only be turned back by "the magic of one voice, one heart, one song," but then adds there is "no one" who can stop his plan. Mok doesn't count on Omar and Angel singing one song together, Angel with her mystically-attuned voice and Omar because his heart finally beat out his ego and let him sing something she wrote.
Non-Ironic Clown: Zip's favorite cartoon is "Uncle Mikey", starring a short, pudgy cartoon clown with a big, goofy grin. Though his choppy animation and grotesque face can be off-putting, he's genuinely nice and teaches kids the difference between good and evil.
Not Distracted by the Sexy: Angel tries thwarting Mokk's plans by seducing him, but he catches on too quick.
Obviously Evil: Mok. He's so incredibly creepy in everything he does, it makes one wonder how he can be popular enough for an album to go "from gold to platinum to plutonium(?) in one day".
We don't see anything of what Mokk was like when he started his career, he could have been considerably more appealing and his long career having resulted in his ego expanding to the point of his decay into the evil he became. This would explain his ratings dropping to the point he can't sell out his concerts anymore, he simply couldn't conceal his evil enough anymore and only the most blind fans remained.
Panty Shot: There are none of these, as it's easier to describe when you can't see Cindie's underwear.
Petting Zoo People: Most of the cast. The exact species of several of the characters is up for debate, although the rat-peoples' features seem to be the most recognizable of the three stated types.
There's also a wino who looks more like a Pig Man than a canine, feline or rodent, so it's possible that still more varieties of Petting Zoo People arose in the post-holocaust countryside.
Plucky Comic Relief: Stretch, and two of the three Rollerskating Schlepper Brothers.
Police State: Ohm Town has ridiculous laws against things like "improper swimwear". And then when Nuke York has a blackout, it means the city is put under martial law.
Take That: The "Uncle Mikey" scene and the conversation between Mok and his minion afterwards, in addition to being one of the best scenes in the movie, is a straight-up slam on moral relativism.
Unlimited Wardrobe: Mok has several costume changes in the movie. This even extends to his hair, since it's all wigs.
Villain Song: 'My name is Mok' and its attendant Disney Acid Sequence. Plus there's the fact that it was sung by Lou Reed which only adds to the awesomeness.
Thoughout the movie snippets of Mok's other songs can be heard as well - all just as egotistical - though "My Name Is Mok" is the only one with a sequence dedicated to it.
Villainous Breakdown: Mok goes beserk with outrage as Omar and Angel banish his demon.
He also has a more minor freakout earlier in the movie after another defiant speech by Angel. He goes into his costume room and goes completely beserk for a little while before one of his henchmen find him.
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