Harsh Mistress - Recap

Cory Williams is shopping at a music store when he spots a guitar and decides he has to have it, despite his friend Rickey's advice. Cory notes it's the same type that rocker Bobby McCain used when he rose to fame with three hits before he blew his own brains out. Cory sells his old records to buy it but when he gets it home he notices that it's covered in blood. He compares it to a Bobby McCain poster and realizes it's identical to the one that Bobby owned. When Cory plays it, he plays better than he ever has before.

Cory gets into an audition for lead guitarist with a rocker and the manager Dion and his assistant Ashley are initially unimpressed until Cory plays better than they've ever heard. In short order they have him signed up for a solo album. Cory insists on recording until his finger bleed.

Within three weeks, Cory has risen to the top of the charts with his new album, Whitefire. Rickey is using his friend's reputation to hit on girls without success at the promotion party. Ashley comes over and notes that Cory seems to be obsessed with his guitar, and says he needs to have some fun. They talk music and he invites her over to his place to show Ashley his old albums. They end up in bed and she reminds him to put the guitar down. As Cory tries, he gets his sleeve caught in the strings, one snaps, and cuts him below the eye. He throws it on the floor and they start making love but Cory notices the guitar has somehow moved to its stand.

The next morning, Ashley recognizes the guitar as the same one McCain used. As she puts it on, she notes that the guitar's previous owner before McCain killed himself as well. The guitar strap suddenly tightens around her neck, choking her to death. As the paramedics take Ashley away, Cory tries to explain to his manager Dion what happened. Dion tells him it was a tragic accident but Cory insists the guitar has a life of it own and wants him for itself. Dion tells him that after they finish the video shoot, he'll get Cory into a rehab clinic. Once everyone is gone, Cory tries to defy the guitar, insisting it was his talent that got him on the top. He throws the guitar into the closet and walks away.

At the video shoot, Cory switches to a new guitar. He plugs it in but receives an electrical shock and Rickey pulls the cord free just in time. The sound tech insists everything is fine but Cory traces the speaker cord back and sees the McCain guitar standing nearby. Rickey insists that nobody put it there. Cory grabs the McCain guitar and starts playing. However, after a few minutes he starts smashing the guitar into a wall and finally throws it into the band pit. He storms off the set and starts driving through the night. As he accelerates, the radio comes on by itself, playing Cory's song. He turns and sees the guitar in the back. Cory tries to tell the guitar it's over and wonders how many lives its destroyed. He goes off the road and is killed.

The police clean up the crash site and take Cory's body away. They remove the guitar, unscratched, from the car. And later, another aspiring rock musician finds the guitar for sale at a store and buys it.

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