Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...
...and welcome to 'Day Twenty-Seven' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku players - so let's dim the lights, for more fun & frights! :-O
If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - published twenty-seven days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D
Likewise... if you read my previous post on 'Day Twenty-Six' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall it featured a "Monster" - who in later cartoon appearances became known as "Gossamer" - and, when 'Bugs Bunny' pointed-out their 'audience' it yelled "PEEEE-PLE! Aieeeeeeee!", then proceeded to turn and run - crashing through a seemingly endless series of walls in an attempt to get away from all that unwanted attention. By way of a slight twist, today's creepy cartoon classic features the more common scenario... in which the "PEEEE-PLE!" - that's "people", to you and I - or more specifically, 8-year-old insomniac Ralf and his little brother, face all manner of "monsters" lurking in the dark! :-O
Released on 8th April 2016, and directed by Pete Levin, this spook-tastic stop-motion animation was inspired by the artwork of contemporary pop-surrealist and street-artist Greg “Craola” Simkins. This short also happens to feature a musical score composed by Mark Hoppus (Blink-182) together with a guy called James Ingram (the engineer, not the "Somewhere Out There" singer). At the time this was made, the friendship between Hoppus and Simkins stretched back almost fifteen years - to when the artist designed t-shirt graphics for Hoppus' clothing line - and, when Simkins told him about the idea for this spooky short, he (apparently) jumped at the chance to compose the music for it. The result of their collaboration was a kind of menacing bluegrass, led by a sprightly banjo (created on a keyboard) with a major inspiration being "Pink Elephants On Parade" from "Dumbo" for director, Pete Levin, who suggested that and other cartoons from the 20's, 30's, and 40's for their frenetic energy! :-O :-D
Anyway, the story begins with 'Ralf' being woken-up by a noise in the middle of the night and then sliding down the ladder from his top bunk to wake-up his little brother who was fast asleep below. The opening lines, like much of the rest of the dialogue, are spoken in verse and start like this:-
What follows, from this point on reads like a big list of all the things in life that give 'Ralf' the reason to utter the words "I'm scared" and he strings them all together to create a story for his little brother. Before he begins to reel-off the reasons "why you should be scared", to his little brother, he steps into the "spotlight" in their darkened room to confess: "I'm scared when my mom turns out the light!", and then everything just spirals on from there, covering everything from bullies and bee stings to peculiar oddities like the "gelatinous goop in eclairs", so listen carefully because THIS IS AWESOME! ;-) :-D
Rather than risk spoiling this spooky short, by revealing all the things which terrify poor little 'Ralf, it's probably best to let you watch (and listen) to his tale(s) of torment for yourselves. So, if you wish to find out whether 'Ralf' and his little brother manage to make it through the night by avoiding all of the "so - so many things, that can make you so dead!", press "Play" on the embedded video below:-
Unlike previous videos that I've shared (thus far) in this series of posts, although "I'm Scared" (2016) is also available via 'YouTube', the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on 'Vimeo' because it was uploaded there by the director. Of course, in addition to watching this embedded video of the cartoon here on my blog, you can also stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Vimeo' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a Roku channel for 'Vimeo' which is available via the built-in 'Channel Store', found under "Streaming Channels" from the 'Home' menu of your Roku streaming media player, and the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] to look out for is as follows:-
VIMEO....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TOP TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the Roku channel for 'Vimeo' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "user4048530", also known as "Pete Levin" - or the unique identifier (which is "206485600" for the video shown above) - so your best hope of finding "I'm Scared" (2016) within the 'Vimeo' channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following text: "I'm Scared -- a stop motion short based on the work of Greg 'Craola' Simkins" which is shown (in full) across the top of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Vimeo' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm you will see it listed among the 'Search' results on your screen and it can be viewed on Roku device(s) without issues! :-D
On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to look-out for the red eyes peering out of the trunk at the start of this spooky short... because, when it nears it's conclusion, you will see them again - many times over - because, as 'Ralf' warns, the creatures to which they belong have all been "plotting in silence" throughout the course of this tale and are "gonna cause violence" by the end of it!
Meanwhile, in terms of memorabilia, I did manage to find a poster for "I'm Scared" (2016), as well as several other images that I thought I'd share from the production of this stop-motion animated short:-
Of course, this spooky short might never have even been made were it not for the original artwork of Greg “Craola” Simkins, whose highly coveted body of work has "I'm Scared" as a recurring theme in much of it. His careful weaving of pop culture, old masters, nature, and carnival kitsch, along with a warped imagination, have produced many inspired paintings that make him one of the most widely collected contemporary pop-surrealists of our time. So, to round-off this article, I thought it only right to share a couple of my favourites with you: "Tricky Treators" (2015) and "The Gobbler" (2014):-
However, given everything he's been subjected to in this spooky stop-motion short, I thought the last word should go to 'Ralf' from this age old story of the conflict between the imaginations of little boys and the monsters they battle on a nightly basis, as their bedrooms become the monsters' playground!
If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - published twenty-seven days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D
Likewise... if you read my previous post on 'Day Twenty-Six' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall it featured a "Monster" - who in later cartoon appearances became known as "Gossamer" - and, when 'Bugs Bunny' pointed-out their 'audience' it yelled "PEEEE-PLE! Aieeeeeeee!", then proceeded to turn and run - crashing through a seemingly endless series of walls in an attempt to get away from all that unwanted attention. By way of a slight twist, today's creepy cartoon classic features the more common scenario... in which the "PEEEE-PLE!" - that's "people", to you and I - or more specifically, 8-year-old insomniac Ralf and his little brother, face all manner of "monsters" lurking in the dark! :-O
Released on 8th April 2016, and directed by Pete Levin, this spook-tastic stop-motion animation was inspired by the artwork of contemporary pop-surrealist and street-artist Greg “Craola” Simkins. This short also happens to feature a musical score composed by Mark Hoppus (Blink-182) together with a guy called James Ingram (the engineer, not the "Somewhere Out There" singer). At the time this was made, the friendship between Hoppus and Simkins stretched back almost fifteen years - to when the artist designed t-shirt graphics for Hoppus' clothing line - and, when Simkins told him about the idea for this spooky short, he (apparently) jumped at the chance to compose the music for it. The result of their collaboration was a kind of menacing bluegrass, led by a sprightly banjo (created on a keyboard) with a major inspiration being "Pink Elephants On Parade" from "Dumbo" for director, Pete Levin, who suggested that and other cartoons from the 20's, 30's, and 40's for their frenetic energy! :-O :-D
Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 Poses Backstage at the KROQ Weenie Roast Y Fiesta (2015)
PHOTO CREDIT: Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images for CBS Radio Inc.
Anyway, the story begins with 'Ralf' being woken-up by a noise in the middle of the night and then sliding down the ladder from his top bunk to wake-up his little brother who was fast asleep below. The opening lines, like much of the rest of the dialogue, are spoken in verse and start like this:-
"Hey, hey… wake up!I'd like to say there's nothing to fear...But then I'd be lying, so just listen here...Sure, there's the thing that's under your bed...But so, so many things can make you so dead...Danger is lurking, we need to beware…Here are the reasons why you should be scared!"
What follows, from this point on reads like a big list of all the things in life that give 'Ralf' the reason to utter the words "I'm scared" and he strings them all together to create a story for his little brother. Before he begins to reel-off the reasons "why you should be scared", to his little brother, he steps into the "spotlight" in their darkened room to confess: "I'm scared when my mom turns out the light!", and then everything just spirals on from there, covering everything from bullies and bee stings to peculiar oddities like the "gelatinous goop in eclairs", so listen carefully because THIS IS AWESOME! ;-) :-D
'Ralf' Is Woken In The Middle Of The Night By A Strange Noise That Scares Him...
So He Climbs Out Of Bed, And Wakes His Little Brother, To Tell Him His Greatest Fears !!
Rather than risk spoiling this spooky short, by revealing all the things which terrify poor little 'Ralf, it's probably best to let you watch (and listen) to his tale(s) of torment for yourselves. So, if you wish to find out whether 'Ralf' and his little brother manage to make it through the night by avoiding all of the "so - so many things, that can make you so dead!", press "Play" on the embedded video below:-
Unlike previous videos that I've shared (thus far) in this series of posts, although "I'm Scared" (2016) is also available via 'YouTube', the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on 'Vimeo' because it was uploaded there by the director. Of course, in addition to watching this embedded video of the cartoon here on my blog, you can also stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Vimeo' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a Roku channel for 'Vimeo' which is available via the built-in 'Channel Store', found under "Streaming Channels" from the 'Home' menu of your Roku streaming media player, and the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] to look out for is as follows:-
VIMEO....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TOP TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the Roku channel for 'Vimeo' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "user4048530", also known as "Pete Levin" - or the unique identifier (which is "206485600" for the video shown above) - so your best hope of finding "I'm Scared" (2016) within the 'Vimeo' channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following text: "I'm Scared -- a stop motion short based on the work of Greg 'Craola' Simkins" which is shown (in full) across the top of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Vimeo' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm you will see it listed among the 'Search' results on your screen and it can be viewed on Roku device(s) without issues! :-D
On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to look-out for the red eyes peering out of the trunk at the start of this spooky short... because, when it nears it's conclusion, you will see them again - many times over - because, as 'Ralf' warns, the creatures to which they belong have all been "plotting in silence" throughout the course of this tale and are "gonna cause violence" by the end of it!
"Mess with these bunnies... go away in a hearse!"
Meanwhile, in terms of memorabilia, I did manage to find a poster for "I'm Scared" (2016), as well as several other images that I thought I'd share from the production of this stop-motion animated short:-
"I'm Scared" (2016) [dir. Pete Levin] - Stop Motion Animated Short [Film Poster]
"I'm Scared" (2016) [Artist Sketches, Plus Model Of 'Ralf' Character]
'Ralf', His 'Little Brother', And 'Ted'... Believe It, Or Not, 'Ted' Is Quite Dead!
"I'm Scared" (2016) ['Stair Monsta' Toy Signing And 'Public Screening' Poster]
Of course, this spooky short might never have even been made were it not for the original artwork of Greg “Craola” Simkins, whose highly coveted body of work has "I'm Scared" as a recurring theme in much of it. His careful weaving of pop culture, old masters, nature, and carnival kitsch, along with a warped imagination, have produced many inspired paintings that make him one of the most widely collected contemporary pop-surrealists of our time. So, to round-off this article, I thought it only right to share a couple of my favourites with you: "Tricky Treators" (2015) and "The Gobbler" (2014):-
Greg “Craola” Simkins: Tricky Treators, 2015 (Left) / The Gobbler 2014 (Right)
However, given everything he's been subjected to in this spooky stop-motion short, I thought the last word should go to 'Ralf' from this age old story of the conflict between the imaginations of little boys and the monsters they battle on a nightly basis, as their bedrooms become the monsters' playground!
All of these things which come in the night
The monsters in shadows fill me with fright
Everything's waiting, creeping and crawling
Surrounding our beds, whispering, calling…
When the air is filled with wintery cold,
They move in closer to devour our souls,
What will we do? Who will defend us?
I fear that this night will go down as horrendous!
WHOAH... AWESOME !!
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I'd also like to remind readers of this blog that there are now just four days left to go till Halloween !!
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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day 28' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website and show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.
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ONE LAST THING, BEFORE I GO: Don't forget that, aside from the Hallowe'en / Horror-themed ghastliness going on around these parts for the next month, you can also keep up with the UK Roku action (as it happens) by checking-out my regular 'Weekly RoundUp' posts each weekend where you will find up-to-the-minute info on all things Roku-related is posted on a weekly basis (well, almost).
Until the next time, then...
That's all folks !!
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