It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple" - io9 Comments

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

cheesebubble — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:35:21 PDT

Lovely. I pride myself on my affinity for Can't Stop The Music, Xanadu, Roller Boogie, Phantom Of The Paradise and other such schlock. But I did not know about The Apple. Today is a glorious day, indeed! I need not see the movie to know that the "innocent folk duo from Saskatchewan" have already captured my heart. Just added this little ditty to my Amazon wish list.

cheesebubble

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

rhorsman — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:48:26 PST

SPEEEEEEEEEEED POWER!

I was amazed by the wrongness of this movie. And I have an illicit copy of the soundtrack on my iPod, may have to bust it out.

SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED... POWER!

rhorsman

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

brofax — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:08:27 PST

This is incredible. On my last weekly trip to the record store, I grabbed the cameraphone to snap a photo of the mint condition LP of the Apple soundtrack. To wit: [picasaweb.google.com]

The photo cuts it off, but the music is apparently by George Clinton.

brofax

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Xanthur — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:06:21 PST

This sounds like a mashup between Steve Jobs and the Gou'ald.

Sure this isn't a prequel to Stargate?

Xanthur

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

snotcopter — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:55:43 PST

I just KNEW this would happen. After years under the iron fist of Benita Bizarre and her evil henchmen Woofer and Tweeter, the Bugaloos grow up and form their own mind-control cult, based in a high-tech gym, with Her Royal Highness Joy the Pure Satin Spirit in control.

And you do not want to know what Courage and Harmony do to non-believers on the treadmill. *shudder*

snotcopter

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

MrBabyMan — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:40:24 PST

God, I love this movie. I've never laughed harder at more unintentional funny in my life.

MrBabyMan

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

eveninghawk — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:18:18 PST

and here i was thinking i had too few options for bad movie night! it helps when the tunes are catchy.

eveninghawk

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Erzengel — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:08:21 PST

so this is supose to be sci fi? are you sure its not a mockumentary about today music industry? sounds way too real to me.

Erzengel

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Chryss — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 07:40:34 PST

Remember: it's a natural, natural, natural desire to see an actual, actual, actual vampire.

Yes, I've been trying to work that lyric into everyday conversation. Not really having a lot of luck there...

Chryss

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

galatea2.2 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 07:13:23 PST

Oh, mah goodness. Caught this on late-night tv many moons ago and could not look away. The fall of Adam and Eve in disco glitter...[insert googly-eyes here]

galatea2.2

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

wererogue — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:30:55 PST

This movie is awesome (where awesome == gut-wrenchingly terrible, but I love it anyway). The songs are bizarre and ridiculous, and the whole movie is basically a bad 80s hippie-christian propaganda piece. I'd say it was begging for a RiffTrax, but it really doesn't need one.

wererogue

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

VirusWithShoes — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:06:06 PST

All I can say is that you should be able to put a restraining order on certain people from going 500m near camera equipment.

VirusWithShoes

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

regis — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:21:30 PST

BEARD GLITTER! this movie is all about the beard glitter.

regis

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Klappstuhl — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:29:24 PST

"The Apple"? Replace Mr. Boogalow with Steve Jobbs...

(Yes, I'd go that far, thanks for asking.)

Klappstuhl

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

TopShotta — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:04:51 PST

Hey, I bought Xanadu (and Roller Boogie), what are you trying to say? If you don't like roller skates and tube socks, there might be something wrong with you. Come to think of it, silver triangles on the forehead might not be so bad either...

TopShotta

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

EBone — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:49:11 PST

wasn't this the same plot as that horrible "54" movie with Mike Meyers?

EBone

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Docmarvy — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:38:33 PST

I netflixed this a little while ago to see if it lived up to the hype. It does and doesn't. While you're watching it you can't take your eyes off of it, but when it's over you totally forget you ever saw it. @zacwight: is totally right, the ending is insanity. SPOILER ALERT!!! Since Boogalow is a not-so-thinly veiled reference to the devil, then god is sort of Burl Ives in a big heavenly Rolls Royce who personally escorts all the hippies to heaven.

Did anyone else mention that this movie was supposed to be taking place in like 1994? Gah!

Docmarvy

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

GUNJAM — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:07:50 PST

There's an episode of the last series of the British Kitchen Knightmares in which Gordon Ramsey goes to help out a restaurant owned by the star of this movie. Just so you know ;D

GUNJAM

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Annalee Newitz — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:43:27 PST

@DrMathochist: It totally is an early RIAA satire. Reminds me of how Tron (1982) is an early anti-Microsoft movie *before* Microsoft gained ascendancy. Really uncanny.

Annalee Newitz

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

zacwight — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:28:17 PST

The end is crazy. Literally crazy. It makes no sense whatsoever. It has nearly nothing to do with the first part of the movie. It is like there were two writers, one for the first half and on for the second. They didn't talk. And the second one was a hippy that did lsd while he wrote.

zacwight

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

SuperUnison — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:14:36 PST

I own this and I can't overstate how essential it is. I mean, it DOES border on unwatchable at times, but it's also a one-of-a-kind trainwreck that occaisionally dips into being brilliant. I've probably seen it at least 5 times.

[www.avclub.com] gives a way better indication of how essential this fucking thing is.

SuperUnison

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Dillenger69 — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:45:10 PST

Oh my ... this may be the movie I've been searching for, for quite a few years.
I only got a glimpse of it in the 80s and all I remember is a cheesy musical number that mentioned vampires and these weird-ass bubble dome cars.
I never found out what the movie was called.
I think this is actually it.

Dillenger69

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

92BuickLeSabre — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:37:03 PST

Sorry for the double-post, but of the people who view this video on Amazon - 6% buy Xanadu. Take that to mean whatever you wish.

92BuickLeSabre

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

92BuickLeSabre — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:35:53 PST

I am uncomfortable with images of the Jane Fonda Workout alongside lyrics of leather, whipping, and pain.

I am uncomfortable with whatever is going on with minion #3, the one with the tooth-jewels.

I am uncomfortable with the idea of him being my maaaaahhhstaaaah.

I am uncomfortable with the fact that this exists.

92BuickLeSabre

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Eac_o_System — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:14:29 PST

Their future is our present, only "dancy".

Eac_o_System

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

theTouchofRogue — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:14:12 PST

There has never been a lyric more telling than this sampling from The Apple's title track: It's a natural, natural, natural desire/To meet an actual, actual, actual vampire." Is it? Really. Every musical number in the film is either twisted genius or insanely stupid.
"Hey, who has five minutes and a rhyming dictionary?"
"I do."
"Good, write the songs for my futuristic Adam and Eve musical--quickly!"
Jebus, I love the Apple!

theTouchofRogue

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

ManchuCandidate — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:04:28 PST

Er, wasn't this a really horrible Buck Rogers in the 25th century ep with the late great Jerry Orbach playing the ep's equivalent of Mr Boogaloo?

ManchuCandidate

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

DrMathochist — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:51:09 PST

BIM = BMI? Is this actually a really early version of copyright/DRM satire?

DrMathochist

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Annalee Newitz — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:27:00 PST

@helenanapier: Actually that's a typo of "faustian fiend," but I like "faustian field" so much better that I'm leaving it.

Annalee Newitz

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

goldfarb — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:25:00 PST

it's Maggie from the The Last Starfighter :)

goldfarb

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

Zapp Brannigan's Girdle — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:22:19 PST

Change the triangle on the forehead to white earbuds and you've got the present in a nutshell.

Zapp Brannigan's Girdle

It's a Shiny, Dancy, Pop-Fascist Future in "The Apple"

helenanapier — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:16:49 PST

"Faustian field" !?!? Can you make a Faustian bargain with, say, the Weak Force? Or perhaps a whole bunch of sentient poppies?

Foil forehead triangles are clearly a fundamental part of the grand tradition of scifi moviemaking... forehead thingies in general, actually, now that I think about it.

helenanapier