LTV21

So many great animations out there, but not all are really LTV “weird”.  But we run into some like the following that are a specific kind of weird and “WTF” that makes them great for LTV show openers or commercial bumpers.

This animation was created by Dan Meth for $99 Music Videos for the band Mixel Pixel (in case you were confused by who did what for whom).  After seeing this and checking out their respective websites, there’s nothing I don’t like about what Dan Meth and $99 Music Videos do, and Mixel Pixel has this fun “growing up in the 80′s” thing going on that’s growing on me quickly.

I think what jumped out at me about this video right off the bat is how much it reminds me of Augenblick Studio‘s work on “Superjail!“.  Maybe it’s just the quick and dirty drawing style combined with the stream of conciousness composition.  Whatever it is, it tickles me properly.

Mixel Pixel’s Site

Mixel Pixel’s MySpace Page

Dan Meth’s Site

$99 Music Videos’ Site

$99 Music Videos’ Facebook Page

$99 Music Videos’ Twitter

And for fun, the “Making Of” for the video, including what Dan Meth spent his $99 on:

Monster Manual “Making Of” video

I’m a bit fan of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim lineup.  They have some great comedies, action series and I’m not an anime purist, so I’m even a fan of that offering (some of the time, at least.. some series don’t do anything for me, but some are just excellent!).  Of course, being an animation oriented channel, and “adult” in the rated PG-13 to hard “R” variety, they’re bound to have some good fodder for fans of Liquid TV.

This will be the first of a handful of shows I plan on featuring just because of their sheer oddness.

Superjail! is basically what would happen if you took Willy Wonka’s candy factory and turned it into a prison.  The animation style is chaotic and surreal in a way that only chemical mind alteration or a naturally occurring brain dysfunction can produce.  You’ve heard of places for the “criminally insane” and you’ve heard “insanely creative” used to describe some people.  The artists responsible for Superjail are nothing short of “criminally creative.”  I can’t wait to check out their other works on their website.

To get a feel for the show, each episode starts out with a criminal doing his criminal stuff.  Usually it’s this one generic criminal, but they switch it off when there’s a certain new inmate coming along for that episode.

In no time flat, Jailbot shows up to haul the criminal off (back?) to Superjail for the happy little opening sequence, flying through a number of odd scenes.  That’s almost my favorite part of ever episode, just enjoying the weirdness of the opening sequence.  But there’s plenty more weirdness in the episodes themselves.

Two examples of the pre-opening:

AdultSwim.com

AdultSwim.com

And an example of the opening theme and randomness, including the theme song “Comin’ Home” by a band called Cheeseburger:

YouTube

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3fSgixGbY0[/youtube]

The show featuers the Willy Wonka-esque Warden, his assistant, Jailbot and a well endowed “female” (note the quotes) security guard.  And of course all the prisoners.  It’s VERY violent and very strange, but has a genius about it that I appreciate.

Superjail! current plays on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” lineup.  You can find videos online here:

AdultSwim.com – SuperJail!

Superjail! is made by Augenblick Studios, Inc. – Some of their other works are: Wonder Showzen, Golden Age, The Ten, Shorties, Stickman Exodus, Drunky, Plugs McGinniss, Ramblin’ Man, Midnight Carnival,

AugenblickStudios.com

Wikipedia’s Entry for Superjail!