New VOD "The Apple" Now Available!!!

[Trekker4747]

Oh, the soundtrack is also available on, um, vinyl.

No 8-track?   

Or wax cylinder? Pffft.

[Bob]

Oh, the soundtrack is also available on, um, vinyl.

No 8-track?   

Or wax cylinder? Pffft.

I almost wrote that too!  Edison 's ghost tells me all.

[RVR II]

Finally getting around to watching this ... WTF  
This Apple was rotten to the core!

[Darth Geek]

So do the Rifftrax guys just not know the term "mooseknuckle"? Because with the guy from Moosejaw, it seemed like an obvious joke. But they kept going out of their way to describe his...package in too tight of pants...but not using that term. Or did I just miss it?

[Fangarius]

What I thought was funny about The Apple, was the fact this film strangely inspired Nelvana to animate two films along the same lines..

One was the special The Devil and Daniel Mouse. And if the title wasn't obvious enough, it was based on another classic film, but with an Applesque twist.  Daniel and Jan Mouse are like Alfie and Bibi, struggling artists who simply want fame and fortune for their works.  However, rather than beating round the bush with obscure and suggestive songs, they cut directly to the point.

Mainly, Jan proclaims the famous line in all 'Faust' based films do: she'd sell her soul to be rich and famous.  On cue, the Devil appears as B. L. Zebub, but doesn't waste time with a guise of a bad, demented version of Doctor Who's The Master.  He's not ashamed in showing he's evil incarnate, nor the fact he's gonna reap another soul.  So he tricks Jan into signing a contract in blood (yeah, hard to believe this was the SAME animated studio who brought us The Care Bears) and just like Bibi, Jan becomes an instant rock star.
Meanwhile Daniel pines for her, watching her fame, until the Devil decides on collecting his payment.

Ironically, going back to the whole 'Daniel Webster' thing, they take the Devil to court, though it seems here, B.L. Zebub is the judge with a demonic jury as well.  When Daniel tries going by the book, the Devil naturally dispels it.  So, in 80s animated fashion, he and Jan end up singing the song they wrote, which is about Love. And as you know, well... and I mean TOON INNOCENT LOVE, you pervs, not what The Apple was implying... and so the Devil's defeated when his OWN jury members find Jan innocent, because she wasn't clear on the terms of the contract.  Like, what the hey?  She SOLD her soul to the Devil, what's NOT to understand... but it was the 80s and all that rot.

The movie cryptically ends with a freeze frame of Daniel and Jan with the moral printed round them, whereas when you see it, you're like, "What the Hell just happened here?"  I mean, the Prince of Darkness was felled by a love song... an 80s love song, and not a popular one.  But hey, there was a musical about an Apple, which they only focused on for about what... five minutes...

Now where was I?  Oh, yes... the other Nelvana weirdness inspired by The Apple (sort of).. was Rock and Rule.  Except here instead of the Devil once again tricking naive hopefuls into a bad 80s musical, this was about a malevolent rock star (who apparently is called Mok) in a world of anthropomorphic dementia, who tricks a young female singer into helping him summon up a demon.

And this is in an inexplicable dimension where you can't really tell if it's another planet, an apocalyptic, dystopian future.  And why exactly Mok wants to summon up a demon with this singer, except perhaps ticked the Devil wouldn't take his soul for being a star.  Though great animation (once again, hard to believe these were the guys who would later produce children's animated shows), this tale is so confusing, it makes The Apple appear intelligent and comprehensible.

Anyhoo, I'm glad Rifftrax took a big crunch out of this odd musical and wonder if they'll tackle any other disturbing 80s musicals as well.  Perhaps maybe these Nelvana animations I spoke of, then again, I doubt Mike, Kevin and Bill would forgive me for making their minds implode from watching those films.

[Johnny Unusual]

What I thought was funny about The Apple, was the fact this film strangely inspired Nelvana to animate two films along the same lines..

I don't think those films were inspired by The Apple, though they did have similar themes.  The Devil and Daniel Mouse existed 2 years before the Apple was released and Rock and Rule was really just remaking the former into a full length movie.

That said, I think that the reason they share such similar themes might have been that the corrupting power of fame is a well known theme and it would make sense to literalize such deals with the devil.

Still, I'm glad you brought it up.  Nelvana has made some interesting stuff on occasion, but sadly I find most of it to be crap.

[Smitten Kitten]

This is easily a double bill with "Night of the Moon Beast" -- I'm definitely seeing "Love, the Universal Melody" as 1980's answer to "California Lady"!

[Rabbi Hi-Keeba]

I kind of liked "Love, the Universal Melody." Not as much as the girl in the audience did, but it is a good message.

[Beyond the Riff]

I think The Apple was mostly inspired by Phantom of the Paradise, which has a very similar plot (but is a better movie and more downbeat). And Phantom of the Paradise was inspired by Faust and maybe A Star is Born.

[Trekker4747]

I think it was inspired by some rancid Billy Beer and a bar napkin with a random biblical quote on it.

[losingmydignity]

Here I go into the breech. Tonight's the night. Okay, Apple, do your stuff and make me forget what a rotten month it's been.

[WalterKovacs]

I've finally got around to watching, and just thought it needed to be mentioned that it's interesting that the villain, who looks suspiciously like the Master (of Doctor Who fame, the Ainley version) has a whole song and dance number about How to be a Master