Posted 10 June 2018
Written 8 October 2016 but is still relevant
“The Electric Piper” was an animated tv movie shown on Nickelodeon in the early 2000’s. It was only shown a few times. There have been copyright reasons why the movie has not been released to home media. It was posted on YouTube and that’s where I saw it my second time after 13 years.
Life would be so much more interesting if everybody could just break out into well-rehearsed song and dance. Taking place in the 1960’s, this rare, colorfully cheerful musical shows the lives of Mick and Janis Dixon and the kids of Hamlin putting up with the strict rules of their parents and surviving a huge rat infestation. Sly, a Jimi Hendrix-like guitarist magician, takes care of the rats and takes the kids away from their drab, parent-led lifestyles.
I like how accurately life in the 1960s was portrayed from the portrayal of the common nuclear family (notice how each family had 2 children) to the changing of idea of how things should be to the building and fashion designs at the time. It all just screams “60s!” even if I wasn’t born by then.
My favorite part of the movie was the songs. Each song had nice charm to it, especially the vintage-sounding ones. Nothing wrong with that! As a Beatles fan, I liked the Sgt. Pepper/Yellow Submarine-like animation in the song “F.S.R.” (“Fabulous Swimming Rats”) (plus many other musical references I found). I especially enjoyed the song “Sly’s the Guy.” Bill Burnett was quite the songwriter at this time. Possibly burning out through writing songs for “ChalkZone” (which lasted several seasons), his songs were as catchy here as they were on his show, especially in the earlier episodes (mostly seasons 1 and 2). Music is a very important aspect in entertainment. The music compliments the time period where this movie takes place. It takes the modern viewer back to a time where what was acceptable and what was not was being redefined.
Overall, fine storytelling, nice songs to which you want to learn the lyrics, and a guy with a powerful guitar leading bunch of kids in song. I only watched this movie once in 2003. I did not tape it. After rewatching 13 years later, I’m glad I didn’t tape it partly due to the risk of internet-goers charging at my door for my copy. This movie gets better and better every time I watch it which is why I will give it 4 stars. The thing that held it back was how the character design was not quite of my taste. Most of the characters seemed a bit stiff in posture. Other than that, an unforgettable piece that REALLY SHOULD be released to home media if Nickelodeon cooperates. It also makes me want to eat mac and cheese when I’m through watching it.