METALOCALYPSE: DETHKLOK / "Snakes N' Barrels" - 2006

Here's one of my favorite episodes because it's pure insanity...

Before Pickles joined Dethklok, he was in a band called Snakes N' Barrels. They gained great notoriety and were on top of the charts.

Unfortunately, there was a problem, booze, cocaine and heroine, and after their success they broke up because of their addictions, basically they could not perform, just be stoned!

The Council is always looking for a way to derail Dethklok, as they are the most famous and rich metal band on Earth. And it's hurting the world economies.

They bring in their specialist on mind control who has a military strength formula called Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake that will erase the user's mind. They plan on giving it to Snakes N' Barrels (and especially Pickles) before their reunion tour begins.

Pickles has left to meet with his former bandmates to practice before the event, and Murderface is worried that Pickles may leave Dethklok.

Pickles has arrived and it's time to practice their tunes. The other band members are Antonio 'Tony' DeMarco Thunderbottom on bass, Sammy 'Candynose' Twinskins on drums, and Snizzy Snazz Bullets on rhythm guitar. Pickles is the singer and lead guitarist. Problem is, everyone has been clean for years (except Pickles) and can't play for shit!

Tony doesn't even turn his amp on because he doesn't want his electricity bill to go up, and Sammy sits on the bass drum instead of behind it! And boy do they suck!

Pickles copes with the problem the best way he knows how.

Well, it's almost time for the boys to go on stage, and the Council's agent (with fake beard) shows up to give the guys four vials of Totally Awesome Sweet Alabama Liquid Snake.

And, they all take it!!

The band breaks into a very cool tune called "Water Horsey Blues" and they are starting to feel the effects of the drug.

Tony starts seeing snakes coming at him, and starts screaming his head off!

Sammy sees a demon coming for him!

Snizzy thinks he's being attacked by demon babies, he even thinks that he's naked on a light beam, trying to get away!

Tony imagines himself being attack by venomous snakes!

The band members end up with their minds erased, just standing there, drooling.

A double album is produced and it immediately shoots to number one on the charts, leaving Tony, Sammy and Snizzy all with their minds erased!

The other Dethklok members ask Pickles why his mind didn't get erased, and he says it's because he's been doing heavy drugs his whole life, so it didn't have any lasting effects! Just another day in the lives of Dethklok.

DR. PYCKLE AND MR. PRYDE - "Diabolically Hilarious" (1925)

 

A few years ago, I did a write up titled "Over 100 Years of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Variations," but somehow I recently found out that there was a glaring omission from 1925 called "Dr. Pyckle And Mr. Pryde" that starred the phenomenal Stan Laurel, so that's what this Weird Wednesday is all about. 

I don't know why this title card says Mr. Pride instead of Mr. Pryde.

 

It's difficult trying to know about every film ever made, so thank the Lord, I have my editor to root some of this stuff out for me!

For anybody out there who thinks they just couldn't possibly watch a black and white or silent film, this short movie should change your mind real quick. It's fast paced and hilarious!

Julie Leonard is the good Doctor's lovely assistant. Julie started her career in 1921, and has 23 acting credits. This was the second to the last of her films.

When I was first told about this movie, I thought maybe Stan the Doctor would turn into an Ollie Hyde, but this was a solo feature for Stan Laurel. Although Laurel and Hardy did appear together in a film in 1921 called "The Lucky Dog," it wasn't until 1931 and a film called "Pardon Us," that they appeared for the first time together as a comedy team.

 

Fight the Devil, Doctor, you can do it! 

But of course he'll drink it anyway, or we wouldn't have a story!

In this movie, you really get a chance to see another side to Stan Laurel, and the depth of his acting abilities! He was truly incredible!

"Dr. Pyckle And Mr. Pryde" is 21 minutes long, and was shot on the back lot at Universal Studios.

Mr. Pryde reminded me a lot of "The Creep." He's a quite loathsome character who is actually sillier than Hell. In this scene, he steals this kid's ice cream cone. Now that's mean!

 

Mr. Pryde is fairly pleased with himself!

Oops!

For his next stunt, Mr. Pryde pulls out his trusty pea shooter!

Aw, quit your sniveling, it didn't hurt that bad!

After that incident, Mr. Pryde is chased back to his laboratory where he quickly reverts back to the much more pleasant Dr. Pyckle again.

But it doesn't take long for him to get back to his nefarious and devious actions again such as blowing a party blow-out in this woman's face!

Mr. Pryde scares this lady so bad, after he sneaks up behind her, and pops a paper bag! What diabolical act is he not capable of?

Mr. Pryde gets caught when he's trying to hide behind this pole, so he hands this gentleman a gift as a distraction.

The gift turns out to be a dastardly Chinese Finger Trap, also sometimes known as Chinese Handcuffs.

The Chinese Finger Trap dates back to the early 6th century BC, when Lao Tzu, used the device to thwart invaders. They've been sold in novelty shops for years, and still delight kids to this day!

 

After all those horrendous acts, Mr. Pryde must once again revert back his normal dull self.

As the local denizens descend on his doorway, Dr. Pyckle notices that he's starting to change back to Mr. Pryde, but without taking the transformation potion!

Mr. Pryde then turns his attention to his assistant, who promptly hits him over the head with a bottle, and the movie is over!

I highly suggest you take the time to watch this wonderful film from 97 years ago, and to make it that much easier for you, here's one of the places you can see it for free!

MERRIE MELODIES / "Falling Hare" - 1943

Here's a great Bugs Bunny cartoon, it's directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, with voices by Mel Blanc and Bob Clampett, Mel doing Bugs and Bob doing the gremlin!!

Bugs is on an airfield, relaxing and reading a book.

He's learning all about how rabbits have contributed to the victories in the war against Germany and Japan...

He gets to a segment in the book about gremlins, who wreck planes with their diabolical acts of sabotage. That makes him chuckle to himself... Gremlins!

But when one of them tries to use a mallet on a blockbuster bomb to no avail, Bugs offers to help the little guy out. He takes the mallet, winds up, swings and comes within an inch of hitting the bomb before he realizes what he's doing. Bugs grabs a big wrench and chases the little troublemaker.

Of course Bugs is the one that gets conked on the head. When he asks the gremlin... Which way did he go, George?.. The little guys says... He went that-a-way! Bugs thanks him and then falls flat on his face.

After shaking off the conk on the head, Bugs chases the gremlin into the plane.

The gremlin ducks out of the plane, starts the engines, and pushes the wheels until the plane takes off into the wild blue yonder...

Bugs tries to get to the gremlin (on the outside) by busting down the door, but the little guy opens the door instead, and Bugs rushes out into thin air. That's how Bugs feels after he realizes what he's done!

Bugs rushes back inside the plane only to slip and slide his way back out the other door!

The little gremlin menace is now flying the plane, and it's like he's trying to wreck it. So, Bugs grabs the controls and does his own insane maneuvers, until...

The plane goes into a nose dive and starts streaking toward the ground below.

As Bugs turns green from air sickness, the gremlin calmly plays with a yo-yo!

And the freaking ground just keeps getting closer!

Bugs makes the best faces in this one!

And wouldn't you know it! They ran out of gas!!.. This is one of the best cartoons to come out of Termite Terrace!