The Electric Piper
| The Electric Piper | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Raymie Muzquiz |
| Produced by | |
| Written by | Bill Burnett |
| Music by | Guy Moon |
| Edited by | Ann Hoyt |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Nickelodeon |
Release date |
|
Running time | 78 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
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The Electric Piper is an animated adventure television film written by Bill Burnett and directed by Raymie Muzquiz.[1] It was based on the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Originally produced in 2000,[2] it was broadcast on Nickelodeon on February 3, 2003, but was never released to home media and eventually falling to obscurity. It was considered to be a lost film for over a decade, similar to the 2000 Nickelodeon film Cry Baby Lane.[by whom?][3]
Plot[edit]
In the small U.S. town of Hamlin, the parents of the city are overly protective of their children and refuse to listen to them and allow them to pursue their own life interests. One day, the mayor of the town, Nick Dixon, drives his children, Mick and Janice, home after finding out to his displeasure that his son was playing his guitar in class. While his mother, Patricia, and Janice like his music, Nick refuses to let him play and orders him to focus on his school work. Janice is told by Nick all she has to do in life is be wise on who she marries.
Soon after, Mick and Janice notice that Hamlin is being taken over by rats lead by their king, Rat-A-Tat-Tat and his helper, Rinky-Dink-Dink. The parents are so focused on controlling their children that they don't notice the rats. A mysterious man named Sly enters the town and shows the children that he possesses magical powers which are fueled by him playing his guitar and harmonica. After much trouble, the children convince the adults to allow Sly to get rid of the rats as long as Sly is given Nick's old Harley-Davidson motorcycle named "Marilyn". It is then revealed that Nick used to be in a biker gang and met Patricia when he drove into a town and found her working at a cafe. Nick at first refuses but later changes his mind once the rats completely overtake Hamlin. Using his music, Sly is able to persuade the rats to leave Hamlin by hypnotizing them to swim out of the area in the rivers leading out of the town. After the job is done, Nick refuses to give Sly his motorcycle. Sly is then able to convince the children to come into the highest mountain visible from Hamlin, much to the parent’s dismay.
After reaching a room in the top of the mountain, Sly uses his magical powers to give them whatever experiences they want (such as going to the Moon) and whatever food they would like to eat. Mick then realizes he is not yet able to play guitar at Sly's level. Meanwhile, the parents of the town grow much older as the night goes by because of what Sky warned them before. Nick changes his mind and offers Sly his motorcycle by placing it at the top of the town's sign to get his attention. Sly teaches Mick how to play a guitar to full power and the children discover that their parents are getting older and want them back. The kids decide to go back Hamlin, to Sly's displeasure. Mick uses his new powers to guide the children out of the mountain but drops his guitar pick and plummets to his death. Sly reappears and brings Mick back to life.
Back at the town, Sly informs everybody that only Mick has the power to bring Hamlin back to a better state and reverse the aging of the adults. Mick plays the guitar and uses his powers to rebuild Hamlin and restore the parents to their accurate age. Nick gives Sly his motorcycle, and in return, Nick is given Sly's top hat. Sly rides out of town into the mountains looking back on a more lovely and lively Hamlin.
Voice cast[edit]
- Wayne Brady as Sly, The Electric Piper
- Rodney Dangerfield as Rat-A-Tat-Tat
- Christine Ebersole as Pat Dixon
- Lesli Margherita as Janis Dixon
- Robbie Rist as Mick Dixon
- Laura San Giacomo as Mrs. Robinson
- Rodney Saulsberry as Mr. Jones
- Crystal Scales as Abby Jones
- Rob Schneider as Rinky-Dink-Dink
- George Segal as Mayor Nick Dixon
Availability[edit]
The Electric Piper was originally produced in 2000, but was held back due to sample clearance issues, and not released until February 2003. The film was only broadcast a couple of times on Nickelodeon once it was released. It was never produced on DVD or VHS making the film impossible to watch for a period of time aside from a few clips that surfaced online, one of which was taken down in 2015. The movie has not been seen since its initial airings on Nickelodeon.
In early 2016, Electric Piper's director, Raymie Muzquiz, stated online that he had a full copy of the movie, but did not want to release it at the time to avoid copyright issues with Nickelodeon and legal rights of the songs parodied in the film.
On August 9, 2016, the entire film was officially released online by an anonymous source, who supposedly received a copy of the movie from someone who had originally worked on it when it was produced and was later uploaded to YouTube.
References[edit]
- ↑ Strike, Joe (August 4, 2003). "The Fred Seibert Interview — Part 2". Animation World Network. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- ↑ "FORECAST SAYS: RADIO CITY FUN - NICK MOVES INTO MOVIES". New York Daily News. November 8, 1999. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
Coming up next year will be... two animated offerings, "Globehunters: An Around the World in Eighty Days Adventure" and "The Electric Piper: A Pied Piper Adventure".
- ↑ "The Electric Piper". The Big Cartoon Database.
External links[edit]
- The Electric Piper at the Internet Movie Database
- The Electric Piper at archive.org
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