The Rock-afire Explosion

(USA, 2009, 71 mins)

digital video

Wisconsin Premiere

writer: Brad Thomason
producer: Brett Whitcomb

• IMDB Film Info
• www.rockafiremovie.com/
• Trailer

The world can be divided into two kinds of people: those for whom animatronic musical bands are a source of great satisfaction and delight, and everyone else. With The Rock-afire Explosion, we can all come together and either indulge our secret passion, or see how the other half lives. At the high point, Showbiz Pizza restaurants had almost 200 installations of this cartoon animal band of Fats Geronimo, Mitzi Mozzerella, Dook Larue, Beach Bear, and more. A spectacular corporate demise during changing times (the Showbiz restaurants got converted into Chuck E. Cheese) threatened the memory of the motley musical crew that brought joy to the hearts of so many pizza-eating kids. And then came YouTube. A small but persistent fan group has been restoring the good name of the Rock-afire Explosion, salvaging parts and rebuilding complete band installations. The animals are reprogrammed to sing along to contemporary songs, and these have become online hits. At the heart of this effort is Chris Thrash, a car salesman from Phenix City, Alabama who purchased a Rock-afire Explosion, which is now housed in its own air-conditioned trailer in his back yard. In this film, you’ll also meet Aaron Fechter, the inventor who created the animatronics and once had over 300 employees making rubber molds, airbrushing faces, and soldering the electronics that keep these animals singing. Go ahead, check out the YouTube clips and you too might be converted.

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