Dangeresque (film series)

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Current revision as of 21:15, 2 June 2024

This article is about the film series. For other uses of the word "Dangeresque", see Dangeresque.

So dangerous, so dangerous!

Dangeresque is a series of amateur action movies made by Strong Bad, who also stars as the title character: "a private eye, a crooked cop, a secret agent, and a celebrity pharmacist" who fights both "the law" and "the crime". He is assisted by Renaldo, played by Coach Z, and encounters several other characters played by the various denizens of Free Country, USA.

The homemade movies, shot with The Cheat's video camera, parody cliches of 70s and 80s action filmmaking and are generally cheaply made and poorly acted. Visual effects and titles are applied in-camera rather than through editing, with cardboard sets or stunt doubles very apparent. Dangeresque's method of crime fighting is patent nonsense, but the timely delivery of catch phrases like "Looks like I'm gonna have to jump!" always makes the ladies smile.

[edit] Series entries

"So I'm gonna have to—"

The Dangeresque series has not been released in production order (notably, Dangeresque II was the first one shown); oftentimes only a portion of the full "movie" is shown in a toon. Series "canon" is very loose, befitting the informal production of entries.

• Dangeresque 0: The Prequel Begins (mentioned in The Criminal Projective)
  • Taking place in 1983, a conflict with Professor Experimento results in Dangeresque getting kicked out of the space program.
• Dangeresque 1: Dangeresque, Too? — Not in 3D ("digitally remastered" director's cut shown in dangeresque 3)
  • Dangeresque and his new partner Dangeresque Too must put aside their differences to reclaim a serum stolen by Perducci, which will prevent Cutesy Buttons from getting kidnapped.
• Dangeresque II: This Time, It's Not Dangeresque 1 (highlights shown in stunt double)
  • Dangeresque risks life and limb to recover a missing VHS tape, coming into conflict with the dastardly Baron Darin Diamonocle.
• Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective — in 3D! (a playable game released as the fourth episode of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People)
  • Renaldo is about to retire when the case to get the formula to restore Cutesy Buttons's rainforest escalates into a large adventure climaxing into a confrontation with Uzi Bazooka and Craig.
  • An edited version of the game's cinematics was released in anaglyph 3D on the SBCG4AP Collector's DVD.
• Dangeresque: Put Em on Ice! (featured in a rock opera Easter egg)
  • A brief scene of Dangeresque ice skating is shown. This may have been a stage production rather than a movie.
• Dangeresque: Puppet Squad - The Curly Fried Caper
  • Dangeresque and Dangeresque Too track down the guy who stole his curly fries that one time.
• Dangeresque 4 ÷ 2 = 6 (featured in sbemail 206)
  • A fake movie trailer released as an April Fools' joke, Dangeresque and Dangeresque Too encounter duplicates of themselves.
• Dangeresque Puppet Squad: The Hot Jones Hijack
  • Invited to the Cheat Commandos Bring-Your-Own-Hot-Jones Decemberween Party, Dangeresque and Firebert must recover the Hot Jones that has been stolen by Stingy Relenque.
• Dangeresque: The Roomisode Triungulate (a trilogy of games)

1. Behind the Dangerdesque — Dangeresque fake-solves a cold case to prevent The Chief from sending him to jail!
2. The Intersection of Doom & Boom — Dangeresque and Renaldo deal with car troubles at a seedy intersection!
3. Keep My Enemies, Loser — Dangeresque is forced to take a side-gig doing security consulting for Perducci!

X. Inspection Certificate on File in Building Office — Dangeresque Too must escape an assassination attempt at the Swissblonkel Hotel!

[edit] Cast

See also Characters#Dangeresque

Renaldo meets with Dangeresque in his office.

[edit] Protagonists

• Dangeresque — Strong Bad
• Renaldo — Coach Z
• Cutesy Buttons — Marzipan
• Dangeresque Too — Homestar Runner
• Professor Experimento — Pom Pom
• Dadgeresque — Senor Cardgage
• The Chief
• Kowalski (mentioned)

[edit] Antagonists

• Baron Darin Diamonocle — Bubs
• Perducci — The King of Town
• Killingyouguy — Strong Mad (credited as "himself")
• Szechuan Steve — The Cheat
• Uzi Bazooka — Homestar Runner
• Sultry Buttons — Marzipan
• Craig — The Cheat
• The Monster — Strong Sad
• Stingy Relenque — Homestar Runner

[edit] Supporting Cast

• Hot Tub — Strong Sad (credited as "El Dumpo")
• The Informant — Strong Sad
• Kidnapping Victim — The Poopsmith
• Waitre D — The Cheat

[edit] Other

• Istanbul — The Cheat
• The Stunt Double — Strong Sad (uncredited)

[edit] Cheat Commandos featured in crossover

As seen in Dangeresque Puppet Squad: The Hot Jones Hijack.

• Firebert
• Gunhaver
• Crackotage
• Fightgar
• Reynold
• Silent Rip (voice only)

[edit] Music

Sounds dangerous? No, sounds... Dangeresque!

Dangeresque is scored in the manner of jazz-funk soundtracks of 1970's police dramas, albeit filtered through both Strong Bad's limited budget and The Brothers Chaps' penchant for "old Casio keyboards or worse". The primary music piece is "The Theme from Dangeresque II" (occasionally abbreviated as "Dangeresque Theme" or simply "Dangeresque"), a Shaft-style anthem recounting the character's coolness, skills, partners, and exploits. A main riff from this song is regularly used as a sting to punctuate a dramatic moment; oftentimes an even shorter vibraslap hit, guitar riff, or keyboard riff will be used to similar effect.

The score to Dangeresque 1 is simply provided by Strong Bad's vocalizations, with an occasional vibraslap sting. From Dangeresque II onwards, the series uses actual music. The Puppet Squad entries additionally use the theme from Rough Copy! alongside traditional Dangeresque music.

End credits are scored with more upbeat pop-rock anthems, with contributions from Limozeen. "Today is Alright 4 2Nite" plays over the end credits of 1 and 3, and The Roomisode Triungulate's credits are set to "You're Gonna Have 2 Jump".

The Dangeresque theme appears in Poker Night at the Inventory, re-interpreted as a downtempo jazz instrumental to fit the mood of the game.

[edit] Fun Facts

We'll see... Just you wait...

• Dangeresque's cool glasses are illustrated in the liner notes of the Strong Bad Sings CD. Strong Bad himself is obviously the illustrator, since he does not fail to remember the hatching (see suntan).
• The Brothers Chaps had originally planned to name the series "Danger Man". However, upon learning that the name had already been used by a 1960s TV series, the decision was made to change to "Dangeresque".
• Elements of Dangeresque may be inspired by the audio show Sounds Dangerous! from Walt Disney World. The show featured undercover cop Charlie Foster (Drew Carey) taking down smuggler Lefty Moreno, who is disguised as circus performer The Great Rinaldi.
• In the email the movies, it is said that Dangeresque 3 will come out "We'll See...". It also shows four crossed out dates, ranging from 2004 to 2006 (all having passed by the time of the email's release). Later in the same email, Strong Sad (who was listing every movie that onscreen actors had starred in), reacts to Strong Bad by stating "He was in Dangeresque 1 and 2!"
  • The Genesis version of Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, which was eventually cancelled, had a similar ad campaign to that poster for Dangeresque 3.
• When Strong Bad is interviewed in DNA Evidence, he acts in character and costume as Dangeresque, and the Dangeresque theme often plays in the background. The "Looks like I'm gonna have to jump!" catchphrase also makes an appearance.

• Homsar is the only main character not to have any role in the movies.