Peasant's Quest Movie Trailer

From Homestar Runner Wiki

Current revision as of 00:06, 16 March 2025

"TROGDOR!!!"

This article is about the live action film trailer. For the video game preview, see Peasant's Quest Preview.

Rather Dashing, Trogdor, and others appear in the epic film adaptation of the acclaimed video game.

Cast (in order of appearance): Rather Dashing, Kerrek, Jhonka, The Blue Knight, Poor Gary, King of Peasantry, Trogdor, Baby Lady, The Baby, Mendelev, Dongolev, Naked Ned, Pterodactyl, The Keepers of Trogdor

Places: Peasantry

Date: Sunday, February 6, 2005

Running Time: 2:55

Page Title: A Lem Sportsinterviews Joint

DVD: Everything Else, Volume 1

[edit] Transcript

NARRATOR: It began {the words "It Began..." appear on the screen in Gothic text} as the best selling video computer TV game of all time. Uh—Not really {the words "Not Really," appear on the screen}, but still! {The words "But Still." appear.}

{Cut to a shot of the Peasant's Quest video game.}

NARRATOR: A simple peasant wearing short pants quested his way into the heart of a nation. Now, for his greatest adventure yet, he will quest...INTO THEATERS!!

{The video game Rather Dashing fades into a live action version of himself, looking around in confusion.}

RATHER DASHING: Where's my cottage?

{Fade through black to Rather Dashing standing in the ruins of his burninated cottage.}

RATHER DASHING: TROGDOR!!!

{A few random scenes pass on by, before the Videlectrix logo shows up. It is soon modified to "Videlectrix Films". Cut to a throne room. Rather Dashing is in front of the King of Peasantry.}

KING OF PEASANTRY: We have coexisted with the Burninator in these lands for centuries. {Quick clips of a map of Peasantry and peasants being terrorized by a CGI Trogdor pass by.} I can't have you marching up there in your short pants upsetting the balance!

RATHER DASHING: I'll upset your balance, my lord!

KING OF PEASANTRY: Rather Dashing, you will not sass back at this council!

NARRATOR: From the sort of people who brought you Trogdor and Litigation Jackson...

{Rather Dashing walks up to Poor Gary.}

RATHER DASHING: Easy now Gary, I'm just going to WEAR MASK.

{He does so, and Gary whinnies and runs away. Cut to inside a cottage.}

THE BABY LADY: Show me you're a real man, Rather Dashing.

{Cut to a lake.}

RATHER DASHING: THROW...BABY...ahhh!

{He throws the baby. Cut to a forest.}

MENDELEV AND DONGOLEV: Haldo!

{Mendelev and Dongolev start jumping out from behind a tree}

MENDELEV: I'm Mendelev!

DONGOLEV: I'm Dongolev!

{We see a shot of Naked Ned peering out from behind a tree.}

BLUE KNIGHT: Rather Dashing? More like Rather Homely!

{We see Rather Dashing eating a meatball sub. Cut back to the Archery. Mendelev is helping him train.}

NARRATOR: A Trog-venture for the whole Trog-family!

{Cut to the outside of the inn. Rather Dashing runs out screaming, with the pot of grease over his head. He hits the side of the inn and collapses. Cut to the Jhonka beating the ground with his club/turkey leg. Cut to the archery.}

RATHER DASHING: I'm just so mad at Trogdor...

{Cut to Trogdor Cave entrance.}

BLUE KNIGHT: Access to Trogdor is strictly for peasants!

{Rather Dashing adopts an exaggerated crestfallen look and hangs his head. Cut back to the archery.}

RATHER DASHING: He just goes around burning things and doesn't even care!

{Cut to Trogdor Cave entrance.}

BLUE KNIGHT: You don't smell like a peasant...

{Cut to the Kerrek, walking purposefully toward the camera. Rather Dashing is nearby to him, looking up in terror. Kerrek's fist comes down on Rather Dashing's head, and the scene abruptly cuts to Rather Dashing holding Kerrek's belt aloft, screaming at the rain. Cut to Trogdor Cave entrance.}

BLUE KNIGHT: You don't dress like a peasant...

{Cut to Rather Dashing battling the Jhonka. Rather Dashing puts up the hood on his robes.}

{Cut to Trogdor Cave entrance}

BLUE KNIGHT: And you certainly aren't on fire like a peasant! {his visor slams shut as he says "peasant"}

{Cut to the rocky side of Trogdor's Cave. A flaming Rather Dashing is climbing it. As Rather Dashing clings to the cliff, a pterodactyl flies by, squawking.}

NARRATOR: A quest for adventure! A quest for revenge!

{Trogdor screams and breathes his horrible fire. The Three Keepers, who suddenly appear, wave their hands. Cut to the very top of the cave. It's night, and a giant full moon appears in the background. Rather Dashing climbs up and holds a shining sword up.}

NARRATOR: A quest...for a peasant! Peasant's Quest!

{The Peasant's Quest logo appears. Rather Dashing struggles to keep the sword up, and then lets it fall. Cut to film creation credits.}

{Cut to the King's Castle.}

KING OF PEASANTRY: And the Trogdor comes...in the night.

RATHER DASHING: {in full gear, with sword and fiery background} Not tonight he doesn't...come...in the night... Trogdor.

{Cut to Trogdor. He breathes fire at the camera. There is a faint growl. Cut to the Peasant's Quest Logo.}

[edit] Fun Facts

[edit] Explanations

• This was announced as "Super Bowl halftime!!" on the main page, because the Brothers Chaps put this trailer up at halftime of the 2005 Super Bowl.
• In the scenes where Rather Dashing puts on the mask and when he throws the baby, he is speaking the actual commands from the game, e.g. "throw baby".

[edit] Trivia

Ending Credits

• This toon had the largest Flash files on the Flash version of the site. The 2.6 MB "Jhonka" trailer is smaller than stinkogame.swf, but the other versions are larger.
  • When this trailer was first put up at halftime, the size and popularity of the file apparently overloaded the Brothers Chaps' server. Because of this, the original 13.4 MB file was removed mid-Monday morning and was temporarily replaced with a close-up of Rather Dashing and a note saying that he would be back. By late morning, that was replaced with a screen enabling you to choose which file size you wanted to download: "Jhonka" (2.6 MB), "Kerrek" (5.4 MB), or "Trogdor" (10.3 MB). Eventually, the full 13.4 MB high-quality file was posted to YouTube, and the post-Flash version of the site now embeds that upload instead of linking to the Flash files.
• The loading screen used to read "loading a fairly big deal", but it now says "rather loading", referring to Rather Dashing.

Craig is the Il Cartographer

• Several of the credited individuals have contributed to Homestar Runner or otherwise been mentioned on the site beyond this trailer:
  • Jackie Chapman is Matt Chapman's wife. This is her first contribution to Homestar Runner.
  • Jonathan Howe assisted in programming several games and other site elements.
  • Ryan Sterritt led production of DVDs.
  • Craig Zobel co-created Homestar Runner and contributed writing and illustration to several early toons.
    • Zobel is credited as the "cartographer", meaning he drew the map of Peasantry.
• The Peasantry Map includes places such as:
  • The Frumpish Mountains
  • The Slightly Dangerous Fields
  • That Weird Tree (you know)
  • Trogdor's Keep
  • Clackum Falls
• When Rather Dashing is climbing up the mountain, and you see him from the front, the background is that of the Stone Mountain trail to the top. It is a large granite mountain near Atlanta, Georgia, near where the Brothers Chaps live.
• The Scalding Lake shirt that Rather Dashing (played by Matt Chapman) is wearing is presumably the same one worn by Matt in The Screen Savers Interview several weeks prior to the trailer's release.
• This toon was originally categorized as a short, but was moved to the Video Stuff category upon the category's creation on January 15, 2021, and is the only pre-hiatus toon in that category.
• The YouTube description for this video is "Rather Dashing and Trogdor battle in the film adaptation of the text adventure Peasant's Quest."

[edit] Remarks

• In the movie trailer, The Blue Knight states that Rather Dashing doesn't smell like a peasant. In the game, however, he says that Rather doesn't stink like a peasant.
• In the game, Rather Dashing neither fights the Jhonka nor eats the meatball sub.
• The credits are clickable in the "Trogdor" version; however, doing so doesn't seem to activate any Easter eggs.
• Mendelev and Dongolev appear to be teaching Rather Dashing how to use a bow. In the game, they say that they don't give lessons.

[edit] Goofs

Mr. Chapman's wedding ring

• Rene Dellefont's surname is misspelled as "Delefont" in the end credits.
• The credits misspell "pterodactyl" as "pterydactyl".
• Though Matt Chapman is ringless for most of the trailer, he apparently forgot to remove his wedding ring for the filming of the final stinger — it can briefly be seen when he draws the Trog-Sword.

[edit] Inside References

Pan and scan!

• The movie is released by Videlectrix Films, in reference to games company Videlectrix which produced the original Peasant's Quest game.
• The movie is directed by Lem Sportsinterviews, a frequently-mentioned author and illustrator.
• Litigation Jackson was the fictional movie mentioned in A Decemberween Pageant. Its sequel was mentioned in rampage.
• Many of the clips in this preview are taken directly from the Peasant's Quest game, including:
  • Scaring Poor Gary, the horse
  • Throwing The Baby in the water
  • Talking to the Baby Lady
  • The Kerrek pounding Rather Dashing into the ground
  • Taking Kerrek's belt in the rain
  • Naked Ned appearing from behind the tree
  • Rather Dashing's "Scalding Lake" vacation shirt
  • Rather Dashing with the pot stuck over his head
  • The guard's explanation of why Rather Dashing cannot see Trogdor
  • Climbing the mountain to Trogdor's lair
  • Getting pebbles
• When the Three Keepers of Trogdor are waving in the cave (after CG-Trogdor), the pterodactyl flying in the background makes the same noise as Mrs. Commanderson.
• The music and ending lines ("And the Trogdor comes in the night!") are taken from Strong Bad's Trogdor song in the email dragon and, to a lesser extent, guitar.
• "Thorax Legitimate" refers to the Thorax Corporation.
• "Video computer TV game" is a reference to the Easter egg in Peasant's Quest Preview, in which one of the Videlectrix guys says, "I'm supposed to release a video computer game on TV without this graphic!"

[edit] Real-World References

• The heading "A Lem Sportsinterviews Joint" is a reference to Spike Lee's movies, which are labelled "A Spike Lee Joint."
• The depiction of the battle between Rather Dashing and the Kerrek is very similar in style to the battle between Dennis Cooper and the Jabberwock in Terry Gilliam's 1977 film Jabberwocky.
• Videlectrix Films parallels Square Pictures, a film studio created by video game company Square that released Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, a film based thematically on their Final Fantasy video game series.
• The scenes with the shadow rolling back across the land and the map of Peasantry suggest the Lord of the Rings trailers. Similar sound effects are used.
  • Some of the soundtrack is similarly reminiscent of the music of The Lord of the Rings film series. The opening flute music recalls "Concerning Hobbits" from The Fellowship of the Ring, while the battle between Rather Dashing and Jhonka is reminiscent of "A Storm is Coming" from The Return of the King.
• Before the Videlectrix Films logo and near the ending of the film, there is a shot of a man fighting in silhouette against a blue sky with a sword in his hand and around the end, he is struggling with his sword. A similar scene is in Kill Bill: Volume 1.
• When Rather Dashing puts the hood of his peasant garb on, it is reminiscent of The Village.
• The screaming of Jhonka in the first sighting is similar to the screaming of zombies in Half-Life 2.
• The ending snort after Trogdor blows fire at the screen is from Doom.
• The Blue Knight's face guard slamming down over his face after he says his last line is reminiscent of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in which Sir Bedevere's face guard slams down after he says many of his lines.
• The alternate title Trogdor's Big Movie in the credits may be a reference to the Disney film Piglet's Big Movie.

[edit] Fast Forward

Don't miss out!

• The FAQ explains that the Peasant's Quest movie's "'full length' is 3 minutes". Presumably, fans had misinterpreted this trailer as indicating that the Brothers Chaps were working on a full-length movie and had emailed them asking for updates on it.
• The music in this toon is used in 8-Bit is Enough as the background music for Peasantry. Rather Dashing also speaks in the same voice in the game as he does here.
  • The music is also used in the Trogdor!! The Board Game Soundboard.
• The fake autoplay thumbnail in the YouTube version of parenting is "Top Ten Things You Missed in the Peasant's Quest Trailer".

[edit] DVD Version

• The DVD version features hidden creators' commentary. To access it, switch the DVD player's audio language selection while watching.

[edit] Commentary Transcript

(Commentary by: Mike Chapman, Matt Chapman)

MIKE: So Matt, what's this that we're watching?

MATT: Mike, you know what it is.

MIKE: It's the Peasant's Quest Movie Trailer.

MATT: Based on the Peasant's Quest video game.

MIKE: That's based on the Trogdor video game.

MATT: That's based on the Trogdor email.

MIKE: That's right. {sighs exaggeratedly} Now that that's out of the way...

MATT: That's a tongue twister, eh?

MIKE: Look at my brother's ugly face.

MATT: It was pretty ugly that day.

MIKE: So, this was pretty fun to make though, wasn't it Matt?

MATT: It was very fun. I wanna make more of these.

MIKE: We made this in... January, I think?

MATT: Right.

MIKE: Mostly. And it was cold. So, uh, but it was a nice thing, to go out and do something different than sit in the office and animate stupid animal characters all day.

MATT: It was nice to go out in short pants and have you spray me with a hose in January.

MIKE: {laughs} That was particularly difficult.

MATT: {referring to the king} That's our buddy Z. Gillispie. We employed a lot of our friends, improv friends here in Atlanta to be in this.

MIKE: A who's who, if you will.

MATT: Of Dad's Garage.

MIKE: That's uh, a lake behind our parents' house. And that's Poor Gary.

MATT: That horse's real name was Moonshadow, I believe.

MIKE: That hor— That's not a horse. That's Matt's wife Jackie.

MATT: Hey! {both laugh} You shan't recover from that one... {referring to Mendelev and Dongolev} That's Matt Gribbon and Matt Gribbon.

MIKE: That horse's name is Matt Gribbon.

MATT: {referring to Naked Ned} That horse is named Neil Steinberg. Neil would come over all the time and help us win games like Peasant's Quest when we were little.

MIKE: King's Quest and Police Quest.

MATT: Space Quest.

MIKE: He was the best at video games.

MATT: I ate that whole meatball sub way too quickly and felt really bad afterwards.

MIKE: It was impressive. I kinda wanted half of it and you ate both halves.

MATT: {laughs} I got carried away. {pauses} Oh. Awww.

MIKE: Look at our um, costume rental. We blew our whole— Uh, what do they call those things?

MATT: Stipend.

MIKE: {laughs} Stipend.

MATT: Budget?

MIKE: Budget! Yeah, on the costume shop.

MATT: Yeah. That Kerrek mask was— uh, was pricey.

MIKE: The Kerrek mask— Oh, that— The peasant robe, our mom made that.

MATT: Yeah, Mom made the peasant robe, which was very nice of her. I made that stop motion pterodactyl.

MIKE: I made that computer Photoshopped Trogdor.

MATT: I made moons. I made moons dazzle, Mike, with my performance.

MIKE: {laughs} It's true.

MATT: That was on top of a big hill on a construction site behind my house.

MIKE: And that was supposed to be just a— He fell and it's like "Let's do this again," but liked that one the best.

MATT: Yeah.

MIKE: Wobbled...

MATT: Oh. That's spooky. That sword was pretty awesome. We got real swords.

MIKE: {simultaneously} It was a good sword.

MATT: They obviously weren't sharpened, but they were metal. {snores}

[edit] Fun Facts

• Dad's Garage is an Atlanta-based comedy and improvisation troupe.
• Mike mentions Photoshop.

[edit] External Links

• watch "Peasant's Quest Movie Trailer"
• watch "Peasant's Quest Movie Trailer" on YouTube
• watch "Peasant's Quest Movie Trailer" on the old Flash site
• view the Flash file for "Peasant's Quest Movie Trailer"
• forum thread re: "Peasant's Quest Movie Trailer"