Talk:Experimental Film

From Homestar Runner Wiki

Experimental Film is a featured article, which means it showcases an important part of the Homestar Runner body of work and/or highlights the fine work of this wiki. We also might just think it's cool. If you see a way this page can be updated or improved without compromising previous work, feel free to contribute.

[edit] Disputed Fun Facts

• In the commentary, Strong Bad comments that Gavin got as much screen time as he did, but Strong Bad actually has just over 3 times more screen time that Gavin. Strong Bad has about 10 seconds altogether, whereas Gavin has just 3 seconds.

• In the commentary, The Cheat has probably his most comprehensible lines ever, and at least one is even completely decipherable ("You don't like the video, huh?")
  • I couldn't comprehend any of what The Cheat said.
  • I agree. The first thing he says can be easily translated to "And this is The Cheat."

• In the commentary, Strong Sad's remark that it's the "Worst commentary ever" might be a refrence to the comic book guy on The Simpsons.
  • How? And in what way?
    • The comic book guy is a movie/series/comic-nerd stereotype, saying things like "worst episode ever", "worst cross-over ever" etc. For more information consult http://www.snpp.com/guides/cbg.file.html

Methinks the link to They Might Be A Wiki should be http://www.tmbw.net/wiki/index.php/Untitled/Lyrics

• The comment about the glass being full seems a bit unnecessary.
  • Second That.

• The shot of the ATM with a football helmet chasing Strong Sad is a reference to Commander Keen, Defender of the Universe!
  • That's a big stretch. The only thing I can find in common is that the ATM has a mostly-yellow football helmet. Are yellow football helmets that rare? The ATM is doing nothing like Commander Keen (i.e. jumping, zapping, etc.) and I don't recall any Strong Sad-like enemies in the games.
    • I'm going to agree. The "rivet holes" on the ATM's helmet don't match and the stripe colors on the helmets are different. Nevertheless, the yellow helmet did make me think of Commander Keen the first time I saw it.

[edit] I just can't resist

The first line of the song is "The color of infinity inside an empty glass." Strong Sad's glass is full.

• But Strong Sad would still think of it as "not-really-empty", wouldn't he? Okay, okay, bad joke over. --Jay 01:44, 7 Dec 2004 (MST)

But what is an "empty glass" anyway? -- Tom 11:28, 7 Dec 2004 (MST)

THIS SONG IS AWESOME!! IT IS THE BEST SONG EVER!!!! -Rad

[edit] I've been listening to too much music

Ok, this probably isn't very relevant, but I've noticed some paralells between this video and the tracks on TMBG's album Apollo 18. Only the people who have heard the CD will probably understand some of these. Also, I'm gonna skip the one's I haven't figured out yet.:

1 (Dig My Grave): Strong Sad as the grim reaper

2 (I Palindrome I): The palindromic formation of the ATM machines saying "experimental film" in the Artic.

3 (She's Actual Size): I dunno, maybe the giant finger coming from the water, since the song is about a really big woman.

4 (My Evil Twin): Everybody meeting their counterparts (and pogo-ing).

5 (Mammal): Another dubious one. Maybe the glass of water in the beginning (the lyrics in the beginning of Mammal are "glass of milk")

7 (Spider): Gavin the Cockroach. Ok, so he's not a spider per se, but he's another icky bug.

8 (The Guitar): The lion (since half of this song is about some lion)

9 (Dinner Bell): The muffin on the table.

10 (Narrow your Eyes): Strong Sad narrows his eyes after the ATM says "Check Balance??".

11 (Hall of Heads): John and John's heads, of course. Also, the "Our Gracious Host" guy.

15 (Turn Around): The skull guy riding the bike (Turn around/ turn around/ it's a human skull on the ground)

Well, that's all I can think of for now. Of course, I'm skipping over all the "Fingertips" songs, that would take up way too much space. Anyway, if anyone else has heard this CD and noticed any more paralells, please post 'em.

Oh, you are going to love This Might Be A Wiki, the wiki dedicated to TMBG. Check out their page for Experimental Film and especially the interpretations page for the song, where you can pretty much add what you added here. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. -- Tom 22:00, 30 Dec 2004 (MST)

Yeah, I go there a lot. And... well, look at my username! TMBGirl 21:30, 23 Aug 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Awkward Actions...

Alright, after watching this a few times, I have a question. At two points in the video, Strong Sad is bobbing his head, and you can see a film reel right next to him, then the rest of the page is blank. However, I can't figure out exactly why Strong Sad was doing. Was he nodding his head to the beat of the song or following the film reel as it moved up toward the top of the screen?

• Hmm, I always figured he was watching the film, which seems to make sense considering that he then jumps across the reel. The way I look at it, he watches the film, then decides to interact with it in some way, in this case jumping across. And Strong Sad himself doesn't really seem to acknowledge the music in the movie. It's a very good question though. --Ogog

• {scratching head} It seems to me that GronSad (or, in this case, Rondell) is watching for some opportunity in the film through which he might escape. So, there you go. Elvis

[edit] Transcript

The commentary transcript does little to explain what is actually going on in the video as the characters speak. Is there any reason this was left out? -- Tom 12:36, 19 Feb 2005 (MST)

To answer your question, I don't think there's any reason why it was left out, other than difficulty in doing so? I also noticed that there are two commentaries (and they are different!) So there's two jobs to be done and I have no DVDs. So i'll see (?) if I can later... on work on the transcript? Maybe? The website one that is. Yeah, the website one. --Stux 23:22, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

I hesitate to do an edit, but it really sounds like Homestar is saying "Simple Giants" instead of "Super Giants." Anyone want to back me up? -- DeadGuyPerez

Super giants. Definately. — _talk Bubsty _edits 03:45, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Oh yeah. Definately. No, really, I agree. :Elvis

[edit] Closed STUFF

These were on the STUFF page and declined. If you wish to contest these, leave a note here, but don't allow it to be confused with any of the original votes.

[edit] The Worst Commentary Ever

In the commentary, "Worst Commentary Ever" is probably a reference to The Simpsons, where the Comic Book Guy is always saying "Worst [something] ever".

• ... which is in turn a reference to fans everywhere referring to every new episode of everything as the "worst ever". Even the same thing happens on the Emails board here, every email is the worst ever to someone. Besides, he's just complaining that the commentary isn't going to plan. "Worst ever" is a common enough phrase, it doesn't have to be a reference. Decline --phlip 01:21, 1 May 2005 (UTC)
• If he said it "Worst commentary ever" like Comic book guy (I'm talking about tone of voice) would say it then yes, yes it would be a reference. But he didn't, so decline Donny vs Universe
• Decline. Seconding all the declines before this one and all the ones sure to follow. -- tomstiff 13:44, 2 May 2005 (UTC)
• ACSEPd he DID say it with the same rythm worst #stop# comimisairy #stop# ever Ganome
• DECLINE'D!!! I doubt it...and c'mon, you people know that best/worst something ever is a running gag on H*R. TK600 19:55, 6 May 2005 (UTC)
• Accept I still think that it does ring true of the Simpsons, and that it qualifies Ah for that youthful indulgence. I change my vote to DECLINE after realizing how blantently not true this is-Tony Stony 01:40, 11 May 2005 (UTC)
• Worst...Accept...EVER!! Yeah, I'm gonna hafta say that's true. --kerrek slaya 20:49, 15 May 2005 (UTC)
• Decline It's not said right for it to be a reference to that. They say the phrase without pauses, or extra emphasis on the words "worst" and "ever". Had Strong Sad said, "WORST....commentary....EVER", without saying, "this is the" first, I'd agree. Unless it's said like that, it's most likely just a simple use of a common phrase, and not a reference. --AnarchyBalsac

[edit] Football helmet = reference?

The shot of the ATM with a football helmet chasing Strong Sad may be a reference to Commander Keen, Defender of the Universe, who wore a helmet with a similar design (mostly yellow with at least one stripe down the middle) when saving the day!

• Decline The ATM and Keen have nothing else in common that suggests this might be a reference... besides, Keen's helmet has a green and white stripe, not a blue one. --phlip 01:21, 1 May 2005 (UTC)
  • Second Donny vs Universe
  • Second Yeah, I thought that at first, but it's not really the same. No Smorking 13:28, 1 May 2005 (UTC)
  • Second, third, whatever Huh, I didn't notice that the stripe was not the right color. --NFITC1 23:31, 1 May 2005 (UTC)
  • Second. Sometimes a football helmet is just ... awww, never mind! -- tomstiff 13:49, 2 May 2005 (UTC)
• Second. Dude, it's just a helmet. -Walking Armless

[edit] The Clarke of infinity

The "color of infinity" line in the chorus may be a reference to The Colours of Infinity, a 1995 television documentary by Arthur C. Clarke about fractal geometry. IMDb says: "This show relates the science of the M-Set to nature in a way that seems to identify the hand of God in the design of the universe itself."

• Decline Even if true, does this belong here? Given TBC didn't write the song and all... --phlip 01:21, 1 May 2005 (UTC)
  • Second Try posting it here [1] instead. AtionSong 5:37 May 2 2005
• Maybe, but still decline The line sounds more whimsical than reference-y to me. Donny vs Universe
• Decline. Moonwatcher had no witty comment to add ... but he would think of something. --- tomstiff 13:48, 2 May 2005 (UTC)
• Decline Even if it was, this isn't the place to write it. TMBG didn't write the song just for h*r, it's their song. TK600 00:09, 4 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Now spell: bound

The scene of Strong Sad shaving is possibly a reference to Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound.

• And this fact should possibly be DECLINED! Possibly...puh. Proof. Wheres your proof? Donny vs Universe
• Decline. Say it ain't so! I thought for sure it was a Gillette Mach 3 referrence! -- tomstiff 08:41, 2 May 2005
• Standing too close to you in DECLINE Just cuz he shaves does not mean he references a singled-out movie involving a shaving person. Does your dad ever go "hey honey, look at me, look, I'm shaving, just like in that one movie!" --[user: Lappy 486] Lappy 486 03:06, 7 May 2005 (UTC)
• DECLINE... ED! Yeah, decline-ed Thoguh it's a good movie, I don't think it's a reference to it. It may, however, be a reference to the other meaniong of spellbound, meaning havinbg been set under a spell. If you change it to that, it may be accepted. -- Ju Ju Master
• Decline I shave too, but I'm not thinking of any alfred hitchcock movie when I do it. He' just shaving, that's all there is to it. --AnarchyBalsac

[edit] Un Chien Debaser

"Un Chien Andalou" is the inspiration for the song "Debaser" by the Pixies. Frank Black, lead singer of the Pixies, is close friends with They Might Be Giants, and has toured with them.

• Accept All the links in the chain seem to be true, and even if it's not why TBC used that particular reference it's still an interesting fact. --phlip 01:21, 1 May 2005 (UTC)
• Decline Even if it is true, it has no place on the EF page. Thats a Pixies fact not a Homestar Runner one. Donny vs Universe
  • Second. -- tomstiff
    • Third. --TK600 21:39, 11 May 2005 (UTC)
  • Rebuttal This explains a reference elsewhere. Simply put it in an "outside references" subsection and let it go yous guys. -da borg
  • Personal Comment Un Chien Andalou gave me nightmares, don't watch it. ---the spludge 22:08, 11 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Calvin and the Cotton Gin (Declined)

In a Calvin and Hobbes strip, Calvin sometimes would use "The Cotton Gin" as an answer to problems he did not know, even on math tests.

• Weak Decline Since the answer was right on that test (and never right on Calvin's tests) I don't think this is the case. --NFITC1
  • Comment We never actually see the questions to the test (except the first, which is "Are you all going to be in my experimental film?"), so we don't know if the answer is right. Aurora Szalinski 09:47, 25 Mar 2005 (MST)
    • Comment on comment Actually, we know the answer was wrong, because the test-taker got an A+ after selecting a different answer (specifically, "Yeah!") --Jay 09:56, 26 Mar 2005 (MST)
    • Comment on my own comment Well, okay, actually, I was assuming that it was multiple-choice and that the test-taker was selecting the first of four possible answers (notice the hilight). I suppose four questions being on a different page never really occurred to me before now. Oh, well, whatever. The test-taker got an A+. --Jay 10:01, 26 Mar 2005 (MST)
      • Will the commentary never cease? You are right! I personally don't think it has much to do with whether it's a reference or not, though. Aurora Szalinski 10:57, 26 Mar 2005 (MST)
        • Hehe, cease. Tis a funny word. *watches as people give me wierd looks*... Well, its true. Cease is a funny word. Neway, I Decline.---erson 10:57, 30 Mar 2005 (MST)
• Decline. Seems a bit of a stretch. --Trogga 15:45, 24 Mar 2005 (MST)
• Weak Accept. This reference seems fine to me. Calvin did this a lot and I think of it when seeing "cotton gin" on a test. It might be a bit stretchy though. Aurora Szalinski 15:49, 24 Mar 2005 (MST)
• Second
• Decline. Theres an essay by Mike Nelson (of Mystery Science Theater 3000 fame) about how Eli Whitney and the cotten gin were all kids used to learn about in school. So the cotten gin answer isn't really an original idea (or at least not one to put a specific reference on). Donny vs Universe
• Weak Decline I read and own many Calvin and Hobbes comic collections. In my reading, I noticed that while Calvin did use The Cotton Gin as answers, he mostly just puts down random answers to questions he didn't know the correct answer to. Other answers include "Trostsky, Lexington, 1824", and so on. --acekirby13 17:27, 26 Mar 2005 (MST)
• Decwine This is true, but not relevant. Rudeboy87 08:50, 31 Mar 2005 (MST)
• Decline Or it could be that the question was 'What did Eli Whitney invent?' The_Pardack
• Accept Sigh, the only accept. I've never even read only Calvin and Hobbes before and I know about the Cotton Gin thing. I've seen it many, many places. mibluvr13 19:39, 8 Apr 2005 (MDT)

[edit] Broken link?

Could someone verify the .swf for the director's commentary? S Gleason 05:08, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)

The swf downloads, but appears to be empty. Also, the cleanup template is generally used to mark articles which need a drastic revision / overhaul, not just one fix. Aurora the Homestar Coder 05:49, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)

It's good, but it does seem to be empty. I added clarification to the page - better now? --phlip ^T_C 06:04, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Got it. Aurora the Homestar Coder 06:14, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Thank you! And thanks for the feedback re the template. S Gleason

[edit] On DVD

In case anybody cares (since this isn't being posted on the main page, or anywhere else for that matter), They Might Be Giants are releasing the H*R Experimental Film Video on DVD on their upcoming album. You can pre-order it here. I don't know whether this disk will be released before the H*R DVD with all the shorts will be out. Anyway, if you really want the video on DVD, you can order it. -AtionSong 17:42, 25 Sep 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Random fool's opinion

I just love the song. It's my favorite TMBG song ever. Seriously. To quote Strong Bad: "Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about! That was amazing! I mean, you just...I just...I can't bel...chigedybu..He just...I'm buying you a pizza!"--Homsarroks 01:51, 19 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Will Wright?

Ok, this is probably the stupidest idea ever, but doesn't that Gracious Host guy kind of resemble Will Wright without glasses? You know, the guy who made Simcity and The Sims? Do an image search. He kind of looks like Will Wright to me! I'm not delusional! I hope... Has Matt? 04:51, 27 November 2005 (UTC)

On the one hand, yeah, I see what you're talking about and can confirm that you're not delusional. On the other hand, how many Caucasian males with the mustache-goatee-combo who part their hair would it not resemble? (Also, Will parts his on the opposite side.) I had always assumed it was a portrait of somebody connected with TMBG. If not, maybe it's one of TBC's friends? This has the makings of a great mystery. —AbdiViklas 04:56, 27 November 2005 (UTC)

It would be cool if this turned into a running gag. Someone should interview TBC about this. Has Matt? 05:00, 27 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Cheat Talking

Okay, guys, The Cheat definitely says "Mehmu-Shemmiddy Sha." Not "You don't like the video, huh?". In the context of the commentary, he is more likely asking about the quiz. It would be kinda weird to hear him speak in English other than his "Powered by the Cheat" voices though. :Elvis

Seconded. We don't put words in The Cheat's mouth. --DorianGray

[edit] That's not what "They're" called!

The folks at This Might Be a Wiki, masters of all things Giants, have a specific standard: Whenever TMBG are referred to by the pronoun 'They' -- or a vairiation ('Their', etc.) -- it's capitalized. (A good example of this would be the Wiki's transcription of "They Got Lost".) Throughout multiple points in the commentary tracks, this situation happens. Currently, we have the pronouns lowercase. Should we go ahead and change it, or leave it be? - Kookykman(t)(c)(r) 16:22, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

Hmm. That's a style choice unique to one source. It doesn't rise to the level of, say, capitalizing the pronouns which refer to the Christian deity. I think normal capitalization is fine. - Qermaq - (^T/C)  16:57, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

Speaking as a long-time TMBG fan, I agree with Qermaq, the convention of capitalizing the 'T' should be reserved for forums specifically devoted to TMBG, not every time they're mentioned elsewhere. - Uglinessman 10:37, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] John Link

In the cast, should we link to TMBW:John Flansburgh and TMBW:John Linnell, instead of linking to our page three times? --Sam Goldfish 16:52, 9 June 2006 (UTC)

That's a tough call, mainly because neither of them actually appear in the video. We see the tops of two cartoon heads which are assumed to be them, and their voices are indeed heard in the song... but, y'know, since they had no direct involvement in this particular video project, I think that linkig to the band page here is fair, since what we're dealing with is a video based on the music of They Might Be Giants. - Ugliness Man 14:04, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

I'm talking about They Might Be Giants being linked three times. --Sam Goldfish 21:42, 12 June 2006 (UTC)

Okay, I understand now... and it appears to have been fixed. - Ugliness Man 12:24, 13 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] commentary subtitles?

when you activate the commentary and have subtitles turned on, it stll only has the lyrics for the song. any way to fix this? 202.78.154.232 08:04, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

Sadly, no. See Subtitles talk:expfilm/en for the reason. Loafing 08:06, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Commentary won't load

Am I the only one having trouble here? I click on the words, it says "LOADING COMMENTARY" but I don't hear anything. Hope I'm not the only one on a crappy 12-baud Freshman Dorm DSL line. --Jnelson09 21:29, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Mouthing What!?

Okay, who was the cartoon-lip-reading expert that determined that Homestar was mouthing the words "Witches' Brew"? This "inside reference" has been here a while, but we should make it go away. Anyone agree/disagree? OptimisticFool 17:46, 14 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Official Music Video?

I heard somewhere that this was the official music video for Experimental Film. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, let me know.--ONESTOP 02:04, 25 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] reference?!

how is the olive and toothpick a reference to homestar jr.? this could just be part of the video chaos. User:Imdaman

[edit] Tom Deslongchamp Ties

This guy I kinda know, Tom Deslongchamp, has a video on his website called Dance Hard around RISD, and parts of it had light effects that are kind of like this video. I'm pretty sure that this video came first, because on his message board, Say Whatever (yes, that Alex H. is me), in the Tom-you-are-an-idiot discussions, someone said that Experimental film was HSWN (He Said, Why not!, Tom's origional title for his website)-ish. Do you think there's ties between the two?

-Alex H.

[edit] Your face a-plode

But which I'm still figuring out / Your face implodes at my experimental film

But which I'm still figuring out / Whose face implodes in my experimental film

There is some disagreement over which of the two highlighted words above, your or whose, should go in that line. There's also confusion over whether at or in is the preposition at the end. This Might Be A Wiki's lyric page currently has the first version, as do the vast majority of the sources I found online, but there are also a few that have the second version: various guitar tab sites (which misspell it who's, but still) and a fan video (see the lyrics in the description). They Might Be Giants' official site is being redone, and thus far I haven't found anything there. I'm not convinced by the sheer number of results that have the first version, simply because for all I know TMBW copied from our site (or vice versa), and everyone else copied from one of us.

When I actually listen to it, I don't really hear your. I don't hear whose, either. If I had to pick one, I'd say it sounded closer to whose, but that could just be my brain filling in the gap. The second version makes more sense grammatically, if that counts for anything, although the preposition sounds slightly more like at than in.

On a side note, this song has been out for four and a half years now, and this is the first time I've really sat down and listened closely to the lyrics. — It's dot com 16:16, 18 January 2009 (UTC)

A few of the earlier edit summaries in the This Might Be A Wiki's lyric page history reference a "The Spine's lyric sheet", "official lyrics sheet", and "Spine liner notes", which I take all to mean the little book that comes with the album that has the lyrics from the band. And since it's not listed on their Problems With Liner Notes article, I think we can take them as official and complete. -- Tom 20:04, 18 January 2009 (UTC)

Just to wrap this up, it was indeed we who copied from TMBW (that particular edit was also matched against the liner notes). The lyrics were also checked against the liner notes by ACupOfCoffee, who is attentive to detail and who's active on both wikis. I'd say that's case closed. — It's dot com 21:29, 18 January 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Best ever

There is also a best ever in the commentary when strong bad say they should talk about why real smooth moves is the best band name ever. HomsarGuy 21:31, 18 January 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Mistake in (online) commentary transcript

I'm pretty sure for the last Strong Sad line, instead of:

STRONG SAD: Oh, I'm outta here! Hope I still get paid!

It's really:

STRONG SAD: Oh, what a disaster! I hope I still get paid!

Oops... lookin' at the wrong commentary -Dutchscout 04:44, 3 April 2009 (UTC)

[edit] The Big Shave

I think it's more probable that the shaving sequence is a reference to Scorsese's "The Big Shave", and not Leth's "The Perfect Human". Anyone agree?

[edit] I want my MTV?

Was Experimental Film REALLY on MTV? That's the question I posed to Strong Bad on his twitter, and he replied "No idea! And not sure how to verify or debunk." This shows that the remark on this page (and the wikipedia page, which might already have been updated) are wrong or unconfirmed. If somebody could share any evidence (there's a picture I think might exist of someone's TV with the video on it and an MTV logo in the corner) that would be great. ----J∃ffJMan 14:29, 7 February 2023 (UTC)