MTV was best known for its musical clips, of course, but credit should be granted for its initiative in the promotion and presentation of short films. Between his videos of disappeared people and Yankovic “Weird Al” videos, the chain would present the (often strange) art of the rise of filmmakers and animators, just to add a certain variety to its 24-hour programming. It was not uncommon to light MTV in 1991 and to see short and bizarro animated bumpers between clip blocks. Many new artists have found their toe in the meshes of the net. Finally, MTV launched “Liquid Television” as a window for its animated companies, with its live short films remaining random dispersed.
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The live short film by John Payson “Joe’s Apt”. made his debut on MTV in 1992, and he drew everyone’s attention, mainly because it was a bit rude. In the short film, Mark Rosenthal played Joe, an average guy living in a dirty apartment in New York whom he shares with thousands of cockroaches that were talking and singing. At the start of the film, he warns his “roommates” that he has an appointment on that night, so he needed it to stay hidden. He puts a steak under the carpet as an offering. The cockroaches, being Joe’s friends, unilaterally decide that they will rather help Joe to be in love. When Joe’s meeting (Arija Bareikis) arrives, the cockroaches grow subtly around snacks and furniture to make it comfortable, all looking at walls and light fixtures. Unfortunately, when Joe leans for a kiss, the cockroaches get excited and spread lights, directly on his appointment. Covered with insects, she shouts and fled with horror. Joe sighs regret. Maybe next time, Joe, the promise of cockroaches.
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MTV was so impressed by “Joe’s Apt.”, That he approached Landscape to develop a feature film version for them. MTV had not yet made feature films out in theaters, but he wanted it. Consequently, “Joe’s Apartment” became the very first full film of MTV when it was released in theaters in 1996.
Joe’s apartment was a MTV film full of `sex, bugs and rock ‘n’ roll ‘
The characteristic of “Joe’s apartment” was a very strange and very ambitious beast. The film simply developed on the short film, even nesting the events of the original short film in the middle. This time, Joe, played by Jerry O’Connell, is a recent grafting from New York who has trouble finding an affordable place to live. When an old woman dies in the street in front of him, a friend Scuzzy named Walter S *** (Jim Turner) encourages Joe to say that she is his mother so that he can inherit his apartment controlled by the rent. Naturally, thousands of Brooklyn accents also live there. Can Joe live with a pile of cockroaches that speak, singing and also romanticizing his girlfriend Lily (Megan Ward)? In addition, can it – and the cockroaches – can it repel the aggression of a vicious senator (Robert Vaughn) who wants to shave the apartment?
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The cockroaches were made visually with a puppet, but especially with CGI at the cutting edge of the technology supplied by Blue Sky, making its debut. The animation is so detailed that it triggers one of their lunch; The public could distinguish each revolting scratch in the exoskeletons of the bugs. The cockroaches, as in the short film, operate as a well -organized mass, as evidenced by the fact that they sing a cappella (only launched, like the Tamias). The singing voices of the cockroach were provided by the famous vocal group Pop Rockapella, with their songs covering the genres of Country (“Kitty Cat Rodeo”) in Funk (“Funky Towel”) in Barbershop (“Garbage in the Moonlight”) in Gospel (“The Healer touched my feeling”). The plumb cockroaches, Ralph and Rodney Roach, were expressed by Billy west of the reputation of “Futurama” and Reginald Hudlin, respectively. Other cockroaches have been played by BD Wong, Tim Blake Nelson, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Dave Chappelle (before you know how horrible it was).
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Joe’s apartment was a cult movie in studio clothes
The animation on the cockroaches probably explains why “Joe’s apartment” is so much to do. The budget was only $ 13 million (around 27 million dollars in 2025 dollars), but it was still a considerable risk for a first studio that published a raw comedy based on insects. The film’s slogan was “sex, bugs and rock ‘n’ roll”. John Payson also gathered several original figurines to appear in his film. The worship of worship Paul Bartel has a cameo in “Joe’s Apartment”, just like the filmmaker underground Nick Zedd (director of “They Eat Scum” and “Geek Maggot Bingo”). There is even a slumlord thug played by Don Ho (!), As well as small roles for Moby and Sandra Denton, which is better known as PEPA (de Salt-N-Pepa).
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“Joe’s apartment” is delicious, by the way. Lots of time, energy and funding entered this bizarre film on coarse and singing cockroaches, and I have the impression that someone was getting away with something. It was an underground film that somehow prompted a general public studio to give them $ 13 million. It is weird that “Joe’s apartment” should be as smooth as it does, because it seems that a lot of filthy dirt is just under its professional sparkle, waiting to bubble on the surface. Scatological humor is highly highlighted. It is a cult film in studio clothes.
Perhaps MTV overestimated the popularity of its short film, because the film “Joe’s Apartment” (toilet) sang at the box office, earning only $ 4.6 million. It was also ridiculed by criticisms to be as disgusting as it was and only holds a 21% approval note on Rotten tomatoes. Oddly, for 1996, there was no successful soundtrack (which might think, would have been a mandate for a MTV film).
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MTV recovered at the box office later that year with the release of “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America”, so that saved the face a little. Payson, meanwhile, has moved to television shows like “Arli $$” and “The PJS” (which had a hidden crossing with “Futurama”, quite funny). He also kept his original printer by making a clip for residents in 2001.
