Puphedz: The Tattle-Tale Heart
There have been many variations of Edgar Alan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" committed to film over the years, but the most riotously offensive has to be "Puphedz: The Tattletale Heart." Starring a cast of wooden, self-aware, camera-mugging puppets, each is an actor with their own individual personality... and tolerance for their costars. Snooty (and potentially gay) puphed Woodrow J. Larchbottom, III plays the tormented young man in the story, and he's a little tormented himself and frequently annoyed by... well, everything. Eye-rolling Peter Feidwood plays the character of the old man just as he is: senile. Clueless Puphed Leif Applebaum staggers through his role as the white cop unknowingly offending blacks at every turn, and Puphed actor Douglas “Chip” Fir eventually tires of playing his role as the token black character. Sure it's politically incorrect... but it's damned funny too!
Two versions of the short exist and are included on the DVD, which generally sells for $5-$10. The better, streamlined 27 minute version follows the story pretty fluidly. The longer 34 minute version includes cutaways to Larchmont telling the story from an institution. This longer version contains additional gags and story detours... as well an appearance by a vindictive God. The trailer campaign for the film included a teaser which lampooned Alfred Hitchcock's teaser for "Psycho," as well as other original material.
As is detailed in the DVD featurette, this was a labor of love by creator Jurgen Heimann and his team of puppeteers, which was intended to be the first in a series of ongoing Puphedz films featuring the same "actors...."
In 2004, the gang was reunited on paper (hey, isn't that wood?) for a new set of adventures in the comic book "Puphedz: The Legitimate Puppet Society." The book features a trio of stories, including one in which they encounter is the dreaded Mr. Punch! Wonder if he beats up Judy... I knew this was in the works but had no idea it was ever released until just a few minutes ago. Looks to have been independently printed and issued by Heimann's company, Brillig (a word lifted from Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky"), and it's available at a variety of comic retailers online.
Over at the official website, you can get yourself a "Puphedz Navy" fan club kit! When I got mine they were free, but because of the shipping cost (thank you, USPS) they had to start charging. However, it is a really cool tie-in and well worth the couple bucks to support the filmmakers. It's a travesty that the Puphedz haven't gone on to further adventures, but never say never -- I mean, they brought back "Family Guy" and "Futurama!" Here's hoping the Puphedz will break a leg again one day soon!
