THE VIDEODROME: Bimbo’s Initiation

On Tuesday’s we enter the Videodrome where I present a couple of choice clips from the wastelands of YouTube and elsewhere.  These will typically be related to the craft of writing specifically (from actual, real, full-time writer’s you can trust) or be tangentially about what I’m reading or writing myself on that given day.  Now, that’s the intent, but I just know I won’t be able to resist the utterly random video from time to time.   

 

 

Well, it’s only my second edition of The Videodrome and I’m already giving in to the temptation of the “utterly random” as mentioned above.

 

Inspired by my recent forays into the writings of one Philip K. Dick, I thought I’d hunt around YouTube for some clips of other writers discussing the man’s works and influences for today’s entry, and indeed, I found a lot of great stuff to pull from.  But, somewhere, in one of my search requests, I came upon a cartoon from 1931 that someone had posted over a year ago, they said, in honor of the final release of the film adaptation of “A Scanner Darkly.”

 

Deeply intruiged, naturally, I clicked immediately on on this short entitled “Bimbo’s Initiation,” excited as to what the connection to Dick would be. 

 

And, now having watched it multiple times in slack-jawed amazement, I still can’t say what the hell the connection was supposed to be, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t the best thing I’ve laid eyes on in something like forever.

 

Calling it surreal doesn’t even skim the surface.  This thing is agressively weird in every way and while it certainly doesn’t appear Philip K. Dickian at first, second, or sixtieth brush, one can only wonder at what a viewing of this by the man himself would have inspired.  I suspect he could have cranked out a couple dozen novels on the quick ruminating on just this one cartoon.

 

While I’m not up to that task myself as a writer, I’ve already cranked out some pages today as a direct result of viewing this and am itching like a junkie to write more.  Bimbo has truly inspired me. 

 

So, while I do that, please take the time to give this thing your full attention…

 

 

 

I suspect, if you’re anything like me, then you’re wanting to re-watch this thing, like, now.  If so, you might go HERE to watch it in far superior quality.

 

Pretty great, right?

 

Tags: A Scanner Darkly, Betty Boop, Bimbo, Bimbo's Initiation, Max Fleisher, Philip K. Dick, Wanna be a member?