Prior to the Awesome Show, Tim and Eric starred-in/created Tom Goes to the Mayor, another Adult Swim program that, unlike it’s follow-up, was primarily animated and much more story-based.  The limited animation style of TGTTM was created from highly expressive (both facially and bodily) still images -processed through photo-shop to resemble photocopies and making for incredibly jumpy transitional movements for the characters- to tell the stories.  The program, which evolved from a web series, had a very specific aesthetic of it’s own, while including random live action clips interspersed throughout it.  When the Awesome Show was created, it adopted some of those same live action characters (ie. married news team, Jan and Wayne Skylar).  It also brought with it some of the many co-stars/cameos that Heidecker and Wareheim had managed to work with on Tom Goes to the Mayor (Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, Jeff Goldblum, etc.).  With the shift into the more fragmented approach of the Awesome Show, an altogether new, yet equally distinct, aesthetic was created that came to define the duo.  Eschewing the static imagery and stiff facsimile look of the two-tone TOM for schizophrenic blips and the diced-up scattered imagery of their new program, the live action felt decidedly more “animated” and, for lack of a better word, psychedelic.  It was like laying half-chloroformed in a bin of mixed candy’s while a wall of televisions flipped through clips of Max Headroom, QVC, white noise, Univision, and Sid and Mary Krofft outtakes.  While TGTTM was like a pill high (or, low, rather), The Awesome Show was like floating out of an LSD or Molly trip, while spiking your high back up with OJ, wasabi, and a cocktail of  the shit that gets you crunk, but wasn’t necessarily created for that intended purpose (solvents, dramamine, nitrous, Robitussin).  The strychnine was dirty.  The cinematography often felt like a real life John Kricfalusi cartoon. This was a style that followed Wareheim into directorial work in videos for the likes of MGMT, The Bird and the Bee, Major Lazer, and Depeche Mode, as well as commercials for Old Spice.  They’ve done live tours and even some short films for HBO‘s Funny Or Die presents, but this week the comedy duo is attempting to translate their trademark tomfoolery onto the big screen (or small screen, depending) with a handful of somewhat unorthodox promotional methods.

THE FILM

Co-presented by Funny Or Die, Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie revolves around the concept that the stars were given one-billion dollars to make a film, but pretty much blow it all immediately and are then expected to repay what they’ve fizzled away.  From there, hijinks and comedy ensue.  Many Awesome Show pals and semi-regulars such as John C. Reilly, Zach Galifianakis, Jeff Goldblum, Will Forte, and Will Ferrell make appearances, along with the folks who’ve starred in memorable sketches/segments and earned most of their own recognizability through the Adult Swim program (James Quall, David Liebe Hart, and Palmer Scott).  Perhaps the most intriguing twists come with their consistent casting of historically more “stoic” or “serious” personalities like Robert Loggia (Scarface, Big), William Atherton (Ghostbusters, Die Hard), Costas Mandylor (Picket Fences, Mobsters), Ray Wise (Twin Peaks, 24), and even business tycoon/executive producer, Marc Cuban (Dallas Mavericks, Lionsgate ent., etc.).  There is even narration provided by Michael Gross of Family Ties fame.  Simply based on nothing other than the trailer alone, the film is unmistakably a Tim & Eric production, but, as stated before, it is intended to follow a somewhat cohesive storyline and veer away from their typically and disorientingly warped pacing, which is far less likely to work as effectively in a longer format.

THE PLEDGE

Tim and Eric have stated that, after 5 seasons in as many years, the Awesome Show is effectively over in it’s current form.  Just like their previous jump from Tom Goes to the Mayor, the guys are moving on to new projects with the hopes that they will be received as successfully as the one that they’re moving on from.  To ensure that help to insure that people support their newest venture, Heidecker and Wareheim have created a form that anyone can print out and sign, pledging that they will make the effort to go out and watch Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, among other things.

In a relatively short period of time, an impressive number of celebrities  (as well as us lesser, common-folk) have videotaped themselves signing the document.  Here are a few of the more notable uploads…

Elijah Wood

James Murphy

Aziz Ansari

Paul Rudd

Weird Al

More videos on the official BDMPLEDGE Youtube Page HERE.

SIGN THE PLEDGE!

Rango’ed

Over the last week or so, Heidecker and Wareheim premiered their decidedly “raunchy” Billion Dollar Movie at -of all places- The Sundance Film Festival in Utah.  Throughout the frenzy of publicity that occurs at the world famous “indie” film fest, the duo participated in more than a handful of interviews.  Most of the footage simply shows the guys toying with interviewers and/or pushing the idea of a conspiracy that their film was actually being re-edited by studio heads to incorporate outtakes from the animated Johnny Depp lizard/Western vehicle Rango and pleading for the fans to help petition against Sundance, begging the festival to hear their pleas and show the “original” pure and “un-Rango’ed” version.

Instead of promoting their film in the typical manner and allowing the interview to progress in the direction that the interview is likely hoping and prepared for(discussing the film, etc), this following interaction with In The Can demonstrates Tim and Eric redirecting the tone and subject in their own unique and expertly perfected manner.

[If you're short on time, but still into really awkward shit, jump ahead to view the 6:47 - 7:25 mark]

As their wolf cries about Rango continued, it was great to see people like Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) jump in to perpetuate the absurdity.

Here’s a nicely polished and edited little video that shows a condensed 360 version of the entire Rango’ing saga.

THE RELEASE (Sundance, Theaters, On-Demand, & Youtube)

Not all of the press that Tim and Eric participated in at Sundance was focused on or redirected towards the propaganda about Rango.  In fact, some of the interviews actually showcase footage where the filmmakers are the most “out-of-character” than we’ve probably ever seen them.  One such interview with The Hollywood Reporter stays pretty much on topic throughout it’s majority, but they do make tongue in cheek references about people walking out of films.  For those of you who bother to watch until after the credits of the last “Rango Saga” video (@2:36 mark) you will see footage of Eric Wareheim claiming that he and his partner “killed Sundance” and that the movie was “a total hit“.  Whether that’s an accurate account of the film’s reception or not is subjective, but what we do know is that plenty of people got up ans simply walked out in the middle of the screenings.  [To be fair, it's not the only controversial movie that drove uncomfortable patrons from the theaters mid-screening; Rick Alverson's, The Comedian, a drama about aging uncouth hipster's -also starring Heidecker and featuring Wareheim, along with James Murphy of LCD Soundsytem and DFA Records- also proved to be incredibly polarizing.]

In an even more frank and straightforward interview with /FILM, they discuss how they didn’t bother to “cater” their work towards the Sundance “community” at all and make sure to stress that the film was intentionally created to be viewed on the big screen, implying that witnessing the full and varied audience interaction is part of the overall experience.  In that same interview, they further explain that their compromise with finding alternate methods of release outside of theaters came from an acknowledgement that, with the films limited theater release, many fans might be unable to view the film otherwise.  In fact, their Video On Demand release, which began yesterday (January 27th), arrives more than a full month before the March 2nd theatrical debut for the public.

Taking further advantage of what current technology has to offer, Tim and Eric have also made the film available for advanced screening on Youtube.  You may have noticed, through accidental clicks or otherwise, that Youtube has added the option to rent feature length films on the site. No?  Yes?  Well, they have and the Billion Dollar Movie is one such movie that is currently available.  This evens the playing field further, for those who do not have access to On demand through their televisions.  Here… I’ll let the creators sell you the idea themselves.

If you still haven’t caught on yet, you’re being bamboozled with the stalling youtube video above; it’s all chicanery and Hollywood magic.  It’s a parody y’all… shenanigans.  But seriously folks… if you want to rent it on youtube, you can do so through HERE.

To visit the official Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie website, CLICK HERE.

If you’ve made it through this entire post (videos included), great job!

Seeing this mini-film finally ties each of the teasers together, which all appear to have been pulled from and created during this video shoot.  Just like the teasers, the “Tall Boy” video features appearances by Eric Wareheim, Alia Shawkat and Eva Mendes.  Push the fucking play button and check it out fools!  Then scroll to the bottom and read on, because I’m hopped up on pork sandwiches and TWIX and I want to bark some more orders at you.

The new Har Mar album Dark Touches has an official release date of Oct. 13th, but the pre-order is definitely the way to go.  It’s crazy cheap for everything that you get and there’s 3 different order options, 1 of which come with an autographed copy.  The soul machine, Superstar, has been flying low on the U.S. radar for the last few years, but I see this new release blowing up like Serena Williams at a line judge on the Challenger and getting more play than Papa John Phillips with a rig full of coke at a family reunion. [Sorry, I'm trying to maintain my puns like an ointment and make them topical]

Har Mar Superstar has a revamped site that looks great so, while you’re there placing your order, make sure to peruse around and give it a once over, like a booty at the club.  I even happen to have a photo-set in the gallery over there, which can be viewed by clicking HERE.

Below are the ordering options available for Dark Touches.  If you order the album some exclusive content is available immediately and each package provides the option between MP3 or LOSSLESS AAC files.

The following details are taken via Harmarsuperstar.com

Order Dark Touches now, and Har Mar will front you album art, the song “Tall Boy” from the forthcoming album, and two EXCLUSIVE bonus tracks — “Just the Tip,” a racy, non-album collaboration with The Faint’s Jacob Thiele & Clark Baechle and a remix of “Tall Boy” by Professor LaCroix.

OPTION #1

(only $8.98)

Dark Touches – Digital Files Pre-order today and immediately you get: Track downloads: 1. Tall Boy 2. Just The Tip 3. Tall Boy – Professor LaCroix Remix Image download: 1. Dark Touches Album Art When the album is released, you’ll get: Immediate release-day acquisition of the digital files. MP3 or MP3+LOSSLESS

OPTION #2

(only $13.98)

Dark Touches – CD + Digital Files Pre-order today and immediately you get: Track downloads: 1. Tall Boy 2. Just The Tip 3. Tall Boy – Professor LaCroix Remix Image download: 1. Dark Touches Album Art When the album is released, you’ll get: A CD autographed by Har Mar, as well as immediate release-day acquisition of the digital files. CD+MP3 or CD+LOSSLESS

OPTION #3

(only $15.98)

Dark Touches – Vinyl + CD + Digital Files Pre-order today and immediately you get: Track downloads: 1. Tall Boy 2. Just The Tip 3. Tall Boy – Professor LaCroix Remix Image download: 1. Dark Touches Album Art When the album is released, you’ll get: A 180-gram, pink VINYL LP, which will also include a CD in a paper slipcase, as well as immediate release-day acquisition of the digital files. VINYL + CD + MP3 or VINYL + CD + LOSSLESS

It has already been 5 years since Sean “Har Mar Superstar” Tillmann released The Handler, his last full-length album.   The Har Mar persona has picked up steam in places like the United Kingdom, where Tillmann has even become a product/commercial spokesperson, but, for the most part, the artist has shelved his character to pursue other interests.  He’s been involved in numerous other musical projects, short films, and has even popped in with a Hollywood cameo here and there [Starsky and Hutch].  This coming October, the hiatus officially ends with Tillmann‘s latest Har Mar R&B Dance release, Dark Touches.

New tracks like “Tall Boy” and “Girls Only” were originally created for Britney Spears and The Cheetah Girls, but were rejected by their respective managements.  Tracks like these helped give birth to Dark Touches a few years ago, but it a took a while for Tillmann to realize that he was actually creating music that would work for a project of his own.  “I realized a song like ‘Girls Only’ is so much more amazing if I sing it,” he’s said. “I wrote that one for the Cheetah Girls a while ago, and I feel like Disney freaked out a bit after doing a Google search and seeing pictures of me performing in my underwear. I understand why they would pass on that”

My prediction is that Har Mar‘s return is going to be big.  The musical climate has changed over the last 5 years and, if people are so into shit that is as unlistenable as Lady Gaga, Tillmann‘s superior songwriting and intriguing subject matter is sure to create smash hits, both nationwide and at the club.  Dark Touches features guest appearances from such artists as P.O.S. [Rhymesayers collective], Adam Green [Moldy Peaches], and Greg Kurstin [The Bird and The Bee].  For the advertising itself, Tillmann has even recruited other connections and friends that he has made through the entertainment industry.  A series of six viral videos, created by LA-based creative collective Tomorrows Brightest Minds, are being released to promote Dark Touches.  One video features comedian Eric Wareheim [Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!], who has also directed a video for The Bird and The Bee.  Another video features Alia Shawkat [Arrested Development], Tillmann‘s co-star in the upcoming Drew Barrymore film “Whip It“, but perhaps the most shocking cameo comes from actress Eva Mendes.  All of the videos have a really cool space age vibe to them, incorporating such props as ray guns and rocket pops.  It’s a great start and, with a new website, movie roles, and a tour on the way, this should be a triumphant return.  We look forward to seeing what else Har Mar Superstar has up his sequined sleeve-length gloves in the future.

You may remember that we posted all six all the videos exactly one month ago and may even wonder why they were removed. Well, the answer to that is, in short, we weren’t “supposed” to have them yet. It wasn’t Har Mar, or even his camp really, that asked us to pull them. Nope… it was the label that had paid for the promotion and even the creators had leaked them early. We were offered an “exclusive” when they were reposted, if we pulled them, but the label never actually made contact with us again. Instead Tillman’s brother, who is awesome, gave us the heads up and, although only a couple are available at this point, we will be posting them in this section as they appear. Remember, they’re “VIRAL”, so spread them around like the Swine Aids. Also, be sure to get the free MP3 download of “Tallboy” below.

Teaser #1

(feat. Eric Wareheim)

Teaser #2

Teaser #3

(feat. Alia Shawkat)

Teaser #4

(feat. Eva Mendez)

Tall Boy MP3

To read our recent review of Har Mar Superstar live at Lebowski Fest, with extensive photoset, CLICK HERE