Joe's Apartment (1996)

[Down10 2]

If the name sounds familiar, it's because it's one of the most imfamous movies of the 1990's. I have to say it's pretty much a definitive title for the question "How Does This Get Made?": It's the movie with the singing and dancing cockroaches. Yes, cockroaches, in all their filthy splendor.

And while the budget for the movie was quite modest ($13 Million), it still has oddly competant animation of some highly entertaining cockroaches. What's more, the roaches all have squeaky "Alvin and the Chipmunks"-like voices -- they behave cartoonishly as though it were a children's movie. But this is NOT a movie for kids (it's the first movie release billed under "MTV Films" banner), and you would be a horrible parent to let kids watch this twisted movie, even if it is mostly free of explicit sex and violence.

But how could a shitty (literally!) movie about gross cockroaches that dance around like they were in a Busby Berkeley musical be appealing to anyone? Well your answer is this: it made back less than $2 million in the box office, so it was a certafiable bomb. It attained cult film status on home video, and while it is certainly an awful movie, it's still rather silly gross fun, and it will definitely satisfy a morbid curiosity in how crezy an idea for a movie can be, and yet be fully realized into a feature length motion picture and then released in mainstream movie theaters across the country.

Also, seeing as how it stars Jerry O'Connell, who has been a guest on Comedy Death Ray, perhaps you guys can get him in the studio to explain what the hell he was thinking.

Anyway, "Joe's Apartment" is my nomination. Love the show, and I'm looking forward to more eps!

[Professor Procrastination 9]

Hey, with the news that Marvel's Ant-Man movie has been cast, why not cover a movie about bugs? It's the first film from MTV Films and it's based on shorts that were aired in between commercials as filler. Jerry O'Connell stars in the musical comedy about cockroaches and their song about a funky towel. I'm talking about the bad movie, Joe's Apartment!

 

Wouldn't it be great to hear June, Paul, and Jason discuss this movie with someone like Paul Rudd or Edgar Wright (both attached to Marvel's Ant-Man project)?

[sillstaw 414]

The best line from Roger Ebert's review of the movie:

I am informed that 5,000 cockroaches were used in the filming of “Joe’s Apartment.” That depresses me, but not as much as the news that none of them were harmed during the production.

[Hot - Slunch 772]

I liked the movie. It's not like it was supposed to be amazing.

 

It was based on shorts they aired between music videos... It's not like they submitted to Cannes. They knew it was a small, weird, indie movie. Pretty competent if I remember right.

[Johnny Unusual 525]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UZsf5WF1Ik

 

This looks... oi, no thank you.

[SlidePocket 707]

One of the most ridiculous plots you'll ever find in a movie like this.

[oklahormoan 2]

I LOVED this movie as a kid, I still think the soundtrack and some of the effects are good.

 

This was MTV's first ever feature film, and a total snapshot of the time period.

 

It would make me so happy if they did this movie.

[KillerShart 0]

I forgot this was even a thing. I loved this movie as a kid. Jerry O'Connell was the man! What ever happened to that guy? How could they not do a pure 90's movie made by MTV about magic? talking cockroaches.

[KooterInaBrar 21]

MTV Films had Beavis & Butthead Do America ready a few months later but chose this as their debut film instead.

[Kream15 11]

MTV's first movie.
Jerry O'Connell lives with thousands of musical cockroaches.