The DIY movement has found filmmakers creating art using damn near every medium possible. Now one man has produced a feature-length animated film entirely out of low-resolution pixel animation. Chris Blundell’s The Hit Squad tells the heretofore untold tale of its eponymous ’80s pop music gods — lead vocalist Roddy Stones, Cockney outlaw Frankie Miller, and the apparently clueless Charles Whitecastle. Together they form a band that, like Spinal Tap and the Rutles before them, pioneered the sound of an era, surviving low record sales, cocaine, and the fickle spotlight of stardom. But in The Hit Squad, they find themselves facing an evil studio head who’s out to rid the world of them forever! Will he succeed? Here’s the just-released teaser trailer…
Blundell describes The Hit Squad as “South Park meets Spinal Tap on Nintendo.” Fueled by the power ballads of the 1980s, the director has clearly put everything he has into its production — spending over three years writing, drawing, and animating it “from scratch.” He’s even composed the soundtrack for the film (which boasts an orchestral score by BAFTA-nominated composer David Housden). With legendary one-man-band animators like Bill Plympton and Don Hertzfeldt (whose own World of Tomorrow opened this year’s Sundance Film Festival) getting ever more recognition for their hard work, it’s heartening to learn of other talents following in their footsteps. Here’s hoping Blundell and his films can inspire others in turn. You can check out some of Blundell’s other work on Vimeo.
What do you think of the above trailer for The Hit Squad? Let us know below!
