Cinema Insomnia
Encyclopedia
Cinema Insomnia is a nationally syndicated American
television series presented by horror host
Mr. Lobo
.
or science fiction
classic (such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon or Alien
); however budgetary limitations, acts of God or other circumstances invariably force him to show a much lower quality movie (such as Starcrash
or Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
).
Unlike the various hosts and robots of Mystery Science Theater 3000
, Mr. Lobo does not appear while the movie is playing; instead he appears in brief vignettes in between segments of the movie. Also appearing are items such as fake commercials (such as one for "Rad Abrams – Skateboard Attorney"), old movie trailers, classic commercials and footage and interviews shot at horror conventions
, science fiction conventions, and film festivals in the Northern California
area (the show is produced in Sacramento
).
always appears on screen with a "70's professional" haircut, wearing "birth control" glasses
and a black suit and tie. He acts as a spectral narrator broadcasting from a black void and his only connections to reality are the B-movies he presents. Mr. Lobo has often described himself by saying, "Imagine if you gave Rod Serling
's job to someone who is totally incompetent."
Mr. Lobo often has one-sided conversations with Miss Mittens, a houseplant
.
ABC News10 in Sacramento
. It ran for 22 episodes (2001–2002) before the show was put on permanent hiatus. The second version of the show was made for local community television Access Sacramento, and ran for one year on Comcast Channel 17 and 18. This version of the show was also distributed to Public-access television
cable TV stations across the country via the Horror Host Underground. From 2003 to 2008 Cinema Insomnia was nationally syndicated airing on broadcast stations across the country. In 2008 Apprehensive Films
, an indie distribution label, signed the show to release exclusive Cinema Insomnia DVDs. In 2009, Apprehensive Films took over the television distribution of the show as well, which resulted in re-licensing the show to AMGTV
.
Cinema Insomnia has aired weekly on over 30 broadcast stations including KXTV
ABC News10 (Sacramento
, Stockton
, Modesto, California
), KEJB
43 (Louisiana), KTEH
54 (San Jose
, Oakland, San Francisco)(Stanley 2007, p. 198), WOTH (Cincinnati), and WAOH (Cleveland)(Duran 2005, p. 8-9). It also is shown on hundreds of cable systems(Stanley 2007, p. 198) via MavTV
(national), MATA14 (Wisconsin), Cox 71 (Virginia
) and Cox 99 (Indiana
).
It is delivered to independent stations via various outlets PMI, Access Media Group
, White Springs TV
and AMGTV
as well as the now defunct UATV
network(Duran 2005). Several episodes are also available for download on the Internet via BitTorrent
as well as on CinemaInsomnia.com. The 2006 Cinema Insomnia Halloween Special was delivered to 45 million households.
Cinema Insomnia will have 26 new episodes for its 2011-2012 season. A Kickstarter
project called "Cinema Insomnia 10 Year Anniversary" was started to help fund $10,000 for the new season to give each episode an additional $384 to help pay for cast and crew as well as other expenses. As of December 18, 2010, $11,140 has been raised.
On December 2, 2010, horror host
Mr. Lobo
announced that the next episode of Cinema Insomnia and Christmas special will be the original The Little Shop of Horrors
.
However, the newest episode will be Venus Flytrap
which will premiere on October 31, 2011.
On August 14, 2010, Cinema Insomnia had their first broadcast taping at the Guild Theater in Sacramento in front of a live audience. The film that was presented was The Undertaker and His Pals, due to the graphic nature of the film, everyone was given a 'Barf-O-Vision' Audience Sickness Bag.
introduced a new line of Cinema Insomnia DVDs called the Slime Line. The Slime Line DVDs feature brand new audio mixes, new retro film-clips, coming attractions for classic B-movie and new indies. The Slime Line DVDs also contain Slime Points which can be collected and mailed into Apprehensive Films for select prizes. Apprehensive Films has also licensed episodes Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome
, Gappa: Monsters From a Prehistoric Planet
, In Search of Ancient Astronauts
, Super Wheels, and Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
to Amazon Video on Demand.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series presented by horror host
Horror host
Horror hosts are a particular type of television presenter, often tasked with presenting low-grade films to television audiences. This tradition is primarily American, though there have been a few international hosts over the years.-Film Packages:...
Mr. Lobo
Mr. Lobo
Erik Lobo better known by his stage name Mr. Lobo is an American artist and comedic actor best known as the horror host of the nationally syndicated American television series Cinema Insomnia.-Career :...
.
Format
Typically, Mr. Lobo opens each episode by promising to screen a well-known horrorHorror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
or science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
classic (such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon or Alien
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
); however budgetary limitations, acts of God or other circumstances invariably force him to show a much lower quality movie (such as Starcrash
Starcrash
Starcrash is an Italian 1979 science fiction film, which was also released under the English title of The Adventures of Stella Star . The film is a low budget and is often regarded as a rip-off of Star Wars...
or Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is a 1964 science fiction film that regularly appears on lists of the worst films ever made. It is regularly featured in the "bottom 100" list on the Internet Movie Database, and was also featured in an episode of the 1986 syndicated series, the Canned Film...
).
Unlike the various hosts and robots of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
, Mr. Lobo does not appear while the movie is playing; instead he appears in brief vignettes in between segments of the movie. Also appearing are items such as fake commercials (such as one for "Rad Abrams – Skateboard Attorney"), old movie trailers, classic commercials and footage and interviews shot at horror conventions
Horror conventions
Horror conventions are gatherings of the community of fans of various forms of horror including horror cinema, goth lifestyle, and occasionally science fiction and fantasy. Historically the focus has been on the cinematic form rather than literature and art, but this has broadened to include all...
, science fiction conventions, and film festivals in the Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
area (the show is produced in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
).
Characters
Mr. LoboMr. Lobo
Erik Lobo better known by his stage name Mr. Lobo is an American artist and comedic actor best known as the horror host of the nationally syndicated American television series Cinema Insomnia.-Career :...
always appears on screen with a "70's professional" haircut, wearing "birth control" glasses
GI glasses
GI glasses are eyeglasses issued by the American military to its service members. Dysphemisms for them include the most common birth control glasses and variants. At one time they were officially designated as "Regulation Prescription Glasses", or "RPGs". This was commonly said to mean "Rape...
and a black suit and tie. He acts as a spectral narrator broadcasting from a black void and his only connections to reality are the B-movies he presents. Mr. Lobo has often described himself by saying, "Imagine if you gave Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
's job to someone who is totally incompetent."
Mr. Lobo often has one-sided conversations with Miss Mittens, a houseplant
Houseplant
A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes, positive psychological effects, or health reasons such as indoor air purification...
.
Recurring characters
- Artie-Deco (Hardware WarsHardware WarsHardware Wars is a short film parody of the classic science fiction film Star Wars. The thirteen-minute film, which premiered in theatres only seven months after Star Wars, consisted of little more than inside jokes and visual puns that heavily depended upon audience familiarity with the...
) - Astra Naughty
- Chewchilla the Wookie Monster (Hardware WarsHardware WarsHardware Wars is a short film parody of the classic science fiction film Star Wars. The thirteen-minute film, which premiered in theatres only seven months after Star Wars, consisted of little more than inside jokes and visual puns that heavily depended upon audience familiarity with the...
) - Dr. Bling Bling
- Dr. Loco
- Ernie FosseliusErnie FosseliusErnie Fosselius is an American filmmaker who has largely stayed out of the public eye. He is best known for his satirical spoofs of popular films, including the classic Star Wars parody Hardware Wars.-Film career:...
- François Fly (Fly By Night Theater)
- Lady Skank'nstein (The Horror House of Lady Skank'nstein)
- Megafant
- Movie Sniffing Tie
- Naughty Nurse Batty
- Prime-8
- Puddles the Super Turtle
- Ro-man (Robot MonsterRobot MonsterRobot Monster is a 1953 American science fiction film made in 3-D by Phil Tucker. It is frequently considered one of the worst films ever made.- Plot :...
) - Robot Seven D 4
- Slob Zombie
- Super Argo
- The Incredibly Strange Creatures (Band)
- The Robot Monsters (Band)
- The Louisiana Klingons (TrekkiesTrekkiesTrekkies is a 1997 documentary film directed by Roger Nygard about the devoted fans of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek franchise. Starring Denise Crosby , the movie contains interviews with Star Trek devotees, more commonly known as Trekkies...
) - The Phantom of Krankor (Prince of SpacePlanet Princeis a 1958 tokusatsu superhero television series. Created by veteran writer Masaru Igami and produced by Nippon Gendai and Senkosha, the series aired on NTV from November 4, 1958 to October 6, 1959, with a total of 49 episodes . It was created to capitalize on the success of the Super Giant serials...
) - The Queen of Trash
- Will the Thrill (Thrillville)
- Young Mr. LoboMr. LoboErik Lobo better known by his stage name Mr. Lobo is an American artist and comedic actor best known as the horror host of the nationally syndicated American television series Cinema Insomnia.-Career :...
Broadcast history
The show began as filler for the 3 AM movie on KXTVKXTV
KXTV, channel 10, is an ABC affiliate television station in Sacramento, California. It is owned and operated by the Gannett Company. Its transmitter tower is located in Walnut Grove, California, and studios are located on Broadway, just south of Business Loop 80 at the south edge of downtown...
ABC News10 in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
. It ran for 22 episodes (2001–2002) before the show was put on permanent hiatus. The second version of the show was made for local community television Access Sacramento, and ran for one year on Comcast Channel 17 and 18. This version of the show was also distributed to Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV stations across the country via the Horror Host Underground. From 2003 to 2008 Cinema Insomnia was nationally syndicated airing on broadcast stations across the country. In 2008 Apprehensive Films
Apprehensive Films
Apprehensive Films is an independent American film production and distribution company. Established in 1997 as a production company, Apprehensive Films' main focus was low-budget Grindhouse-inspired films shot in Super 8 mm film and 16 mm film. In 2006, Apprehensive Films became a DVD distributor...
, an indie distribution label, signed the show to release exclusive Cinema Insomnia DVDs. In 2009, Apprehensive Films took over the television distribution of the show as well, which resulted in re-licensing the show to AMGTV
AMGTV
AMGTV is an American family-oriented television network, featuring programming including sitcoms, lifestyle programs, sports, films and more...
.
Cinema Insomnia has aired weekly on over 30 broadcast stations including KXTV
KXTV
KXTV, channel 10, is an ABC affiliate television station in Sacramento, California. It is owned and operated by the Gannett Company. Its transmitter tower is located in Walnut Grove, California, and studios are located on Broadway, just south of Business Loop 80 at the south edge of downtown...
ABC News10 (Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
), KEJB
KEJB
KEJB was a television station in El Dorado, Arkansas, broadcasting locally on channel 43 as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. Founded in 2003, the station was owned by KM Communications...
43 (Louisiana), KTEH
KTEH
KQEH is a public television station in San Jose, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area as a PBS member station on channel 54. The station is owned by Northern California Public Broadcasting with sister-stations KQED in San Francisco and KQET in Watsonville, the latter mirroring KQED.Until...
54 (San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, Oakland, San Francisco)(Stanley 2007, p. 198), WOTH (Cincinnati), and WAOH (Cleveland)(Duran 2005, p. 8-9). It also is shown on hundreds of cable systems(Stanley 2007, p. 198) via MavTV
MavTV
Mav TV is a digital cable channel, focused towards men in the 18-54 age group. It features original programming centered around topics that appeals to men, such as sports, comedies, gadgets, gaming, and women.-History:...
(national), MATA14 (Wisconsin), Cox 71 (Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
) and Cox 99 (Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
).
It is delivered to independent stations via various outlets PMI, Access Media Group
Access media group
Access Media Group was a privately held Canadian broadcasting and multimedia group based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada specializing in learning-based media, originally majority-owned by CHUM Limited...
, White Springs TV
White Springs Television
White Springs Television is an American internet television channel which features mainly motion pictures, owned by White Springs Media, with studios in Portland, Oregon and technical facilities in White Springs, Florida...
and AMGTV
AMGTV
AMGTV is an American family-oriented television network, featuring programming including sitcoms, lifestyle programs, sports, films and more...
as well as the now defunct UATV
Urban America Television
Urban America Television was an over-the-air television broadcast network in the United States. According to the company's website, the network had 70 affiliate stations. UATV had a reach of 22 million households in the United States. It was a successor to the earlier American Independent...
network(Duran 2005). Several episodes are also available for download on the Internet via BitTorrent
BitTorrent
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol used for distributing large amounts of data over the Internet. BitTorrent is one of the most common protocols for transferring large files, and it has been estimated that it accounted for roughly 43% to 70% of all Internet traffic .Programmer...
as well as on CinemaInsomnia.com. The 2006 Cinema Insomnia Halloween Special was delivered to 45 million households.
Cinema Insomnia will have 26 new episodes for its 2011-2012 season. A Kickstarter
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...
project called "Cinema Insomnia 10 Year Anniversary" was started to help fund $10,000 for the new season to give each episode an additional $384 to help pay for cast and crew as well as other expenses. As of December 18, 2010, $11,140 has been raised.
On December 2, 2010, horror host
Horror host
Horror hosts are a particular type of television presenter, often tasked with presenting low-grade films to television audiences. This tradition is primarily American, though there have been a few international hosts over the years.-Film Packages:...
Mr. Lobo
Mr. Lobo
Erik Lobo better known by his stage name Mr. Lobo is an American artist and comedic actor best known as the horror host of the nationally syndicated American television series Cinema Insomnia.-Career :...
announced that the next episode of Cinema Insomnia and Christmas special will be the original The Little Shop of Horrors
The Little Shop of Horrors
The Little Shop of Horrors is a 1960 American comedy film directed by Roger Corman. Written by Charles B. Griffith, the film is a farce about an inadequate young florist's assistant who cultivates a plant that feeds on human flesh and blood. The film's concept is thought to be based on a 1932...
.
However, the newest episode will be Venus Flytrap
Venus Flytrap (film)
Venus Flytrap is an American horror film also known as The Revenge of Doctor X , and The Revenge of Dr. X...
which will premiere on October 31, 2011.
Live shows
On August 19, 2006, Cinema Insomnia presented Day of the Triffids Live on KTEH, San Jose, CA.On August 14, 2010, Cinema Insomnia had their first broadcast taping at the Guild Theater in Sacramento in front of a live audience. The film that was presented was The Undertaker and His Pals, due to the graphic nature of the film, everyone was given a 'Barf-O-Vision' Audience Sickness Bag.
Slime Line
In 2010, Apprehensive FilmsApprehensive Films
Apprehensive Films is an independent American film production and distribution company. Established in 1997 as a production company, Apprehensive Films' main focus was low-budget Grindhouse-inspired films shot in Super 8 mm film and 16 mm film. In 2006, Apprehensive Films became a DVD distributor...
introduced a new line of Cinema Insomnia DVDs called the Slime Line. The Slime Line DVDs feature brand new audio mixes, new retro film-clips, coming attractions for classic B-movie and new indies. The Slime Line DVDs also contain Slime Points which can be collected and mailed into Apprehensive Films for select prizes. Apprehensive Films has also licensed episodes Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome
Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome
Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome is a 1947 thriller film starring Ralph Byrd, Anne Gwynne, and Boris Karloff. It is the fourth and last movie in the Dick Tracy series.-Synopsis:A gang of criminals discover a nerve gas, which freezes people and can make them appear dead...
, Gappa: Monsters From a Prehistoric Planet
Daikyoju Gappa
is a 1967 Kaiju film. The film was produced by Nikkatsu Corporation, and was their only foray into the giant monster genre. The foreign sales title for the film was Gappa: The Triphibian Monster, and was dubbed into English...
, In Search of Ancient Astronauts
Chariots of the Gods (film)
Chariots of the Gods is a 1970 West German documentary film directed by Harald Reinl. It is based on Erich von Däniken's book Chariots of the Gods?, a book that theorizes extraterrestrials impacted early human life...
, Super Wheels, and Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet is a 1965 science fiction film directed by Curtis Harrington. The film is an American adapted and edited version of the Russian science fiction movie Planeta Bur directed by Pavel Klushantsev, with Curtis Harrington filming extra scenes featuring Basil Rathbone and...
to Amazon Video on Demand.
List of Slime Line edition DVDs
- Bigfoot: Mysterious Monster
- Carnival of SoulsCarnival of SoulsCarnival of Souls is a 1962 independent horror film starring Candace Hilligoss. Produced and directed by Herk Harvey for an estimated $33,000, the film did not gain widespread attention when originally released, as a B film; today, however, it is a cult classic...
- Cinema Insomnia Halloween Special
- CreatureCreature (film)Creature is a 1985 film directed by William Malone.-Plot:Creature is about a team of space explorers that encounters on the base on Titan a vicious alien creature that has the ability to manipulate its victims after death...
- Dick Tracy Meets GruesomeDick Tracy Meets GruesomeDick Tracy Meets Gruesome is a 1947 thriller film starring Ralph Byrd, Anne Gwynne, and Boris Karloff. It is the fourth and last movie in the Dick Tracy series.-Synopsis:A gang of criminals discover a nerve gas, which freezes people and can make them appear dead...
- EegahEegahEegah! is a 1962 horror film starring Arch Hall, Jr., Arch Hall, Sr., Marilyn Manning and Richard Kiel in the titular role....
- First Spaceship on VenusFirst Spaceship on VenusFirst Spaceship on Venus, German: Der schweigende Stern , Polish: Milcząca Gwiazda, is a 1960 East German/Polish film directed by Kurt Maetzig and based on the novel The Astronauts by Stanisław Lem...
- Gamera: Super MonsterGamera: Super Monster, a 1980 kaiju film, was the belated final entry in the Shōwa Gamera series, and the last Gamera film written by Nisan Takahashi and directed by Noriaki Yuasa. It relied heavily on stock footage from previous Gamera films. This movie was made when Daiei was brought out of bankruptcy by the Tokuma...
- Gappa: Monsters From a Prehistoric PlanetDaikyoju Gappais a 1967 Kaiju film. The film was produced by Nikkatsu Corporation, and was their only foray into the giant monster genre. The foreign sales title for the film was Gappa: The Triphibian Monster, and was dubbed into English...
- In Search of Ancient AstronautsChariots of the Gods (film)Chariots of the Gods is a 1970 West German documentary film directed by Harald Reinl. It is based on Erich von Däniken's book Chariots of the Gods?, a book that theorizes extraterrestrials impacted early human life...
- Night of the Living DeadNight of the Living DeadNight of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent black-and-white zombie film and cult film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was completed on a USD$114,000 budget. After decades of cinematic re-releases, it...
- Santa Claus Conquers the MartiansSanta Claus Conquers the MartiansSanta Claus Conquers the Martians is a 1964 science fiction film that regularly appears on lists of the worst films ever made. It is regularly featured in the "bottom 100" list on the Internet Movie Database, and was also featured in an episode of the 1986 syndicated series, the Canned Film...
- Super Wheels
- Voyage to the Prehistoric PlanetVoyage to the Prehistoric PlanetVoyage to the Prehistoric Planet is a 1965 science fiction film directed by Curtis Harrington. The film is an American adapted and edited version of the Russian science fiction movie Planeta Bur directed by Pavel Klushantsev, with Curtis Harrington filming extra scenes featuring Basil Rathbone and...
- The Wasp WomanThe Wasp WomanThe Wasp Woman is a science fiction film produced and directed by Roger Corman which was completed in 1959...
In popular culture
- In the first episode "Beware The Beast from Below" of the animated series Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, the unmasked villain Professor Emmanuel Raffalo is inspired by the horror hostHorror hostHorror hosts are a particular type of television presenter, often tasked with presenting low-grade films to television audiences. This tradition is primarily American, though there have been a few international hosts over the years.-Film Packages:...
Mr. LoboMr. LoboErik Lobo better known by his stage name Mr. Lobo is an American artist and comedic actor best known as the horror host of the nationally syndicated American television series Cinema Insomnia.-Career :...
.
External links
- Cinema Insomnia on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Cinema Insomnia on LivestreamLivestreamLivestream, formerly known as Mogulus, is a live streaming video platform that allows users to view and broadcast video content using a camera and a computer through the internet...
- Cinema Insomnia 10 Year Anniversary on KickstarterKickstarterKickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...