Monkey Dust
When most people think of "Adult Animation" they think of things like Ralph Bakshi's Fritz the Cat or Heavy Traffic, but Bakshi's lurid seventies shockers have got nuthin' on Shaun Pye and the late Harry Thompson's ultra bleak -- and often quite smutty -- BBC3 television series, Monkey Dust. Truly, it can be said, Monkey Dust raises the bar!
A three season (2003-2005) anthology of loosely themed animation, the main thread connecting the pieces seemed to do with how dark, shocking and provocative they all were. There's never been anything quite like Monkey Dust. It's hard to describe it due to its anthology nature, but it might help you decide if this kind of "comedy" is for you, when I tell you that the subject matter includes things like n'er do well terrorists, chat-room pedophiles, kidnapping, drug addiction, sleazy sex, Nazi grandfathers and murder. Monkey Dust is, beyond the slightest doubt in my mind, the most far-out TV show yet. And one of the most offensive, certainly. Man oh man is it just great stuff. With the most amazing pop soundtrack including songs from The Eels, Goldfrapp, Pulp and many other notables. Much of the individual animations have made it onto YouTube, but only the first season has made it to DVD. Seasons 2 and 3 are easy to come by on various Bit Torrent trackers. Maybe NSFW. Everyone will think you're a freak if you watch this at work.
Monkey Dust.
(Richard Metzger is a guestblogger)
the latest
latest episodes
A finer product endorsement has never been written.
Monkey dust is fantastic and cannot be recommended highly enough. I'd suggest the DVDs over BT simply because you can loan out DVDs to friends more easily.
The real strength of the show is the incredible quality of the animation (Brilliant sardonic humor aside). Since each small segment was animated by a different group you get an wide assortment of styles and methods. Really a treat for any Art/animation student or fan.
I was first introduced to Monkey Dust through a boingboing gadget post:
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/07/01/top-x-10-perfectly-p.html
That 'The Cyclists' clip was compelling enough to watch several full episodes of Monkey Dust. I have to agree with Metzger's recommendation of this 'adult cartoon'. The magnitude of its quality is evident in its ability to make you laugh one minute and feel utterly depressed the next.
I remember seeing it on BBC Three back when I was 13 in 2004 and not understanding the humour or the darkness of it and finding it frightening but now I'm really glad it's been reintroduced to me as I can really see why it's so good now.
Damn you, Netflix!
You got me all excited!! Saw 'Monkey Dust' in my RSS reader and thought they'd announced a new series. Damn.
Yeah this was the best thing on TV when it was on. Dark, scathing, sometimes surreal. Everything you could ask for in an animation.
MR. HOPPEEEE!!!
I've got the first two series on DVD but I didn't realise there was a third ever shown... By the looks of the youtube clip though, its not quite as sharp as the first two.
PS. its "series" not "seasons"! :)
Protip: Do not watch this show on acid. Bad trip man.
Truly a great show. For those who like *very* dark humour (especially those the other side of the Atlantic who made not have heard of him) I strongly suggest checking out Chris Morris. Just chuck any of the following into youtube:
The Day Today
Brass Eye
Jam
Blue Jam
or just Chris Morris
enjoy *;>
=^o.O^=
Oh hell yeah, saw this a couple of years ago, late at night on BBC3or4 and was totally, creepily, hooked. downloaded the rest and watched in the wee hours on my laptop with my girlfriend asleep beside me (she didn't like...) had Goldfrapp in my head for ages, and my dreams felt like a modern Gormenghast.
truly twisted genius
Q
I would think the phrase "adult animation" is more likely to lead people to think about schoolgirls and tentacles...
'Monkey Dust.' One of the best things ever. Fact.
Wow, I'm really loving the surrealism in this show; just watched the episode linked to in the story and I'm totally hooked. Seems very much in the line of Waking Life and Triplets of Belleville, and since I'm rather fond of surrealism as a way to live and view life I'm quite digging the show. Thanks!
What a trip! That episode was mindblowing - and I thought "the most far-out TV show yet" was hyperbole, but no.
Damn you, Metzger!
I just discovered this show the other day (literally yesterday), have been blowing through episodes like a bullet through a tenement building, and have been telling everyone I know to tune in.
And YOU, sir, have effectively defanged, DOWN TO THE BLEEDING MOLARS, my little word-of-mouth campaign! I hope you're happy with your self.
Just what is your game, anyway?
Do you think I LIKE alienating my friends with my obsessive pandering?
Do you think it's EASY to find out about obscure British animated television while living in Tulsa, Oklahoma?
You have taken away my status as the Gatekeeper of Culture, and in doing so have wounded me worse than if you had struck me dead.
*sniff*
I guess I'll just have to start showing people episodes of Disinformation or something.
"Not available in your country"!! Damnation!
If you like Monkey Dust you'll love I Am Not An Animal, a show about genetically modified animals gone horribly wrong.
'Hotel California' will never sound the same again...
Unfortunate that it got canceled after
Harry Thompson died. ( Plus the whole 7/7 thing)
Fantastic show, spent many an hour in my uni days watching and re-watching these, brilliant. I think it's time for me to start a re-watch.
You've just gotta love the paedo-finder-general... "by the power invested in me by news international I find you guilty..." etc, etc.
and the the rebranding agency labia, cancer becomes - closure! the fire service - icarus!
oooh... I could go on, but I won't. I'll second the recommendation of "i am not an animal" though, once you've watched all your monkey dust like good girls and boys. If you can find "bromwell high" as well you'll be in for a treat!
Dammit - the BBC took my license fee and produced, and STOPPED PRODUCING Monkey Dust before I had access to digital! Damn the BBC!! Damn them Forever!!!!
Frigate
I approve of Monkey Dust.
Getting into Monkey Dust late as from the US but we have had something similar but much less in edgy and stark. It was called Liquid Television with Aeon Flux and a couple of other separate subplot animations. On our Cartoon cable channel there's late nught Adult Swim with many styles of alternative animation shows. But from comparison Monkey Dust takes it up a notch and kicks most all there asses.