Rat Pfink and Boo Boo

The original title for the movie was Rat Pfink and Boo Boo but the title designer forgot to put the "ND" in the word "and". Since there was no money left to fix it, Steckler left the mistake in the final print. The original title of the first 40 minutes of the film was called The Depraved. The entire film was originally shot in black and white, and then processed with colored lights in different scenes. (For example, the first half of the movie is tinted blue.) Rat Pfink a Boo Boo was shot without sound, with all dialog and sound effects dubbed in later. The ape scene in Rat Pfink a Boo Boo was reportedly shot in Griffith Park, on the opposite side of the L.A. zoo. Legend has it that two park rangers patrolling the area mistook Kogar The Ape for an escaped bear and almost shot him with a shotgun before noticing the film crew! A continuity error appears in the movie as Cee Bee is kidnapped: she is wearing shiny pants that zip in the back. After Rat Pfink and Boo Boo rescue her, she is seen wearing jeans. Titus Moede (Boo Boo/Titus Twimbly) lined up the parade sequence at the movie's conclusion by calling the Canoga Park Chamber of Commerce to ask if he could be in the parade. Hollywood actor and make up artist Bob Burns was the person in Kogar's ape suit. Moody designed his own costume for the Boo Boo character, and would appear at matinee showings of Rat Pfink a Boo Boo dressed as his character. The character name of Boo Boo came from the name of a softball team in Steckler's home town of Reading, PA called "The Boo-Boo's". Ron Haydock and Steckler apparently went to Sears and Roebuck Co. to purchase the Rat Pfink costume. Haydock reportedly pulled out the ski mask from the shelf and thought it was perfect for his character. Rumor has it that actor Harry Shannon (he played Orson Welles' father in Citizen Kane, 1941) was standing next to them in the store while they bought the costume. Rat Pfink a Boo Boo was shot around Steckler's house in Los Angeles, California. Titus Moede recalls the motorcycle that Rat Pfink and Boo Boo ride off in was "hard to drive" and "the sidecar kept pulling to the right". The film's editor and sound recordist Keith Wester went on to be nominated for several Academy Awards for his work on such films as The Perfect Storm (2000), The Rock (1996), Armageddon (1998), and Waterworld (1995). The basic storyline to Rat Pfink a Boo Boo is based on a true story: at the time, Steckler's wife Carolyn Brandt was receiving obscene phone calls at their home. Allegedly the phone would ring every time Steckler left the house and Carolyn would be home alone. Eventually, Steckler and Ron Haydock pretended to leave the house one afternoon and then traced the phone call back to a guy who lived in a nearby apartment complex. The situation inspired the phone calls Cee Bee received in the movie. Steckler said that he only had "$25 to promote the film". Reportedly, the film was shot for "only $20 and a few cans of film". Rat Pfink a Boo Boo was shot using a Bolex 16mm camera. Steckler claims he would remake Rat Pfink if he "had a bigger budget (but not too big)". Carolyn Brandt (Cee Bee) was Steckler's wife in real life. Steckler claims each beach scene in Rat Pfink took two hours a piece to shoot. Steckler reportedly had trouble with some theatre owners in the South for having an African American character in the movie. by Millie de Chirico Sources: DVD commentary and DVD interview by director Ray Dennis Steckler IMDB.com Psychotronic Magazine Filmthreat.com 411mania.com The Bad Movie Report Re/Search: Incredibly Strange Films Allmovieguide.com

"Like all of Steckler's films, it's essentially a glorified home movie, but one made by a highly talented amateur....Rat Pfink a Boo Boo isn't the kind of movie you'd want to watch from beginning to end very often--the last half-hour consists almost entirely of a few endless chase/fight scenes. But the rockabilly songs by star Vin Saxon are surprisingly enjoyable, and the film's goofy, improvisational good humor makes a lot of it fun to watch....For such a low-budget film, the photography is surprisingly good, crisp black and white with tinted scenes to add contrast." - TV Guide "This is one of my favorite films, based on its sheer lunacy and audacity....The creepy first half of the story is tinted dark blue; the wacky second half is orange. It was also shot without sound so all dialog and sound effects have been dubbed in after the fact, giving it a strange, disjointed quality. Usually, all of this off-the-cuff inventiveness adds up to uneven and aimless productions, but somehow in the case of Rat Pfink it works because it retains a sense of fun." - Kurt Ramschissel, Film Threat "Rat Pfink a Boo Boo is actually a watchable, remarkably entertaining film." – Will Helm, 411mania.com "One of the most notorious 'camp classics', Rat Pfink is truly a unique viewing experience..." monstersatplay.com "There is NO WAY to adequately describe this Ray Dennis Steckler jaw-droppingly-inept gem. A glorified home movie featuring crime fighting cretins Rat Pfink and Boo Boo (a Batman and Robin rip-off, wearing wool ski masks and ill-fitting long underwear), who don't even officially show up until halfway through the movie....Unbelievably surreal and one-of-a-kind (thank god)." - Shock Cinema Compiled by Millie de Chirico

Rat Pfink: "This looks like a job for You Know and Who!" Rat Pfink: "Remember, Boo Boo – we only have one weakness." Boo Boo: "What's that, Rat Pfink?" Rat Pfink: "Bullets!" Rat Pfink: "Remember Boo Boo, always look both ways before crossing the street..." Rat Pfink: "Ape! Drop that girl!" Narrator: "This is Lonnie Lord. Lonnie is a rock and roll star. Last year he made three platinum records. His fans are legion." Lonnie Lord (singing): "I got the word for you because it's what you is, you is a rat pfink!" Compiled by Millie de Chirico