Comic Book Confidential
Canadian Feature Film (Cinecom International), 1988
Starring William M. Gaines, Harvey Kurtzman, Will Eisner, Art Spiegelman, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, et al.
Written by Charles Lippincott and Ron Mann
Produced and directed by Ron Mann
Shadowy Men songs recorded by Peter Hudson
No soundtrack album available.
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet contributed six songs to the soundtrack. Most of them played in the background while the artists either spoke about or read from their work.
Specifically:
- at 0:16, "Harlem By The Sea", a slower and shorter version than the one from Savvy Show Stoppers, and played with no voice over.
- at 0:32, title unknown, plays while Stan Lee reads from one of his "Spiderman" comics.
- at 0:33, "Ben Hur Picked Off In A Gazebo", played while Stan Lee speaks.
- at 1:00, "Siesta Cinema", played while Jaime Hernandez reads from one of his "Love And Rockets" comics.
- at 1:09, "Big Baby", played while Charles Burns reads from his "Big Baby" comic, in a longer version that on Savvy Show Stoppers.
- at 1:19, a brief bit of "Batman" from the Reid Does Neil single, but instead of Quentin Crisp's dialogue, it's played instrumentally in the background while Frank Miller talks about his "Batman" comics.
LINKS:
The Mysterious Moon-Men Of Canada
Canadian Short Film (Film Clips), 1988
Starring Larry Hudson and Gerry Quigley
Written, produced and directed by Colin Brunton
No soundtrack album available.
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet did the score for this short film, specifically:
- at 4:59, "Musical Interlude"
- at 7:32, "Our Weapons Are Useless"
- at 10:55, "Good Cop Bad Cop"
- at 15:20, "Bennett Cerf"
- at 20:20, "Having An Average Weekend"
All of the songs are the same versions as on Savvy Show Stoppers. Additionally, "Love Circus" by Jeffrey Lee Pierce is used in the film.
LINKS:
- The movie itself on Vimeo. You can watch it or download an MP4.
- IMDb page
The Kids In The Hall
original music by Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet
Canadian television series (CBC, plus HBO, Comedy Central and CBS in the US), 1989-1994
Series revival on Amazon Prime, 2022
Starring Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson
No soundtrack album available.
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet contributed all of the original music for the series, including the opening theme "Having An Average Weekend". Brian Connelly was also occasionally credited as the "musical consultant" or "musical director". They also backed Bruce McCulloch on a number of songs, including "Daves I Know" (which was released on Bruce's Shame-Based Man album) and "The Terrier Song", which hasn't been released.
They appear on screen as well. The opening & closing credits changed from season to season, but Shadowy Men are visible in a couple of those (a capture from one of the credits is on the Pictures page). In the style of the original credits, Brian, Don, and Dallas appear very briefly near the end of the credits in the Amazon Prime revival. Apart from the credits and link music, the S Men (or their music) appear in the following sketches:
First Season (1989-1990):
- episode #101: "Kathie The Mean Mistreater" - Shadowy Men appear as Mississippi Gary's back-up band.
- episode #102: "Poker Game" - "Musical Interlude" is playing on the radio at the beginning of the sketch.
- episode #104: "Daves I Know" - Bruce, backed by Shadowy Men, sings about the Daves he knows.
- episode #105: "Indian Drum" - Take a close look at Kevin's drum - there are S Men painted around the edge.
- episode #105: "If Elvis Was My Landlord" - The Kids are dancing to a Shadowy Men rendition of "Linus And Lucy".
- episode #106: "Can I Keep Him?" - Shadowy Men tune plays in the background as Kevin sulks.
- episode #114: "Break Up" - Shadowy Men back up Bruce.
- episode #115: "Blues Man Wannabe" - Brian backs up Mark McKinney as the Blues Man Wannabe.
- episode #116: "The Bass Player" - Shadowy Men back up Kevin and Bruce.
- episode #118: "Premise Beach" - Shadowy Men play music on the beach during the sketch and make sketch suggestions.
- episode #119: "Cat's Away" - Shadowy Men tune plays in the background as the mice play.
Second Season (1990-1991):
- episode #206: "Groovy Teacher" - Shadowy Men tune plays in the background as Kevin and Bruce argue.
- episode #207: "The Lack-O-Trust Blues" - Kevin sings along to a great Elvis-like song.
- episode #210: "Fag Basher" - Shadowy Men tune plays in the background during the chase scene.
- episode #211: "That's America" - Shadowy Men back Bruce.
- episode #211: "Dead Fish" - The same song as on "That's America" plays provides the soundtrack to this sketch.
- episode #212: "Vegas" - Snappy Shadowy Men number backs Mark.
- episode #213: "Heckler" - Mississippi Gary again is backed by Shadowy Men.
- episode #214: "The Affair" - "Spy School Graduation Theme" plays in the background.
- episode #215: "Night Of The Cow" - Soundtrack to this sketch provided by Shadowy Men.
- episode #217: "Fine Ham Abounds" - Shadowy Men back Bruce.
- episode #217: "Touch Paul Bellini Contest Winner" - Little bit of "Summer Wind" plays on Bellini's car radio.
- episode #219: "Into The Doors" - Shadowy Men provide a short Doors-ish piece at the end of the sketch.
Third Season (1991-1992):
- episode #304: "Earring" - A short piece of "Shake Some Evil" can be heard in this sketch.
- episode #304: "Flying Pig 1," "Flying Pig 2," and "Flying Pig 3" - Flying Pig's theme by Shadowy Men.
- episode #305: "Presentation" - The prostitutes dance to Shadowy Men.
- episode #305: "Until Proven Guilty" - The prostitutes again dance to Shadowy Men.
- episode #308: "Gut" - Short Shadowy Men piece during the gut sounds.
- episode #308: "Terriers" - Bruce, backed by Shadowy Men, sings about why he likes terriers.
- episode #311: "He's Hip 1" and "He's Hip 2" - Bruce rocks out to Shadowy Men in the "He's Hip" intro music.
- episode #313: "The Wig Shop" - Shadowy Men are playing while Bruce walks down the street.
- episode #316: "Bauer" - Most of the sketch's soundtrack is Shadowy Men.
- episode #317: "Father Figure 1," "Father Figure 2," and "Father Figure 3" - Flying Pig's son frolics to Shadowy Men.
- episode #320: "Regrets" - The same song as on "That's America" plays during the kids' appearance.
- episode #320: "Spy Models" - Shadowy Men provide the soundtrack to part of this sketch.
MP3s:
Want to hear the music from the show? The links in the following table point to MP3s of the S Men music from each episode. They're taken from the DVDs, so any dialogue, applause, etc. are here as well, so some songs are easier to hear than others. Many thanks to Sean Plaisted for ripping, assembling, and hosting these MP3s on his web site.
Season 1
27:55Ep. 1 Ep. 2 Ep. 3 Ep. 4 Ep. 5 Ep. 6 Ep. 7 Ep. 8 Ep. 9 Ep. 10 Ep. 11 Ep. 12 Ep. 13 Ep. 14 Ep. 15 Ep. 16 Ep. 17 Ep. 18 Ep. 19 Ep. 20 Theme Season 2
33:08Ep. 1 Ep. 2 Ep. 3 Ep. 4 Ep. 5 Ep. 6 Ep. 7 Ep. 8 Ep. 9 Ep. 10 Ep. 11 Ep. 12 Ep. 13 Ep. 14 Ep. 15 Ep. 16 Ep. 17 Ep. 18 Ep. 19 Ep. 20 Theme Season 3
35:06Ep. 1 Ep. 2 Ep. 3 Ep. 4 Ep. 5 Ep. 6 Ep. 7 Ep. 8 Ep. 9 Ep. 10 Ep. 11 Ep. 12 Ep. 13 Ep. 14 Ep. 15 Ep. 16 Ep. 17 Ep. 18 Ep. 19 Ep. 20 Theme
If you know of other KITH appearances, drop me a note. Thanks!
LINKS:
Double Happiness
original music by Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet
Canadian Feature Film (Fine Line Features), 1995
Starring Sandra Oh, Steven Chang, Alannah Ong, Donald Fong, Francis You, Johnny Mah, Callum Rennie
Produced by Stephen Hegyes and Rose Lam Waddell
Written and Directed by Mina Shum
Promo-only Soundtrack released in 1995 as Malofilm Distribution MA002
Soundtrack track listing:
- "Mating Ritual" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Twisting Sisters" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Facts Of Life" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Theme From Double Happiness" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Mistaken Identity" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "First Date" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Bad Hair Day" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Honey You're Wasting Ammo Again" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Weight Of The World" [dialogue]
- NO ONE IN PARTICULAR: "Burnt" (Shum/McCauley)
- "Southern Belle" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Horse Of The Rising Sun" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Break Your Legs" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Tow Truck Drag" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Second Thoughts" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Break Free Jade" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "A Bit Of Swing" [dialogue]
- "It's Got Hairs / Yes Dad" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "A Chance Meeting On Some Swings" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Together" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Drain My Second Date" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "Men Don't Like That" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Sad Turtles" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
- "New Apartment" [dialogue]
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Credits, Credits, Credits!" (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
NOTES:
- "No One In Particular" is the Shadowy Men with Mina Shum singing.
- "A Chance Meeting On Some Swings" was used as the first part of "Foreign/Aft" on the Bloodstains Over Ontario compilation seven-inch.
LINKS:
REVIEWS:
Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy
American Feature Film (Paramount), 1996
Starring Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson
Written by Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson, Norm Hiscock, and Bruce McCulloch
Directed by Kelly Makin
Produced by Lorne Michaels
Soundtrack album released in April, 1996
Matador Records Ole 183-2 [CD]
- DEATH LURKS: "Some Days It's Dark" (Northey/Drake/McCulloch)
- PAVEMENT: "Painted Soldiers" (Kannberg)
- MATTHEW SWEET: "Happiness" (Sweet)
- DEATH LURKS: "Happiness Pie" (Diamond/Northey/Drake/McCulloch)
- LIZ PHAIR: "Six Dick Pimp" (Phair)
- SCOTT THOMPSON & JOE SEALY: "I'm Gay" (Sealy/Thompson)
- THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: "Spiralling Shape" (Flansburgh/Linnell)
- PELL MELL: "Swoon" (Pell Mell)
- CIBO MATTO: "Birthday Cake" (Hatori/Honda)
- THE TRAGICALLY HIP: "Butts Wigglin" (Baker/Downie/Fay/Langlois/Sinclair)
- GUIDED BY VOICES: "Postal Blowfish" (Mitchell/Pollard)
- YO LA TENGO: "Pablo And Andrea" (Hubley/Kaplan/McNew)
- STEREOLAB: "How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight" (Gane/Sadier/O'Hagan)
- PIZZICATO FIVE: "Nata Di Marzo" (Konishi/Drake/Elliott/Northey/Brennan/Steward)
- PAUL BELLINI: "Long Dark Twenties" (Bellini/Rowatt/Stewart)
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Having An Average Weekend" [1st version] (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
Promo-only sampler of soundtrack album released in 1996
Matador Records Ole 183-2P [CD]
- DEATH LURKS: "Some Days It's Dark" (Drake/McCulloch/Northey)
- PAVEMENT: "Painted Soldiers" (Kannberg)
- MATTHEW SWEET: "Happiness" (Sweet)
- DEATH LURKS: "Happiness Pie" (Diamond/Drake/McCulloch/Northey)
- SCOTT THOMPSON & JOE SEALY: "I'm Gay" (Thompson/Sealy)
- THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: "Spiralling Shape" (Flansburgh/Linnell)
- GUIDED BY VOICES: "Postal Blowfish" (Mitchell/Pollard)
- SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET: "Having An Average Weekend" [1st version] (Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
NOTES:
- "Having An Average Weekend" is the regular version from Savvy Show Stoppers, but some applause has been dubbed over the beginning of the song.
- Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet's "I Know A Guy Named Larry" (from Dim The Lights, Chill The Ham) was used in one of the trailers for the film, but doesn't appear in the film itself. "That Wuz Ear Me Callin' A Horse" (from Sport Fishin') does appear in the movie.
- The opening theme for the movie is NOT a Shadowy Men song. It's by Craig Northey and it's called "The Pill Battle". It's not on the soundtrack because the soundtrack doesn't contain any of the score of the film, just the full versions of songs that appear in the film.
LINKS:
Pitch
Canadian Feature Film (Asylum), 1997
Written, Directed by, and Starring Spencer Rice and Kenny Hotz
Produced by Raymond Massey
No known soundtrack album available.
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet's "Plastics For 500, Bob" (from Sport Fishin' - The Lure Of The Bait, The Luck Of The Hook) and Phono-Comb's "Clogs From The Crypt" (from Fresh Gasoline) are used in the film.
LINKS:
Dogma
American Feature Film (Lion's Gate Films), 1999
Starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon
Written and Directed by Kevin Smith
Produced by Jonathan Gordon, Laura Greenlee, Scott Mosier and Kevin Smith
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet's "Run Chicken Run" (from Savvy Show Stoppers) was used in the trailer for the film. It doesn't appear in the film itself or on the soundtrack album.
LINKS:
Vinyl
Canadian Feature Film (Ontario Arts Council & Canada Council), 2000
Written by and Starring Alan Zweig
Produced by Greg Klymkiw and Alan Zweig
Executive Producers: David McCallum, Bruce McDonald
Strictly speaking, this film doesn't really belong in this section as Shadowy Men and Shadowy Men music don't appear anywhere in the film. However, Don Pyle makes a … pardon the pun … brief appearance in the film. He's the guy who's copy of Alice Cooper's School's Out album complete with the pair of panties that came with the original copies of the record.
LINKS:
- Official site (where you can inquire about a getting a copy)
- IMDb page
Taco Bell ad campaign - "Think Outside The Bun"
American advertising campaign, 2001-2002
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet's "Zombie Compromise" (from Savvy Show Stoppers) was used in the ads for Taco Bell's "Think Outside The Bun" campaign, including the spot with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
American Feature Film (Nickelodeon Films), 2001
Starring Megan Cavanagh, Mark DeCarlo, and Debi Derryberry
Written by John A. Davis, David N. Weiss, J. David Stem, and Steve Oedekerk
Directed by John A. Davis
Produced by John A. Davis, Albie Hecht, and Steve Oedekerk
Executive Producers: Keith Alcorn and Julia Pistor
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet's "I Know A Guy Named Larry" (from Dim The Lights, Chill The Ham) was used in the TV commercials for the film (but not the theatrical trailer). It doesn't appear in the film itself or on the soundtrack album.
NOTES:
- The song was used without the band's knowledge or permission. Yes, that sucks. Yes, they're looking into it.
LINKS:
The Kids In The Hall: Comedy Punks
Canadian Feature Film, 2022
Starring Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson
Directed by Reg Harkema
Produced by Nick McKinney
No soundtrack album available.
Includes a brief (a minute or two) about Shadowy Men that includes current commentary from Don Pyle and a some archival footage of Shadowy Men playing at tapings of the original series. And as you would expect, "Having An Average Weekend" shows up quite frequently in the documentary.
LINKS: