Troops (fan film)
Encyclopedia
Troops is a mockumentary
film by Kevin Rubio
, which made its debut on the Internet
in 1997. The film is a parody of COPS
, set in the Star Wars
universe. In the film, Imperial stormtrooper
s from the infamous Black Sheep Squadron patrolling the Dune Sea on the planet Tatooine
run into some very familiar characters while being filmed for the hit Imperial TV show Troops.
The film jump-started the modern fan film
movement, as it was one of the first short films to bring fan films into the digital age, taking advantage of internet distribution and affordable production and special effects equipment, as well as fans with movie-quality costumes. Rubio shot the film on location on the El Mirage Dry Lake
.
Rubio finished the film while working at the Fox Kids
Network, and was able to use well-known voice talent in his cast, including Jess Harnell
, Cam Clarke
, and announcer Bill Farmer
.
A small visual gag near the beginning of the film is that the stolen Imperial droid recovered from the Jawas appears to be Tom Servo
from Mystery Science Theater 3000
.
In TROOPS there is a notable alternate (tongue-in-cheek) take on the deaths of Luke Skywalker
's Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, presenting their fate as the end result of a domestic dispute gone too far, rather than execution at the hands of Imperial forces. Indeed, the spotlighted members of Black Sheep Squadron attempt to mediate the dispute before Beru makes a disastrous move with a thermal detonator.
The film ends with an incoming message about a possible disturbance in Mos Eisley Cantina
.
fans, and was awarded the inaugural Pioneer Award in the Lucasfilm
-sponsored 2002 Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards
.
Fan Films Quarterly listed Troops as one of the 10 most pivotal moments in fan film history in its Summer 2006 issue. In August 2010, Time
magazine listed it as one of the Top 10 Star Wars fanfilms.
In 2005, a new film called I.M.P.S. was released, made by several of the actors from TROOPS. Originally planned as a sequel, the film was first billed as TROOPS 2, but was renamed after fans learned that not only was Rubio not involved with the project, but that over the course of writing and production, the film had evolved into something entirely different (with a serious tone as opposed to the comedic tone of TROOPS).
.
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
film by Kevin Rubio
Kevin Rubio
Kevin Rubio is an American filmmaker, best known for his Star Wars parody film Troops.Rubio studied theater and photography throughout his high school years in California, and made his directorial debut at the age of 17 with a stage adaptation of Robert Redford’s Ordinary People...
, which made its debut on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
in 1997. The film is a parody of COPS
COPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
, set in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
universe. In the film, Imperial stormtrooper
Imperial stormtrooper
The Imperial Stormtroopers are fictional soldiers from George Lucas' Star Wars universe. Stormtroopers are the soldiers of the imperial army under the leadership of the evil Sith Lord and Emperor Palpatine and his commanders, most notably Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin.They are shown in...
s from the infamous Black Sheep Squadron patrolling the Dune Sea on the planet Tatooine
Tatooine
Tatooine is a fictional planet and setting for many key scenes in the Star Wars saga, appearing in every Star Wars film except The Empire Strikes Back, although it is mentioned at the end of the movie...
run into some very familiar characters while being filmed for the hit Imperial TV show Troops.
The film jump-started the modern fan film
Fan film
A fan film is a film or video inspired by a film, television program, comic book or a similar source, created by fans rather than by the source's copyright holders or creators. Fan filmmakers have traditionally been amateurs, but some of the more notable films have actually been produced by...
movement, as it was one of the first short films to bring fan films into the digital age, taking advantage of internet distribution and affordable production and special effects equipment, as well as fans with movie-quality costumes. Rubio shot the film on location on the El Mirage Dry Lake
El Mirage Dry Lake
El Mirage Lake is a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California. The lake is located about west-northwest of the town of Adelanto and north of Highway 18 in San Bernardino County....
.
Rubio finished the film while working at the Fox Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
Network, and was able to use well-known voice talent in his cast, including Jess Harnell
Jess Harnell
Jess Q. Harnell is an American voice actor and singer, best known for voicing Wakko Warner on Animaniacs. Harnell has been the announcer for America's Funniest Home Videos since 1998.-Life and acting career:...
, Cam Clarke
Cam Clarke
Cameron Arthur "Cam" Clarke is a prolific American voice actor and singer, well known for his work in animation and video games. Clarke is well known for providing the voices of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 original English-dub of Akira. He often voices...
, and announcer Bill Farmer
Bill Farmer
William "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
.
Plot
An example of the film's comedic tone comes in the opening monologue, which spoofs the opening of COPS: "TROOPS is filmed on location with the men of the Imperial Forces. All suspects are guilty--period! Otherwise, they wouldn't be suspects, would they?"A small visual gag near the beginning of the film is that the stolen Imperial droid recovered from the Jawas appears to be Tom Servo
Tom Servo
Tom Servo is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television show Mystery Science Theater 3000 . Tom is one of two wise-cracking, robotic main characters of the show, built by Joel Robinson to act as a companion and help stave off space madness as Joel was forced to watch...
from 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....
.
In TROOPS there is a notable alternate (tongue-in-cheek) take on the deaths of Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
's Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, presenting their fate as the end result of a domestic dispute gone too far, rather than execution at the hands of Imperial forces. Indeed, the spotlighted members of Black Sheep Squadron attempt to mediate the dispute before Beru makes a disastrous move with a thermal detonator.
The film ends with an incoming message about a possible disturbance in Mos Eisley Cantina
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
.
Reception
The film has proven incredibly popular with Star WarsStar Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
fans, and was awarded the inaugural Pioneer Award in the Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
-sponsored 2002 Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards
The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards
The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards is an annual contest put forth by Lucasfilm and AtomFilms to showcase and acknowledge the growing genre of fan films made by, for, and about fans of the Star Wars saga. The inaugural contest in 2002 was the first time Lucasfilm had officially sanctioned the...
.
Fan Films Quarterly listed Troops as one of the 10 most pivotal moments in fan film history in its Summer 2006 issue. In August 2010, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine listed it as one of the Top 10 Star Wars fanfilms.
In 2005, a new film called I.M.P.S. was released, made by several of the actors from TROOPS. Originally planned as a sequel, the film was first billed as TROOPS 2, but was renamed after fans learned that not only was Rubio not involved with the project, but that over the course of writing and production, the film had evolved into something entirely different (with a serious tone as opposed to the comedic tone of TROOPS).
On DVD
Troops was released on the free DVD given away with the inaugural edition of Total Movie magazine, complete with commentary track by Rubio. It was also included as a bonus feature on the 20th anniversary DVD of the TV series COPSCOPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
.