Horror Hayride

Alternate versions
Two versions exist on VHS. Originally, it was released as a companion video to the Webb Wilder album "Doo Dad", and shortly thereafter, was featured in the compilation Corn Flicks (1992) (V). In the version that appears on Corn Flicks, numerous camera angles, background music and sound effects have been reedited to an improved effect, and additional background music from the Webb Wilder album "It Came From Nashville" has been added. Additional changes are:
Some of the dialog at the beginning of the movie between Travis Byrd and The Governor has been shortened.
At the Legion of State Task Forces meeting, Mr. Frye's monologue has been re-dubbed so that he is speaking more deliberately.
In the Doo Dad companion, when Webb arrives at the party at Carlsbad's, he and Dr. Barbara Slovine see each other from across the room, and Webb approaches her. In the Corn Flicks compilation, this scene was re-shot, clearly on a different type of film stock. In this revised scene, Dr. Slovine holds up a glass of wine and smiles at Webb, and he smirks and returns an approving nod.
While sitting in Webb's kitchen, he and Dr. Barbara Slovine are discussing rekindling their failed romance when they are interrupted by an urgent phone call from Kirsten. In the Corn Flicks version, the scene ends here. In the Doo Dad companion, the scene continues with Webb grabbing his blazer & fedora as he tells Dr. Slovine that he's off to help Kirsten rescue Briley from the mobsters. They share a brief joke about love & headaches, and kiss goodbye. After Webb leaves, Dr. Slovine starts thumbing through the drawings of aliens in Webb's sketchpad.
While Webb and Kirsten are on their way to rescue Briley, the Doo Dad companion opens the scene with Webb giving a brief narrative while the "Webb Wilder Theme" from Private Eye (1984) is playing in the background. Webb and Kirsten then have a dialog, in which he convinces her to explain Briley's involvement with the mobsters. In the Corn Flicks version, the "Webb Wilder Theme" has been replaced by the Webb Wilder song "Sputnik", and the dialog has been dubbed over with Webb narrating the entire scene.

Connections
Featured in Corn Flicks (1992)

The Ideal Movie Showcase for the Idol of Idle Youth!

First, some background info: Our household discovered Webb Wilder back in the late 1980s/early 1990s when the USA Network showed his first short film, "WEBB WILDER, PRIVATE EYE: THE SAUCER'S REIGN" on the late-night series NIGHT FLIGHT. Once my husband and I found out Webb Wilder (formerly John McMurray) was not only hilarious in his deadpan Southern way but was also the front man for an eponymous rockabilly band that lived up to Webb's "electrifying artist" description, we were Webb Wilder fans for life. Even now, we regularly hum Webb's sizzling songs and bandy about his catchphrases such as "The last of the full-grown men" and "The idol of idle youth" around our home. So you can imagine our joy when a friend gave us the VHS tape WEBB WILDER'S CORN FLICKS, an anthology of 3 shorts by Stephen Mims brimming with loopy straight-faced wit including "...PRIVATE EYE...;" the non-Wilder short "AUNT HALLIE," a wickedly funny spoof of our disease-fearing society; and our fave, "HORROR HAYRIDE." No sooner has our man Webb awakened from one of his recurring nightmares about flying saucers than the governor of Tennessee stops Webb's "Economy With Dignity" tour bus to ask a favor. Seems that Webb, "the only man who commands the respect of both reckless teens and the highway patrol," helped put a rubber stamp truck-driving school out of business, and now the guv wants him to help his cute daughter Kirsten make a state driver's-ed film. But she's chosen the enigmatic Briley Parkway to direct. Briley seems to be inspired by both William Castle and Jean-Luc Godard, but why is this "auteur" making secret visits to porn outfit Antebellum Skin, and why is Kirsten raiding her mom's trust fund to give Briley $5,000 a week? And how are gospel singer Carlsbad Devereaux and Webb's old flame Dr. Barbara Slovine mixed up in all the "swampadelic, psychotronic" goings-on? The kickin' sounds of Webb Wilder the band work with the tongue-in-cheek "hillbilly noir" action perfectly. Co-writer/director Mims provides lots of atmosphere on a low budget (filming in Nashville helped), and the film's black-and-white look is like Ansel Adams photographing a Coen Brothers movie (except for one nifty color sequence after Webb is slipped some LSD). The characters take some pleasantly unexpected turns, with acting ranging from sublime (including Webb himself, natch) to amateurish, but that's part of the movie's charm. If you like deadpan comedy, DRAGNET, TWIN PEAKS, and rock 'n' roll Southern-style, you owe it to yourself to seek out HORROR HAYRIDE; I've seen used copies of the VHS tape on Amazon.com. I'd love to see this turn up on DVD someday. In the meantime, check out Webb Wilder's awesome CDs, too!