The first full-length MTV production, Joe's Apartment is, without a doubt, the best singing cockroach movie I've ever seen. The plot is dumb, the humour is crass, and the performances not so great, but I fail to see how people can't enjoy a film that features elaborate musical numbers performed by bugs, including the energetic Kitty Cat Rodeo (in which a cowbug rides a moggy around the apartment), the fun Sewer Surfing, and the wonderfully catchy Funky Towel (which I still believe to be the inspiration for Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit Uptown Funk).
Written and directed by John Payson (based on his own short, Joe's Apt.), Joe's Apartment is the kind of film best enjoyed under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs, with a half-eaten, day-old pizza by your side, but even stone cold sober, I had a great time revisiting old friends. Payson's colourful, dynamic style, which uses CGI and stop motion animation to bring the creepy crawlies to life, is nothing short of brilliant (the special effects still hold up well), while a snappy runtime of just 80 minutes ensures that the rowdy 'roaches never outstay their welcome.
Next time you're in the mood for something simple, silly and a whole lot of fun, I strongly suggest a visit to Joe's Apartment (why not make it a double bill with that other moronic MTV masterpiece Beavis and Butthead Do America?).
