Rat Pfink a Boo Boo

Lore & Background

The film follows rock and roll star Lonnie Lord, whose girlfriend Cee Bee Beaumont is targeted by the villainous Chain Gang. After she is abducted, Lord adopts the secret identity of Rat Pfink, and his friend Titus Twimbly becomes his sidekick Boo Boo. They ride a vehicle called the Ratcycle, a homage to the Batcycle, and eventually rescue Beaumont. However, she is abducted again by Kogar the Ape, an escaped zoo gorilla, who knocks out Rat Pfink before being collected by his keeper. The film ends with a parade honoring the heroes.

Reader's Guide

Originally planned as a straight crime drama titled The Depraved, inspired by Steckler's ex-wife Carolyn's experience with obscene phone calls, the film was repurposed mid-shoot as a parody of the Batman TV series. This resulted in a sudden tonal shift after 40 minutes, where the star and a minor character emerge from a closet in homemade costumes. The film's title is disputed: a legend claims the intended title 'Rat Pfink and Boo Boo' was misspelled as 'Rat Pfink a Boo Boo' by a title artist, and the $50 fix was beyond the budget. Steckler, however, claimed his young daughter chanted the phrase during a fight scene, and he chose it deliberately. Reception has been mixed, with TV Guide calling it amateurish but fun, and other critics debating whether it is a 'raving pile of crap' or 'genius filmmaking.' The film features four songs performed by Ron Haydock.

Did You Know?

• The first 40 minutes of the film are a straight crime drama before it jarringly segues into a superhero parody.
• The title is alternately explained as a typo too expensive to fix or a deliberate stylistic choice.
• Rat Pfink is a parody of Batman, and Boo Boo is a parody of Robin.
• The film was originally planned as a crime drama titled The Depraved.