Tales of the Rat Fink
Words by Ian Tocher
11/8/06
Those of you of a certain age, particularly those who came of age in the mid-‘60s to early-‘70s, certainly remember Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s Rat Fink, the insane-looking, slob-like antithesis of squeaky-clean Mickey Mouse. For at least one segment of society it was an era of hot cars and surf guitars, both of which Roth drew heavily upon for inspiration, and for a time, Rat Fink or one of Roth’s many other hot rod-drivin’ monsters seemed to be everywhere, adorning T-shirts, comic books, plastic model kits, posters, record covers, jigsaw puzzles and who knows what else.
Over the last few years, Toronto-based filmmaker Ron Mann tackled the project of telling Roth’s life story, portraying him as a modern-day Renaissance man in “Tales of the Rat Fink,” released theatrically and on DVD last month. Through a highly creative mix of animation, period-correct footage, old TV commercials, movie clips, home movies, and dozens of still photos, the story is told with humor and clear affection for the subject, whether it’s Roth the person, his middle-class beginnings, capitalist leanings, or the far-reaching influence of his art on pop culture.
Of course it helps having the voice talent of John Goodman narrating as Roth, who apparently once told Goodman if ever there was a movie made of his life, he wanted Goodman to play him. Roth speaks periodically in the film, too, and the cadence of his voice is remarkably similar to that of the actor’s, further suggesting it was the role Goodman was born to play—so to speak.
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Though not a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster, “Rat Fink” the movie is clearly a first-rate affair. Among others lending their voices to bring various cars from Roth’s past to life are Ann Margret, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top fame, Jay Leno, both Smothers Brothers, novelist Tom Wolfe, and Simpsons creator Matt Groening.
Beyond Goodman’s narration, there’s little dialogue from actual people in the movie, as Mann chooses instead to let the cars “speak” for themselves. Over the course of the approximately 75-minute flick we hear from the likes of a ’32 Coupe, ’55 and ’57 Chevys, “The Outlaw,” Roth’s breakthrough creation featuring the first-ever all-fiberglass custom car body, his world-famous “Beatnik Bandit,” and Wolfe’s 2003 Caddy DeVille, voiced by the author himself. You have to see how it’s done yourself to appreciate how simple but effective Mann’s technique is for bringing inanimate vehicles to life.
It’s not all Roth, all the time, though. It’s certainly the story of a self-defined “weirdo” who managed to make his art pay, but fans of the So-Cal hot rod and drag racing scene of the ‘50s and ‘60s will be thrilled with glimpses into the past that Mann provides. Even the NHRA’s original Safety Safari rig has its say in the story.
Beyond the documentary itself, the bonus features on the DVD are well worth checking out. Among them is a revealing interview with Roth that looks like it was shot about the early-‘80s for a local cable show, a fascinating piece featuring Von Dutch along with several other custom painters doing work on Roth’s work truck, a gallery of Roth’s art, and even a short music video by The Sadies, the Canadian quartet that provides a hip, guitar-heavy soundtrack for the film.
Bottom line: if you’re a fan of pop culture, or more specifically, car culture, then “Tales of a Rat Fink” should certainly be on your “to be watched” list. If you’re a fan of Ed Roth, the other “Big Daddy” of the day, it’s a “must-see” experience.
“Tales of the Rat Fink” is available for $22 at www.ratfink.com. Public screenings are scheduled for:
Nov. 9-12, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma, OK
Nov. 10, Ross Film Theater, Lincoln, NE
Nov. 10, Mexico International Film Festival, Mexico City
Nov. 10-11, Ross Media Arts Center, Lincoln, NE
Nov. 10-12, Baytowne Film Festival, Destin, FL
Nov. 11 & 13, Three Rivers Film Festival, Pittsburgh, PA
Nov. 15, MAKOR, New York, NY
Dec. 1-7, Cinefest, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
Dec. 23-28, Broadway Theatre, Saskatoon, SK
(No screening on Dec 24 or 25)
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