When the first Indie Memphis Film Festival was held in 1998, there were nine short films. Five of them were by John Pickle.

The actor and filmmaker was, by that time, already a local legend for Pickle TV, a cable-access television show that harkened back to classic counterculture television comedy such as Monty Python’s Flying Circus and SCTV. Pickle and his band of merry pranksters created bona fide screen anarchy. Sometimes it would be tightly produced, high-concept sketch comedy filled with strange and surreal characters, most of whom were created by Pickle himself. Other times, they would simply destroy a car with sledgehammers and firearms for your viewing pleasure.  

Pickle has since become known as Memphis’ Peter Sellers, the go-to character actor who can do any accent and get a laugh with any material. He starred in the 2006 film The Importance of Being Russell  as the titular mad redneck genius whose garage invention threatens the very fabric of space-time. But who better to introduce the legend that is John Pickle than John Pickle himself?

Pickle TV:
http://www.youtube.com/johnpickle

Indie Memphis
http://www.indiememphis.com/

Importance of Being Russell
http://www.russellmovie.com/

CREDITS
special thanks to
John Pickle
Pickle TV
additional footage
"The Mighty Hunter"
director - Sean Plemmons
Cinematographer/Editor - Jeff Hassen
"Return of Mung"
co-editor/co-director - Sean Plemmons
cinematographer/editor - Jeff Hassen
"The Importance of Being Russell"
director/co-writer/co-editor - Sean Plemmons
cinematographer/co-writer/co-editor - Jeff Hassen
producer - Jeff Bryant
visual effects - Greg Stanford
Music
"The Shocker (Oh' Sarge)"
performed by Oracle and the Mountain