The Rock-afire Explosion (2008)

Directed by Brett Whitcomb

Starring Chris Thrash and Aaron Fechter

Runtime 72min. - Not Rated

4 Stars (out of 4)

"The Rocka-fire Explosion" is part of my Quirky Documentary series and is available on Netflix Instant.

For those who aren't consumed by nostalgia for Showbiz Pizza, The Rock-afire Explosion is the name given to the creepy robot band that played their until Chuck E. Cheese took over. Not everyone thinks they are creepy though. In fact, they have an enthusiastic and loyal fanbase. The robots and props are traded and sold between private collectors who believe in the power of the characters.

One such fan is Chris Thrash. He worked multiple jobs for years, saving his money to purchase everything he needed for his own show. When he opened the door to his Showbiz sanctuary all I could think was "Wow". He's got it all. Every single character is in perfect condition. Actually, he bought a set from the original manufacturer that had been sitting in wooden crates for years. The sets are all authentic. Even the wallpapers, floors and tables have the Showbiz feel. Chris is an active owner. He's got the characters all hooked up to a computer where he programs their movements to songs. His programs are actually much better than you ever saw when the characters were in their prime. Videos of his shows have gone viral on YouTube.


What's more interesting than the collection is his extreme emotional attachment to it all. He openly admits that he wept like a child when he first unboxed the animatronic musicians. He also hosts the occasional birthday party at his place. He does these for free because he believes putting a smile on the face of children is payment enough. Chris Thrash is an interesting person. He's middle-aged, shy, and very childlike when he speaks, but the mechanical and programming skills are definitely those of an adult. In addition to the robots, Chris also owns a mint condition bear suit so he can appear as Billy Bob Brockali. Everyone in the film takes their Rock-afire fandom seriously, but none more so than Chris.

The other central character in the film is Aaron Fechter; the inventor of The Rock-afire Explosion. The way this band came about is so nonsensical that it must be true. They were born from a desire to solve the world's energy crisis. I'm tempted not to explain it any further than that, but I'm weak so here it goes. Aaron Fechter invented a device to remove leaves from swimming pools. He sold these door-to-door in hopes of raising the money to start his energy crisis project. One of his door-to-door patrons asked if he could invent something animatronic for his amusement park. Aaron Fechter never declines a challenge and he delivers the item in question. That little gig gives him the idea of doing a whole animatronic show. Showbiz Pizza likes the idea and The Rocka-fire Explosion is born, damn the energy crisis.

Throught the 80's Showbiz Pizza opened up hundreds of locations and Aaron Fechter built hundreds of bands. He was more of a father than creator. Fechter was a musician and did the voices of some of the characters while hiring other professional musicians to do the others. In one scene he plays one on an old electric organ while musing about its deeper meaning. That's right, the songs played by robot animals can have deeper meanings. At it's peak, Fechter's company employed hundreds of people and was even visited by Michael Jackson. Fechter himself dressed up as Billy Bob Brockali to entertain the huge crowds in Dallas that turned out for the grand opening of the 200th restaurant. He never saw the storm on the horizon.

By 1990 Showbiz Pizza was spending a lot more money than they were making. Chuck E. Cheese's was in the same situation. The two of them merged. Fechter was made an offer. He could give his character's copyrights to the newly merged company, or keep them and be cut out anyway. At that time he believed that Rock-afire would go on to cartoons, merchandising, movies and other restaurants. He kept his copyrights.That's why you now see Munch's Make Believe Band when you enter Chuck E. Cheese's.

The consequences of Fechter's decision are made apparent by the shooting location. He gives a tour of the once-glorious "Creative Engineering, Inc", where a huge workforce used to churn out robots on a daily basis. These days it's a Rocka-fire graveyard. The equipment is all there, but it hasn't been used in 20 years. Some of the masks have melted and look like a decomposing corpse. One room contains a near infinite amount of worthless analog audio equipment that Fechter thought might retain value. Odds n' ends from character costumes and mechanical pieces litter the factory. The company still exists. It has one employee, Aaron Fechter. In the loading bay are 2 sets of crates. One of them is a Rocka-fire set that has been sold and is waiting to be shipped. The other is the last remaining unsold set. Fechter is somber when he recalls the decline of his business. He's especially remorseful over the layoffs. With the factory still existing, he muses that, if called upon, he could start production on new characters immediately. It's a daydream.

There are several other fans featured in the film. One of them is Fechter's wife, who he met through the online fan community. Most of the other fans are just their to reinforce the comments of Thrash and Fechter. The epilogue features Chris Thrash and his wife opening a new restaurant featuring his Rocka-fire Explosion show. A quick Google search reveals that his restaurant closed after a very brief run. I'm sure his enthusiasm wasn't affected.

This film is expertly constructed. What's amazing to me is the amount of archival footage. There's almost no aspect of this story that wasn't on film. When Aaron Fechter describes being helicoptered to a Showbiz Pizza parking lot dressed like a bear, there's video proof. The research that was put into this documentary is truly exceptional. It's whimsical and entertaining. A perfect little quirky dose of nostalgia. Still though, those robots are fucking creepy.