A cult fan-favorite documentary that explores the rise and fall of Showbiz Pizza Place, its animatronic rock band, and the origins of Chuck E. Cheese.
"The Rock-afire Explosion" is the story of a small-town disc-jockey, a struggling inventor, and an animatronic rock band, that quickly becomes an eccentric portrait of childhood memories, broken dreams, and the resilience of the human spirit.—Bradford Thomason
"The Rock-afire Explosion" is the story of a small-town disc-jockey, a struggling inventor, and an animatronic rock band, that quickly becomes an eccentric portrait of childhood memories, broken dreams, and the resilience of the human spirit. With the closing of Showbiz Pizza Place in the early nineties, and the subsequent removal of the Rock-afire Explosion on YouTube with songs like "Miss New Booty", "Hey There Delilah", and "Love in This Club" that the animatronic band found its way back into the public consciousness. Chris Thrash, a car salesman from Phenix City, Alabama who recently purchased a Rock-afire Explosion, has led the charge with his inventive programming and clever song choice. Aaron Fechter, creator of the Rock-afire Explosion and sole employee of Creative Engineering Inc., has worked closely with his fans with the hopes of revitalizing what was once a 300 employee, 20 million dollar per-year industry.—Anonymous
In the early eighties, kids all over the US flocked to Showbiz Pizza for the rides, games, and animatronic rock band, The Rock-afire Explosion. Created by 23-year-old prodigy Aaron Fechter, The Rock-afire Explosion amazed children and adults alike before being mysteriously pulled from showrooms and replaced by the now popular Chuck-E-Cheese in the early nineties.
Nearly twenty years later, still profoundly affected by his experience at Showbiz Pizza, small-town disc-jockey Chris Thrash sought out Fechter and purchased a Rock-afire band of his own. Some clever programming on Chris' part, and the band was once again performing for millions, this time on YouTube.
The Rock-afire Explosion reveals how Chris came to revive this fallen 80's gem, explores his and a number of other fan's obsessions with the animatronic band, and chronicles the rise and fall of Showbiz Pizza and what was once a 20 million dollar per-year venture for inventor Aaron Fechter. More than this, the film is a look at the importance of nostalgia, ever-changing media culture, and the eternal quest to stay young.
