Intrusion
(2017, Ages 17 and Up)
11/5/21
In the fall of 2017, I uploaded a YouTube video link to Facebook to highlight the anniversary of a bizarre event, the mystery of which continues to this day. I wasn’t expecting much in response to the post, though. Enter Jesse Lowell Anholt. Not only did he acknowledge the event with as much gusto as I, but he announced that he had made his own full-length film about it. Unsure what to expect but unable to resist, I clicked the link he provided and watched. To say I was impressed is an understatement. This is the first time I’ve featured a shorter independent film that is solely online, creator-funded, and has very little in terms of traditional information and marketing besides a few small pages on IMDb, Youtube, and Facebook. But the production value and the way it pays homage to its bizarre source material makes it well deserving of a place here.
Gary, his girlfriend, Laura, his brother, Ed, and their mutual friend, Will, are four fun-loving roommates living in the suburbs of 1980’s Chicago. One way they get their kicks is to record funny VHS tapes of each other. It is during one such recording that they reminiscence about the numerous crazy and outrageous pranks they pulled off in high school. But Ed is far from satisfied. He proposes a new stunt to the gang that would blow their previous practical jokes right out of the water: hijack Chicago television in costume and prank the viewing audience on a city-wide scale. The others’ nostalgic yearning for their mischievous glory days trumps all fears of jail time. But what Gary, Laura, and Will see as simply the ultimate prank is much more to Ed. In his own increasingly paranoid mind, it is a way for him to seize power from the government pigs warping the masses for their own gain. And while the group may be able to evade the authorities and keep their roles in the hijacking a secret, they may not escape the lethal repercussions when one of their own begins to mistake TV fantasy for dangerous reality.
Chicago, Illinois; November 22nd, 1987. WGN-TV had just begun its recap of the latest Chicago Bears game on The Nine O’Clock News when, suddenly, the screen went black. Fifteen seconds later, a figure dressed as fictional 80’s icon Max Headroom appeared, bobbing his head erratically to the accompaniment of shrill buzzing. This unauthorized transmission was cut off after twenty-eight seconds when officials were finally able to switch frequencies. But this oddball show was not over yet. At around 11:20 pm that same night, local PBS station WTTW was broadcasting the Doctor Who serial, Horror of Fang Rock, when “Max” struck again. Now featuring heavily distorted audio, he began spouting apparent nonsensical gibberish while fiddling with a Coke can and a gardening glove. This went on for some time before the shot cut abruptly to “Max’s” partially exposed buttocks, which were then spanked by a female accomplice with a fly swatter. After a full ninety seconds on the air, the hijackers stopped transmission of their own accord, leaving viewers and TV personnel alike utterly baffled . . . and were never seen or heard from again. Such is what is now dubbed “The Max Headroom Incident.” As of 2021, over thirty years later, the hijackers’ identities and motives remain unknown.
“Max” is neither the first nor the last TV pirate to crash the screens of unsuspecting audiences over the year. But unlike "Captain Midnight" (4/27/86) or "Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command" (11/26/77), the memorability of this incident comes not only from the lack of apparent reasoning behind it, but from its obvious creative effort and presentation. These factors opened up a wide range of movie plot possibilities. Intrusion itself is equally unique because, as far as I know, it’s one of, if not the first, found-footage film that is historical fiction but without the documentary format.
Before I continue, I’d like to thank Mr. Anholt himself for generously providing me with the background information on Intrusion. First conceived as a 10-15-minute short film, he decided to make it feature length when he realized how he could expand and explore his initial idea. Besides writing and directing, he also plays Will, and like the movie’s quartet, he and his fellow cast members were and are still very close. Emily Morris (Laura) he’d known for fifteen years; Max Duane (Ed) he’d known for three; and Bryan Hamilton (Gary) he had only just met, but with whom he also became fast friends. Though the story is set in Chicago, filming was done over a two-week period in Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York, exclusively in either close-knit single spaces or indistinguishable outside locations. Anholt was inspired to make Intrusion when he found himself in what many call the YouTube “rabbit hole,” having come across the original hijacking and subsequent news cover footage after hours of bored video browsing. And I can personally attest to the stimulating benefits of hours of bored video browsing. ;) Another inspiration came from family stories of the crazy pranks pulled off by his Uncle Mark in high school back in mid-1970’s St. Paul, MN. Every one of the meticulously planned stunts described by the characters (except the illegal ones, of course), Mark actually performed himself in real life, from the releasing of thousands of crickets in the cafeteria to the supposed fatal fall from the library’s top floor:
GARY: (Relaxed) Yeah, we were pretty damn mischievous kids in high school.
LAURA: Um-hm.
GARY: You know, but pranks were just our way of expressing our creativity, you know? Some kids played instruments, we laid, uh, thousands of crickets in the cafeteria.
LAURA: (Laughs)
WILL: (In sheer amazement) Oh, my god, that was you?
GARY: (Grinning) Yeah.
WILL: Oh, I remember that one!
ED: Yeah, Laura laughed so hard she al—she peed herself.
GARY: (Slaps Ed) Yo, Ed. Not cool, dude. (Looks at Laura and grins) You totally did, though.
LAURA: Shut up.
BOYS: (Laugh)
If I have one disappointment, it’s that the hijacking itself, once concluded, is more or less forgotten. I would have liked to see the characters maybe watching the real-life news coverage of the incident and witness their reaction to riling up the public in such an elaborate fashion. That said, the group watches another piece of unrelated but just as shocking real-life news coverage of then Chicago mayor Harold Washington’s death by heart attack, just three days after the hijacking. This is cleverly worked into the plot to create a sense of dread as to what consequences, if any, may have been set into motion as a result of the group’s juvenile delinquency.
On that note, according to Anholt, the true horror of Intrusion comes from not knowing whether what one is experiencing is real or not. This is especially intriguing considering this is no supernatural movie. The original Max Headroom Hijacking video alone has its own surreal quality, from the unexpected appearance to the hazy technical quality to the sheer apparent madness of the hijackers’ actions, which could certainly unnerve anyone not in on the “joke”. Anholt applies this concept to both his story and his characters, particularly the resident outcast, Ed. It is never revealed what specific mental illness he has, but I was told it would be undiagnosed Asperger’s, a neurodevelopmental autism spectrum disorder that causes difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication without significantly impairing language and intelligence, all of which is exacerbated by severe narcissism.
Upon watching Intrusion, my friend and colleague, Sean, astutely commented that it was very discouraging to see Ed’s views on political corruption and media manipulation--not untrue in real life—brushed off because of how his overzealous ways paint him as a stereotypical crazy conspiracy theorist. Besides illustrating a sad truth about how little those with mental illness are heard or taken seriously, this creates a vicious cycle: the less understood Ed feels, the more he retreats into his disturbed mind. As soon as he dons the Max Headroom mask, he will pointedly ignore his friends unless they finally address him as such:
ED: (Reasonably to the other three) You keep saying Ed, but I don’t know who this “Ed” is. I’m sorry. (Startles Will by suddenly grabbing him, then laughs)
WILL: (So startled he almost drops the camera) Jesus Christ!
LAURA: (Shaken) Jesus . . .
GARY: (With forced patience) Okay, MAX. Take off the mask, please.
ED: Well, jeez, Gar. Why didn't you just say so? (Removes the mask, chuckling)
Or worse—in a manner reminiscent of Joseph’s famous wolf mask scene from the 2014 film, Creep—say nothing at all and just stare at the one behind the camera in a tense and eerie silence:
WILL: (Recording Ed in the Max Headroom mask starring into space) Ed? Ed? (Ed whirls on him, but remains silent; Will is confused and unnerved) Dude, what the f***? What are . . . ? Talk to me!
In a way, it is the group’s very closeness that works against them as Ed’s sanity deteriorates. Gary, as the responsible older sibling, takes for granted that he knows Ed too well to fear him, chalking up his bad jokes as just the antics of the quintessential goofy kid brother and even showing some playful pride in that, but this only makes Gary the most reluctant to accept that there is anything wrong:
WILL: Gary, I wanted to talk to you. Did . . . Did [Ed] seem . . . a little . . . creepier than usual yesterday?
GARY: (Smirking) He’s my brother. There’s not much more he could do to creep me out. Plus, you know, he’s not all there.
[. . .]
WILL: Yeah, I guess you’re right.
GARY: I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Laura has the weakest bond and fewest emotional ties to Ed, enduring him mostly for the sake of Gary. While this results in less development of her character compared to the boys, she does give what little screen time she has her all, doing her best to be a loving and supportive girlfriend without sugarcoating the alarming facts Gary has to face about his brother:
LAURA: (Tensely) Look in the goddamn mirror, Gary. You have a red f***ing handprint across your face.
GARY: (Carelessly) Come on, we’re brothers. Brothers fight all the time. We make up and then we’re fine.
LAURA: You may be fine. Ed is not fine.
[. . .]
GARY: (Trying to reason) He just gets carried away sometimes.
LAURA: (Frustrated) I know that he does. I’m not even saying that it’s his fault. It’s just, he needs professional help.
I would argue that Will has it the hardest of all. As Ed’s childhood friend, Will is the most confused and hurt when even small talk with him results in either enraged political ranting or eerie, cryptic declarations. Will’s anxiety is distressing as he bears his soul at the camera when thinks he’s alone, divided as to whether his admiration and loyalty are worth the emotional abuse:
WILL: (Laughing excitedly) Ed, I didn’t know you could do s*** like that! That’s incredible!
ED: (Wearing the Max Headroom mask, his voice flat) That wasn’t f***ing anything. Alright? That was child’s play. (Chuckles sinisterly) It’s the beginning of the end, my friend.
[. . .]
WILL: (Whispering nervously to the camera) I’m really scared. I’m really scared. I hope that was caught on tape. I mean—[. . .] Ed’s a good guy. He’s a good guy, but . . . He’s always been a little weird. Fine. This is just beyond . . . (At a loss) I don’t know.
The ending credits song effectively sums up this feeling of entrapment and regret, in spirit if not in sound. Anthony Truzzolino—assistant director and lead singer of Brooklyn Punk band, Tired Radio—composed and performs a cover of the 1985 Tears for Fears hit, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Despite its slower rhythm and more surreal tone, this instrumental Techo/Synth version retains the original’s nostalgic and retrospective elements, made more so here when its somber lyrics regarding human nature are kept in mind. When I asked Anholt why he included this song, he simply told me to pay particular attention to the original’s first two lines:
Welcome to your life
There’s no turning back
Though neither technically nor shockingly perfect, it’s obvious that Intrusion was a labor of love by those who relish both a good creepy mystery and a good time with best friends. Besides a solid exploration of one of the most fascinating mysteries in television history, it’s quite possibly an even better character study regarding mental illness and the devastating effects media can have on the psyche. Was this perhaps what the real “Max” was trying to tell his viewers all those years ago? Was there truly some hidden message for humanity behind the visual lunacy? Or was he nothing more than a skilled but immature man-child with too much free time on his hands and a weird desire to give the TV bigwigs a collective heart attack? As an innocent and totally not subliminal little lollipop commercial once said: “The world may never know.”
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
Gary, his girlfriend, Laura, his brother, Ed, and their mutual friend, Will, are four fun-loving roommates living in the suburbs of 1980’s Chicago. One way they get their kicks is to record funny VHS tapes of each other. It is during one such recording that they reminiscence about the numerous crazy and outrageous pranks they pulled off in high school. But Ed is far from satisfied. He proposes a new stunt to the gang that would blow their previous practical jokes right out of the water: hijack Chicago television in costume and prank the viewing audience on a city-wide scale. The others’ nostalgic yearning for their mischievous glory days trumps all fears of jail time. But what Gary, Laura, and Will see as simply the ultimate prank is much more to Ed. In his own increasingly paranoid mind, it is a way for him to seize power from the government pigs warping the masses for their own gain. And while the group may be able to evade the authorities and keep their roles in the hijacking a secret, they may not escape the lethal repercussions when one of their own begins to mistake TV fantasy for dangerous reality.
Chicago, Illinois; November 22nd, 1987. WGN-TV had just begun its recap of the latest Chicago Bears game on The Nine O’Clock News when, suddenly, the screen went black. Fifteen seconds later, a figure dressed as fictional 80’s icon Max Headroom appeared, bobbing his head erratically to the accompaniment of shrill buzzing. This unauthorized transmission was cut off after twenty-eight seconds when officials were finally able to switch frequencies. But this oddball show was not over yet. At around 11:20 pm that same night, local PBS station WTTW was broadcasting the Doctor Who serial, Horror of Fang Rock, when “Max” struck again. Now featuring heavily distorted audio, he began spouting apparent nonsensical gibberish while fiddling with a Coke can and a gardening glove. This went on for some time before the shot cut abruptly to “Max’s” partially exposed buttocks, which were then spanked by a female accomplice with a fly swatter. After a full ninety seconds on the air, the hijackers stopped transmission of their own accord, leaving viewers and TV personnel alike utterly baffled . . . and were never seen or heard from again. Such is what is now dubbed “The Max Headroom Incident.” As of 2021, over thirty years later, the hijackers’ identities and motives remain unknown.
“Max” is neither the first nor the last TV pirate to crash the screens of unsuspecting audiences over the year. But unlike "Captain Midnight" (4/27/86) or "Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command" (11/26/77), the memorability of this incident comes not only from the lack of apparent reasoning behind it, but from its obvious creative effort and presentation. These factors opened up a wide range of movie plot possibilities. Intrusion itself is equally unique because, as far as I know, it’s one of, if not the first, found-footage film that is historical fiction but without the documentary format.
Before I continue, I’d like to thank Mr. Anholt himself for generously providing me with the background information on Intrusion. First conceived as a 10-15-minute short film, he decided to make it feature length when he realized how he could expand and explore his initial idea. Besides writing and directing, he also plays Will, and like the movie’s quartet, he and his fellow cast members were and are still very close. Emily Morris (Laura) he’d known for fifteen years; Max Duane (Ed) he’d known for three; and Bryan Hamilton (Gary) he had only just met, but with whom he also became fast friends. Though the story is set in Chicago, filming was done over a two-week period in Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York, exclusively in either close-knit single spaces or indistinguishable outside locations. Anholt was inspired to make Intrusion when he found himself in what many call the YouTube “rabbit hole,” having come across the original hijacking and subsequent news cover footage after hours of bored video browsing. And I can personally attest to the stimulating benefits of hours of bored video browsing. ;) Another inspiration came from family stories of the crazy pranks pulled off by his Uncle Mark in high school back in mid-1970’s St. Paul, MN. Every one of the meticulously planned stunts described by the characters (except the illegal ones, of course), Mark actually performed himself in real life, from the releasing of thousands of crickets in the cafeteria to the supposed fatal fall from the library’s top floor:
GARY: (Relaxed) Yeah, we were pretty damn mischievous kids in high school.
LAURA: Um-hm.
GARY: You know, but pranks were just our way of expressing our creativity, you know? Some kids played instruments, we laid, uh, thousands of crickets in the cafeteria.
LAURA: (Laughs)
WILL: (In sheer amazement) Oh, my god, that was you?
GARY: (Grinning) Yeah.
WILL: Oh, I remember that one!
ED: Yeah, Laura laughed so hard she al—she peed herself.
GARY: (Slaps Ed) Yo, Ed. Not cool, dude. (Looks at Laura and grins) You totally did, though.
LAURA: Shut up.
BOYS: (Laugh)
If I have one disappointment, it’s that the hijacking itself, once concluded, is more or less forgotten. I would have liked to see the characters maybe watching the real-life news coverage of the incident and witness their reaction to riling up the public in such an elaborate fashion. That said, the group watches another piece of unrelated but just as shocking real-life news coverage of then Chicago mayor Harold Washington’s death by heart attack, just three days after the hijacking. This is cleverly worked into the plot to create a sense of dread as to what consequences, if any, may have been set into motion as a result of the group’s juvenile delinquency.
On that note, according to Anholt, the true horror of Intrusion comes from not knowing whether what one is experiencing is real or not. This is especially intriguing considering this is no supernatural movie. The original Max Headroom Hijacking video alone has its own surreal quality, from the unexpected appearance to the hazy technical quality to the sheer apparent madness of the hijackers’ actions, which could certainly unnerve anyone not in on the “joke”. Anholt applies this concept to both his story and his characters, particularly the resident outcast, Ed. It is never revealed what specific mental illness he has, but I was told it would be undiagnosed Asperger’s, a neurodevelopmental autism spectrum disorder that causes difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication without significantly impairing language and intelligence, all of which is exacerbated by severe narcissism.
Upon watching Intrusion, my friend and colleague, Sean, astutely commented that it was very discouraging to see Ed’s views on political corruption and media manipulation--not untrue in real life—brushed off because of how his overzealous ways paint him as a stereotypical crazy conspiracy theorist. Besides illustrating a sad truth about how little those with mental illness are heard or taken seriously, this creates a vicious cycle: the less understood Ed feels, the more he retreats into his disturbed mind. As soon as he dons the Max Headroom mask, he will pointedly ignore his friends unless they finally address him as such:
ED: (Reasonably to the other three) You keep saying Ed, but I don’t know who this “Ed” is. I’m sorry. (Startles Will by suddenly grabbing him, then laughs)
WILL: (So startled he almost drops the camera) Jesus Christ!
LAURA: (Shaken) Jesus . . .
GARY: (With forced patience) Okay, MAX. Take off the mask, please.
ED: Well, jeez, Gar. Why didn't you just say so? (Removes the mask, chuckling)
Or worse—in a manner reminiscent of Joseph’s famous wolf mask scene from the 2014 film, Creep—say nothing at all and just stare at the one behind the camera in a tense and eerie silence:
WILL: (Recording Ed in the Max Headroom mask starring into space) Ed? Ed? (Ed whirls on him, but remains silent; Will is confused and unnerved) Dude, what the f***? What are . . . ? Talk to me!
In a way, it is the group’s very closeness that works against them as Ed’s sanity deteriorates. Gary, as the responsible older sibling, takes for granted that he knows Ed too well to fear him, chalking up his bad jokes as just the antics of the quintessential goofy kid brother and even showing some playful pride in that, but this only makes Gary the most reluctant to accept that there is anything wrong:
WILL: Gary, I wanted to talk to you. Did . . . Did [Ed] seem . . . a little . . . creepier than usual yesterday?
GARY: (Smirking) He’s my brother. There’s not much more he could do to creep me out. Plus, you know, he’s not all there.
[. . .]
WILL: Yeah, I guess you’re right.
GARY: I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Laura has the weakest bond and fewest emotional ties to Ed, enduring him mostly for the sake of Gary. While this results in less development of her character compared to the boys, she does give what little screen time she has her all, doing her best to be a loving and supportive girlfriend without sugarcoating the alarming facts Gary has to face about his brother:
LAURA: (Tensely) Look in the goddamn mirror, Gary. You have a red f***ing handprint across your face.
GARY: (Carelessly) Come on, we’re brothers. Brothers fight all the time. We make up and then we’re fine.
LAURA: You may be fine. Ed is not fine.
[. . .]
GARY: (Trying to reason) He just gets carried away sometimes.
LAURA: (Frustrated) I know that he does. I’m not even saying that it’s his fault. It’s just, he needs professional help.
I would argue that Will has it the hardest of all. As Ed’s childhood friend, Will is the most confused and hurt when even small talk with him results in either enraged political ranting or eerie, cryptic declarations. Will’s anxiety is distressing as he bears his soul at the camera when thinks he’s alone, divided as to whether his admiration and loyalty are worth the emotional abuse:
WILL: (Laughing excitedly) Ed, I didn’t know you could do s*** like that! That’s incredible!
ED: (Wearing the Max Headroom mask, his voice flat) That wasn’t f***ing anything. Alright? That was child’s play. (Chuckles sinisterly) It’s the beginning of the end, my friend.
[. . .]
WILL: (Whispering nervously to the camera) I’m really scared. I’m really scared. I hope that was caught on tape. I mean—[. . .] Ed’s a good guy. He’s a good guy, but . . . He’s always been a little weird. Fine. This is just beyond . . . (At a loss) I don’t know.
The ending credits song effectively sums up this feeling of entrapment and regret, in spirit if not in sound. Anthony Truzzolino—assistant director and lead singer of Brooklyn Punk band, Tired Radio—composed and performs a cover of the 1985 Tears for Fears hit, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Despite its slower rhythm and more surreal tone, this instrumental Techo/Synth version retains the original’s nostalgic and retrospective elements, made more so here when its somber lyrics regarding human nature are kept in mind. When I asked Anholt why he included this song, he simply told me to pay particular attention to the original’s first two lines:
Welcome to your life
There’s no turning back
Though neither technically nor shockingly perfect, it’s obvious that Intrusion was a labor of love by those who relish both a good creepy mystery and a good time with best friends. Besides a solid exploration of one of the most fascinating mysteries in television history, it’s quite possibly an even better character study regarding mental illness and the devastating effects media can have on the psyche. Was this perhaps what the real “Max” was trying to tell his viewers all those years ago? Was there truly some hidden message for humanity behind the visual lunacy? Or was he nothing more than a skilled but immature man-child with too much free time on his hands and a weird desire to give the TV bigwigs a collective heart attack? As an innocent and totally not subliminal little lollipop commercial once said: “The world may never know.”
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
All other music and sound clips are from Intrusion (written and directed by Jesse Lowell Anholt; executive produced by Gary and Shammi Anholt; produced by Maxwell Duane)
OST SONG:
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” – Anthony Truzzolino
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Intrusion on IMBd
Jesse Lowell Anholt's Official Youtube Channel (Watch Intrusion Film and Trailer Here)
Jesse Lowell Anholt's Official Facebook Page
Jesse Lowell Anholt's Official Instagram Page
The Max Headroom Incident on Wikipedia
The First Max Headroom Hijacking on WGN Channel 9
The Second Max Headroom Hijacking on WTTW Chicago
WBBM Channel 2 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
WMAQ Channel 5 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
WLS Channel 7 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
WFLD Channel 32 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 10 Most Disturbing YouTube Videos of All Time"
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 10 Times TV Was Hijacked"
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 10 Creepiest Mysteries You've Never Heard Of"
The Max Headroom Incident on Watchmojo's "Top 20 Creepiest Things Caught on Live TV"
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 20 Mysteries You've Never Heard Of"
^^ Back to Movies, Short Films, and Other Works of Cinema
OST SONG:
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” – Anthony Truzzolino
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Intrusion on IMBd
Jesse Lowell Anholt's Official Youtube Channel (Watch Intrusion Film and Trailer Here)
Jesse Lowell Anholt's Official Facebook Page
Jesse Lowell Anholt's Official Instagram Page
The Max Headroom Incident on Wikipedia
The First Max Headroom Hijacking on WGN Channel 9
The Second Max Headroom Hijacking on WTTW Chicago
WBBM Channel 2 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
WMAQ Channel 5 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
WLS Channel 7 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
WFLD Channel 32 News Coverage of the Max Headroom Incident
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 10 Most Disturbing YouTube Videos of All Time"
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 10 Times TV Was Hijacked"
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 10 Creepiest Mysteries You've Never Heard Of"
The Max Headroom Incident on Watchmojo's "Top 20 Creepiest Things Caught on Live TV"
The Max Headroom Incident on WatchMojo's "Top 20 Mysteries You've Never Heard Of"
^^ Back to Movies, Short Films, and Other Works of Cinema