By now, you should know the nameAdi Shankar, but how you’ve heard about him might vary: If you’re a fan of excellent video game adaptations / Netflix anime series, you likely know him as theCastlevaniashowrunner. If you’ve enjoyed fan-favorite films likeThe Grey,Dredd,A Walk among the Tombstones, or the upcoming, award-winning filmBodied, you’re familiar with his work. Or if you’ve delved into the skewed take on popular properties that is Shankar’s Bootleg Universe, a sort of ongoing series of “video street art”, then you know exactly what sort of story you’re in for. And it’s to that universe we turn today for its latest installment.
Tonight at midnight,Adi Shankar’s Bootleg Universereleased its latest entry:Mr. Rogers: A War Hero. IfFred Rogerswere alive today, the host of the beloved TV ShowMr. Rogers’ Neighborhoodwould be celebrating his 90th birthday, a fact thatTwitch is also celebrating tomorrow by way of a marathon. Shankar’s tribute to Mr. Rogers is based on the persistent urban legend that Mr. Rogers served in the military as a sniper and decorated war hero prior to hosting his popular children’s TV show.
The key words in that phrase were “urban” and “legend”, but that’s what makesMr. Rogers: A War Herosuch an interesting idea. While chatting with Shankar in advance of the short’s release tonight, he basically summed up the approach like this: A significant portion of Hollywood biopics are dramatized in order to play up the icon’s strongest character traits. Shankar’sMr. Rogers: A War Herotakes that idea and runs with it–through explosions and gunfire–in this 10-minute short that entertains while also educating viewers about Rogers' own outlook, one that parallels the pairing of entertainment and education. It’s quite clever!
You can check it out on either Shankar’sYouTube pageor onFacebook; be sure to come back and let us know your thoughts!
Mr. Rogers: A War Herois produced by Adi Shankar and written and directed byKenlon Clark. The short film is the latest addition to the Bootleg Universe anthology series which includes unauthorized subversive takes on pop culture franchisesThe PunisherwithThe Punisher: Dirty Laundry(over 9 million views on YouTube),VenomwithVenom: Truth in Journalism(over 1 million views on YouTube),James BondwithJames Bond: In Service of Nothing, andPower/Rangerswith over 21 million views on YouTube.
Inspired by the works of street artist Banksy,Adi Shankar’s Bootleg Universeis a subversive anthology series. The films reimagine popular cultural icons and the YouTube channel has been the subject of press coverage, legal orders from studios, and debate about US Copyright law and First Amendment constitutional law. His films have been taken down at the request of intellectual property rights holders of bothPower RangersandJames Bond, only to have the videos reinstated by YouTube. In other words, be sure to check outMr. Rogers: A War Herobefore The Man takes it down (temporarily, of course)!
