Dawn of the Living Socks: Official Page
Original
Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLWTSFWNEqM
Digital
Release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krr-Jt18Fyw
History:
Dawn of the Living Socks was filmed in Victoria, BC from 1980
to 1982. Some members of a Star Trek group
named The United Federation of Canadian Star Trekkers decided to make the
movie, with some financial support from the club, and they talked several of
their friends into appearing in the movie and helping out. The movie premiered
with two showings at Imagine Con, a science fiction convention at the
University of Victoria in February 1982. Public showing also included 2 VCons (vcon.ca) in the 1980s.
Technical Details:
Dawn of the Living Socks was initially
filmed on Super-8mm film with no sound. Some editing was done with the film,
then it was converted to 3/4th inch video in early 1982, and the voices were
dubbed on, and sound effects, and music were added.
Synopsis:
Dr. Evil Mad Scientist is working on
a device allowing him to see into a parallel universe, where he sees a body of
asteroids, and a pair of living socks. His assistant Igor accidentally changes
the settings on the device, causing a space time continuum transfusion,
bringing the socks to our universe. The socks emit a gas that brings Earth
socks to life. The leader of a secret organization known as The Cat Barf Squadron, is one of the first people to be attacked by
socks. When they realize that the armed forces and police department don’t
believe that the socks are real, the Cat Barf Squadron uses military trucks,
sonic pistols, sock detectors, artillery, electronic decoy socks, and the Black
Shadow fleet of helicopters to fight the socks.
Cast:
·
Karl Johanson: Strong Handsome Hero. Post-credits
Announcer.
·
Professor Paul Delany: Dr. Evil Mad Scientist, Sock
Trooper.
·
Dan Cawsey: Igor, Sock Trooper.
·
E. B Klassen: Narrator, Sock Trooper,
Post-credits Zombie.
·
Rick Holt (now Rick Eisenman): Mailman, Sock Trooper, Underground base Person #1.
·
Paula Johanson: Sock Trooper, Narrator’s Groupie,
Post-credits Trooper, Damsel (Deleted scene).
·
Ian Fleury: Base Security.
·
John Sunde: Troop Commander.
·
Brian Stennes: Sock Trooper, Diver.
·
Joe Johanson: Electronics Technician.
·
Dan Heaman: Sock Trooper.
·
Greg Stratton: Underground Maintenance.
·
Kevin McDougal: Civilian in the Woods, Underground
Trooper.
·
Thor Sunde:
Sock Trooper.
·
Lynne Fonesca: Sock Trooper.
·
Joanne Van Heteran: Sock Trooper.
·
Additional
Sock Troopers: Doug Currie, Veronica Dalson, Dale Harris, Ralph Leski, Kathy Puddey, Ann Sunde, Glen Turlock, James White:
et al.
Rare On Set Photos.
Voice Actors:
·
Karl Johanson: Dr. Evil Mad Scientist, various
sock troopers, helicopter radio operators, et al.
·
E. B. Klassen: Various sock troopers, Civilian in
the woods, helicopter radio operators, et al.
·
Paula Johanson: Various sock troopers, helicopter
radio operators, et al. Crew: Sock Animating.
·
John Sunde: Black Shadow 22, et al.
·
Kevin Fraiser: Underground Base Person,
Electronics Technician.
·
Dr. Robert Runté: Base Security Person.
·
Stephanie Ann Johanson: Black Shadow 14, et al.
Crew:
·
Rick Holt (now Rick Eisenman): Directing, Main Camera Man, Film Editing, Sock
Animating, Potato Animating, Guy Who Owned the Camera.
·
Dan Cawsey: Filming, Editing, Sock Animating,
Sound Effects, Sign Art, Movie Poster Art (movie posters shown in the end
credits), Prop Creation, Narrator Mask Creation.
·
Karl Johanson: Directing, Digital Video Editing,
3/4" Video Editing, Filming, Film Editing, Sock Animating, Sock Puppetry,
Sound Effects, Prop Creation.
·
E. B Klassen: Sock Animating, Sound Effects,
Directing.
·
Paula Johanson: Sock Animating, Sound Effects.
·
Ian Fleury: Sock Animating, Title Animating.
·
John Sunde: Sock Animating, Special Effects.
·
Brian Stennes: Sock Puppetry, Prop Production.
·
Thor Sunde: Sock Animating.
·
Kevin Fraiser: Film to Video Conversion, 3/4th
inch Video Editing, Sound Editing.
Music:
·
Organ:
John Sunde
0:09, 16:38, 32:22.
·
Electronic
Guitar: Gordon Hubner
8:55, 21:12, 26:08, 28:53, 35:47.
·
Synthesizer
and echoed vocals: John Wright &
Karl Johanson
1:33, 24:28, 34:56.
·
New
Credits music: Karl Johanson
39:04.
Digital Re-Release:
In 2018 Karl Johanson converted a BetaMax copy of Dawn of the Living Socks to digital format.
Some scenes have been added into the movie, many of which were also
filmed in super 8mm film, but a few were done with a Nikon CoolPix
waterproof, with the resolution adjusted and some screen noise etc. added to
come close to matching the rest of the film. The new graphic of the elevator
display, showing it moving down to the secret underground complex, was done
with PhotoShop 7.
Some special effects were added, including lightning when the space time
continuum transfusion brings the socks to this universe.
Some sound effects were added, including a new sound for the sonic sock
pistols (originally the sound was a 1982 digital watch chime), and the sound of
a gate and a door creaking.
An excerpt of the cartoon “Can I Borrow Your Time
Machine” (by Karl and Stephanie Johanson, part of
the Really Short Science Fiction
series) has been added before the start of the movie.
A post credits thing has been
added. Filmed in 2019, it features Karl Johanson,
Paula Johanson, E. B. Klassen, and Dr. Robert Runté, all from the original 1982 version of the movie,
plus Stephanie Ann Johanson.
The original credits are included in the digital re-release, but an
extended credits has been added with more details.
The Digital re-release is posted on Karl Johanson’s
YouTube page: www.youtube.com/user/karljohanson42.
Comments about Dawn of the Living
Socks:
“A legendary fan film. Heard about it for
decades. Now I've seen it. My life is complete. Much of the sock
animation is quite good. And the ending is precisely the logical solution for a
plague of killer socks. Needs a big budget remake methinks.”
–R. Greame
Cameron (Editor Polar Borealis)
“Very interesting. I have to admit the socks themselves
are very watchable. I like what you did with the stop motion. You definitely
brought them to life. My favourite moment is when a
second sock goes into the corridor to collect the mailman’s hat, after the
first one had dragged the mailman away. Sure to be a cult classic!” –Craig Bowlsby
(Commander Craig Scott in Commander’s Log.)
“Brad and I watched it when we were still recovering from stomach flu
which was a bad idea because I was laughing so hard it made my stomach hurt.” –Wendy Myrvold
Notable Lines from the Movie:
“Whatever you do, don’t adjust the power setting on that device, just
don’t. It’ll cause a space time continuum transfusion.” –Dr. Evil Mad Scientist
“What we’re dealing with is living socks. The armed forces and police
departments don’t believe they’re real, we’ll have to deal with them
ourselves.” –Strong Handsome Hero
“Black Shadow two: we’re scanning for socks on infrared.” –Black Shadow
2’s radio operator.
“What the Hell?” –One of the potatoes.
“And then we beat up the fish.” –Narrator
Original
Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLWTSFWNEqM
Digital
Release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krr-Jt18Fyw
Dawn of the
Living Socks on IMDB