View source for Grass Roots (film)

{{Short description|Clay animated film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Grass Roots
| image          = Brotherssplit.jpg
| caption        = From left to right: Phineas T. Phreakears, Freewheelin' Franklin Freek, and Fat Freddy Freekowtski
| director       = Dave Borthwick
| producer       = [[David Lascelles]]<br>Bruce Higham<br>Andy Leighton
| writer         = [[Gilbert Shelton]]<br>[[Paul B. Davies]]
| cinematography = [[Dave Alex Riddett]]
| country        = United Kingdom<br>United States
| language       = English
}}
'''''Grass Roots''''' is a proposed British-American [[adult animation|adult]] [[clay animation|clay]] film based on the ''[[Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers]]'' [[underground comix|underground]] [[comic strip]] created by [[Gilbert Shelton]].

==Plot==
The government develops genetically modified [[cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] as part of the [[War on Drugs]], and Norbert the Nark accidentally gives the prototype to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. With the government on their trail, Phineas T. Phreakears, Freewheelin' Franklin Freek, and Fat Freddy Freekowtski are forced to leave town, acquiring a remote plot of land in order to fulfill their dream of retiring to grow marijuana in the country. Three women join the Freak Brothers' commune, but because gender politics have changed since the 1970s, they do not see eye to eye with the Brothers' [[free love]] philosophy.<ref name="HollywoodReporter">{{cite journal |date=14 February 2006 |title=X takes 'Grassroots' toke |journal=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Truckin.jpg|left|thumb|The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and [[Fat Freddy's Cat]].]]
Prior to ''Grass Roots'', there had been several attempts to film the stories. There was even an unauthorized [[pornographic film]] titled ''[[Up in Flames (film)|Up in Flames]]'', which "ripped off the Freak Brothers, [[Mr. Natural (comics)|Mr. Natural]]  all in one go."<ref name="RipOffPress">{{cite web |url=http://www.ripoffpress.com/fbmovie.cfm |title=The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Movie! |accessdate=2007-01-26 |publisher=Rip Off Press, Inc.'s Freak Brothers Factory Store |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209052122/http://www.ripoffpress.com/fbmovie.cfm |archive-date=9 February 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1979, [[Rip Off Press]] received $250,000 from [[Universal Pictures]] for a five-year option on a live-action film based on the characters.<ref name="RipOffPress"/><ref name="Toonopedia">{{cite web |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/freakbro.htm |title=The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers |accessdate=2007-01-26 |author=Don Markstein |publisher=Toonopedia }}</ref> Although a script was written, the film was never done. It was rumored that Universal bought the rights in order to prevent competition against the [[Cheech & Chong]] franchise.<ref name="RipOffPress"/> Over the next 25 years there were several more options taken on film rights, but none of them went to production.<ref name="Kuznik">{{cite news |title=Drawing conclusions |first=Frank |last=Kuznik |url=http://www.praguepost.com/tempo/1655-drawing-conclusions.html |publisher=[[The Prague Post]] |date=1 July 2009 }}</ref>

In 2006, [[Celluloid Dreams]], in association with [[bolexbrothers]] and X Filme,<ref name="HollywoodReporter"/><ref name="Kuznik"/><ref name="Knowles">{{cite web |url=http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22186 |title=There Is A God!!! I've Got Absolute Indisputable Proof of His Existence!!! |last1=Knowles |first1=Harry |author-link=Harry Knowles |date=13 January 2006 |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |accessdate=15 April 2010}}</ref> began production on an [[animated film]] based on the Freak Brothers comics. ''Grass Roots'' was going to be directed by Dave Borthwick, whose previous credits include ''[[The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb]]'' and ''[[The Magic Roundabout (film)|The Magic Roundabout]]''. Cinematographer Dave Alex Riddett previously worked as the cinematographer on several [[Aardman Animations]] productions, including the ''[[Wallace and Gromit]]'' shorts and [[Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit|feature film]], and ''[[Chicken Run]]''.<ref name="AnimationMagazine">{{cite web |url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=5911 |title=Furry Freak Bros. Footage Online |last1=Ball |first1=Tom |work=[[Animation Magazine]] |accessdate=15 April 2010}}</ref> Test animation was released through Celluloid Dreams' official website.<ref name="Knowles"/><ref name="AnimationMagazine"/> As of 2012, the film was still in pre-production limbo, with the producers still unable to raise the necessary budget; they are reportedly adapting the story into a [[Musical theatre|stage musical]].{{cn|date=December 2022}}

=== 2021 ''Freak Brothers'' animated series ===
In 2019, it was announced that a ''Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' animated television series was being developed. It was retitled as ''Freak Brothers''. [[Mark Canton]] and [[Courtney Solomon]] serve as executive producers, while Alan Cohen and Alan Freedland are the showrunners. The first season consists of eight 22-minute episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/the-fabulous-furry-freak-brothers-animated-series-workaholics-silicon-valley/|title=Underground Comic The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Getting Animated TV Series|website=Screen Rant|last=Yeoman|first=Kevin|date=July 12, 2019}}</ref> The series was released on [[Tubi]] on November 14, 2021.

==See also==
*[[List of stop-motion films]]
*[[List of animated feature films]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Cannabis in the United Kingdom}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grass Roots}}
[[Category:2000s stop-motion animated films]]
[[Category:American animated comedy films]]
[[Category:American adult animated films]]
[[Category:British independent films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers]]
[[Category:British films about cannabis]]
[[Category:Animated films based on American comics]]
[[Category:2000s unfinished films]]
[[Category:Cancelled films]]
[[Category:Unreleased American films]]
[[Category:Unfinished animated films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Dave Borthwick]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:2000s British films]]