Bowling Balls

Last updated
"Bowling Balls"
Single by Insane Clown Posse
from the album Hell's Pit
Released2004
Genre Alternative hip hop, horrorcore
Length3:30
Label Psychopathic
Songwriter(s) Joseph Bruce, Mike Puwal
Producer(s) Mike Puwal, Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse singles chronology
"Hell's Forecast" / "Murder Rap"
(2002)		"Bowling Balls"
(2004)		"I Do This!"
(2006)

"Bowling Balls" is a song written by Esham and Joseph Bruce for Insane Clown Posse's 2004 album Hell's Pit , and the fourth single released by the group that was not produced by Mike E. Clark. The song's lyrics describe decapitation and murder. A short film of the same name was produced in association with the album, appearing on a special edition. Bowling Balls was the first 3-D film shot in high-definition video.

Contents

Music and lyricism

As with the rest of the album, "Bowling Balls" features a hip hop oriented sound and features none of the rock influence of The Wraith: Shangri-La . As opposed to The Wraith: Shangri-La, which focused on the positive aspects of life and death, Hell's Pit focuses on darker subject matter such as hell, murder and psychosis. [1] As produced by Esham, "Bowling Balls" was intended as a throwback to the latter half of Carnival of Carnage , which featured a dark, modest sound. [1] "Bowling Balls" samples the drum beat of Madonna's "Justify My Love," which was based upon Public Enemy's instrumental "Security of the First World", [2] [3] which was in turn based on the end drum break of James Brown's "Funky Drummer". [4] A remix of the song was produced by Monoxide of Twiztid; it appeared on the remix album The Wraith: Remix Albums . [5]

Film

Bowling Balls
Directed byPaul Andresen
Written byJoseph Bruce
Paul Andressen
Mark Jury
Produced byAlex Abbiss
Paul Andresen
Steven R. Stone
StarringJoseph Bruce
Joseph Utsler
CinematographyJoe VanDalsem
Music byJim Manzie, Pat Regan
Distributed by Psychopathic
Release date
  • August 31, 2004 (2004-08-31)
Running time
22 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

In promotion of the song and album, Psychopathic Video produced a short film of the same name based around the song, directed by Paul Andresen. A long form music video and comedy horror film, [6] Bowling Balls was the first 3-D film to be shot in high-definition video. [7] The film's cast includes Mark Jury, who later appeared prominently in the Psychopathic film Big Money Rustlas .

The film was released as part of an alternate special edition of Hell's Pit , packaged with a pair of 3-D glasses. 3-D and standard versions of the film were featured on the DVD. [8] The standard version of the film was reissued as part of the compilation Psychopathic: The Videos .

Plot

Two girls are driving to Daytona when their car breaks down. Rather than sit in an old broken down truck in the middle of nowhere while they wait for their friends to come pick them up, they decide to go with J (Violent J), a clown, who invites them to his bed and breakfast. However, J's ulterior motives are revealed when his retarded hunchback brother, Shaggy (Shaggy 2 Dope), decapitates one of the girls. The girl's friends head to pick them up, and each are murdered by the clowns.

Cast

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References

  1. 1 2 Bruce, Joseph (June 25, 2004). "Weekly Freekly: Number 669". Psychopathic Records. Archived from the original on 2004-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
  2. ↑ Jeffries, David. "Review of Hell's Pit". Allmusic . Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  3. ↑ Thomas, Lindsey (March 8, 2006). "She Bop". City Pages. Retrieved 2008-06-30.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ Ressner, Jeffrey (1991-08-16). "Justify My Claim". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  5. ↑ "Listen to the Wraith: Remix Albums by Insane Clown Posse - Album Reviews, Credits, and Awards - AllRovi". Archived from the original on 2012-07-31. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
  6. ↑ "Psychopathic Records and Juggalo Ringmasters the Insane Clown Posse Team with Short Dog, Inc. To produce "BIG MONEY RUSTLAS!" Film Currently Shooting on Location in Los Angeles, California".
  7. ↑ Anderson, John (March 26, 2009). "3-D not an alien concept in Hollywood". Newsday . Retrieved 4 April 2009.
  8. ↑ "Roanoke.com High School Sports". www1.roanoke.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2004. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
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