In Lamp Light Land: An Odd Little Commercial That Stays With You

Is it worth your time?

Look, if you are a fan of early animation or specifically like the jerky, mechanical charm of stop-motion, you will probably dig this. It’s barely a movie, more of a fever dream about electricity. If you hate anything that feels like a history lesson or an infomercial, you should skip it. It is not for the casual viewer who just wants a plot.

It’s fascinating how much effort went into selling a light bulb back in the day. Most modern ads are just flashing lights and loud noises. This thing has a story, a soul, and weird little puppets that look like they haven’t slept in a week. 💡

The transition between the hand-drawn elements and the physical puppets is... well, it’s not exactly seamless. You can see the seams, literally. But that is the best part. It feels handmade in a way that nothing today ever does.

There is a specific moment where the light bulb itself takes center stage, and the way it glows is almost spooky. It feels less like a product demonstration and more like a scene out of The Head of Janus if that movie were directed by a hardware store clerk.

It makes me think of Stopping the Show in how it tries to grab your attention with pure movement. They didn't have fancy digital effects, so they just moved things until it looked like magic. It works.

I found myself wondering if George Pal was actually thinking about the efficiency of light or if he was just having a blast making these little guys dance. Some of the movements are so jittery they make me nervous. Maybe that was the point? To make you want a better light so you don't have to squint at the screen?

• The puppet design is top-tier nightmare fuel.
• The pacing is frantic, like a caffeinated toddler.
• I still don't care about Philips bulbs, but I care about these puppets.

It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a weird little footnote in film history. Sometimes, that is exactly what you need on a Tuesday night. 🎞️