Dramatic Chipmunk
Dramatic Chipmunk, also known by the more accurate title Dramatic Prairie Dog, is a popular Internet comedy viral video. [1][2] The video is a five-second clip of the "chipmunk" (actually a prairie dog) turning its head while the camera zooms in and dramatic music is played.
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Origins [edit]
The clip became widely known through uploads on YouTube and CollegeHumor on June 19, 2007.[1] An earlier and identical version, titled as Dramatic Look, had been uploaded to YouTube on June 6, 2007.[3]
The clip of the prairie dog is from the Japanese television show Hello! Morning featuring Minimoni.[4] The clip has a prairie dog inside a transparent box being shown to the hosts in the studio. CollegeHumor also released a longer clip under the title Undramatic Chipmunk, showing how the video looked in the original Japanese version.[5]
The audio used in Dramatic Chipmunk is taken from the score of the 1974 Mel Brooks film Young Frankenstein, which was composed by two-time Oscar nominee (and longtime Brooks collaborator) John Morris, and orchestrated by Morris and EGOT recipient Jonathan Tunick.[6][7][8] It uses three dramatic chords (A minor, C# minor, and E minor) performed in full orchestral tutti, and has a rumble of thunder in the background. The "chipmunk" turns its head and stares at the camera while the music is played.
Popularity [edit]
Since its release, the video has received over thirty million views.[9] People Magazine named the Dramatic Chipmunk as one of The 10 Wildest YouTube Stars of 2007.[10]
References [edit]
- ^ a b Five-second 'Dramatic Chipmunk' video takes the Web by storm
- ^ Weezer's 'Pork And Beans': a YouTube guide
- ^ YouTube - Dramatic Look Video uploaded by magnets99 on June 6, 2007
- ^ Know Your Meme: Dramatic Prairie Dog, Season 2007 Episode 7
- ^ Undramatic Chipmunk
- ^ Dramatic Chipmunk / Young Frankenstein
- ^ IMDB Full Cast and Crew for Young Frankenstein
- ^ Tunick's Bio at Picturebook Productions
- ^ Determining an exact figure is impossible, because the video is uploaded multiple times on different websites. The most popular version on YouTube had over 36 million views as of September 2012. Other versions on YouTube have received millions of views each.
- ^ The 10 Wildest YouTube Stars
