Emi Takes a Fall (in Eight Takes)

Take One (21 seconds):


Take Two (11 seconds) "Ouch!"


Take Three (19 seconds). Technical Difficulties.


Take Four (9 seconds). As one scene ends, another begins.


Take Five (14 seconds). My noggin.


Take Six (12 seconds). Lightning in a bottle.


Take Seven (5 seconds). Minimalism.


Take Eight (9 seconds). Voila!

Masterpiece Theater with Emilio Ruiz Benton

Like all powerful intoxicants, Emilio's original stories are, perhaps, best taken in small doses spread out over a number of days. For hardcore fans, here are seven recent vintages, plus one interview with the author. I recommend that you not try to watch them all in one sitting.

1. Kevin had a tummy ache (39 seconds)

2. Carl was in his house (39 seconds)
3. One time, Scar was on Pride Rock (40 seconds)
4. One time, Pumba was on Pride Rock (48 seconds)
5. One time, Nemo was in the sea (49 seconds)
6. Interview with the author (60 seconds)
7. One time, Kevin didn’t have a tummy ache (62 seconds)
8. Scar was right behind Mufasa (108 seconds)

Scar was right behind Mufasa . . . (108 seconds)

Dad: Are you ready?
Emi: Behind Pumba . . .
Dad: Wait: start from the beginning.
Emi: Ok . . . Scar was right behind Mufasa, but then when Mufasa turned . . .
Dad: Wait. You gotta stand still.
Emi: . . . Scar wasn't behind him. And suddenly, and then, a pack of wildebeests brought them down.
Dad: A pack of wildebeests?
Emi: Yeah. Scar. And suddenly a blast of lightning bolted and then out of the woods came Timon and . . . Pumba and behind 'em was Scar. And behind Scar--Simba had to be behind Scar, but Simba wasn't there, then a pack of wildebeests knocked Simba down and he got dead. And he said, "Mufasa. . . " Scar said, "No. He was lost in the forest and . . . pack of wildebeests are trying to catch him, and he was almost going to fall off a cliff, so we have to go fast," said Scar. So Mufasa, Timon, and Pumba, and Scar went fast, but when they got there, Simba was on the ground. Dead.

And then Mufasa said, "Simba." Simba woke up and he said, "Daddy! Scar!" And Scar said, "Oh, Simba." And that's the end.

Dad: And have you seen this movie?
Emi: Uh, no.
Dad: How do you know this story?
Emi: Well, I just made it up.
Dad: And you've never seen that movie?
Emi: Mm-mm [no]. Remember I saw it at Grandmother's house? Remember I saw Lion King?
Dad: Oh, you did?
Emi: What?
Dad: You saw it at grandmother's house one time?
Emi: Yeah

One time Kevin didn't have a tummy ache (62 seconds)

OK, one time, Kevin didn't have a tummy ache, but he still th'owed up, but then he had a shot in his mouth, and the shot went in his throat and he spit it out and the cane was in the shot, and then Carl's cane hit Carl in the face and Carl fell backwards, and he rolled, and he rolled down a hill of cactuses. The cactuses went on his back, and then one cactus flipped off. All the cactuses . . . pulled Carl off his . . . But then, there was angry Alpha, Gamma and Beta. Suddenly, Alpha, Gamma and Beta went, and he said, "Russell, help me!" So Russell came, and then he helped Kevin, and then he helped Carl, and then he knocked Alpha, Gamma and Beta down, and then Alpha, Gamma, and Beta knocked Russell down, and he came up, and Paradise Falls fell down, and the tepui fell on Carl. I wanna see it!

Interview with the author (60 seconds)

Dad: So, Emi, do you like telling stories?
Emi: Yep.
Dad: You do?
Emi: Yeah.
Dad: Why do you like telling stories?
Emi: Because I made them up, and I don't know how to tell stories that are . . .
Dad: What?
Emi: It's hard to tell movies that . . . and . . . so that's . . . Daddy, why little kids can't tell movies?
Dad: They can. You just did.
Emi: Oh. But . . . that's not one . . . that's not how Nemo goes.
Dad: Yeah, but you changed it, didn't you?
Emi: Why?
Dad: That's your imagination.
Emi: Oh.
Dad: It's like playing a game.
Emi: I don't like playing games. I like to tell stories.
Dad: Yeah. A story's a game.
Emi: Boing!

One time Nemo was in the sea (49 seconds)

Ok, one time Nemo was in the sea, but without his daddy, but then he was all by himself, and he was in the night, and he didn't have a tummy ache, and he th'owed up in his anemone, and then there was Marlin, and then Dori knocked Marlin, and he went in the bathtub, and then the Whale came, and then whale sent . . . and Chum and Anchor came, and then they eat Marlin and Nemo up, and then they went in his throat, and then out of the forest came Bloat and Gill and Gurgles and Bubbles, and they saved him, and they got out of his mouth, and that's the end. I wanna see it.

One time, Pumba was on Pride Rock (48 seconds)

One time, Pumba was on Pride Rock and Timon was behind him, but next came angry Scar. And he knocked Pumba, but Timon knocked Scar back and Scar fell backwards and then he flipped off the ledge . . . that he was standing . . . and Timon. Then Mufasa said, "Timon, why'd you do that?" And then he went and said, "Scar, come 'ere." And then, Scar said, "Timon and Pumba did it." And then Mufasa knocked Timon and Pumba down, but then they got alive. Suddenly Simba knocked Scar down, and then Mufasa said, "Good job, son." And then they went home, and they went to bed. And that's the end.