Pompel & Pilt (Videos and MP3s)

The Norwegian TV-show "Pompel & Pilt" was both loved and hated in its home country due to the surreal, amoral personalities  of its characters. After the series was broadcast in 1969, 1973, 1976, 1979 and 1985, the show was banned by NRK (Norwegian National Broadcasting) as it was deemed too dangerous for children. After this a huge cult-following grew, demanding to get "Pompel og Pilt" back on television and today the characters are considered one of the greatest pop-cultural icons in Norwegian television-history.  Watch the first episode (YouTube) The dialog is fairly simple. The two main characters are always looking for something that needs mending, as most stuff in their world is either bizarre, or just malfunctioning in a spectacular way. Be also aware of Gorgon, the janitor, a scary guy, that creeps everybody out with his obsessive-compulsive disorder, spouting out words that rhymes with "reparere [to mend/repair]" - such as "to subliminalise", "regressitate" etc ad nauseum.

Moffedille (upper left corner) is a fantasy animal from the show. The moffedille vaguely resembles a porcupine, eats keys, and communicates through howling sounds and cartoon-style balloons.

The series consists of five episodes, of which the moffedille appears in episodes 2 and 3. It is introduced as the protagonists, the repairmen Pompel and Pilt, sit down on it in the belief that it is a tuft of grass, a misconception that is gradually cleared up as the moffedille starts moving. The moffedille then asks for a key (by uttering a talking-bubble containing a drawing of a key). Pilt, who has earlier found a key, shows it to the moffedille, which immediately grabs it and eats it. It then leaves. This concludes the appearance of the moffedille in episode 2. Moffedille excerpt (.mov/4mb)

In episode 3, Pompel and Pilt meet up with the moffedille again. This time, it utters a big SOS inside a talking bubble. By uttering different semi-mysterious talking bubbles, along with rudimentary body language, the moffedille manages to communicate that it has a key inside of it, that it wants Pompel and Pilt to remove. Pompel, intending to do surgery on the moffedille, comes up with a saw. Pilt, however, does not approve of this, and suggests an alternative approach, where they feed the moffedille a length of rope, and make it dance. After the dance, they pull the rope out of the moffedille. It turns out that a large number of keys are now threaded onto the rope. One of them resembles the key that was swallowed by the moffedille in episode 2. Pilt takes this key, and the moffedille swallows all the others again. The moffedille then leads the way to a locked door. Pilt uses the key to unlock the door. The door opens, and a migrant (another type of fantasy creature) comes out. The moffedille eats the key again, and leaves. (from wikipedia)  See episode 3 (.mov/35mb)

Favourite excerpts: Hungry Baby (.mov/9mb)    Parcel Lady (.mov/10mb)   Machine (.mov/9mb)

Pompel & Pilt intro music (MP3)    Gorgon Janitor's rambling (MP3)

The TV show was created in 1969 by Arne and Bjørg Mykle (script for the 4 first episodes here - in Norwegian).

Comments

[Anoynmous]

Man, this thing sure is a thing.

[jtm]

Excellent post! I'm ready to move to Norway.

[Paul]

Please let us know whether the Pompel og Pilt DVD is available, and whether or not it includes subtitles in any other language.

[John from Oslo]

Hi Paul, it doesn't come subtitled. Alas, Norwegian only.

You can order the DVD from here: http://www.cdon.com/main.phtml?prod=294440&nav=4182&navroot=904&page=product
99 Kroner = $18,32

That is the cheapest place to get it from. Go via http://www.cdon.com/main.phtml?navroot=906 to get English menu...

[Paul]

Thanks John. Much appreciated. . .