History WesternAnimation / TheElectricPiper

''The Electric Piper'' is a 2003 Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} television movie that's essentially an animated retelling of ''The Pied Piper'': in a town called Hamlin, rats are a common issue that only children noticed because their parents are too uptight. Our two main characters, Mick and his sister Janice, meet a mysterious guitarist named Sly who offers to take care of the rats, only for the mayor to push him away. (Sly wanted his Harley motorcycle in exchange) Overjoyed, the rats start a full-scale takeover of Hamlin, finally getting the mayor to enlist Sly's help.

'''Sly:''' Yeah, I guess I do.

* AnAesop: Janice brings up that while Sly has done a lot with his music playing, it's not a substitute for actually doing things for real.
-->'''Janice:''' Mick wanted to make real music. For real people. I want to see the real world. Real life...it's something you don't want to miss. You know what I mean?\\

It was originally aired once and then remained lost for over ten years, after which a miracle happened; in August 2016, someone contacted an anonymous Nickelodeon employee who happened to have salvaged a copy of the film. It wasn't long before the film sprouted all over Website/YouTube, although chances are slim it'll air on Nick again.

''The Electric Piper'' is a 2003 Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} television movie that's essentially an animated retelling of ''The Pied Piper'': in a town called Hamlin, rats are a common issue that only children noticed because their parents are too uptight. Our two main characters, Mick and his sister Janice, meet a mysterious guitarist named Sly who offers to take care of the rats, only for the mayor to push him away. (Sly wanted his Harley motorcycle in exchange) Overjoyed, the rats start a full-scale takeover of Hamelin, finally getting the mayor to enlist Sly's help.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Sly made the adults in Hamelin age and he did try to keep the kids from leaving, but he admits that he didn't want Mick to die and even brings him back to life.

* RapidAging: What happens to the adults of Hamlin after Sly takes their children.

* SoundtrackDissonance: The opening song, "You're Entering Hamlin". It's a happy tune that sounds like something you'd hear out of a travel commercial, coupled with footage of the CrapsackWorld Hamelin is.

''The Electric Piper'' is a 2003 Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} television movie that's essentially an animated retelling of ''The Pied Piper'': in a town called Hamlin, rats are a common issue that only children noticed because their parents are too uptight. Our two main characters, Mick and his sister Janice, meet a mysterious guitarist named Sly who offers to take care of the rats, only for the mayor to push him away. (Sly wanted his Harley motorcycle in exchange) Overjoyed, the rats start a full-scale takeover of Hamlin, finally getting the mayor to enlist Sly's help.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Sly made the adults in Hameln age and he did try to keep the kids from leaving, but he admits that he didn't want Mick to die and even brings him back to life.

''The Electric Piper'' is a 2003 Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} television movie that's essentially an animated retelling of ''The Pied Piper'': in a town called Hamlin, rats are a common issue that only children noticed, because their parents are too up tight. Our two main characters, Mick and his sister Janice, meet a mysterious guitarist named Sly who offers to take care of the rats, only for the mayor to push him away. (Sly wanted his Harley motorcycle in exchange) Overjoyed, the rats start a full-scale takeover of Hamlin, which finally gets the mayor to enlist Sly's help.

After he sends away the rats, however, the mayor refuses to give up the Harley. In retaliations, Sly convinces the town children to live with him in his cavern.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Sly, as glimpsed in "I'm Gonna Climb the Mountain". His parents were neglectful and cold and he lived in near-poverty, so he left at the first opportunity. It's also why he wants to make a new family with the children of Hamlin since Mayor Dixon was just like his own father.

* InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers: It's a retelling of The Pied Piper, what do you expect? They do come back to Hamlin by the end of the film, though and they go off with him by their own free will.

* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Janice is outgoing, dreams of having a career and traveling the world while Mick is shy and more musically inclined.

* MusicalThemeNaming: Mick and Janis are named after Mick Jagger and Music/JanisJoplin respectively. Sly is possibly after Music/SlyStone, though he obviously doesn't resemble him.

* OpenMindedParent: Pat is a very downplayed version. She's more than willing to let her son take guitar lessons at a community center, while her husband is adamantly against it.
* ParentsAsPeople: All the parents, especially Nick and Pat (Mick and Janice's parents); they all genuinely want what's best for their children, but have become so overprotective and neglectful keeping a perfect small town that the kids feel ignored and decide to go with Sly. They get better by the end, fortunately.

* PleaseWakeUp: Janice asks of this after she sees her brother drop into the chasm.

* RhymesOnADime: Sly's speak pattern makes good work of this.

* SoundtrackDissonance: The opening song, "You're Entering Hamlin". Basically, it's a happy tune that sounds like something you'd hear out of a travel commercial, coupled with footage of the CrapsackWorld Hamlin is.

* WaxingLyrical: Many of the lines in the show are actually ripped off from lyrics. For example, when the kids leave Sly to go back to their parents, he mutters, "Alone again. Naturally."

* SkeweredPriorities: "I Smell A Rat" highlights how the adults are focused on more trivial things than the rats rampaging Hamelin.

* NiceHat: Sly's traveling get-up includes a stylish top hat with a long yellow scarf wrapped around it.

* CoolBike: Sly's payment for getting rid of the rats is Nick's motorcycle. Unfortunately, Nick refusing to give it to him has Sly convince the kids to join him.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: As Nick tells Janis she doesn't have to worry about being smart [[StayInTheKitchen due to her sex]], Pat can be seen in the background humming in an irritated tone and tossing all the mail in the trash.

* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Janice is outgoing dreams of having a career and traveling the world while Mick is shy and more musically inclined.

* OpenMindedParent: Pat is a very downplayed version. She's more than willing to let her son take guitar lessons, while her husband is adamantly against it.
* ParentsAsPeople: All the parents, especially Nick and Pat, Mick and Janice's parents; they all genuinely want what's best for their children, but have become so overprotective and neglectful keeping a perfect small town that the kids feel ignored and decide to go with Sly. They get better by the end, fortunately.

* RapidAging: What happens to the adults of Hamelin after Sly takes their children.

* WaxingLyrical: Many of the lines in the show are actually ripped off from lyrics. For example, when the kids leave Sly to go back to their parents, he mutters, "Alone again. Naturall."

* RapidAging: What happens to the adults of Hamelin after Sly takes their children

* AdultFear: You were a lousy parent to your kid, so one day he/she runs away to live with a stranger you don't trust. All you can do is hope your child comes back so you can repent.
** Made even worse at the end, in which ''the mayor has forgotten how many years had passed since the children left''...when at most it's only been a few ''days''.

* MusicalThemeNaming: Mick and Janice are named after Mick Jagger and Janice Joplin respectively.

* SergentPepperShoutOut: In the "Fabulous Swimming Rats" number, Sly wears George's, Janice wears Paul's (with a tricorner) and Mick wears John's (with a matching marching hat)
* ShoutOut: You could make a drinking game with all the refferences to [[TheSixties 1960's]] pop culture.

* FlowerInHerHair: In her hippie get-up, Janice gets a daisy in her hair.

** Made even worse at the end, in which ''the mayor has forgotten how many years had passed since the children left''...if it actually ''has'' been years...

* DisneyDeath: While guiding everyone through the cavern at the end, Mick accidentally drops his pick, causing him to plummet. Fortunately, Sly comes back with his Harmonica to revive him.
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Being set in the 1960s, there is lots of casual sexism early on in the special.

* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Janice dreams of having a career -- pilot, surgeon, etc. -- while Mick is more musically inclined.

* SgtPepperShoutOut: In the "Fabulous Swimming Rats" number, Sly wears George's, Janice wears Paul's (with a tricorner) and Mick wears John's (with a matching marching hat)
* SignificantWardrobeShift: Mick swaps his blue and white polo for a tie-dye shirt when he heads off to join Sly.

* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Downplayed with Janice and Mick with their jeans: Janice's is pink and Mick has blue.

** Made even worse at the end, in which ''the mayor has forgotten how many years had passed since the children left''.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Sly, as glimpsed in "I'm Gonna Climb the Mountain". His parents were neglectful and cold and he lived in near-poverty, so he left at the first opportunity. It's also why he wants to make a new family with the children of Hamlin.

* InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers: It's a retelling of The Pied Piper, what do you expect? They do come back to Hamlin by the end of the film, though.

-->'''Mayor:''' Did you see what he did?'''\\

* CassandraTruth: The rat problem is seemingly noticed only by the town kids.The adults do eventually take notice, however, with their nudging.

-->'''Mayor: Did you see what he did?'''
-->'''Mick and Janice: Yeah!'''
-->'''Mayor: ...to the WALL?'''
-->'''*screen pans to [[ImpactSilhouette two rat-shaped holes in the wall]]*'''
* ChekhovsSkill: Mick uses the guitar magic he learned from Sly to help his friends get home.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Sly, as glimpsed in "I'm Gonna Climb the Mountain". His parents were neglecful and cold and he lived in near-poverty, so he left at the first opportunity. It's also why he wants to make a new family with the children of Hamlin.

* MagicMusic: Sly's music can do much more than just lead things away: he can create platforms, levitate things, and even ''turn himself into a gust of wind''.
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Janice dreams of becoming a pilot, while Mick is more musically inclined.

* DisneyDeath: While guiding everyone through the cavern at the end, Mick accidentally drops his pick, causing him to plummet. Fortunatley, Sly comes back with his Harmonica to revive him.

''The Electric Piper'' is a 2003 {{Nickelodeon}} television movie that's essentially an animated retelling of ''The Pied Piper'': in a town called Hamlin, rats are a common issue that only children noticed, because their parents are too up tight. Our two main characters, Mick and his sister Janice, meet a mysterious guitarist named Sly who offers to take care of the rats, only for the mayor to push him away. (Sly wanted his Harley motorcycle in exchange) Overjoyed, the rats start a full-scale takeover of Hamlin, which finally gets the mayor to enlist Sly's help.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Being set in the 1960s, there is lots of casual sexism early on in the special, most likely to set the tone of the CrapsaccharineWorld that is Hamlin.

The Electric Piper is a Nickelodeon movie from 2003.

''The Electric Piper'' is essentially a Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} animated retelling of ''The Pied Piper'': in a town called Hamlin, rats are a common issue that only children noticed, because their parents are too up tight. Our two main characters, Mick and his sister Janice, meet a mysterious guitarist named Sly who offers to take care of the rats, only for the mayor to push him away. (Sly wanted his Harley motorcycle in exchange) Overjoyed, the rats start a full-scale takeover of Hamlin, which finally gets the mayor to enlist Sly's help.