Even before they made Santa Dog, The Residents began work on an incredibly ambitious project: a full-length film called Vileness Fats. The group had just moved into a studio at 20 Sycamore Street, which had a completely open ground floor - just perfect, it seemed, for a sound stage. The Residents felt that film would be the ideal medium for the ideas which had been knocking around in their heads and jumped in with both feet.

The new studio was roomy, but not quite big enough to make a movie. In order to be able to fit sets into the ground floor space, the group made most of the characters in the film midgets. They aren't played by midgets, mind you - the costumes were designed so that full-height people could scrunch up in them and waddle around.

The sets were very elaborate, done in a sort of German Expressionist style reminiscent of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. They were made of cardboard and the space limitations meant that each set had to be completely dismantled before the next one could be built. This, of course, affected the filming schedule and sometimes even the developing plot.

Like the sets, the story itself was built as needed. There was no script before shooting started, only a vague outline of the story. The script grew as film progressed - a system typical of the project. The Residents hired people as they found a need, such as Graeme Whifler to do the lighting and some directing and J. Raoul Brody to play a small part - both of whom would continue to work with The Residents on future projects.

The Residents may not have been organized but they were in control, something they felt was very important. Without a film company looking over their shoulders and telling them to make sure it would sell, they could do whatever they wanted to. They financed it all themselves (one of them selling his sports car for $1200) and could only work on it during evenings and weekends because of the jobs they were holding down to pay for it all. They used 1/2" black-and-white video tape in the filming, for a variety of reasons. They felt that video was the coming medium and wanted to be on the leading edge of the technology. Also, with video tape they could see the results of their work immediately after filming, which was useful as it let them get right on with re-shooting when necessary. Most importantly, they didn't have to pay for developing.

Unfortunately, the lack of direction on the project meant that it dragged on for years. By 1976, The Residents had fourteen hours of video filmed and were not even two-thirds of the way through what they had of the incomplete script. To make things worse, 1/2" B&W video tape had become obsolete due to the introduction of the Beta and VHS color formats, so the footage looked incredibly dated even though it was brand new. There was no way that the video could be transferred to film and re-shooting the footage was out of the question. The space limitations were becoming too restrictive as well - it took a full year to build set for and film the night club scene, for instance. Finally, shortly after they released The Third Reich 'N' Roll, The Residents abandoned Vileness Fats. Not ones to let even failed projects go to waste, they proceeded to tease the outside world with stills from the film, incorporating the mysterious film that never was into their mythology.

The following is a scene by scene breakdown of Vileness Fats, as it was originally scripted by THE RESIDENTS. While the plot line for the projected video feature was written before the filming began, the dialogue was usually scripted several days before each scene was shot. In addition to the full story, presented here for the first time, this breakdown indicates which scenes were video taped and which were not.

SCENE 1/Arf and Omega (shot) - Siamese twin tag team wrestlers, Arf and Omega Berry, are first seen in a motel room. Omega is asleep as Arf watches a news bulletin about a fight between a band of renegade Bellboys and a group of virtually defenseless townspeople. Hoping to turn the battle from a minor bloodbath to a major massacre, the Berry Boys recite a magic chant, designed to summon an enchanted Indian priestess, Weescoosa, who spends eternity rescuing short people from life threatening situations. Curiously, since the combatants on BOTH sides of the battle are one-armed midgets, the resulting scenario is uniquely no-win AND no-lose. The scene ends with Arf and Omega chanting: "Kick A Cat, kick a cat, kick a cat today, fish are dumb, pluck an eye from one."

SCENE 2/Bellboys & Townspeople Battle 1 (not shot) - As the battle rages, Weescoosa arrives in her biplane, and since it's difficult to tell which short people are in the most danger, she randomly strafes anyone within range. Shocked by her sudden appearance, the Bellboys quickly take flight, but as the Indian priestess brings the biplane in low to survey the scene, she loses control and crashes.

SCENE 3/Town 1 (not shot) - Weescoosa, scruffy and disheveled, is escorted through the village by Steve, the town's pious religious leader. In a major production number, the bewildered Indian is dazzled by dancing one-armed midgets, whirling houses and sweetly singing children. By the end of the scene she appears to recognize Steve, but he brushes her off, saying that he has to leave for a meeting. Left alone, Weescoosa is then befriended by Ninnie, a local teenager.

SCENE 4/Mother's House 1 (shot) - As the scene opens, an older woman is stuffing a seemingly endless stream of dirty white clothes into a washing machine. As she works, the woman is speaking to someone, apparently her son, off camera. The voice is recognizable as that of Steve, but as they talk, his personality seems to change, becoming increasingly confident and assertive. Finally at the end of the scene, the other person is revealed to be Lonesome Jack, the other side of Steve's split personality. Having completed the transformation, he kisses his mother goodbye and leaves.

SCENE 5/Weescoosa & Ninnie 1 (shot) - Ninnie takes the disheveled and angry Weescoosa home in order to freshen up. Frustrated and upset, Weecoosa seems to take Steve's casual brushoff much more seriously than the situation warrants, causing confusion in her friend; regardless, little Ninnie knowingly suggests that nothing gets a man's attention better than a nice new dress. After initially resisting the idea, Weescoosa weakens after seeing the striking sequin covered dress drug out of her new friend's closet.

SCENE 6/ Cave 1 (shot) - Hiding out in their cave on the edge of the desert, the Bellboys are seen constructing atomic shopping carts in preparation for their next attack on the town. As their confidence begins to wane, Lonesome Jack reminds them of the magic powers of Evergreen, the essence of purity and truth. With their beliefs validated once again, the Bellboys are re-inspired.

SCENE 7/Weescoosa & Ninnie 2 (shot) - Cleaned up and wearing the new dress, Weescoosa looks spectacular, but, as the Indian priestess contemplates her past romantic failures, she sadly drifts into remorse. Encouraged by Ninnie, she tells her friend that she's cursed; even though she lives forever, the enchanted priestess constantly relives same affair, with the same short powerful man, over and over again. Decade after decade it never changes: they need her, she gives in, they leave and they die - then it happens again ...and again. And, since each love affair ends with her lover's death, he never recognizes her after being reborn, but, as an unfortunate consequence of living forever, she always knows. Everyone has their problems. Frustrated, Weescoosa recalls two of her past affairs.

SCENE 8/Weescoosa's Flashback (shot) - In flashback, Weescoosa tells Ninnie about previous affairs with Napoleon and Abraham Lincoln, casually remarking that the statuesque Lincoln was actually quite short but appeared taller due to the Indian priestess's magic spell. Ninnie, of course, has no idea what her friend is talking about.

SCENE 9/Weescoosa & Ninnie 3 (shot) - In a brief scene at the conclusion of the two flashbacks, Weescoosa sadly sums up the pattern of her failed love affairs for Ninnie. Concerned, but terribly confused, the bewildered Ninnie can only shake her head; regardless, the overly optimistic teenager somehow manages to convince the Indian priestess to give it one more try. Resplendent in the striking new dress, Weescoosa goes back to town, determined to find Steve.

SCENE 10/Bellboys & Townspeople Battle 2 (not shot) - Convinced of the purity of their purpose, the motley Bellboys attack the townspeople again, this time with their Atomic Shopping Carts. Determined to protect her new dress, Weescoosa can't be bothered, but she does pause long enough to conjure up a spell summoning Arf and Omega. Delighted to find themselves in the midst of a battle with the much smaller and weaker Bellboys, the Berry Boys take great glee in crushing the one-armed midgets once again.

SCENE 11/Town 2 (not shot) - Led by the mayor, Arf and Omega are shown around the town by the grateful villagers. The boisterous Siamese twins quickly become bored with the pleasant but bland townspeople, but after being told that a banquet will soon be thrown in their honor, the wrestlers decide that being giants among midgets is, perhaps, not so bad.

SCENE 12/Desert 2 (not shot) - Lonesome Jack and Weenie, his trusty sidekick, are alone in the desert watching the defeated Atomic Shopping Carts return to the cave; Lonesome Jack is angry and says there's no choice but to use the Master Plan. He shows a book of matches to Weenie.

SCENE 13/Lonesome Jack & Peggy (not shot) - Later, Lonesome Jack and his girlfriend, Peggy Honeydew, a nightclub singer, are seen in bed together, apparently having just made love. With a heavy heart, Lonesome Jack says that, after the failure of the atomic shopping carts, he has no choice but to use his Master Plan, and he needs her help. After briefly whispering in the singer's ear, the rebel leader says he has to go to the desert to be alone.

SCENE 14/Desert 1 (shot? not shot?) - The story continues to follow Lonesome Jack, when, shortly after, the rebel leader is seen deep in thought, standing alone in the desert. Consumed with doubt, the idealistic midget gradually falls prey to his worst weakness, the lure of ecstatic bliss, eventually convincing himself that HE is the illusive Evergreen, a delusion that triggers his transformation back to Steve. Suddenly uncomfortable in Lonesome Jack's old cowboy clothes, Steve returns to his mother's house to change.

SCENE 15/Mother's House 2 (shot) - Steve is seen leaving his mother's house in the sparkling white garments of a respected religious leader.

SCENE 16/Town 3 (not shot) - Searching the town for Steve, Weescoosa spots her ill fated lover leaving his mother's house. As he purposefully strides toward her, a smile on his face, the priestess is convinced that this time true love will indeed conquer all; but, as they near each other, Steve ignores her outstretched arms, walking past as if she was invisible. Standing a few feet behind Weescoosa are Arf and Omega, and after a brief greeting, the religious leader offers to escort them into the banquet hall. Dejected and rejected once again, Weescoosa hangs her head and walks away.

SCENE 17/Banquet Hall (shot) - Arf and Omega are being honored at a banquet for having saved the town. The twins are welcomed by the good natured mayor who then introduces the pompous religious leader, Steve. As Steve delivers his standard pretentious and self serving speech, Arf and Omaga begin to mock the town's leader, then pummel the midget with giant pieces of broccoli. The previously condescending Steve, now covered with broccoli sauce stains, loses his composure and quickly leaves; the humiliating attack by Arf and Omega has triggered his transformation back to Lonesome Jack. Shortly after, Weenie, disguised as a waiter, shows Arf and Omega the matchbook given to him by Lonesome Jack. The matches are from Willie's Hot Spot, the local night club; claiming an aversion to broccoli, the only item on the menu, the twins hurriedly excuse themselves and leave.

SCENE 18/Cave 2 (shot) - Despondent and depressed, the defeated Bellboys have virtually given up hope when Lonesome Jack suddenly appears in the cave singing the inspirational Evergreen theme song. Joining in with their inspirational leader, the rebels' lift their voices in song - elevating their hopes once again.

SCENE 19/Bridge 1(shot) - Despondent over her continuing romantic failures, Weescoosa is seen walking on the bridge leading out to the desert.

SCENE 20/The Master Plan (not shot) - Originally planned as an animation, Lonesome Jack reveals his Master Plan to the Bellboys in this unshot sequence. The plan is a variation on the Trojan Horse, in which all the rebels disguise themselves as pieces of meat. Since the insurgents have successfully blockaded the town for several months, the villagers have had nothing to eat except broccoli which is of course grown in local greenhouses. Consequently, the meat starved townspeople are desperate - the plan can't possibly fail.

SCENE 21/Cave 3 (shot) - As the camera pulls back from the screen where Lonesome Jack has just revealed his Master Plan, the Bellboys are happily working away on their meat costumes. Lonesome Jack tells Weenie that he has to go out to the desert to meditate.

SCENE 22/Desert 3 (not shot) - Weescoosa is seen at the edge of the desert. While still upset over her continuing romantic failures, the Indian priestess is determined that it will not happen again.

SCENE 23/Night Club 1 (shot) - In a brief musical number, the Mysterious N. Senada is seen performing Eloise in the night club.

SCENE 24/Desert 4 (shot) - Lonesome Jack and Weescoosa meet in the desert. At first, the Indian is cold and distant, but the rebel leader is both romantic and needy, a dangerous combination. He sees her as a sign from Evergreen.

SCENE 25/Night Club 2 (shot) - As Arf and Omega enter Willie's Hot Spot, Peggy Honeydew, Lonesome Jack's girlfriend, is singing. Easily impressed by feminine pulchritude, the twins are ecstatic as they are led to a table by the stage.

SCENE 26/Desert 5 (shot) - Lonesome Jack and Weescoosa continue their love scene. Initially, the Indian priestess still attempts to resist, but the outcome is unavoidable, and gradually she succumbs.

SCENE 27/Cave 4 (shot) - With their meat costumes now complete, The Bellboys are ready to carry out their latest assault on the unsuspecting townspeople. Weenie sends Mel to find Lonesome Jack in the desert.

SCENE 28/Night Club 3 (shot) - Peggy Honeydew joins Arf and Omega at their table. With little effort, the beautiful singer soon has the bickering brothers at each other's throat. Lonesome Jack's Master Plan is apparently working.

SCENE 29/Desert 6 (shot) - Oblivious to everything else, Lonesome Jack and Weescoosa are consumed with the passionate throes of true love, until they are abruptly interrupted by Mel. Without hesitation, the stoic Bellboy informs his leader that preparations for the Master Plan are now complete, and the rest of the rebels are waiting on word from him. Completely conflicted between true love and duty, the overwrought rebel leader is suddenly helpless, and incapable of making a decision. Turning, as if to run away, he bumps Weescoosa, who then falls, hitting her head and knocking herself unconscious. Mumbling that he has no choice but to seek advice from the mysterious Window of Never, Lonesome Jack suddenly disappears. Confused, Mel returns to the cave to inform Weenie.

SCENE 30/Night Club 4 (shot) - As the tension between them escalates, Arf and Omega continue to antagonize each other. Pleased to be the center of attention between two big, strong men, Peggy convinces them to have a contest to determine which one can hold his breath the longest.

SCENE 31/Cave 5 (shot) - Distraught and confused, Mel returns to the cave, telling Weenie that Lonesome Jack has inexplicably run away to the Window of Never. The rebel leader's right hand man instantly realizes that their only hope for salvation lies with one person - Lonesome Jack's mother.

SCENE 32/Night Club 5 (shot) - Encouraged by the smug Peggy Honeydew, Arf and Omega continue to provoke each other. As the tension in the night club continues to grow, it soon becomes obvious that the brother's confrontation will not result in a happy conclusion. As the scene ends, Willie, the owner of the night club, presents the twins with a pair of knives - with blindfolds in place, the brothers prepare for a duel to the death.

SCENE 33/Mother's House 3 (shot) - Weenie, disguised as a frankfurter, hurries into the mother's house, breathlessly informing the older woman that her son has gone to the Window of Never. Without hesitation, and with a mother's love burning in her heart, Lonesome Jack's mother quickly dons her asbestos suit and hurries off to save her son.

SCENE 34/Night Club 6 (shot) - After a brief incantation, overseen by a mysterious cape dancer symbolizing nothing less than death itself, Arf and Omega begin to battle it out on the floor of the night club. Fueled by a fury that only exists in siblings doggedly confronting each other, day after edgy day, the fight escalates with a fever pitch, finally concluding as Arf slips, giving Omega the opening he needs to stab his brother in the heart. This shocking moment of sudden death is then immediately followed by a voice, declaring that Steve, the leader of the town, is at the Window of Never; startled by this unexpected announcement, the crowd vanishes, leaving Omega standing in the center of the dance floor with his dead brother. With the night club suddenly silent, the anguished twin slowly drags his brother's body towards the door, leaving no one in the room except a ventriloquist and his dummy, dancing together on stage. As Arf and Omega pathetically exit the room, the ventriloquist and dummy deliver the story's moral, in the form of an absurd poem, with Willie, the night club's owner, slithering up to utter the final punch line.

SCENE 35/The Window of Never (not shot) - Unexpectedly sucked into a whirlpool of confusion and despair, Steve/Lonesome Jack stands at the edge of a volcano directly below the enigmatic Window of Never. Mumbling incoherently, the lost leader looks up at the Window, which gazes back at him with seeming indifference. Hearing a noise behind him, the pathetic schizophrenic looks back and sees everyone, his mother, the Bellboys, townspeople, night club patrons and Weescoosa - all hurtling towards him at full speed ...and so, seeing no other solution, he jumps.
Without hesitation, and borne by the love that's like no other, his mother immediately follows him, jumping into the volcano and heroically managing to rescue her son with only minor brain damage, which, fortunately, cures his schizophrenia.

Nearly everyone lives happily ever after.