Cinema Insomnia with Mr. Lobo

Cinema Insomnia logo from the opening animation

"*You're not dreaming...you're watching Cinema Insomnia!*"
—Mr. Lobo
***Cinema Insomnia with Mr. Lobo*** is an American television series in the classic "horror host" format, wherein our mysterious host Mr. Lobo (played by Mr. Lobo), along with his sidekick Miss Mittens and an array of guests, presents the showing of a movie, typically cult and/or B-movies, framed and interwoven with original scripted scenes and fake advertisements, along with authentic vintage ads, short films, and other material to evoke the atmosphere of a classic theatrical and drive-in movie experience.

## History

Mr. Lobo started *Cinema Insomnia* at KXTV News 10, an ABC affiliate in Sacramento, California, in 2001. After its 22 episode run there, it moved to public access channel *Access Sacramento* for a 1 year run, which led to its national syndication and being broadcast on hundreds of cable and broadcast systems across the United States, at its peak seeing a footprint of 45 million households.

The show was briefly a part of the now-defunct Roku channel Zom-Bee TV before ultimately settling at its current home on Mr. Lobo's own OSI 74 network.

## The Insomniac's Oath

During every episode, Mr. Lobo instructs his viewers in the recitation of the Insomniac's Oath, serving to hypnotize them into "watching the whole movie, and nothing but the movie." This is usually accompanied by an assistant twirling a hypnotic spiral behind Mr. Lobo. There are occasional variations adapting to circumstances, such as during double features.

**The Oath**

(Following the instruction, "please assume the position, and repeat after Mr. Lobo.")

> *I, as an initiated member of the Sleepless Knights of Insomnia, do solemnly swear to watch the movie, the whole movie, and nothing but the movie, so help me Mr. Lobo.*
>
>

(Characteristically followed by, "you may stand down.")

## Theme Music

"Stomping at 3AM" by Stan Fong. A piece of instrumental swing, Mr. Lobo first heard Fong, a sound engineer and part time musician, playing it when they both worked at KXTV News 10, an ABC affiliate in Sacramento, California. The full song can be bought in digital format from Stan Fong himself at SoundClick.com.

A "live" jazz band arrangement of Stompin' at 3 AM can sometimes be heard on the show. According to Mr. Lobo, this recording was the result of a college jazz music teacher in Louisiana who wrote to the show asking if they could teach the song in their class. Mr. Lobo enthusiastically agreed, and asked for a recording of the class's performance. They're credited in the episode *The Atomic Brain (2016 Version)* as University of Louisiana Lafayette Jazz Band, Dr. Jeffery George, Professor.

### "Web of Love"

At the very beginning of every episode, a short clip is shown from a 1966 "Scopitone" proto-music video of actress and singer Joi Lansing singing "Web of Love." It's from the very beginning of the video, featuring bikini-clad dancers and it ends before Lansing begins to sing.

## The Sleepless Knights of Insomnia Bloodshot Eye Logo

The ubiquitous "Eye" logo was drawn by Mr. Lobo in Sharpie (like most of his art for the show), and it contains hidden details, like a letter E, a letter Y, and the number 10 (referencing KXTV News 10, the channel on which *Cinema Insomnia* originally aired).

## Trivia

* Mr. Lobo is most often seated in a yellow wooden rocking chair as a tribute and homage to Bob Wilkins, host of the original *Creature Features* in the San Francisco Bay Area, who acted as a professional mentor to Mr. Lobo.
* In series lore, Mr. Lobo took over *Cinema Insomnia*'s preceding series, *Insomniac Theater*, from its host, Dark Sarcasma, in 1963.
* *Cinema Insomnia* airs ads for fictional satirical sponsors like the horse dairy products of Hörsenmilken, cutlery of Chinsei ("Chintzy") Knives (overpriced white plastic eating utensils filmed like the classic infomercials for Ginsu Knives), and fan favorite, "Rad" Abrams, Skate Board Attorney.
* *Cinema Insomnia* has what Mister Lobo calls a "loose canon," evinced in the fact that Mr. Lobo didn't visibly age between 1963 and 2016, and that he's died multiple times.

1. ↑ https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=1859158
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopitone
3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVRX9Etbh38
4. ↑ The Atomic Brain (2016 Version)