|
Post by Mod City on Aug 6, 2009 10:28:10 GMT -5
I've loved the show for so long now I just can't fathom where the hate comes from. Even when the critics try to explain their position, it makes no sense to me. So yeah, I'm probably biased Still, I'm more impressed when I run into a fan unexpectedly. Whenever I get worked up about a harsh review, I think about the time the cute checkout girl rang up a MST3K set I was buying, recognized it, then picked it up and held it close to her face, saying, "Ohhhh, I love this show! It used to be on Saturday mornings." Another soldier in the MST3K army And Treadwell, the Rifftrax guys did do Casablanca. Some liked it, some didn't, but it proved that there is definitely no film above a good riffing.
|
|
|
Post by mrsphyllistorgo on Aug 6, 2009 12:40:55 GMT -5
What I hate are people who hate the show for no paticlar reason. I remember asking this one guy why he hated the show and he kept saying "Because the Robots kept raping that guy." I remember it on You tube, Some jerk who had a podcast called archive of the dead, He also hated anyone who believed on God and loved Epic Movie. Er...what?? What version of the show was he watching? Because I don't recall THAT ever happening...
|
|
|
Post by Diet Kolos on Aug 6, 2009 13:15:24 GMT -5
What I hate are people who hate the show for no paticlar reason. I remember asking this one guy why he hated the show and he kept saying "Because the Robots kept raping that guy." I remember it on You tube, Some jerk who had a podcast called archive of the dead, He also hated anyone who believed on God and loved Epic Movie. Er...what?? What version of the show was he watching? Because I don't recall THAT ever happening... I think he meant "verbally raping". At least that what I hope he meant.
|
|
|
Post by Diet Kolos on Aug 6, 2009 14:00:25 GMT -5
In any case, time for more reviews! We've got confused Germans, critics annoyed by "fanboys" defending the show and a guy who thinks throwing the name "WC FIELDS" out there makes him credible. And away we go! ________________________________ Title: Nice try...
Actually this is much easier to write for me, since everybody in the USA seems to know this show, in Germany almost nobody (besides some die-hard b-movie fans) does. So I can start off and tell you that this show is actually not funny at all. And in my opinion, maybe five percent of the joke speak to me. The reasons? Okay, why is it possible for any comedy show to NOT be funny in general? For example if you include too much of "humor" in every part of the show. In MST3K obviously everything wants to come across as funny as possible: The title-song is very funny, the character's costumes are, the character's names are, their pronouncing is, the design of the robot is and the studio is so in the end it is not bearable anymore because everything wants to shout at you: Look how funny we can be, but, ... I think this show's members are very self-righteous, all of their talk is very arrogant and ignorant, especially that's the case with Mike. I don't like this guy, he's definitely not funny, he obviously hates b-movies (at least he tells us all the time). I think Joel is okay up to a certain point but his jokes aren't humorous either. The whole atmosphere of the show is much too much forced to be cool - watch the scientist, watch the robots, watch Miss Forrester, but none of them can convince me of having any talent. What is very disappointing is that we never get to know any information about the movies. Obviously never. This wants to be a show by b-fans for b-fans but it does not provide any information about the actors, about the directors, it just picks on them. And so, the movies that are featured never have the chance not to suck. The movies are treated very unfair, especially in this whole ridiculous atmosphere, the movie just is a target for their childish riffing. Okay, I think that Manos still was the best episode, but I would still consider it at about 4 points, simply because the robots behave too hysterically. By far the worst one I saw was hobgoblins, so in fact the "dialog" between the hosts and the director. This is so childish and stupid, I really feel insulted by this. And of course you will never hear anything that could give you information on the movie, nor the movie will receive criticism by the host, it's only superficial mockery. Yes, superficial, I don't think that the references are too intellectual, nor are they funny. And how the ... can they dare to be talking while there is a dialog going on??
So in my opinion, this show does provide us movies that would be lost forever, and it does provide very few funny jokes and it does also pick on so called educational shorts (e.g. "keeping clean and neat") but in general it is not funny, it is not very creative, those hosts too much behave like clowns so they destroy any atmosphere of trash. Either a bad movie is unintentionally funny all by itself - so they just intercept my fun, or it isn't unintentionally funny - so they are inept of making it a piece of gold. A nice try but a very bad realization. Not recommended.
P.S.: Excuse me if I made errors using the English language.
Update: Maybe I've taken the show a bit too seriously, although I still think the show should have provided more information. I still don't think it's funny enough to be good and I still criticize it for its too freaky characters, but I can understand why the target audience likes it. _________________________________________________
Title: The Ridiculous Ridiculing the Ridiculous--Worse than Bad Movies it Lampoons
Dante writing the Inferno today would reserve for the worst fiends a most horrific punishment: watching all this series for eternity. This sophomoric dreck is worse than any of the "bad movies" the series lampoons. This attempt at being campy fails--it is merely bad.
Commentators criticizing this trash risk ad hominem attacks from the fans who apparently are omniscient: Animan122 comments: "People who diss the show have limited exposure to it, plain and simple. ...Bryce David (who, by the way only gave "Jaws" a 5/10, Jaws, for god's sake!) ..." Animan122 next ridiculously states his perceived criteria for the series' movie selection: "The reason they didn't do big-budget movies is because it would've cost too much to get the rights to them." The real reason was that they were in public domain and free!
Even though I have a high pain threshold' I was only able to watch a few of these, none all the way. I learned of the series as I had wanted a DVD of Corman's "The Undead" (1957), apparently only legal in PAL format from Arkoff Film Library (UK). I'd never heard of Mystery Science Theater, but found a DVD-R of their "Undead(1997)." It was so bad (their additions) I had to buy the PAL version (tho later found a fair quality region-free DVD-R). The Corman film stands on its own; why add sub-juvenile drive-time radio type drivel escapes me.
Suitable for a coaster or Frisbee or for insomnia. Thomas J McKeon Editor's Note: Oh its the Thomas J McKeon! *rollseyes* Thanks for the name, but no one cares. _______________________________________________
Title: Who told these guys they're funny?
I'm a big fan of "it's so bad it's good" movies (check my IMDb reviews). I've enjoyed watching them since I was a kid, even before the concept of bad movies a la Ed Wood became an "in" thing. Some bad movies are so beautifully bad that they're almost an art-form. Some films definitely deserve to be made fun of, like TERROR IN THE JUNGLE, DRAGON HUNT, NIGHTMARE WEEKEND, A NAME FOR EVIL, DON'T GO IN THE WOODS come to mind. But there are also big Hollywood movies which are as bad if not worse than the majority of obscure grade-z films.
So as an avid fan of bad movies, I finally decided to watch several MST3K episodes and I never laughed at anything. Anyone can do funnier improvisational bits than these guys. In fact, drunk guys who know nothing about movies would be funnier than these guys.
I watched the episode with THE CRAWLING EYE and it wasn't funny at all. The movie itself is not great but with so many bad movies out there, which are much worse than this, THE CRAWLING EYE didn't deserve to be made fun of. Some films are so bad unto themselves that add-libbing comedy bits to them is hardly a remarkable or a clever feat.
This is the main problem with these guys. Not only they think they're funny, when in fact they're not, but they selectively choose certain films to make fun of, mostly old low budget movies, when big budget atrocities released by Hollywood, past and present, like THE PHANTOM MENACE or VAN HELSING, deserve more derision than these often forgotten or deservedly forgotten films. It's very easy to make fun of old movies if you're a snobby Fanboy. It's ironic that a low-budget show like this one can only afford low-budget films. Getting the rights of big budget films would be too costly so these poor unfunny comedians are stuck trashing films which are mainly public domain stuff.
But there's something more disturbing about this show. It's the inherent elitism it reeks. Today's generation rarely watch old movies. There's so many disposable new films on DVD or cable, and so much specialty programming spoon-feeding these young viewers that this generation can hardly think outside the box when it comes to entertainment. When I was young, everyone watched old movies and as well as current films. There were just a few channels and we could watch something made in the 1930s as well as the 1970s or 80s. It wasn't unusual for me to watch a WC Fields movie one moment and then watch a brazen Blaxploitation film right after. Ask anyone under 30 who WC Fields is and probably no one would know who this comedian giant is. And it's not just about old movies, but TV shows, music, books, etc. A 20-something will see an old film on TV and immediately switch channels. We have an entire generation of moviegoers who don't even watch movies which are 5 years old, never mind one that is 40 years old, no matter how good or bad they are. And these MST3K guys feed into this massive generation gap, by trashing old movies mainly because, well, they're just old. For many, an old film = bad film. Just check the MST3K IMDb forum for examples.
In the end, if you're a fan of bad movies, you don't need to watch MST3K to enjoy them. I certainly won't be watching this unfunny show anymore.
Editor's Note: As he suggests, check his reviews. His priorities are wayyyy out of wack..
One star for "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, One star for Boondock Saints, Two stars for "Conan the Barbarian, Three stars for Cleopatra, Three stars for V for Vendetta, Four stars for Zardoz , Five stars for Barbarella, Five stars for Jaws, Six stars for Transformers (2007), Seven stars for Moonraker, And Hercules (the one with Steve Reeves) gets TEN stars You get the gist. __________________________
Sound off!
|
|
|
Post by quinnmartin on Aug 6, 2009 15:50:11 GMT -5
Notice how all the negative reviewers seem to be fans of b-movies and/or sci-fi/horror movies? They might say "it's not funny", but their criticism seems to be much more of the idea of riffing on these movies than about the jokes themselves.
I'd be much more interested a negative review if it was focused on the content of the show, rather than just a review of the premise. A negative review by an Office fan or a Kids in the Hall fan, who's reviewing the show as a comedy not simply as a platform for mocking movies.
And I love the German reviewer. Did he ever stop to think that maybe he, and other Germans, would have a hard time appreciating a show that draws so much of its humor from (often obscure) American pop culture?
|
|
|
Post by pups4ever on Aug 6, 2009 18:36:35 GMT -5
The last reviewer picks the first episode (which, even as a fan, I could not sit through all the way). I do think he makes a good point about many people today not watching older movies. Check out most college students' "favorite movies" on facebook. For most people, they don't have a movie on there made before 2004.
However, MST3K was made for people of all ages and no one thinks that these movies are bad because they are old, they are bad because, dear God, just watch them! The only movies that came within shouting distance of being good are "The Painted Hills" and SOME of the Universal movies they've done.
The second reviewer LIKED "The Undead" as a movie?!?! I do not think there are enough drugs in the world to make that movie enjoyable. Also, he picked an episode that I would consider weak overall to base his entire opinion of the series on, which seems to be a recurring theme in these anti-MST reviews (though I did like Agent for H.A.R.M. and thought Servo's comments before the James Bond theme were really funny).
|
|
|
Post by angilasman on Aug 6, 2009 20:54:29 GMT -5
Funny thing: the jokes in MST3K are often rich with references pertaining to old movies, some of which are classic sci-fi!
|
|
|
Post by Blue Raja on Aug 6, 2009 21:12:37 GMT -5
Notice how all the negative reviewers seem to be fans of b-movies and/or sci-fi/horror movies? They might say "it's not funny", but their criticism seems to be much more of the idea of riffing on these movies than about the jokes themselves. I'd be much more interested a negative review if it was focused on the content of the show, rather than just a review of the premise. A negative review by an Office fan or a Kids in the Hall fan, who's reviewing the show as a comedy not simply as a platform for mocking movies. I noticed this myself. As I read these, I'm wondering just what exactly these people DO find funny. Complaining about "talking during the movie" and "ridiculing people's sincere attempts at art" and whatnot. For instance, do they enjoy ANY form of stand-up comedy? The vast majority of spoken jokes (as opposed to physical comedy) created by comedians are always about SOMETHING or SOMEONE. The thing is, THEY get to pick the topic! Their ex-wife, restaurant experiences, a celebrity, whatever. With MST3K, there's an added "restraint" - they HAVE to make jokes about what's in front of them, in real time. And they still manage to make it as varied and unique a comedy experience as anything else out there. From poop jokes to Shakespeare - who can claim that? I also gotta wonder - do these people hate shows like "The Soup" as well? That's even more mean-spirited than MST3K, in my opinion. (I enjoy it a bunch, mind you - I just see it as being in a similar mold) I don't know, I just don't see the need to be offended that someone is talking during a movie ABOUT that movie, when it's obviously intended to be a comedy show about riffing movies in the first place. Just as you can joke about airline food, so can you joke about what's going on in a movie. Simple as that.
|
|
|
Post by tygerbug on Aug 7, 2009 9:30:51 GMT -5
Hey, I know that Eric Wallace guy. I've met him. Wow.
|
|
|
Post by crowschmo on Aug 7, 2009 19:53:27 GMT -5
Aren't they, themselves, "riffing" the show? Duh.
|
|
|
Post by stevehadcrackers on Aug 7, 2009 20:08:02 GMT -5
Can't we like B-movies and like the show also? I know I do.
|
|
|
Post by crowschmo on Aug 7, 2009 20:10:32 GMT -5
Sure, we ALL do!
|
|
|
Post by angilasman on Aug 7, 2009 20:10:34 GMT -5
I'm obviously a big Godzilla fan, but I love the show (not a real Gamera lover though - aside from the revival movies of the '90s)
|
|
|
Post by mylungswereaching on Aug 7, 2009 20:48:49 GMT -5
I can understand not liking MST3k. I don't like a lot of shows that are popular. I can understand an Eh reaction. I can't understand the hatred that I see.
I can understand not watching episodes that feature movies that you really love. I do that with Rifftrac. But, how could anyone possibly love every movie that Mst3k riffed? Having a soft spot for a few, sure, I like a lot of bad movies, but all of them?
If I had to rate the movies A,B,C,D,F, I'd rate a few movies in the C's, a lot of D and D- movies and many many F's. I like monster movies but I have no problem watching them riff on them.
|
|
|
Post by J.R. Ewing on Aug 8, 2009 2:24:03 GMT -5
First impressions mean a lot. I can honestly understand, to a point, disliking the show if their very first MST3K experiences ever was one of the more weaker episodes and thinking that's what the whole series is like.
In my experience, the worst reactions I've seen to MST3K personally was "Meh" reactions. They just didn't care for the premise and that's okay with me.
|
|