Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 26, 2013 11:39:40 GMT -5
Well, Christmas morning is here! Or at least something equal to it. Opening a new set always gets me as excited as a kid opening presents!
I don't have mine yet. It should arrive latter today, and I'll start going through it sometime tonight. Anybody got it yet? Thoughts? Complaints? Is Kathy Ireland an Illegal Alien from LA? Did you get you're Mole People checked by your doctor? Was it bad news?
We must know!
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 26, 2013 12:38:47 GMT -5
Holy crap! My mail service got mine here extra fast today! Oh goodness me, so much riffing where to start?
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 26, 2013 16:22:32 GMT -5
First Shout set of the year has some good, if not spectacular extras on it. None of the features pass the twenty minute mark, but hey, there's some good information to be had.
First disc is Magic Sword, which features an interview with Bert I. Gordon, who's probably one of the more entertaining directors featured on the show. Honestly, the man is engaging and his history in Hollywood is interesting. He recounts his tales of being the underdog nobody believed in to the point where some guy literally spotted him with a camera and just point blank asked him if he wanted to be a director. His life story is entertaining and sometimes odd and absurd. Everything I could hope for in a Gordon movie, let alone life. Hooray for Bert!
Also featured are some cute MST Hour wraps and a trailer for the movie.
Next up is Alien from LA, which gives us yet another director interview, Albert Pyun (who also directed the 90s Captain America movie, which Shout is releasing on blu-ray in May). Pyun seems like a good chap. He's neither apologetic about the movie he made nor kidding himself as to what it actually is, but he does make it clear that he likes it. He says he hasn't seen the MST episode of it, saying he's afraid to.
There's also a very f'ing retro trailer for the movie. Seriously, I felt like I was a little kid popping in a VHS for a second. Sooooo 80s.
The only movie related feature for Danger!! Death Ray is a trailer for the film, which makes it clear that the movie isn't about anything. I found it hilarious that there's several points in the trailer where people are minding their own business when Bart Fargo just walks up and punches them in the face. The UNPROVOKED ACTION film of the year!
The only series related feature on the set is on this disc, another one of those Life After MST features, this time on Mike. He covers quite a few things that were already covered in Kevin and Bill's segments, but he has a great perspective on it. He gives a great summery of the Film Crew and the creation of Rifftrax was a treat. Also the origins of his novel Death Rat was a kick.
Finally we have Mole People, which gives us yet another doc based around the Universal library (following Brute Man and Revenge of the Creature). Mole People isn't high on my list of Universal flicks that demanded a "making of" (I'd like to see one for the Old Dark House, personally) but there are a few good stories here. The overall picture of the behind the scenes on the film is a little dry, though.
And concluding the set is a trailer for Mole People.
Well breezed through that. Next up, I'm going to check out the episodes.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Mar 26, 2013 17:15:46 GMT -5
Does Bert I. have any comments about MST? They were pretty rough on him over the years. I have to say, of the awful directors featured multiple times in the show, Bert I.'s films had the most charm. Still incredibly inept, but there was a fun feel to them.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 26, 2013 17:20:56 GMT -5
Didn't mention the show at all that I recall, but he also contributed to the disc of Tormented way back when, so I doubt he has any hard feelings toward the show. He seems to have good spirits about his movies and knows he made some wacky stuff. He seems like the type that would take it in good humor. But I can't speak for him.
Has a great way with telling a story though. I'd say his interview is the highlight of the set.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 26, 2013 17:54:00 GMT -5
One episode down! Joel's only offering on this set, the Magic Sword, is a solid one. Colorful and goofy movie from Bert Gordon with playful riffing to boot. Frank as the skeleton at the end makes me laugh hysterically.
Picture enthusiasts will be pleased with this one. There were no flaws or tape hits that I saw. Really quality release on this one.
I won't be able to get to the rest until later tonight, but this set's looking good so far.
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Post by sirhamhat on Mar 26, 2013 18:25:26 GMT -5
Thanks for the updates, Torgo. I got mine today as well, but won't be able to dive in till the upcoming long weekend. For us video enthusiasts, its good to know that Magic Sword is in good shape. I really enjoy the episode. Its become one of my "go-to" episodes, cause its fun and light-hearted movie with some fun riffs. Please continue to let us perfect-picture codgers know how the rest of the eps look as you get to them.
Its weird, but the worst "tape hits" always seem to be on the season 6 Mike episodes... You would assume season 1 would be in awful shape because they are the oldest, but most of the season 1 episodes are pretty pristine--with the exception of the weird tape glitch on Robot Monster. Anyhow... thanks again!
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 26, 2013 23:06:31 GMT -5
It's what I do. Like I said, new sets just fire my engine. I'm already anxious to get the next one in my hands.
Up next is the woefully underrated Alien From LA. Maybe it's just me, but I really like this one, probably because as a child of the 80s I've watched my fair share of this type of movie. It's annoying, but it's a retro, nostalgic annoying. The riffing is pretty good, with some great host segments sandwiching the movie. The Vend-A-Gut kicks booty.
For the most part the picture is good, though I noticed a few bad frames every once in a while. On the plus side, they're brief and confined to the top of the screen, so they're not that bothersome. The VHS quality of the movie shown might also hide them fairly well too.
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Post by Mod City on Mar 26, 2013 23:54:42 GMT -5
I still haven't ordered, dammit. Come on tax return! I'm really happy to hear Magic Sword looks good. Bert I. Gordon's stuff will always be what MST3K is made of for me.
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Post by georgewendt on Mar 27, 2013 0:44:52 GMT -5
Got my set today too! The only episode I've seen before is Mole People. Watched The Magic Sword tonight and really enjoyed it. The interview with Mr. BIG is short & sweet but really pretty interesting.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 27, 2013 0:51:26 GMT -5
"Frank you look like a slut!" "DO YOU REALLY THINK SO?! DO I!"
Far and away the best episode on the set and the best spy episode of the series. I actually hadn't seen Danger!! Death Ray in a while, but man, I remember how hard I laugh at it. It lived up to those memories. Really cheap and lousy Italian 007 knock off provides many laughs on its own with its awful effects work ("Special effects by Billy!"). And I forgot all about that hand shot at the end. How the hell did the editor miss that? That's even more embarrassing than the Hitler Building.
At that point, anything going on riff-wise is just icing on the cake.
Video presentation is mostly solid. The picture blinked at several points but nothing worth complaining about.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Mar 27, 2013 2:28:49 GMT -5
And we conclude our broadcast day with Mole People. Best movie of the set (at least the least incompetent...not near one of Universal's finest hours) is given ho hum riffing and hit or miss host segments. Not a favorite, but a lazy afternoon time killer. Weakest episode of the set.
The picture was in the weakest condition of the episodes on the set quality wise. It had both the blinking video from Death Ray and the flashing line at the top from Alien From LA. However they're mostly confined to the beginning portion of the episode, and like all the other tape hits on the set they're blink and you'll miss them. I'm not bothered by them.
Overall good average on the episodes, enjoyable extras, and consistent video quality. A good set worth buying.
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Post by sirhamhat on Mar 27, 2013 4:08:30 GMT -5
Thanks for the update and digging through the set in one evening, Torgo. I'm a bit shocked to hear that The Mole People was in bad shape, cause I don't recall any of the SciFi channel episodes having any noticeable tape hits before... oh well... I don't know why I expect the glitches to not be there each time... Its just par for the course, at this point. As I've stated every time a new box set comes out, these tape hits ruin my new episode watching experience. Episode-wise, this is a pretty good set in my opinion. Alien From LA is one of my favorites, Magic Sword has become one of my favorites, Danger!! Death Ray is a good episode and The Mole People is an okay episode. I guess I'll see it all for myself when I watch them myself over the weekend.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Mar 27, 2013 5:23:39 GMT -5
Well hells bells, I forgot all about this. I went to take a look at my order and Amazon hasn't even shipped it yet.
Bummer to read about the tape hits on Mole People. I wish they didn't distract me as much as they do... but they do. I think it's the way I watch film. I mean I really pay close attention to details when I watch: Camera angles, framing, lighting, edits, props and settings, actors and how they respond and react to the people and things around them, you name it. I'm not a casual viewer, even with MST3K. I see all... and it can drive me bonkers when my eye catches a flaw.
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Post by ratherdashing on Mar 27, 2013 17:02:10 GMT -5
My preorder still hasn't shipped yet. Curse you canadian amazon!
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