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Post by kmorgan on Sept 10, 2019 23:21:27 GMT -5
Well, let's review week 222.
"Road House" is quite possibly the quintessential 80s action flick. And it's actually pretty good, with memorable acting and script that doesn't take itself too seriously. The action works OK and isn't over the top. There are, though, a couple of questions I can think of. First, even though villainous Brad Wesley has the cops paid off, I can't understand why they don't at least make it look like they're trying, if only to keep the state police from moving in on the obvious corruption. And second, does Dr. Girlfriend really think Dalton, who acts with restraint and only kills when he's immediately threatened with no alternatives, is a bigger threat than brutal, corrupt Wesley and his goons, who terrorize people just for fun? As noted, I listened to the solo riff from Mike. He does a good job, and obviously has a liking for this movie. And I liked his downbeat epilogue to the movie.
As for "Amazing Colossal Man". it's on OK movie from B.I.G., even if it is an obvious attempt at a reverse cash-in on "Incredible Shrinking Man". The SPFX are sometimes lacking, like when Glen seems to go transparent, but at least he doesn't get as annoying as the punks in "Village of the Giants". The riffing was good, and I liked Mike's appearance as Glen. One bit of trivia I wasn't aware of: this episode has Kevin's first on-screen appearance, when he shows up as Robert Plant. It's a shame that this is one of the movies that Susan Hart owns and keeps locked away. Does anyone know just why she's so obsessive about that?
So, let's move on to week 223. The Outsiders selection is..."Poopie Parade of Values"... - It's the Turkey Day infomercial, and I wonder if the telephone number is still good. ... and since this one lasts less than 30 minutes, I'm exercising my second feature option with..."RT: The Woman in Green"... - Bridget & Mary Jo have a three-pipe problem, it seems. ... and the Originals selection is..."Gamera vs. Barugon". - A Gamera movie without a cute kid? Son of a gun!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 17, 2019 23:55:51 GMT -5
Okay, let's look back at week 223.
"Poopie Parade of Values" was a very funny breather moment during the "MST Anthology" marathon. Basically, Kevin, Mike & Trace shill for BBI's release of the "MST Scrapbook" and "Poopie" videocassettes. And it works very well, as both an infomercial and as a comedy bit. With their matching outfits and forced happiness, the guys are a perfect satire of the infomercial genre, along with their very, very simplistic dialogue (like explaining how a VHS cassette works). It's a very funny segment, with good clips from both videos. Oh, but I didn't need the infomercial; I'd bought my copies from Gypsy's Basement at ConvenioCon II. And I haven't tried the toll-free number yet.
As for "The Woman in Green", I've been a fan of the Rathbone/Bruce movies since I was a kid. In hindsight, I can see that Bruce's bumbling portrayal of Watson was certainly non canonical, but I can still roll with it. In this movie, a relatively tame bit of serial killing leads to Holmes' nemesis, Prof. Moriarty (a cool & villainous Henry Daniell). The titualar woman is played by Hillary Brooke, before she was Abbott & Costello's neighbor. The movie is pretty much OK, with some good scenes (like Moriarty's visit to Baker St.), but it's still one of the lesser entries. A better on is "The Pearl of Death", with a great appearance by Rondo Hatten. Bridget & Mary Jo do an excellent job of riffing. Not only are the jokes funny, but they're clearly having a good time. Fun stuff!
As for "Gamera vs. Barugon", this is the most serious and adult of the early Gamera movies. No cute kids or Gamera dancing go-go. There are actual grown-ups, and they don't all behave well. There's both monsters and humans brawling, with the monsters looking a bit more respectable. They even try for some actual emotional content. I'd say this one is pretty much the best of the early Gamera barch. The riffing from Joel & the 'bots is great, of course. The host segments were also good, especially the monster playset commercial and the analysis of the cast. Very funny stuff.
Nice little triple feature. So, we'll move on with Week 224. The Outsiders selection is... "'Year at the Movies' Interview" (w/ Kevin)... - Kevin plugs his book for about ten minutes. That's about it. ... and since this is a short-runner, the second attraction is... "RT: Shorts-A-Poppin" (2nd half)... - Yeah, they're poppin', but are they poppin' fresh? ... and the Originals selection is... "The Last Chase" (Show K-20). - Better, stronger, faster. But is it entertaining?
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 24, 2019 22:32:41 GMT -5
Okay, let's see how week 224 went, before week 225 is over. Anyway...
The interview with Kevin re: "A Year at the Movies" does, indeed, only run about ten minutes. But I shouldn't have sounded so crass about it. He talks with an NPR interviewer and briefly speaks about his dissatisfaction with multiplexes, his meeting with a silent film projectionist at the El Capitan Theater, and his admiration for French filmmaker Agnes Varda. It's brief, but very interesting. As for "Shorts-A-Poppin'", there are four shorts in the second half. There's "Molly Grows Up" (an example of the other movie the girls had to go see, while we boys waited around in class), "The Bill of Rights in Action" (one of my favorite shorts, where we see a Nazi jerk get what's coming to him, maybe), "The Tale of Moose Baby" (a nature short about a young moose and his woodland neighbors) and "The Following Instructions Game" (featuring a kid with, amazingly, worse attention and memory problems than I have). The riffing in these was good, but I was surprised by a couple of things they missed. For example, the shopkeeper in the last one was played by Hal Smith (a.k.a. Otis Campbell on "The Andy Griffith Show"). You'd think they'd ask if he had a snootfull.
As for "The Last Chase", I remember watching this movie on cable back in the 80s, long before MST got it, and even longer before I saw their version. It's a generally OK post-apocalypse/dystopia movie from Canada. It has an interesting premise, and good work from Lee Majors and Burgess Meredith, plus a cool car and a cool jet fighter. However, the budget is rather low, the main villain is far too one-note, and the plot needed some work. The ad-libbed riffing is good, especially by J/J.E. The host segments are mainly devoted to fan letters, including announcing the 1,000th member of the fan club. And the opening has funny bit with Forrester trying to create cold fusion with the reluctant help of Larry Ehrhardt.
Well, that went pretty well. So, on to the aforementioned week 225. The Outsiders selection is... "RT Live: MST3K Reunion Show"... - It's not the whole cast, but it's pretty darn close. ... while the Originals selection is... "Catalina Caper" (Show 204). - At least Tommy Kirk doesn't have to deal with giant punks in this one.
Enjoy!
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 2, 2019 23:26:27 GMT -5
I'm really late this time. No need to go into details. Anyway, week 225...
The RT "MST3K Reunion" turned out pretty well. While a bit short of a full reunion (Josh, Paul & Jim weren't there), they did manage to get a good turnout from the cast. And they did a fine job riffing on a good selection of shorts. Those included "The Talking Car" (another kid gets advice from a sentient inanimate object), "A Word to the Wives" (Bridget & Mary Jo riff on a short featuring an inept husband who doesn't win a major award), "More Dates for Kay" (Trace & Frank riff on a girl's attempt to snare as many high school males as possible), a re-riff of "Shake Hands with Danger" (insert guitar riff here), "Americans at Work: Barbers and Beauticians" (Joel & Jonah don't encounter Floyd Lawson), and two full-cast riffs on, respectively, "Stamp Day for Superman" (the Man of Steel gives investment advice) and fan-favorite "At Your Fingertips: Grass" (no, not that kind of grass). I saw this when it was live-remoted, but long-time readers will remember that I missed the first showing by underestimating how many tickets would be sold. Silly me. Anyways, I've since gotten the DVD copy, which includes the pre-show title cards.
As for "Catalina Caper", it's just an innocuous, pleasant late entry in the "beach party" genre. There's some passable bubble gum pop music, a tepid romance, some equally-tepid crime, and some lesser comedy. It's not up to the Frankie/Annette/Eric Von Zipper level, but it's not too bad. And Little Richard doesn't embarrass himself too much. The riffing is very good, as they started to take full advantage of pre-scripting. In the host segments, there's Joel's very funny review of the Sixties, and Servo's classic rendition of "Creepy Girl". The ep isn't one of the greats, but it's one of the better ones.
So, let's look at the choices for what little is left of week 226. The Originals selection is..."CT: The Doomsday Machine"... - Where's Matt Decker when you need him? ... and the Orginals selection is... "The Beatniks" (Show 415). - I DIDN'T KILL THAT FAT BARKEEP!!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 8, 2019 21:42:37 GMT -5
Well, I'm a bit better in terms of time. Anyway, here's a look at week 226...
"The Doomsday Machine" is one of the worst movies I've ever seen, which is saying a lot. For those who don't know about this thing, they started making it in 1967, then they ran out of money, so it wasn't finished until 1972, with none of the original cast, sets or props. The result is an ending that may be even worse than "Monster a Go-Go". And then there's the inconsistent script and the bad acting. If you'd like more detail, I could put up the review I wrote for the old Even Deeper Blurting site; let me know if you'd like to see it. This was the second CT effort released. It was made when they were still studio-bound, using a variation of Shadowrama, and had the electron scaffolding-thing storyline. The riffing and the host segments were OK, but I preferred the live shows for their spontaneity.
As for "The Beatniks", the movie is generally OK, as long as you aren't expecting any actual beatniks. We've seen this sort of thing many times before, with the sort-of nice guy trying to break away from his crooked pals. The acting ranges from OK to Peter Breck's staggeringly over-the-top performance. The songs are good, if not particularly catchy. As for the "General Hospital" segment, it's pretty much typical soap opera fare; I wish they'd done a few more of these. They lend themselves well to riffing. As for the riffing, it's very good. The host segments were OK, especially the rise & fall of Tom's career. It is a bit jarring to see Joel's actions in the rock-paper-scissors game, though.
Two good riffing efforts, but only one passable movie this time. So, let's look at week 227. For the Outsiders selection, I'm going outside the rotation for a newly-added title... "RT: Yor, Hunter from the Future"... - Starring Reb "The Many Names of Dave Ryder" Brown. ... while the Originals selection is... "Gamera vs. Guiron" (Show 312). - Let's hope there are no traffic accidents.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 15, 2019 12:28:33 GMT -5
Time to look at week 227.
"Yor: Hunter from the Future" is, in my opinion, an almost admirably bad movie. Basically, our primitive hero wanders around, finds a settlement, charms a local girl, watches said settlement be destroyed, then leaves and starts it all over again someplace else. In the process, there's some cheap VFX, poor plotting, and lots and lots of animal skin-looking costumes. And then we learn what we already knew from the title: we're in a post-Apocalypse future and Yor is a Chosen One and you can guess the rest. Now, when I researched this one for Even Deeper Blurting years ago, I found out this is "movie" is just like "Cosmic Princess" and "Riding with Death", in that it's a bunch of TV episodes cut together. I suppose the original might make more sense, but I'm not sure. Anyway, while this movie is bad, it's just off-the-wall enough to still be enjoyable. I understand the original movie has been released on Blu-Ray with a good commentary by Reb Brown; I might just check it out. As for the RT treatment, the guys do a very good job. As could be expected, there are some "Space Mutiny" riffs (appropriate, given that much of the ending seems to have been filmed in an identical factory/warehouse), and another Golden Corral slogan. There's also an uncalled-for slam on Kathy Ireland, for some reason, but I'll let them slide, this time. Personally, I think this one would be perfect for a live show next year.
As for "Gamera vs. Guiron", this one of the lesser Gamera movies. The characters are annoying, though at least the kids aren't psychotic like Kenny. The dubbing (Hello!) is regarded as one (Thank You!) of the worst efforts in movie history, (Thank You!) and I agree with that opinion.(Hello!) And, while the VFX are OK, I agree with the guys that the violence in this one is pretty sick. I mean, dismemberment and gore in a kids' movie? About the only good thing this movie inspires is memories of watching it on "The 4:30 Movie" on Channel 7, and joking about it with my brothers. ("How do you like your brains?" "Medium rare!") The riffing is great, of course. Gamera movies always mean great riffing. The host segments were good, particularly the Richard Burton tribute. (Did he really do a guest shot on "The Fall Guy"?) I have to figure that somebody has actually marketed Joel's collapsible trash can; it's too good an idea to abandon. And Mike's appearance as Michael Feinstein is one of the show's best moments.
Well, that wasn't too bad, I thought. Let's go on to week 228. The Outsiders selection is..."Frank KCAL Interview (1995)"... - This is an audio item that I haven't heard in a while. Looking forward to it. ... while the Originals selection is... "Invasion U.S.A." (Show 602). - Featuring two Lois Lanes and no Check Norris.
We now pause for station identification...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 19, 2019 22:35:07 GMT -5
Hey, I'm nearly on time. Whattta ya know about that? Anyway, week 228...
The interview with Frank, as noted, is from 1995. KCAL was, and still is, an FM Rock station in the San Bernadino area. Frank appeared on their weekday morning show, which was as hyped up as you'd expect. One can only imagine how much caffeine and sugar the hosts' systems were processing. Still, it's a good interview Frank talked about his job of selecting movies for the show, as well as a couple of projects he was working on (like a book, and an update of "Fractured Fairy Tales" for Disney) that, so far as I know, haven't yet materialized. He even got to riff on the top-of-the-hour news updates. The copy I got runs around 35 minutes, and is worth a listen.
As for "Invasion U.S.A.", it's another paranoid "it couldn't happen here...or could it?" 50s propaganda piece. The problem is, in promoting its message, it assumes that America is totally unprepared for any attack or any response to said attack. And, as others have pointed out, it's interesting that the movie seems to favor fighting an all-controlling Communist government by making Americans turn over everything to an all-controlling U.S. government. And the "all a dream" ending, while expected, is still a rip-off. Still, it features Gerald Mohr (who I hear a lot on the Radio Classics channel on satellite radio) and Dan O'Herlihy (before "Fail-Safe", where he'd help stop a Russian attack on America). As for "A Date with Your Family", it's one of the best shorts they ever featured. And I don't recall any of my family dinners being so strict in terms of routine or planning. The riffing is very good on this one. The host segments were OK, and I particularly liked the takeoff on the short. I do have to wonder if Mike really broke Servo when he bopped him with the clown hammer.
This week turned out pretty good. So, let's move on to week 229. For the Outsiders selection, I'm going outside the rotation for... "RT: Starship Troopers"... - There's a reason I chose this; I'll explain later. And it's not because I want the benefits of Citizenship. ... and the Originals selection is... "Clowns in the Sky (Vol. II)". - All original hits! All original artists!
Keep those cars & letters coming in, folks...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 26, 2019 9:55:21 GMT -5
Time to look back at week 229.
Okay, I freely admit that when I first saw "Starship Troopers", I didn't know it was being satirical about the book and jingoistic movies. Now that I do know, I guess the movie is a bit better in my view. That doesn't make it any less riffworthy, though. And I strongly disagree with Paul Verhoeven's assertion that present day America is no different from fascist Nazi Germany, which was one of his points in the movie. I'll just look at it as a big, dumb sci-fi/action movie and leave it at that. Due to rights issues, no copy of the live riffing is available, outside of whatever bootlegs might be floating around. So, the studio "jokes only" riff is the best I have. The guys did a great job, I thought. And, since this version lacks the gorillagram, I averted my eyes at the appropriate times. And as for why I chose this one, here's the reason. This past Monday, Oct. 21st, was the 3rd anniversary of when my brother Bri passed away from a heart attack at age 46. One of my fondest memories of him was the first time he saw "Starship Troopers". It was on TV at our home. And near the end, there's the scene where Neil Patrick Harris (playing "Doogie Himmler", as fans refer to the character) scans the captured Brain Bug and declares, "It's afraid!" I guess it was the set-up for the scene combined with Harris' delivery of the line, but I had never seen Bri laugh so hard at anything, even L.S.D.'s song in "The Producers". He thought it was the funniest thing ever. And, when I treated him to the RT Live version, he was a bit ticked that the guys talked over that scene. Still, I figured I watch it in his memory.
As for "Clowns in the Sky II", it features songs from Seasons 8 & 9 of the original show. It's pretty good, though the lack of dialogue and set-up kind of detracts from the humor at times. On the other hand, we do get to hear the bawdy song the Servos sing from "Quest of the Delta Knights". And at some point "When Loving Lovers Love" has got to become a standard.
Well, that turned out well. Moving on to week 230, the Outsiders selection is..."MST3K-TM: The Motion Picture Odyssey"... - Perhaps a better title would be "The Ecstasy and the Agony". ... and for the Originals, I'm going outside the rotation for... "Mystery Science Theater 3000 LIVE: The Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour". - I'm going to both live shows today at the State Theater in New Brunswick, NJ. I'll refrain from the drinking and the naked bathing in the Raritan.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 28, 2019 22:55:20 GMT -5
Got a late addition to week 230. The MST3K-TM segment runs about 33 minutes, and Halloween is coming later this week. So, I'm adding an additional selection..."Podhouse 90: Dracula Has Risen in the Polls". - Featuring Trace, Josh/J. Elvis, and Frank. And not Christopher Lee.
Trick or treat!
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 6, 2019 0:05:56 GMT -5
I'm a bit late this time, due to having to prepare a longer report. Anyway, week 230...
"MST3K: The Motion Picture Odyssey" is an interesting Ballyhoo documentary on the Shout Factory release of MST3K-TM. It runs about 33 minutes, and is pretty good. It features comments from Trace, Kevin, Jim, Mike, Jeff Stonehouse and Jef Maynard. It includes some nice behind-the-scenes footage and stills, as well. The guys all pretty much say that the actual filming of the movie was great, but the hassles from &^%$#@ Universal/Grammercy were awful. And you almost want to track down the focus group members and ask them, "What precisely were you thinking?" Still, at least we now have all the cut scenes readily available, the show continues, and "Barb Wire" has been relegated to the cinematic ash heap. One day, though, I wouldn't mind seeing them publish the original script BBI wanted to film.
As for "Dracula Has Risen in the Polls", it's a Podhouse 90 audio production written & directed by Frank. It's about how the Count turns to podcasting to build up his public image and runs afoul of a competing podcast from Van Helsing. Trace plays Dracula, and really gives his Lugosi impersonation a workout. The cast also features J. Elvis, Larraine Newman, Dana Gould and a cameo by Frank. As could be expected, it's pretty funny and is sharply satirical. It features digs at alternative media, social media, New York City, the NYPD, psychiatry, and "Twilight". And there are leprechauns. I haven't heard the other Podhouse 90 productions, but I'll have to get to them. Oh, be advised: the language in this production warrants an R rating.
As for the live tour, here's my report: Months ago, when the list of dates & venues for this year’s live tour was announced, I immediately started looking for the Keswick Theater in Glenside, PA, where I’d seen the shows the last two tours. I was disappointed to see that the Keswick wasn’t listed. But then I was pleasantly surprised to see the State Theater in New Brunswick, NJ listed. So, I could see the shows, and my travel time was reduced from about two hours to about fifteen minutes. I bought my tickets right away. In the days leading up to the show, I started planning my trip. Yes, New Brunswick was very close and pretty familiar, but it’s also a major hassle to drive around and to park in. So, in a rare smart move, I sprung for an extra $15 to reserve a space at a parking deck just two blocks from the theater. I’d also heard about a meet & greet for MSTies at a nearby bar, so I figured I’d start out somewhat early and check it out. When I got to the bar, I was disappointed not to find any other obvious fans there. Figuring I’d gotten my signals crossed, I got myself a ginger ale (hey, I was I driving later) and took it easy for a bit before walking back to the theater. I was still early enough for the 3PM show that I had more than enough time to get my tickets (I had trouble printing them at work) and still be near the front of the crowd getting in. Unlike the Keswick, I didn’t have to empty my pockets and go through a metal detector when they opened the doors. My first stop inside was the merchandise stand; I figured I’d shop right away, ahead of the crowd. I got a mug, a poster and a tote bag. Then, I waited a bit more for the doors to the auditorium to open. Once that happened, I got to my seat (lower level, about halfway to the stage, on the aisle) and settled in. It’s actually a pretty good venue, and they had a pretty full house. Anyway, the show started right on time with Joel leading us in a rendition of the theme song, sort of. (Slightly different tune, with a couple of lyric changes.) Then came the intros for his new assistant (Emily Crenshaw), the new Mads’ representative (Mega-Synthia), and the new stage versions of the ‘bots (including Travel Cambot, and two versions of Gypsy). And, then it was time for our first movie, “No Retreat, No Surrender”. It’s a martial arts/coming of age/sports underdog sort of thing with a young teenager trying to become a karate master and impress his downtrodden dad and show up the local bullies. There’s also his rapping African-American best pal and his sort-of girlfriend. And Jean-Claude Van Damme appears in an early role as the bad guys’ enforcer, aiding their plans to take over every martial arts school in the West Coast for…something, I think it’s drug-related, I’m not sure. The movie is not all that great. Our “hero” is whiny and angry and not very charismatic. Both the local bullies and the bad guys (yes, there are two groups of antagonists) get away with a lot without so much as a hint of any local cops in the area. An Eighties vibe hangs heavily throughout the proceedings. Oh, and our “hero”, based in Seattle, stops at the grave of Bruce Lee and basically prays to him for help in mastering martial arts. And a not-so-reasonable-facsimile of Lee, in ghostly form, shows up to coach the kid through the standard training montage. The riffing on this was great by Joel & the ‘bots. Probably my favorite riff was when NotBruce shows up, and Joel quips, “Wow, it worked! I’ve got to go pray to the grave of Jayne Mansfield now!” The host segments were also good, following the circus motif of the tour, and featuring some safety tips from, of all individuals, Crow. They tried some new puppeting moves on stage, and were not afraid to acknowledge the limitations of the set-up, like a few visible operators. And the segment of the show included a neat callback to the show that I won’t spoil here, but brings up a couple of interesting possibilities. Anyway, I then had a couple of hours before the 7PM show. I had time to head a couple of blocks down George St. for dinner at a Burger King. (I’m not known for my sophisticated culinary tastes.) After that, it looked like a drizzle was starting up, but I had time to head back to my car and trade my merchandise for my trusty Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs umbrella, and still get back to the theater well ahead of the next show. This time, I even got to have a nice chat with a couple of fellow fans before the doors opened. The second feature, “Circus of Horrors”, is one of the rare 1960s British horror movies that doesn’t feature Peter Cushing and/or Christopher Lee. It’s about a sinister German plastic surgeon (played by Anton Diffring, who played such characters a lot) who, along with his wife and faithful assistant, hides out at a failing circus, after curing the owner’s scarred daughter and knocking off said owner (briefly played by Donald Pleasance). Years later, the place is very successful and doing shows in England. Unfortunately, Herr Doktor is now under suspicion for the mysterious fates of some of the show’s leading ladies. Cue the murders, attempted and otherwise, along with many performances of the song “Look for a Star”. The movie is generally OK, with a surprising lack of Hammer-style gore. Unfortunately, there’s also a lack of tension and horror, and the plot doesn’t always make a lot of sense. The riffing turned out fine, though. One good one is when our villain talks about how he’d always wanted to run off and join a circus, leading to the riff, “And by ‘circus’, I mean the Hitler Youth.” While Joel more or less repeated his opening, the host segments were different, mainly focusing on the hunt for a rare, bothersome moth. It all leads to a really great visual gag that I won’t spoil here. In any case, it was great stuff all around. The only real drawback was having to walk up five or six flights of stairs at the parking deck afterwards, due to a long line at the elevators. The tour is listed to be going on until next March, and I heartily recommend it. There’s a performance of “Circus of Horrors” scheduled for Reading, PA early in March, but I’m not sure I’ll get to it. I can only hope that, given that this is said to be Joel’s last live tour, that somebody is recording all this stuff (preferably officially, rather than a bootleg).
Well, I'd say week 230 turned out very well. So, let's continue with week 231. The Outsiders selection is..."Movie Sign with the Mads: 'Ed Wood'"... - I have a sweater, but I don't think it's angora. ... and the Originals selection is... "The Black Scorpion" (Show 113). - Do they come in any other colors?
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 13, 2019 23:56:38 GMT -5
The holiday weekend, and a visit with my Mom in PA, threw off my timing again. Anyway, week 231...
The "Ed Wood" segment of "Movie Sign with the Mads" was very interesting. Trace, Frank & Carolina speak very well of the movie, and of most of Tim Burton's work. (I find him a bit too weird for my tastes.) They said it was a very enjoyable movie, and a pretty perceptive movie about trying to break into the movie business, and a heartwarming story of how Wood and his friends bonded together. (Though they do allow for the movie's fictional approach.) They also talked about they general liking for Ed Wood's movies, while acknowledging his less-than-competent filmmaking. They even call him a better director, in terms of sheer soul, than the very successful Michael Bay. Oh, and Carolina said there's a porn spoof of "Glen or Glenda", but I have no interest in tracking it down.
As for "The Black Scorpion", it's a fairly standard giant insect movie from the 50s, starring the familiar Richard Denning. It follows the usual pattern for this story type, though with a Mexican setting. There's the mysteriously decimated settlements, the fleeing townspeople, the tepid & instant romance, the precocious kid, and the beleaguered military. On the other hand, they avoided the expected romantic triangle, and they used some good stop-motion animation (by Willis O'Brien) instead of BIG-style real bugs on postcards. And the kid, while extremely reckless, doesn't venture into full Kenny mode. It ain't "Them!", but it's better than "Deadly Mantis". This final show from Season 1 turned out well. The riffing is good, including a good stretch of golf-inspired quips and, for some reason, Crow's frequent references to Bing Crosby's...flawed parenting style. The host segments are also good, with some great makeup for Larry in his last appearance for a while.
Well, that went well, I thought. And here's the lineup for what's left of Week 232. The Outsiders selection is..."RT: Casino Royale"... - With Mike & Kevin and Daniel Craig, and not Woody Allen. ... and the Originals selection is... "MST: The Home Game" (4PM Showing). - What? No Pop-a-Matic?
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 19, 2019 8:45:47 GMT -5
Well, we had a slight problem during Week 232.
There was no problem with "Casino Royale", in either respect. It's one of the best Bond movies. It was top-notch action, it's unusually close to the book (it even credits the Ian Fleming novel), and Daniel Craig was great as a more human Bond, who can still be a coldly lethal agent. It's a good movie, that still quite riffable. The jokes from Mike is Kevin are very funny, ranging from the long time the movie takes to actually get to Casino Royale, to the amount of punishment Bond takes in the various action scenes. I have to admit, though, that I was surprised that the only Bond film RT has done has been "Casino Royale". I'd have figured "Die Another Day" or "You Only Live Twice" might've been good candidates. Well, maybe in the future.
As for "The Home Game", that was the problem. My DVD of the show isn't working. I hope I can get it working; the library has a disc cleaner that usually effective. However, I'm thinking that maybe I should move this over to Outside Projects. After all, Mike & Kevin appear as themselves, and the riffing is from the home audience. Anyway, the mission was aborted.
Hopefully, Week 233 will work out better. The Outsiders selection is... "RT: Missile X-The Neutron Bomb Incident"... - Starring Peter Graves...not at the University of Minnesota. ... and, given the problems last week, I'm going with two selections from the Originals. I'm going with... "The Magic Sword" (Show 411)... - We've hit the B.I.G. time again! ... and "Tom Servo's Favorite Host Segments (Vol. 1)". - Yes, it's a clip show. So?
Enjoy!
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 23, 2019 16:34:21 GMT -5
Well, for anyone who's interested, here's a look back at Week 233.
"Missile X" was a pretty uninspiring thriller from 1978. Peter Graves stars as an American super secret agent sent in to track down a neutron bomb stolen from the Russians as part of a terrorist plot to destabilize the Middle East. You'd think that such a plot would be interesting, but not here. It's low budget, slow-paced, poorly scripted, and, with all due respect, Peter Graves was past the stage for the character he was playing. (Connery could pull that off, but not Peter Graves.) Curt Jurgens does generally OK as the main villain, and John Carradine shows up as a rocket scientist. And there's a casino brawl that is one of the worst movie fights I've seen. One major problem, though, is outside of the filmmakers control: the good guys are trying to stop the Ayatollah from causing trouble in Iran, when he'd take over the country not long after the movie was made. You have to try and ignore history when watching the movie (kind of like trying to ignore the Sequel Trilogy when watching ROTJ). The riffing is generally OK, though they are a bit too harsh on John Carradine in a couple of spots. And there are a couple of uncalled-for slams on Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby. Still, the riffs are funny enough to get the guys, themselves, laughing in spots. One thing though: I'm not sure why they cut the movie by over ten minutes for this version. Something related to rights issues, maybe?
As for "The Magic Sword", Joel & the 'bots are right: this movie is pretty good. The budget is a bit low for more elaborate effects, but the cast does a good job, especially Basil Rathbone, who really cuts loose as the villain. And Estelle Winwood is also good as George's scatty foster mom sorceress. The riffing is great in this one. The host segments were OK, especially the Basil Rathbones commercial, but I think Crow was a bit hasty in throwing over Kim Catrall. Oh, and regarding Frank's fate in the tag, did they reuse the Forrester skeleton from "Black Scorpion"?
And regarding "Favorite Host Segments", it's a pretty entertaining clip show. They featured a number of ones I particularly like, including the "translation" of the Jet Jaguar theme song, the focus group for "Earth vs. Soup", and the "Men & Monsters Playset" commercial. And I liked Servo's intro and outro. However, for some reason, they messed up and used the Alternate Mikes segments out of order.
Okay, I think we're back on track so. So, let's move on to Week 234. For the Outsiders, in observance of Nov. 23rd, I'm going outside the rotation for... "RT: Dr. Who and the Daleks"... - How come Peter Cushing wasn't issued with a sonic screwdriver? ... and the Originals selection is... "Bride of the Monster" (Show 423). - I am not catching the bouquet.
And I'll pass along my Turkey Day selections later. Enjoy!
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 27, 2019 23:24:33 GMT -5
Well, let's look at Week 234.
"Dr. Who & the Daleks" is a source of some dissention among Whovians. (Perhaps not at TLJ levels, but it's there.) Amicus reduced the original TV story (seven 24 min. episodes) to a movie running less than 90 min. Personally, though, I thought they did a good job. It brought the story down to the essential plot elements, since some of the longer serials of the original show had a good amount of padding. There's also disputes over changes in the characters, like making Ian a bumbler rather than an intelligent hero, and making Barbara a younger, less proactive character. And there's the whole thing over making the alien Doctor into the human Dr. Who. I really didn't mind it too much. And, even with the changes, Peter Cushing was great as Dr. Who, giving us, in retrospect, a look at how the character can be reinterpreted, a preview of regeneration. And Roberta Tovey, as a pre-teen, more composed Susan has been very well received. It ain't perfect, but I enjoy it. And nobody says "timey wimey". The riffing is very good, pointing up things like Ian's ineptitude and the Daleks' voices. I also liked the gags based on Bill's inability to understand the whole "non-canon" thing. And I'd be very happy if, in a future Dalek story, we actually did find out that they're all named Carl.
As for "Bride of the Monster", I understand it's the only Ed Wood movie that turned a profit (while Wood was around, anyway). And I suppose I can understand that; it's probably his best movie. Yes, it's pretty ineptly made, but it's got a better than usual script. And it has Bela Lugosi as part of the action, rather than as a "narrator" ("Glen or Glenda") or as a cameo ("Plan 9"). Plus Bela delivers another good, watchable performance. If only they'd remembered to get the motor for the octopus. As for part 1 of "Hired!", it turned out well, though I still can't figure out the whole "selling Chevys door-to-door" thing. Joel & the 'bots do one of their best riffing jobs here, with their respective Lugosi impressions getting a real workout. The host segments were good, especially the opening (Crow's dreams are no stranger than mine, actually) and the "Hired!" musical. We even got a call-forward to "A Case of Spring Fever".
That went very well, I thought. So, it's time for the selections for Turkey Day. Since I've also got football, dinner, small talk with my family, Charlie Brown, WKRP and maybe Bob Newhart on the agenda, I'm going with three extra episodes: "The Crawling Eye" (Show 101)... - Imagine the size of the contact lens! ... "Operation Double 007" (Show 508)... - Heeeeeeeeeeee made a bad movie! ... and "Angels' Revenge" (Show 622). - What kind of polish do I use to shine my love? And I'll be watching the Deep 13 segments from the original, 1991 Turkey Day marathon, and I watch what I can of this year's marathon. I hope they'll archive the host segments.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 30, 2019 21:59:36 GMT -5
Well, how was your Thanksgiving? Mine turned out OK. I visited with my brother Bruce's family, my Mom was able to attend, and I got to football, Charlie Brown, WKRP and Johnny & Doc talking Thanksgiving & exes. As for the Turkey Day selections...
"The Crawling Eye" is like "Dr. Who & the Daleks", in that it's a movie adaptation of a TV serial. However, I haven't seen the original of this one, so I have no idea how it compares. The movie is generally OK, though it is rather slow-moving and some of the VFX at the end didn't turn out too well. Still, they tried for a menacing atmosphere, and that works OK, for the most part. The riffing is a bit sparse, as this was their first attempt at scripted riffs and they were still adjusting. What's there is funny, though. The host segments are generally OK. And, if I understand things correctly, this first appearance of Deep 13 is also the only in-show reference to Gizmonic Institute. Certainly a landmark episode.
As for "Operation Double 007", I was a bit hard on it in my quip last time. The movie is actually pretty good. It's certainly the best of the spy movies featured on the show. There's plenty of action, a good musical score, a good cast that includes several Bond series vets, and Lois Maxwell gets out from behind the desk and gets to shoot some guns. Yes, Neil Connery doesn't have Sean's presence, but he can do a good stage fight. The riffing is utterly top notch in this one. And the host segments are great, including Torgo's return with the Mr. Pibbs. It's one of my favorite episodes.
As for "Angels Revenge", this one is a slog. Yes, the female stars are highly attractive, but that only goes so far. The utter stupidity of the plot and the generally PG-level sleazy atmosphere is just overwhelming. And seeing the male stars in such low points in their careers is depressing. OK, maybe Pat Buttram and Alan Hale, Jr. don't look as bad as they could, but Jim Backus is just painful. And I can only assume Peter Lawford was so snockered I wonder if he had any idea of what was going on. Sad, really. The riffing helps ease the pain, fortunately. The host segments were average, though Frank doesn't participate much. Not one of my really preferred episodes, I guess.
The segments from the 1991 marathon are hilarious, as Dr. F and Frank have their first Turkey Day gathering. The movie intros are hilarious, as are some of the bumpers with Joel & the 'bots included in the YouTube file for this. I didn't see much of this years marathon, but I saw a couple of the segments, including an appearance by Emily "Crenshaw" Marsh from the current live tour. I'll have to check if the host segs are saved someplace.
Well, time to move on to week 235, as we (for now) officially re-enter Great Drought conditions as far as MST goes. We're also in the Holiday Season (I refuse to recognize it until after Thanksgiving), so, for the Outsiders, I'm going outside the rotation for... "RT Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!"... - Featuring a cameo by Prince of Space, and a disturbing moment with Rudolph. ... while the Originals selection is... "MST3K-TM: Deleted Scenes"... - These are all the scenes we missed, as featured on the Special Edition DVD. ... and, since this lasts less than 30 minutes, we'll have this second feature... "The Unearthly" (Show 320). - With John Carradine & Tor Johnson, and little else.
Please stand by..
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