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Post by kmorgan on Jan 1, 2016 17:38:33 GMT -5
So, is everybody having a Happy New Year so far? Let's look at week 35.
The 2015 Melon Drop was pretty good. I figure it wasn't actually done live, seeing as how there were people on the roof of the building in shirt sleeves in Minnesota. Had it been actually Dec. 31st, frostbite would surely have followed. Anyway, it was pretty funny, with some nice linking to the previous drops, particularly clips of Kevin as Bob Bagadonuts (Sr. & Jr.). I didn't see the one ushering in 2016; I'll catch it eventually. And I'm still waiting for clips from the 1986 drop, which I assume actually happened.
"Horror of Party Beach" was...pretty lousy actually. The monsters were laughable, I agree that it seemed like the filmmakers went out of their way to victimize women, and it does seem that the only character who seemed to have good priorities in mind was Eullabelle. On the other hand, the Del-Aires music was pretty catchy, and Hank (the James Franciscus lookalike) had a really cool car. The host segments were funny, especially the closing sniping between Pearl and Flavia. I'm very, very happy we didn't see Mike in his manly swimsuit. And the riffing worked great, given how bad the movie was.
Things were OK on balance this time. One difficulty: I'm away from home today, so I can't post week 36's selection until tomorrow afternoon. I hope this doesn't cause any hassles.
And I hope your Holiday season has been happy and safe.
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Post by kmorgan on Dec 26, 2015 1:59:23 GMT -5
So, how was your Christmas? Things turned out OK for me, in general. And, how did week 34 turn out?
CT's version of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is quite good. It was made back when they were still doing the Time Tube framing story, so there's a nice bit regarding Trace's reaction to the feature. They limited themselves to only one host segment, which was a good one, especially Trace's present. The riffing was fine, with a couple of callbacks to the original MST version. There's no song, but you can't have everything.
As for the KTMA version of "Gamera", the Christmas connection is limited to a couple of mentions during the host segments, particularly at the end. Not much, but it gives us a third Holiday show until the revival does one. The host segments also feature the original version of Gypsy, plus some calls to the station about the show, a couple of which were made specifically for a comedy bit. I'm sorely tempted to call the number and see if it still works. The riffing had several problems. Beyond the ad-lib style of KTMA, the ep has Joel riffing alone. (Reportedly, Trace was out of town, and Josh was only available for the host segments.) Joel does OK, though there are long stretches of silence. Appropriately, a good number of jokes are directed at psychotic turtle maniac Kenny. It's a good effort, but the second try during the TFNWSRN era was a major improvement.
It's was OK this time. So, week 35. For the Outsiders selection, I'm going outside the rotation for..."CW-23 Melon Drop 2015"... - It's last New Year's Eve revival of this pre-MST practice; I understand Kevin is mentioned. ...while the Originals selection is..."Horror of Party Beach" (Show 817). - Sodium!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Dec 19, 2015 10:21:20 GMT -5
Sorry again, folks. Between the Holiday prep, the TFA opening and my active lifestyle, I'm really late this week. Anyway...
The second half of "RT Shorts, Vol. 2" was good. There was "Harm Hides at Home" (a very late-70's safety film), "Coffee House Rendezvous" (which reminded me of the days in the early 70's when my middle-class Caucasian-focused church tried to be more relevant), "Are You Popular?" (so, scavenger sales are out and ice skating is hip now?), and "Good Health Practices" (which had an unhealthy focus on toilet habits for that era, I thought). The riffing was great, though it seems they only riffed on the first half of "Coffee House Rendezvous". (The full, unriffed version is over on YouTube.)
As for "Merlin's Shop...", so whose idea was it to sew these two, unrelated short movies together? And whose bright idea was it to market it as a family movie? And whose idea was it to make Merlin such a henpecked dunce? Oh, boy, was this thing a mess. And killing the pets was just plain uncalled for. The riffing, though, really worked great. The host segments were OK, though Mike in a diaper...*shudder*.
Well, on to week 34. With Christmas only a few days away, I'm going outside the rotation. So, this week's Outsiders selection is..."CT: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"... - Ho-Ho-Oh, dear. ...and the Originals selection is..."Gamera (Show K-05)". - Yes, Virginia, there is a third MST Christmas show.
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Dec 12, 2015 1:20:02 GMT -5
So, let's look at week 32.
As I noted on the Rifftrax board, the live show featuring "Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny" was really something. On the one hand, the riffing was top notch and the pre-show title cards and songs were very funny. On the other hand, the movie and the accompanying shorts were so weird I was left dumbfounded. I mean, were people actually entertained by such off-kilter, poorly-made Holiday Season offerings? At least "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" had some internal logic. Gads!
Regarding "Gamera", this one was one of the good ones. Psychotic Kenny aside, this one was a fairly good movie. While not the best Gamera movie (that's probably "Gamera vs. Barugon", the one with no "monster children"), it did try for something of a dark, "Gojira" atmosphere. It wasn't really successful at it, but they tried. (By the way, I have both the original Japanese version, and the non-Frank American release, featuring new footage. I'll have to check them out again soon.) The riffing was really good, especially the "Kenny is evil" running gag. The host segments were fine; I particularly liked Mike's appearance as an amiable Gamera, and the Tibby song is a classic.
Sort of a split decision. Anyway, let's move on to week 33. The Outsiders selection is...'Rifftrax Shorts, Vol. 2 (2nd Half)"... - Well, I'd rather not try the whole thing at once. ...and the Originals selection is..."Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders" (Show 1003). - Rock & Roll Martian!
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Dec 3, 2015 22:51:46 GMT -5
The riffing was hilarious, but the movie and the shorts were...um...uh...well...oh, dear. You'll just have to see them yourself.
And Bill looked great with a beard.
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Post by kmorgan on Dec 3, 2015 12:24:03 GMT -5
Aaaaaand, let's look at Week 31.
The segments with Kevin, found on YouTube, were good. They're a fan taping of him reading from two chapters of "A Year at the Movies", answering questions from the audience, and signing a fan's Tom Servo puppet. The chapters he read from were about, respectively, his visit to a film festival in Lapland (which sounds like it was really fun) and meeting up with Mike to watch "Corky Romano" (which I reviewed a while back; it's as bad as Kevin says it is). The book is one of my favorites, and these segments were really enjoyable.
As far "Devil Doll", one question: was England so starved for entertainment that a creep like Vorelli would be a hit? I don't buy that for a second. Anyway, the movie was so dull, drab and unpleasant that it was really a slog. Add in a clueless hero and a cast that was collectively not all that bright, and I'm surprised Vorelli didn't end up winning. The riffing was great, which really helped. The host segments were OK, with the welcome return of Paul as Pitch, the amiable demon.
Well, I guess this one turned out good, with one balancing out the other. Anyway, let's move to Week 32. For the Outsiders, I'm going outside to rotation for tonight's performance of..."Rifftrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny"... - And my Holiday depression begins. ...and the Originals selection is..."Gamera" (Show 302). - Hey, it matches the icon I just got! I swear I didn't know it would.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 28, 2015 13:08:52 GMT -5
I'd prefer one of the Hercules movies Lou Ferrigno did. Those would probably be easier to get the rights to. This is based solely on Jeremy Jahns' YouTube review (as I've never seen this movie) but it sounds like 2014's The Legend of Hercules would be perfect. Horrible costumes, over the top acting, ridiculous slow-mo, and a completely botched "spear under the arm" scene (watch his review if you don't know what I'm talking about). It sounds like a movie that was made for MST3K.
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 27, 2015 22:51:58 GMT -5
Well, I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. Mine turned out pretty well. So, how did my Turkey Day mini-marathon turn out?
"Gunslinger" should be complimented for having two strong, fairly independent female characters, both well-played by, respectively, Beverly Garland and Allison Hayes. And John Ireland does well as a slightly-sympathetic gunman, and the moody opening credits were OK. Beyond that, the movie is a very downbeat, low budget mess. Nice try, Corman, but no cigar. The riffs were good, providing some needed levity. And the host segments were also OK, particularly Servo breaking the laws of time, space and dimension.
"Touch of Satan" at least tried to have a dark, mysterious atmosphere. And Emby Mellay was quite attractive as Melissa. But, Jody is just too dim to be believed, even for a disaffected young person in the 1970's. The plot has too many loose ends, and we have yet another downbeat ending. The riffing was good, with some nice 70's jokes (though not as many as the next feature). The host segments were alright, though Steffi makes a very good impression. Shame she wasn't brought back for an encore. Then, again, with the revival on the way...hmmmm.
First, a "Riding with Death" anecdote or two. First, I watched "Gemini Man" back when it was first run, just like I watched "The Invisible Man" with David McCallum, the show it sprang from. I thought both were OK at the time, when I was a pre-teen. Second, there are two prints of "Riding with Death" floating around. There's the version MST3K featured, and there's another one with a different opening sequence (providing Sam's backstory), and no awkward flashbacks. I saw, and helped riff on, the latter version at Gateway 2000; I also understand it was released on VHS. Seek it, if you dare. Now, as for the "movie", it's bland and uninspired in the way that only the 1970's TV could provide. Take away the invisibility gimmick and you could plug this script into nearly any action/adventure show of the period, with the exact same supporting cast. The awkward way the episodes are linked is pretty embarrassing. And let's not talk about Jim Stafford's character. This one was painful. The riffing was spot on, and, being a child of the 70's, I could easily remember all the things referenced in the decade-centric jokes. I liked Mike vapor-locking again as he prepared the planet killer, and Turkey Volume Guessing Man was perfect for the day.
As for the extras, I liked Joel's Turkey Day bumpers from last year, with Trace and Josh back as the 'bots. And the Turkey Day documentary from Ballyhoo ("Undercooked and Overstuffed") was very interesting, with nice comments from Joel, Trace and Frank.
On the whole, things worked out OK. And, who knows, I may be watching a brand new episode next Turkey Day. Now, let's continue on to Week 31. The Outsiders selection is..."A Year at the Movies (Pts.4-7)"... - It's a fan video of Kevin reading from his book. Haven't seen it all just yet. ...and the Originals selection is..."Devil Doll" (Show 818). - Or "The William Sylvester Trilogy, Part II".
We now pause for station identification...
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 27, 2015 21:32:06 GMT -5
As I posted on "Satellite News", I figure they should do "Gamera vs. Viras", one of two flicks from the original Gamera run that they didn't feature on the original show. It provides great riff fodder, plus a good connection to the original.
I'd also like to see them do the movies CT featured on live shows they didn't record. That'd be "Astral Factor", "Doll Squad" and the Samson movie I can't remember the title of.
And, while Joel wants to shy away from b/w, non-widescreen, PD movies, I think at least one early Bela Lugosi movie would work. I'd go with either "Devil Bat" or "Bowery at Midnight".
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 26, 2015 12:52:32 GMT -5
Okay, first, an explanation.
Back in the day, on the old Deep Blurting board, we had a separate site called "Deep Blurting New Stuff", where we would post articles, reviews, or whatever. (I think it might still be accessible via the Internet Archive.) And, one year, we were asked to contribute an article for Thanksgiving. So, I put together the article you see below. And, like the Wall Street Journal with their annual Thanksgiving editorial, I reposted it every year across the original board and the Even Deeper Blurting successor. Well, now that I'm here, here it is for those who haven't seen it. Hope you like it. ***** The following is a reprint of an article first posted in 1999, with a brief addendum:
This week, I was asked to write an article about a good and memorable Thanksgiving Day in my past. Personally, I had no problem with this; I’m sure you won’t get upset at having to wait for my review of “Angry Red Planet”. But, I’m going to have to alter the premise a bit. You see, every Thanksgiving Day is a good and memorable one for me. That’s because, for a while, I had a run of really rotten Turkey Days. I’ll explain:
In mid-November of 1991, I went into the hospital for abdominal surgery. To be specific, doctors performed an illeostomy; to be general, they rearranged my internal plumbing. Due to complications, I was hospitalized for a solid month. So, that year, I spent Thanksgiving in bed, doped up on a variety of medications and connected to various bits of medical technology via various tubes. I recall seeing some of the Macy’s Parade, and some of my family visited. But, on the whole, it was a miserable day. Plus, no MST3K! (On a side note, that provided an odd experience, later. My stitches pulled and hurt whenever I laughed. When I got back home, I watched the “Posture Pals” short and suffered what could only be called “hilarious agony”.)
Flash forward about a year. In mid-October of 1992, my parents retired and moved up to our ancestral home in Pennsylvania. I was sharing our old house with my brother Pat, my other brothers having found other digs. Just before Thanksgiving, my Dad’s father passed away following an illness. That year, I spent the day before Thanksgiving serving as a pallbearer. The following day, with my family scattered and Pat with his friends, I had dinner alone. Plus, I had to fill in for the holiday at my radio job. Actually, that wasn’t too bad; it got my mind off things.
Over the next couple of years, it was pretty much the same thing. My brothers Bruce and Don, both married, spent Thanksgiving with their respective families. Mom and Dad were up in Pennsylvania with my Mom’s parents, who by that time were in, respectively, a senior care home (Grandpa) and a nursing home (Grandma). My brother Brian (a frequent contributor to “Caption This!”) had moved in with me and Pat. But, they both had other plans for Thanksgiving. So, there I was, alone with my dinner and watching the clock to get to work. I did watch some MST3K (one time it was the extremely funny “The Violent Years”), but it didn’t really help.
By 1995, I’d had just about enough. I went to my parents and asked (correction, begged) them to come back to Jersey for Thanksgiving. They agreed, thank heavens. That year, and each year since, we’ve had a real Thanksgiving dinner. Pat and Bri are there, as are my brother Don’s family. My brother Bruce’s family usually has dinner with his in-laws, but they make it here in time for dessert. And I’m happy. I don’t even mind when I’ve got a TV or radio slot to do; I know that at least part of the day went fine.
So, you see, every Thanksgiving Day is a good one for me. Having seen low I could get on Turkey Day, practically anything would be an improvement. But, still, things have worked out fine. Since I come from a large family, I just can’t spend a happy Thanksgiving Day alone. Now, I know I won’t have to.
Besides, my Mom is an infinitely better cook than I am. ***** ADDENDUM: Well, this year my Mom has once again driven down from PA to handle the cooking. And it'll be Mom, my brothers Pat, Bri and Don; my nephew Donnie, and I for dinner. My brother Bruce's family is together for their dinner, and my niece Nicole and her kids are, sadly, unable to get here this year. It ain't perfect, but its better than a hospital bed.
And, with RT going strong and the MST3K revival building steam, things are looking up. But, you know,even if they weren't, it's nice to get the family together for something other than a memorial service. And I wish you all a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving.
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 25, 2015 13:37:14 GMT -5
And let's look at week 30, shall we?
I may be a longtime Whovian (since the Tom Baker/Howard DaSilva shows), but I have no problem with "Dr. Who and the Daleks". Yes, they make a lot of changes, some good (Susan is a lot more self-assured) and some not-so-good (Barbara is a lot less self-assured), but the movie works OK. Peter Cushing is fine as the Doctor; makes me wish he'd been on the TV at some point. Roy Castle's Ian can be over-the-top annoying, but he got a couple of brave moments. In addition, this was the first time (sort-of) the show was in color, the matte paintings worked OK, and the did a passable job boiling down seven 24-minute episodes to less than 90 minutes of movie time. As for the RT version, the riffing was great. I liked Bill's initial inability to understand the whole non-canonical aspect of the movie, while the jabs at the Daleks (especially their voices) were welcome. Now, if they can get around to riffing on "Vengeance on Varos".
As for "Mighty Jack", I'm going to have to check if the original series is available in its entirety. That's probably the only way I'll know just what was going on. There was some decent action once in a while, and the VFX were passable for the era. But, on the whole, it's a mess. The episode, though, is top notch. The riffing was plentiful and very funny. The show opening was one of the best ones, and the other segments were good, finishing with one of the better songs, "Slow the Plot Down".
Two good ones this time. Now for Turkey Day. Unfortunately, I can't do a whole marathon on my own, nor can I watch Joel's marathon on-line as it happens. But, I can fit in three episodes and a couple of other things in between dinner, football, Charlie Brown, WKRP and visiting my niece. So, the two random selections are..."Gunslinger" (Show 511).. - Roger Corman flicks of the Old West! ...and "Touch of Satan" (Show 908)... - This is where the cranberry sauce lives. ...and, for the third movie, I'm going outside the rotation for..."Riding with Death (Show 814). - Turkey Volume Guessing Man strikes again!
And I'll also watch the segments from Joel's marathon from last year, as well as a segment from Shout's Vol. 31 on how the Turkey Day tradition developed. I'll also be posting something else tomorrow.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 20, 2015 21:34:05 GMT -5
Saw "Blood of the Vampires" again last week, as noted in my post on the MST General Chat board. Good riffing, lousy movie. And I have a feeling the blackface thing would get the whole thing banned in some circles, which may be a good thing.
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 20, 2015 21:28:30 GMT -5
So, how was week 29? Glad you asked.
"Casablanca" is, of course, one of the best movies ever made. With a great script & direction, a top notch cast, and a perfect ending. And the Rifftrax commentary doesn't detract from it. It's good that they acknowledge that it's a great movie right at the start. The jokes are good, but they don't really blast the movie. This one was a good experience, I'd say. Two thoughts, though. First, I don't mind them joking about a classic movie like "Casablanca". I have no problem with jokes being made about good movies. One of Carol Burnett's funniest sketches was a spoof of "Gone with the Wind", "Your Show of Shows" did a memorable takeoff on "From Here to Eternity, and SNL parodied both "Citizen Kane" and "It's a Wonderful Life". As long as it's within reason, it's not a big deal. Second, in the "Casablanca" riff, they threw in some harsh jokes about the "Star Wars" prequels. Yes, guys, I understand that you seem to hate anything George Lucas has done since, probably, "Last Crusade". May I suggest that you move on. (I'll admit that I'm biased, in that I enjoyed the Prequels and "Crystal Skull".)
As for "Deathstalker", it is not a great movie. In fact, I really didn't like it at all. The low budget and nonsensical plot didn't bother me that much. My problem was that, except for the wilderness girl who ran off to follow Deathstalker (and got killed for her trouble), I didn't like any of the characters. I thought they were all annoying (especially supposed-hero Deathstalker) and didn't care who won. Quite painful, in its way. The riffing was just good enough to make me continue watching. The Ren Fest host segments were funny, and I thought the Deep 13 segs ("CLAYTON! CLAYTON! CLAYTON!") were, too. One nice touch: check out Crow & Servo's nametags.
Split decision this time. And, on to week 30. For the Outsiders, since Monday is Nov. 23rd, I'm going outside the rotation for..."RT: Dr. Who and the Daleks"... -Please don't say "timey wimey". ...and the Originals selection is..."Mighty Jack" (Show 314). -I'm going to need a flow chart & notes for this one.
And I'll be doing extra selections for Turkey Day. Details to follow. Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 20, 2015 21:03:04 GMT -5
I didn't start posting on the 'Net until after the change occurred, so I missed a lot of it (thank Heavens). There were some occasional posts on Deep Blurting, but only by jerks trying to start something. The regulars didn't follow suit, as I recall.
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 13, 2015 23:49:56 GMT -5
What was cut from "Poopie II"? I have it on VHS from BBI, so I don't think I've seen the Rhino cut.
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