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Post by kmorgan on Nov 13, 2015 23:47:15 GMT -5
And...week 28.
A while back, "Blood of the Vampires" was the first CT live show I saw. I went to Minneapolis and saw the Titans perform it at the State Theater. Great stuff and a great response. This DVD, though, is the studio version, which is also good, though I could've done without the swipes at religion and Christianity. Still, I've heard worse. As for the movie, I remember seeing it years ago on Channel 9, I believe, back when local TV stations still showed late movies. It hasn't improved. It's a Philippine-made horror flick that tosses in a lot of pretty disturbing themes for empty shock value. And let's not go into the casting, where white actors in blackface appear as black servants. The Titans get a lot of mileage out of that bit of racial insensitivity, and rightly so.
As for "Women of the Prehistoric Planet", I didn't realize until later that this was the second Wendell Corey movie I'd seen in two weeks; I promise it was a random selection. Anyway, while the movie at least features some reference to time and relativistic speeds, it's a real mess otherwise. With low budget effects, casual racism and sexism, some pretty silly sequences (like the dangerous crossing of the acid pool, with dry land only a few feet away), and a too-cute romance. The final twist of the story can be spotted a mile away, and the supposed comic relief of Paul Gilbert (the Hikeeba guy) is painful. Still, John Agar is in a supporting role, so his smugness is turned down a bit. The episode, though, is great. Actually recorded as the last show of Season 1, the guys have everything nearly down pat. The riffing is great, and Joel does some very funny interaction with the screen. There are also some good digs at Isaac Asimov, Mike's first appearance (voice only) on the show, and the show's first original song (outside of the theme), the jingle for "Clay and Lar's Flesh Barn". Good stuff.
That went well. So, week 29. The Outsiders selection is..."RT: Casablanca"... - Not starring Raul Julia. ...and the Originals selection is..."Deathstalker and the Warriors of Hell" (Show 703). - Back to the Ren Fest, guys.
We now pause for station identification...
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 13, 2015 23:21:33 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I don't have the cash or time to go to this one. Sounds like it should be pretty good, though.
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Post by kmorgan on Nov 6, 2015 21:13:44 GMT -5
Hey, I'm actually posting before the last minute. Huh. Anyway, week 27:
"Halloween Party" was originally featured as the opening short for the live "Anaconda" show. (Good riffing, deeply unpleasant movie.) It's only about 7 minutes, but it's very funny. It's also a nice reminder of Halloween was before they decided that jack-o-lanterns were ecologically unsound. Great riffing, too. (For the record, I considered also getting the new Halloween special RT just riffed on, but I really wasn't in the mood for Judd Hirsch as Dracula.) For the holiday, I also watched "The Night that Panicked America" (a TV-movie about the "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast), "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein".
As far as "Agent for h.a.r.m." is concerned, it narrowly edges out "Million Eyes of Su-Maru" as the worst spy movie MST ever did. In addition to the low budget and lousy script, I just couldn't get past how many times I'd seen Peter Mark Richman as a villain on 70's TV, and doing it better than as a hero in this one. Throw in the lack of real action and a downbeat ending, it's a real stinker. Watching it, you get the impression that h.a.r.m. (an really nonsensical acronym) gets all the personnel who were turned down by the CIA, the FBI, UNIT, OSI, IMF and CONTROL. The host sgements were great, featuring Mike's trial for being the Destroyer of Worlds. Crow's bleeped-up deposition and Bobo's devastating cross-examination of Observer are big highlights. And the riffing, once again, is great. A question: when Mike is engaging in extreme rice, he tries to shout, "Bazmatti!" Um, what?
Well, Halloween weekend went well. So, on to week 28. The Outsiders selection is..."CT: Blood of the Vampires"... - You're a little late, guys. ...and the Originals selection is..."Women of the Prehistoric Planet" (Show 104). - Hikeeba!!
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 31, 2015 0:34:43 GMT -5
So, let's review week 26.
"Tom Servo vs. Tom Servo" is from a panel at DragonCon 2010. The production has some limitations; it looks like it was cut down a bit and there's no crowd mic. However, those are overruled by Josh and Kevin. They talk about the evolution of Servo's character (including Beeper), as well as the show's evolution from KTMA to cable. They also touch on the fan's response to the show, and the home video-inspired rediscovery of Josh's episodes. Both are clearly enjoying the appearance, and it's a lot of fun for the viewer. And, they echo the line from the "Crow vs. Crow" video: DON'T TAKE THE PUPPET HOME.
On the other hand, the movie part of "Fire Maidens of Outer Space" is an utter slog. Slow and sexist, it is sooooooo boring. And the constant repeats of "Stranger in Paradise", while inspiring some TV commercial nostalgia, get old real fast. And don't get me started on the traditional meteorite storm, the levers, the weapons, etc. The host segments, though, are fine. We get to meet Crow's creepy doppelganger Timmy, see one of the Mads' better inventions (the Big Checkbook), and Joel gets a great moment of heroism. And the riffing somehow manages to make the lousy movie at least tolerable.
Closer to a split decision this time. So, it's week 27. For the Outsiders, I'm going outside the rotation for Halloween with..."Rifftrax Live: Halloween Party"... - Will it be at Violet's house again? ...and the Originals selection is..."Agent for h.a.r.m." (Show 815). - Judo range?
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 25, 2015 14:18:41 GMT -5
I don't really know about the cast's political leanings, and, to be honest, it's none of my business. As far as the show itself is concerned, there seems to be a sort of neutrality. I remember reading that, at least initially, Lorne Michaels considered SNL to be the "loyal opposition", just as willing and able to joke about Republican Gerald Ford as about Democrat Jimmy Carter. That's the attitude I perceive on MST3K, and it was a good move on their part.
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 24, 2015 5:29:26 GMT -5
And how did week 25 go? Let's check.
"Trace & Frank at Sci-Fi London 2014" is archived on YouTube. It's a convention appearance moderated by Bunny Galore (whom I'm not familiar with). While some of the subjects they talked about were familiar, I enjoyed this one. They talked about subjects ranging from the show's beginnings to movies they wanted to riff on but couldn't get to the development of the characters. The fact that this took place in the UK, where the audience isn't as familiar with the show as here in the U.S., provides an interesting viewpoint. There's also a brief trailer for "Do the Frank", which I'll get to sooner or later. I liked this one.
As for "Warrior of the Lost World", it's one of the really good ones from the show. The movie, a "Mad Max" wannabe, is funny on its own, particularly the very unsympathetic "hero" and his annoying motorcycle sidekick. And the low budget makes the post-apocalypse Earth seem...not much worse than what we have now. Not even the awesome screen presence of MEGAWEAPON can save the movie. The ep is really funny, with great host segments (I especially liked the Steve Allen reference) and one of the best Invention Exchanges (Loved Forrester's voice-over, and I figure somebody must get around to making actual Bittersweet Hearts). One goof, though: Frank is actually imitating Curly when he works on his Shemp area. And the riffing was great (and, no, I have no fruit to declare).
This one turned out fine. So, on to week 26. The Outsiders selection is..."Tom Servo vs. Tom Servo"... - Or Josh not-really-versus Kevin. ...and the Originals selection is..."Fire Maidens of Outer Space" (Show 416). - But did you know the original theme is from the "Polyvetsian Dance, No. 2" by Borodin?
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 17, 2015 8:29:52 GMT -5
Hello again, from the MSTie with the worst sense of time in the Western Hemisphere. Anyway, week 24...
"The Giant of Marathon" is a pretty good movie, actually. It has some good production values and a few good action scenes. One problem, though, is that it's very familiar, even down to the love interests (one "bad", one good). Another problem is that Steve Reeves isn't playing Hercules, the demigod. Instead, he plays Phillippides, a strong yet ordinary guy who's lacking in charisma. It kind of hurts the movie. This, of course, is one of the entries from short-lived Film Crew series. Like the first videos from "Cinematic Titanic", it functions as a middle ground between MST3K (where you have a framing story) and Rifftrax and the later CT entries (where it's just riffing). This one turned out good, with great riffing and a funny host seg where Bill explains the Battle of Marathon. The DVD also features a couple of good extras: Mike's less-than-effective apologies, and a sort-of cast member commentary. Good stuff.
As for "Diabolik", the movie is certainly off-the-wall, but it's well-made and watchable. It shows a lot of imagination, a good score from Ennio Morricone, attractive lead characters, and Terry-Thomas. Of course, you have to forget that Diabolik is, basically, a murderous thief and terrorist, but...hey, the Sixties! The riffing is top notch. And the host segs are fine, as we say goodbye (for now) to the show. One of the best series finale shows, in my opinion. (At least they didn't go all "Blake's 7" with it.)
Well, that went OK. So, on to week 25. The Outsiders selection is..."Trace & Frank at Sci-Fi London 2014"... - Should I be drinking tea while watching this? ...and the Originals selection is..."Warrior of the Lost World" (Show 501). - Guest-starring MEGAWEAPON!
Oh, by the way, while back I wrote an article for the old Even Deeper Blurting board on the scenes BBI cut from "Diabolik" for the episode. Should I post it?
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 9, 2015 23:14:14 GMT -5
How did week 23 go? Let's take a look.
The Rifftrax Live show for "Miami Connection" went very well. The opening title cards were funny, as always, and the songs were catchy. The short, featuring Measuring Man, was a scream; I can only hope they'll find other shorts in that series. The brief teaser for the upcoming "Santa & the Ice Cream Bunny" show looked promising. And, as for the main feature, "Miami Connection" was pretty inept; I guess that's the best way to put it. Poorly shot and acted, with a rather nonsensical premise (martial artist boy band vs. redneck thugs and a ninja drug cartel?). It also featured many things about the 80's that I, a child of the 70's, was trying to forget. Great riffing, though.
And "Hercules and the Captive Women" is a real favorite. Lots of action, even if it doesn't make much sense. And, Herc, even if he is initially lazy, shows some sense once in a while (like not swallowing the drugged drink). It was tough to follow at times, though; I'll have to watch an uncut print to get the full story. The riffing was great, as were the host segments. And it was nice to have Gypsy have a shot at riffing with the guys.
This turned out well, I thought. So, here's what's set for week 24. The Outsiders selection is..."Film Crew: Giant of Marathon"... - Swords & sandals, folks...again! ...and the Originals selection is..."Diabolik" (Show 1013). - The end of an era...again!
Don't touch that dial!
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 3, 2015 10:16:05 GMT -5
Oh, boy, I'm really late this time. I've been worriedly keeping an eye the storm track. Anyways...
"Comedians in Cars..." with Joel was quite good. Basically, Jerry Seinfeld and his friend Joel drive over to Jersey (in a cool Karmann Ghia) and go to the Sunset Diner in Edison (which is not too far away from me). And they talk about a whole lot of things, from "Mad Men" to ketchup bottles to cars. It only lasts about ten minutes, but it's really funny. And the diner looks really cool; I'll have to get over there sometime.
As for "Soultaker", it's actually not too bad a movie. The basic premise is interesting, and there are some good touches in the movie. It's just the inconsistencies in the script (like the widely-recognized way that Joe Estevez's character gets knocked out with a golf club, but isn't affected by a shotgun blast) and some insufficient production values that hamper it. Personally, I think an improved remake might just work. As for the episode, the riffing is great, and it features one of my favorite bits, Crow's search for the Visine and its aftermath. Joel and Frank's cameos were really great, too.
Definitely a good experience this time. So, week 23. For the Outsiders selection, I'm going outside the rotation for..."Rifftrax Live: Miami Connection". - I missed the Thursday remote (the Somerset Patriots baseball team was in the championship), but I'll catch the Tuesday repeat. I haven't read any comments on this one, nor have I seen the original movie. And, for the Originals, the selection is..."Hercules and the Captive Women" (Show 412). - This weekend is dedicated to Uranus!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 25, 2015 21:08:28 GMT -5
Okay, let's look at week 21.
The RT Live version of "House on Haunted Hill" turned out well. The riffing was great, and the movie is actually pretty good. (Hey, a William Castle movie with Vincent Price? Of course it's pretty good!) The addition of Paul F. Tompkins (whom I'm not really familiar with) was OK, and set up a nice gag during the movie. Both shorts were great, with "Paper & I" coming across as paper's answer to "A Case of Spring Fever", and "Magical Disappearing Money" making me afraid who'll turn up next time I buy name brands at A&P.
As for "Lost Continent", shorten the rock climbing scenes and you'd be left with...a not really good movie. But it would've been less tedious. At least the composer and the cast (except Sid Melton) give a good effort. The riffing is OK, given the material. And the host segments were good; I liked the pre-game pep talk opening, and Mike as Hugh Beaumont was top notch. Still...rock climbing, Joel. Rock climbing.
One good, one survivable this time. So, let's move to week 22. The Outsiders selection is..."Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee: A Taste of Hell From on High"... - Guest-starring Joel! ...and the Originals selection is..."Soultaker" (Show 1001). - Guest-starring Joel and Frank!
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 19, 2015 1:23:14 GMT -5
Late again, sorry. My work schedule has been nutsy this week, and it's thrown me off. Anyway, let's look at week 20.
The BBI Tour video was good. It's fan-made, so it's not really polished. But it did bring back memories of when I took the tour, also during ConventioCon II. I remember the sets, the props, the big "Fire Paul" note on the blackboard. I'd worked in TV for a few years at the time (and many years since), so I wasn't surprised by how different it looked in real life. Nice video, I thought. (By the way, a few years ago during one visit to the Eden Prairie area, I made a bit of a pilgrimage to the industrial park that once housed BBI. I resisted the urge to bother those in the surrounding offices for their memories. I did, though, notice a couple of cars bearing MST3K stickers,)
As for "Indestructible Man", it features Lon Chaney Jr. at a low point (but not the lowest point) in his career. The story is somewhat interesting, but it's poorly made. Plus, we get too much of a focus on Casey Adams as the detective rather creepily pursuing Butcher's old girlfriend in looooong scenes that even bothered Joel. Part 2 of "Undersea Kingdom" was better, if only because things kept moving, and the print used by the show had been clumsily edited to finish early. While the movies weren't good, the ep is great. The host segments are funny, and the riffing is top notch (though they still don't realize Joe Flynn wasn't in "The Boatniks"). I particularly liked the "Playboy After Dark" style for the Mads' invention, and Officers Mike & Kevin's appearance at the end. The series was at it's Joel era peak, and it shows.
Well, pretty much OK this time. So, on to Week 21. The Outsiders selection is... "RT Live: House on Haunted Hill"... - Llllllllllllllladies! ...and the Originals selection is... "Lost Continent" (Show 208). - Ugh! Rock climbing!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 11, 2015 22:33:18 GMT -5
So, let's talk about week 19.
"The Last Flight of Joel Robinson" is a special feature on the "Mitchell"/"Brain That Wouldn't Die" DVD. It only lasts about 10:30, but it's well-produced (especially the opening). Joel, Trace & Kevin talk about making Joel's last show as host. They note that the movie was picked almost at random, but proved to be a perfect fit. They also talk about selecting Mike as host, and Joel's last message from "The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao" (which Joel still mispronounces). It's a very interesting segment.
As for "Teenage Strangler", as well as the "Is This Love?" short, we get an MST mainstay: "teenagers" that are somewhat past those years. The short is very funny, and surprisingly unresolved. The movie, which has been said to look like a town's community theater project, is less than successful. The plot, like "Girl in Lovers Lane", is begging for a fan fiction rewrite where the murders are averted. The drag race isn't exactly exciting, and do I really need to bring up Mikey? Still, the riffing was great, and the "Janitor Song" is one of the best. And, since it's an early Mike ep, we still have the Invention Exchange and Mike trying to be in charge, sort of. Lousy movie, but a great experiment.
Things didn't go too bad this time. So, on to week 20. The Outsider selection is..."ConventioCon II Highlights: BBI Tour"... - Should we have asked for Babs? ...and the Originals selection is..."The Indestructible Man" (Show 409). - With a non-lycan Lon Chaney, Jr.
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 11, 2015 22:13:43 GMT -5
I remember back in 1999 at the Gateway Convention in St. Louis, Mike was asked if they'd ever release MST3K-TM with a separate commentary track. He answered that, if they did, it'd cause the movie to fold in upon itself and cause the Universe to be destroyed.
Still, interesting thought, though...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 4, 2015 22:26:45 GMT -5
Correction: in "Deadly Bees", it's Hargrove, not Hargreaves. Sorry about that; I'm usually better at research.
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 4, 2015 22:02:15 GMT -5
So, how did week 18 go?
"Swing Parade" is an OK movie, I thought. It's got a good roster of songs and nice production values. Problem is, the movie is more or less average. It's just like nearly every other romantic musical comedy movie of that era. And the Stooges (on loan to Monogram from their usual Columbia home base) aren't allowed to really shine. Part of it is because they're just standard comedy relief rather than the stars of the show; their roles could've been filled by nearly any comedians or comedy teams of that period. Also, as I understand it, Curly was in poor health at the time, so he is unusually subdued. The movie's not bad; it's just...average. Mike's commentary for this one is pretty much all riffs, putting aside the film facts he'd added to his earlier solo efforts. It's good, but I think the full Rifftrax treatment with Mike, Kevin & Bill turned out better.
"Deadly Bees" is also not a bad movie. After all, it's from Amicus, which was Hammer's main competition back in the day for the British horror movie market. The problem with "Deadly Bees" is that it's just too unpleasant. The movie needlessly kills off Tess the cute dog, then graphically kills off Mrs. Hargreaves. It also goes too far in making Hargreaves such a jerk, while not giving us any reason to doubt that Manfred is a wacko. And Vicki is just too naïve. Still, the movie does feature Michael Ripper, who seemed to be in every movie Hammer or Amicus made at that time. The riffing was very funny, though while they did recognize Lord Melbury from "Fawlty Towers", they didn't recognize Mr. Walt, the second guy Basil thought was a hotel inspector. (Yeah, I'm nitpicking. What of it?) The host segments, with the return of the other Observers, were good, too.
Unremarkable movies this time, but nothing really awful. So, let's move on to week 19. The Outsiders selection is..."The Last Flight of Joel Robinson"... - That's Joel talking about his departure from the show. ...and the Originals selection is..."Teenage Strangler" (Show 514). - No, I didn't steal that bike.
We'll be right back...
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