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Post by kmorgan on Aug 29, 2015 0:37:34 GMT -5
So, how did week 17 go?
"My (Educational) Short Life" is a segment from the Shout 2-disc release of "Manos". (You can find it on the disc with the original movie, in the "Jam Handy to the Rescue" section.) It only lasts about 9 minutes, but it's a nice segment with Joel. He talks about how the original premise for the Comedy Channel led to the use of educational shorts on MST3K, as well as his memories of watching similar shorts during his school days. I thought it was very interesting.
"Shorts (Vol. 2)" is, for my copy, a Rhino VHS release I inherited from South Plainfield Library after we ditched our VHS collection. (Ah, the perks of my job.) It's different from the first such collection, as there are no intros from Tom Servo. They just have the shorts, themselves: "Catching Trouble", "What to Do on a Date", "Last Clear Chance", "A Day at the Fair", "Keeping Clean" and "Days of Our Years". While the shorts are funny, I wish they'd included related host segments. I mean, "Catching Trouble" is so bad that we need to see "Catching Ross", and "Last Clear Chance" is even funnier when Trooper Tom shows up.
I'd say things went OK this time. So, let's go to week 18. And the Outsiders selection is... "Swing Parade" (with Mike commentary)... - Featuring the Three Stooges, to an extent. ...and the Originals selection is... "The Deadly Bees" (Show 905). - No, I haven't seen the dog's meat.
Sorry I was late with this. Please stand by...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 22, 2015 0:19:13 GMT -5
So, week 16, anyone?
The Rifftrax shorts were very funny. The group included "Down and Out" (learn about workplace safety with the clumsiest man EVER), "Patriotism" (learn about patriotism with Bob Crane and a really poorly constructed sentence), "Buying Food" (Learn about shopping with a guy who'll buy just about anything), "Skipper Learns a Lesson" (learn about racism from a racist dog) and "Right or Wrong" (learn about moral choices from a rather unresolved situation). A very good collection.
As for "Untamed Youth", it was the first JD drama on the show. As I noted in the Satellite News episode guide, the work farm in the movie doesn't seem all that bad. Sure, the food is bad and the inmates are overworked, but there are light-hearted nightly sock hops, with an in-house combo. Things could be worse. The riffing is good; by the late first season, they were starting to really adjust to the new routine of scripted riffing. The host segments were alright, though not top notch. It was a funny enough outing.
One good, one average. And on to week 17. The Outsiders selection is... "My (Educational) Short Life"... - A brief segment featuring Joel. ...and the Originals selection is..."Shorts (Vol. 2)". - Wonder what these will teach us...
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 14, 2015 22:26:21 GMT -5
During "Gamera", when someone suddenly sets fire to a bunch of stuff to lure Gamera...
SERVO: Hey, it's Frank Burns! JOEL: Margaret, I love you! I'm doing this for you!
It's just Joel's voice when he does the line that makes me laugh, a lot.
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 14, 2015 22:17:18 GMT -5
I'm not sure if it's on in the NJ area. Given that two of the three PBS channels on my cable system (NJTV from New Jersey, and WLIW from Long Island) are pretty much wholly-owned subsidiaries of the third (WNET, New York), if it's on one, it might be on all three. I'll have to check.
I just hope, if it's on, they don't jam in four or five pledge breaks during the show. It just drove me up the wall the way they did that during "Monty Python" back in the day.
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 14, 2015 22:12:07 GMT -5
Sorry, I'm a bit late with this. I'm on vacation at my ancestral home somewhere in PA, so I'm a little off-schedule. Anyway, week 15...
"Group Therapy" only lasts around 20 minutes, but it's very interesting. Frank, Trace, Joel & Mary Jo sit around and talk about "Manos". More specifically, their thoughts about the movie and how tough it was to write the episode around it. It's a good talk, in that they don't pile on a lot of hate for the movie, and can look at it if not fondly, at least with some smiles. I admit was surprised that Frank didn't know the story of the bet that inspired the movie. And there was a good laugh over their views on where the movie crossed the line. A nice supplement to the episode.
As for "Last of the Wild Horses", I agree with the riff that pretty much everyone in this movie isn't all that smart. From the hero who goes out of his way to incriminate himself, to the disabled cattle baron who all but begs to get killed, nobody here is very bright. And, let's not get started about Remedy. The host segments, however, are among my favorites. The "Mirror, Mirror" spoof is perfect, and well-researched (like the lines accurately used from the episode, and adding a Sulu-like scar to Crow's beak). And I'm glad that GoodServo finds that "Joey the Lemur" song as annoying as I do. Funny stuff all around.
This turned out well. So, week 16. The Outsiders selection is... "Rifftrax Shorts: Vol. 1 (1st half)"... - For those of you who don't understand the concepts of safety, patriotism and shopping. ... and the Originals selection is..."Untamed Youth" (Show 112)". - Mamie Van Doren. 'nuff said.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 7, 2015 9:21:43 GMT -5
Thanks for the encouragement. I really appreciate it.
So, how'd it go with week 14? "Rattlers" is one low-grade movie. It's low budget filler that, once upon a time, was a staple of the Saturday afternoon horror movie shows on Channel 5 and/or Channel 11 back in the day. About the only really surprising thing in it is the movie's going against the principle of keeping the younger characters safe. Otherwise, there's the standard bland hero, the sexual tension that vanishes pretty quickly, the openly sinister government types, and snake attacks that are funny due to the snakes being darn near everywhere. I first saw this at an actual CT live show; I think it was at the McCarter in Princeton. Once again, the Titans do a great job with the riffing, including a few nice callbacks to their previous gig (and Josh's all-but-traditional David Carradine joke). I'm glad they got this one on DVD. (Still waiting on the others, of course.)
As for "Samson vs. the Vampire Women", this was another funny one. There are some creepy moments, and the female leads (post-transformation) hold one's interest. And, costume aside, I kind of prefer that the world's supernatural menaces be kept at bay by a big, no-nonsense wrestler who doesn't go all angsty over the job. The host segments, dealing with Frank's departure, were good, too. Nice to see Frank get a somewhat happy ending, and Forrester's song worked well. And, of course, the riffing was great.
Good double bill this time. So, what's on for week 15? The selection for the Outsiders is..."Group Therapy"... -The cast talks about the ordeal that is "Manos". ...and the Originals selection is..."Last of the Wild Horses". -Your agonizer, please!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 31, 2015 22:43:34 GMT -5
So, let's look at week 13...
"Who Done It" is one of my favorite Abbott & Costello movies. It features them at their peak, has a lot of laughs, a great supporting cast (including William Bendix, Mary Wickes, Walter Tetley, Thomas Gomez and Don Porter), and some surprisingly dark & mysterious atmosphere. They even throw in a couple of gags that lean on the fourth wall, as they say. Frank commentary is good, too. In addition to going over the movie itself, he talks about his liking for Abbott & Costello's work, differences in the various movie comedy teams of that period, and how the central mystery in the movie makes no sense (and how the viewer shouldn't care about that). Good stuff; in fact, I bought a box set of A&C's Universal comedies so I could get this movie and this commentary. (I must admit I waited until it was on sale at a discount.)
The "MST Hour Host Segments" were good, too. Mike is hilarious as "Jack Perkins". While his intros to the movies are funny, the bits he does during the closing credits (from playing catch with a stagehand to chasing said stagehand around the set)are good, too. If only Alistair Cooke had tried something like that!
Another good result this time. Now, here's week 14. For the Outsiders, the selection is..."CT: Rattlers"... -Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes? ...and for the Originals, it's..."Samson and the Vampire Women" (Show 624). -Safe journey, Frank!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 31, 2015 22:04:36 GMT -5
Are you sure it wasn't the Cinematic Titanic offering "The Alien Factor"? It has a scene like that in the middle of the movie that stops the action cold.
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 24, 2015 23:59:17 GMT -5
Sorry I'm late, folks (assuming anyone is reading this). Anyway, week 12...
"Reefer Madness" is one of those movies that, it seems, everyone has riffed on. I remember watching Cheech & Chong joke about it in "It Came From Hollywood", one of several MST3K antecedents. And there is much to riff about, from the effects of the "marihuana" (I understand the current theory is they're actually smoking crystal meth) to the middle-aged "teenagers" to the stiff, repressed Woodrow Wilson-ish voice of authority. Like the previously noted "Carnival of Souls", Mike's solo work is both riffing and trivia commentary, though its balanced more on the riffing side. Fun stuff.
As for "The Undead", it has an interesting premise, being a rip-off of the Bridey Murphy thing (which was also the source of a great Stan Freberg routine, "The Search for Bridey Hammerschlagen"). And Roger Corman does put in some good atmosphere, plus the female leads are...somewhat attractive. Still, the Devil, while crafty, looks pretty comical. In addition, Quintas nearly reaches John Agar levels of smugness, while Pendragon, our so-called hero, is excessively dim. Good idea, but the result was lacking. The episode was fine though, with great riffing. I thought the intro, with Mike brooding, was well done. The host segments were funny, with the lovely & talented Bridget as Livia, Servo channeling Harpo and Curly, and the musical stylings of Smolken.
Good selections this time. So, on to week 13. For the Outsiders, the selection is..."Who Done It?"... -Featuring Abbott & Costello, with commentary by Frank. ...and for the Originals, it's..."Mystery Science Theater Hour Host Segments (Disc 2)". -Featuring "Jack Perkins".
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 17, 2015 21:31:05 GMT -5
I would have loved to see M&tB have a go at a bad episode of old Doctor Who. Episodes that immediately come to mind are Warriors of the Deep, Paradise Towers, Timelash, and The Horns of Nimon. They're all roughly the same length as movies. I'd add "Vengeance on Varos" to that list. And as for NuWho, during the regeneration scene from "The End of Time", I can just hear the Doctor whining, "I don't want to go!", and Crow giving a Patton-like, "You don't belong in this place of honor, you lousy yellow coward! Send him to the front!"
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 17, 2015 21:24:19 GMT -5
Well, it certainly makes you feel smarter. And, if you take the trouble to look up the source of a riff, you can easily find yourself studying the subject even further.
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 17, 2015 21:21:24 GMT -5
Okay, let's look at week 11.
"Sharknado 2", as I noted on Satellite News, was ridiculous in ways that stagger the imagination. But, it was still a pretty fun movie, in its way. I guess it was pretty much what I expected it would be. One interesting point: I noted to a couple of people I know that, considering the way the Mayor of New York puts the full resources of the city under Fin's authority just because he seems to know what he's doing made me realize that, in a way, "Sharknado 2" is a really strange, Americanized episode of "Doctor Who". As for the short, "Parents: Who Needs Them" was perfect riff fodder. I wonder if the kid's puppet was any relation to the notorious Mr. Bumble. The riffing by Mike, Kevin & Bill was great, as always. And that they did it with the AC not working in the theater warrants them some extra praise.
As for "Fugitive Alien", this is one of the best eps from the series. The riffing is great, the host segments were funny, the movie was off-the-wall, and we got to see "Jack Perkins" for the first time.
Good results this time. So, what's coming up for week 12? Well, for the Outsiders, the selection is..."Reefer Madness (Mike-Only Version)... - So, is this now Colorado's official state movie? ...and, for the Originals, it's..."The Undead" (Show 806). - STAY!!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 8, 2015 23:14:24 GMT -5
Time to review week 10. I'm doing this a bit early, for reasons you'll soon see. Anyway...
"The Wasp Woman", while pretty low grade, was an OK movie. It uses the same basic plot as "The Leech Woman", but it's faster and avoided offensive racial stereotypes. The riffing by the Titans was fine, though I figure they'd have tossed in a few "Mad Men" jokes, has they done this one a couple of years later. Two other notes on this one: first, this DVD had to have a big disclaimer on the front label, and both before and after the feature, noting that the movie had been altered in a non-Corman approved way. (Sheesh, Roger, take it easy.) And second, this was one of the featured movies (the other being "The Doll Squad") on CT's last live performance to date, on December 30, 2013 at the Keswick Theater. I was there and enjoyed the show a lot. I just wish they'd recorded it for posterity. Still, I remain firmly convinced they'll get back together for an encore or something. Just bring the video cameras, please; I'll pay extra to fund it.
Anyway, on the other hand, "Master Ninja II" was a tough ride. It wasn't offensive, just really bland. It was a wholly unremarkable TV action show for the period, with all the expected clichés. (I will admit that David McCallum gave it a decent try.) The riffing and the host segments were good, though. But the "movie" was just...there. Still, I can look on the bright side. David McCallum is current co-starring in a highly-popular TV show. George Lazenby's best movie has been rediscovered and finally given some real respect. Timothy Van Patten is now an acclaimed director of acclaimed TV series. And we prefer to remember Lee Van Cleef for his more enjoyable westerns.
Split decision this time. So, moving on to week 11. For the Outsiders, I'm going outside the rotation for tomorrow night's presentation of..."RT Live: Sharknado 2- The Second One"... - I guess this will be SECOND TO NONE!
...and for the Originals, it's..."Fugitive Alien" (Show 310).
- Hahahahahahahahahahahaha I'M STUCK HERE!
Don't touch that dial...
Oh, a postscript: I also celebrated our nations birthday with a couple of RT shorts, "Patriotism" (starring Bob Crane) and "The Bill of Rights in Action" (starring some loner with a Hitler fixation).
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 4, 2015 19:23:34 GMT -5
Go from "Being from Another Planet" to "Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy", with the mummy as the connection. And, since they did some Martin & Lewis riffs in that one, go then to "Incredibly Strange Creatures...", where they do Jerry Lewis riffs when Jerry is running along the beach. Since Jerry is played by Ray Dennis Steckler, you go to "Eegah", where he has a small role. Since Richard Kiel stars in this one, that leads to "Human Duplicators", where he also stars. Since this also stars Hugh Beaumont, you then go to "Mole People". And since that stars John Agar, you stop because Agar is such a smug so-and-so that you need a break.
Well, that one way of looking at it.
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 3, 2015 22:49:50 GMT -5
Okay, let's review week 9.
"Missile to the Moon" is a pretty bad movie (as was "Catwomen of the Moon", of which this movie is a remake, basically). In addition to the traditional BIG levers, meteorite storm, passive female lead and ineffectual male lead, there's the usual power struggle among the aliens, and even a guest appearance by that giant spider from "Gilligan's Island". The guys get a lot of good riffing out of this one, particularly how the shanghaied convicts are supposed to be "clever" and "too smart". And the menu screen of the DVD has a good song from Kevin. (By the way, this is another one I reviewed for Even Deeper Blurting. Interested in seeing it?)
And "MST Alive!" is both great and maddening. Great because the movie lends itself well to the fine riffing, and the cast Q&A afterwards was also good, especially Bridget's rendition of the "Wiener Man" song. It's maddening because the available fan copy only features less than half of "World Without End", and the audio can be iffy at times. I have no idea if a better, fuller copy is available somewhere; maybe Jim has one in all the archived BBI material. Anyway, this is one of those events where I'd like to get a functioning TARDIS and head back and see it first hand. Plus, I'd bring my cohorts from PCTV to make a good, full video copy. A man can dream, I guess...
So, this one worked OK. Onto week 10, where the Outsiders selection is..."CT: The Wasp Woman"... - Ever been stung by a dead wasp woman? ...and for the Originals its..."Master Ninja II" (Show 324). - wackachika-wackachika-wackachika MASTER NINJA THEME SONG!
We'll be right back...and keep those cards & letters coming in, folks.
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