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Post by Katie on Jan 13, 2008 19:07:47 GMT -5
I watched it last night and it made me happy. However, I'm not sure how I feel about the silhouettes. It makes the performance feel just that- like a performance. It didn't seem like five friends hanging out and riffing on a bad movie. It felt like five performers reading off a script, complete with over-the-top gesticulations. Maybe it'll take a few films for them (and me) to get accustomed to it. Or maybe they want it to play more like a stage performance. It still made me happy, though. I know what you mean, it did have that feel to it, the way they were set up. but i like that it's different from the mst3k feel. idk, cant have it both ways.
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Post by Mod City on Jan 13, 2008 21:08:24 GMT -5
I watched it last night and it made me happy. However, I'm not sure how I feel about the silhouettes. It makes the performance feel just that- like a performance. It didn't seem like five friends hanging out and riffing on a bad movie. It felt like five performers reading off a script, complete with over-the-top gesticulations. Maybe it'll take a few films for them (and me) to get accustomed to it. Or maybe they want it to play more like a stage performance. It still made me happy, though. I know what you mean, it did have that feel to it, the way they were set up. but i like that it's different from the mst3k feel. idk, cant have it both ways. I agree. There was also a certain lack of natural chemistry between all five, which may have given it that "stiff" feel. I thought Joel and Trace worked very well off each other, though, but that may be the large amount of experience they have riffing together. I think I'm going to chalk that up to their feeling-out process, though. It may change. We'll see. How are the chapters placed? I've been wondering if they made the breaks their own seperate chapters so you could skip over them, if you ended up wanting too, like when you rewatched it. It seems the chapter stops are between between 8 and 12 minutes apart, and some of them go straight to the breaks. They don't appear to be their own chapters, though, that I could tell. They're pretty short, though, so if you really want to skip them it's not too tough.
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Post by mastershake on Jan 14, 2008 9:16:24 GMT -5
Keep in mind the last time Trace was in the theater was 12 years ago...15 for Joel...almost 20 for Josh. Frank and Mary had only been in once.
They'll work it out.
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Post by Reptilian Samurai on Jan 14, 2008 10:05:41 GMT -5
Alright, I can finally read this thread and give my impressions. I'll go ahead and give my impressions before reading the others, so my apologies if I repeat anything that has already been said.
I really love the format, the new set design really allows you to see the performers a lot better than you could on MST, accomodates 5 riffers, and still manages to remain unobtrusive to seeing the film. Bravo!
All five riffers were brilliant, each got in some truly great riffs, and never did it feel like it was over-crowded simply because there were 5 riffers. Nobody felt at all redundant, either. (And it's a real treat to have Frank and Mary Jo in the theater this time!)
On the movie: not entirely my cup of tea. I enjoyed some of the inherent wackiness and bizarre directorial decisions (whats with the random love-interest? There's no build up to it, it comes out of left field and then nothing comes of it...) It was a little gruesome for my taste, too, but then I realized that the blood looked more like red paint... I'm hoping that they'll choose a very different genre for the next project, simply for varieties sake.
The segments where they paused the film were brilliant. I loved how each riffer got their own segment, and they did some visual gags. I'd love more!
Now... for the criticism... Where is the explanation of premise, and the introduction of the riffers? Sure, we loyal MSTies all know who these people are and why they are riffing, but taken on its own there is nothing given on the episode itself. MST always opened with not only a theme song explaining the premise, but the host introducing himself and the robots. The Film Crew begins with the guys introducing themselves and the premise as well (getting a film to 'commentate' from Mr. Honcho). Cinematic Titanic... the riffers walk into their silhouetted positions and start riffing. I don't even have any better understanding of the time tube from watching the episode. In fact, I would have no idea that the shadowy object at the end of the movie WAS a time tube if I hadn't read about it earlier.
I'm also a little disappointed that we never actually see our performers. It's a neat idea to remain in silhouette the whole time, but I think it would be nice if either at the beginning or the end they lit the set so you could see everyone. Maybe they could then explain the premise, introduce themselves, dim the lights and get going...
The riffing was not quite as good at the beginning of the episode, but it started to pick up as it went on. I wouldn't give it an A+, but I'm confident that future episodes will improve, and the formula itself is very solid.
I also thought the ending was hilarious. The movie went into random flashbacks of itself, so the Cinematic Titanic crew did the same thing, it was completely berzerk and hilarious.
Overall, good stuff, I just felt it was lacking a little something... I do very much look forward to the next one!
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Post by Reptilian Samurai on Jan 14, 2008 10:21:39 GMT -5
Some of the long, extended jokes really slayed me for some reason. Like, 'These Boots Were Made For Walkin'', and Joel's lengthy Slinky song as the guy was slowly pushed down the stairs. That just kept going and going! I haven't been able to get that stupid slinky song out of my head since watching! :-P
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Post by Captain Hygiene on Jan 14, 2008 10:59:18 GMT -5
I won't post spoilers here, or give much detail, but I enjoyed it quite a lot - while it wasn't up to my favorite episodes of the show, it was on par with the average episodes during the height of the Joel era (i.e., solidly good).
I did think that the format of the shadowrama and some of the delivery showed a bit more stiffness compared to MST3k, but I'd guess that's just because it's the first old-school riffing in a long time for most of the people on the show. The one thing I didn't like so much was the "host segments" (or whatever they are). The idea of stopping the film is fine, but I just thought they were not written that well. Maybe they were a bit too broad.
Overall, though, I was very pleased. I will probably not keep up with the releases very well, unless the price goes down (if downloads become an option perhaps?), but I would recommend this for sure. It definitely suggested to me that the style of movies riffed is what I've missed from Rifftrax - as much as I enjoy modern thrillers and such being laughed at, the older films Rifftrax has done are what I enjoy more, and Brain of Blood almost instantly felt closer to MST3k than almost anything the other guys have done.
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Post by mastershake on Jan 14, 2008 11:00:20 GMT -5
I liked the Dinty Moore bit the best.
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Post by Robyn on Jan 14, 2008 11:30:04 GMT -5
So I finally watched it, and I agree with everyone who said there should be some kind of intro. I don't really care if there's a premise, or if they keep everything in shadow, but I'd rather they not just jump right into the movie. It's somehow disorienting, and it took me a few minutes to get into it. It was awkward here and there, but overall I was pretty happy. Things I enjoyed: - The whole "Boots" sequence had me in stitches. - I wasn't sure what it would be like hearing Trace riff in his "normal" voice, as in not a character, but it wasn't awkward at all, and he seemed incredibly comfortable. Also, he slipped into an unmistakable Crow Giggle at one point, which made me absurdly happy. - Josh was great. He really knocked it out of the park, I thought. - Josh's guitar skit was hi-larious, as was everyone's reactions. "At least he didn't shoot out a TV this time..." - Joel protesting the battery acid scene. "I mean, you don't know that battery acid is what made him horribly disfigured, and now we'll never know! - Just hearing them all, riffing on a movie! I mean, holy crap! Things that weren't that great, actually: - I could've lived without the long Slinky song, honestly. - Okay, when Frank gave his five favorite riffs of his, he should've added that they were his ONLY riffs. I know, I exaggerate, but it seemed like he rarely spoke up compared to the others, and most of his riffs were more miss than hit, I thought. Come on, Frank, I know you're funny! - On that note, Mary Jo needed to speak up more! She had a few great riffs, but I thought she was underused, and that saddened me, 'cause she kicked some serious ass on the Glitter Rifftrax. Also, not a criticism of CT itself, but MAN that movie was icky. I'm not usually squeamish, but buuuagh, that whole surgery scene almost did me in. EDIT: Oh also, for some reason I couldn't make out what Joel said while Trace was up in the crane, it was like, "Is it just me, or is Trace something something", anyone know what he said?
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Post by callipygias on Jan 14, 2008 13:21:17 GMT -5
EDIT: Oh also, for some reason I couldn't make out what Joel said while Trace was up in the crane, it was like, "Is it just me, or is Trace something something", anyone know what he said? I think he asked if anyone else thought Trace seemed, "light in the loader." I Loved it but would relate it to somewhere between MST seasons 1&2 than the height of the Joel years, simply because they have to get comfortable, I imagine. Also, I agree with everyone saying it needs a little bit of an intro & storyline. Trace & Josh stand facing the screen, but for some reason Mary Jo and Frank sat very still and erect, facing each other, and rarely moving. They reminded me of American Gothic for some reason. They didn't seem relaxed at all, and it kept drawing my eye. Some fantastic riffing. One of my favorites was when the leathery blond lady falls down the cliff and Trace says, "Visit Wisconsin Dells and ride the rocks." No direct reference to MST until the very last words of the ep when Trace (I started to type Crow, there) says, "Want some?" A la Daddy-O. Anybody catch any others?
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Post by Reptilian Samurai on Jan 14, 2008 13:28:07 GMT -5
No direct reference to MST until the very last words of the ep when Trace (I started to type Crow, there) says, "Want some?" A la Daddy-O. Anybody catch any others? I think this foreshadows that they will, indeed, have call-backs to MST! I'm all for it. :-)
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Post by joshopitz on Jan 14, 2008 13:47:00 GMT -5
I liked the Dinty Moore bit the best. That's indeed a classic one. My favorite extended Joel riff, though, had to be the Slinky. Partly because of the hilarity, and partly because of the toll it took on his throat doing it 2 or 3 times in a row. That's dedication, folks.
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Post by joshopitz on Jan 14, 2008 13:49:02 GMT -5
correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it list Timothy Ford as playing Stephen Hawking? Katie, You're correct. RAD Indeed. I was hoping they'd leave (producer) Tim's Stephen Hawking impression in there (it was pretty hilarious), but it was probably the better route to dub in the speaking-computer sound.
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Post by vanhagar3000 on Jan 14, 2008 14:07:41 GMT -5
Hey Josh! Welcome to the board!
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Post by joshopitz on Jan 14, 2008 14:13:33 GMT -5
Hey Josh! Welcome to the board! thanks! i'm really happy to see all these favorable reviews. as a longtime MST fan, I knew it'd be good, but I didn't know it'd be THIS good. I was really proud to be a (small) part of it. The riffing is top-notch, and Josh really blew me away. He's a funny dude.
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Post by braindeadzombie on Jan 14, 2008 14:29:28 GMT -5
Very good overall but I'm kind of disappointed that no CT member yelled out "Masterblaster!"
Maybe they're rusty...
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