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Post by beljah on Aug 2, 2009 9:29:31 GMT -5
I actually liked RT more when there weren't so many options... Well, CT would be a better fit for you. For me, the fact that I can download, buy DVDs online AND at retail, plus (here's the big one) add RT DVDs to my Netflix queue, watched "House on Haunted Hill" last Thursday and Friday and liked it more than the last CT release. As a typical consumer, I like choice. CT seems to be all about live shows now, which are a no can do for me given the cost of travel, so it's a "my way or the highway, actually their way would entail the highway, and that's a turn off for me. Finally, while I really like Joel, I don't believe he walks on water. I can understand he's in business, just the entertainment end of it. You have to turn a profit. There probably is more profit in live shows, but if you ignore part of your audience, they will find other things.
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Post by Trumpy's Magic Snout on Aug 2, 2009 9:51:39 GMT -5
Let's take stock of exactly what has been said: 1) The Titans are taking a break after their tour. 2) The three films won't have studio versions recorded right now because they intend to use them for more live performances. Now, that's really not so scary. Though I wish that they would have something ready in time for Christmas. Well that's how I read the initial quote. I don't quite get what all the confusion was! For me Joel didn't say there would be no more DVDs ever. My disappointment comes from the fact that there's no way for me to get to a live show so DVD releases of those three films was something I was looking forward to. Fingers crossed they do appear in the future but I can see why they are keeping some things back so the live experience isn't just the same as the DVD.
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Post by Beautiful Mind on Aug 2, 2009 15:49:06 GMT -5
I have been glooming and dooming all over the internet about the demise of the studio DVDs and I stand by it. I just don't think they are profitable enough to keep folks motivated to do em. I'm betting live shows are not only more fun for them but I bet they are a better pay day. I'd be perfectly happy with the "taped in front of a live studio audience" version as long as the picture and sound are good. Ultimately I am an fan and I will be there with cash in hand when the product becomes available but I am not happy with the wait!
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Post by angilasman on Aug 2, 2009 18:03:21 GMT -5
^I'd be happy with live DVDs so long as the sound is mixed well.
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Post by mylungswereaching on Aug 2, 2009 19:23:04 GMT -5
CT really needs a mixture of live shows and DVD's if they want to keep doing this long term. Live shows make them more money upfront, but the DVD's can give them a steady income for years if they have the right right's contract.
They've got five people in CT. I'm almost the same age as Joel and I would have a lot of trouble traveling 200 days a year. Sooner or later one of them isn't going to be able to keep up the traveling, at least for a while.
If they release 4 new ones a year, they've got 20 of them after 5 years. The income on 20+ episodes available for download could get them through some down time.
DVD's give them steady income and national publicity. I seriously doubt they would give them up.
Why couldn't they record the three eps now but wait on releasing them until they have a new batch ready? They could release them 1 every 4 months or so and replace them 1 at a time.
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Post by Ford Prefect on Aug 3, 2009 2:46:29 GMT -5
Today's new movie will soon be tomorrow's old movie after all and the podcast format seems like the most effective way of getting material out on a timely basis. Plus, I'd hate for the art of movie riffing to end with the MST cast. Rifftrax Presents and the iRiff program both help the guys find new people to bring in so they won't have to be recording riffs well into their retirement. That said, for certain fans who are still coming to the site as a way to recreate the specific feel of the original series, I can understand why they aren't into that kinda thing. What do you think about the shorts, VOD features, and DVDs? Do you feel like these releases are a "celebration and subversion of kitsch into camp" or do they still lack that aura? I'm not trying to say you should like everything Rifftrax produces, but I thought old school fans would appreciate their efforts to include more MST-style material in the catalog. What part of I don't like Rifftrax don't you get? Great--you disagree with me. I intend to check out the DVDs and the shorts eventually, but they're not high on my priority list for stated reasons. As for the art of riffing dying--it won't die. I just have a lot of funny friends and if I'm going to listen to people who weren't a part of MST riff, I'd rather listen to my friends. Heck, I'd rather hand my friends each 4 bucks or whatever to have them riff than pay to hear other amateurs. If it's not the MST-folk, i'd rather do it myself. Are we really so lazy that if our riffing heroes aren't doing it we have to pay second tier talent to make jokes for us? Is it that hard to mock Nicholas Cage? MST made movie riffing an art, and did some cool, fun things with the psychology of watching bad movies...I greatly respect the contributions of all parties involved. That's why I am interested in MST related riffs--but honestly, do I like Joel McHale? Do I need to hear him riffing with Mike? Not in the least. He's alright on The Soup. I guess? What about Chad Vader (uggh)? Why not just keep it simple instead of bringing in all of these annoying, gimmicky guests? Anyway, I don't understand this trying to convince me--I didn't even say "Rifftrax is bad,"--I only said I didn't like it. There's nothing to argue. It's good that you have such funny friends. Maybe you can pass the time between CT releases by recording some riffs. Actually the reasoning you have about trying iRiffs is the same reasoning that a guy at work said he wasn't interested in MST3K. "Why would you want to hear some people make fun of a movie when you can do it yourself?" Don't get me wrong. I'm really not trying to have an argument with you. I don't have a problem with you not liking Rifftrax. The reason I asked why you felt that way in the first place was because you were disappointed about CT's sabbatical and said, "I wish I liked Rifftrax." Since that was all you said, it peaked my curiosity. I think that Rifftrax has actually been pretty good about trying to come up with solutions to various problems that customers have had with the site, so I wanted to know which problem it was. If it was that you didn't like it when they riffed new/good movies, then there's the shorts/VOD features/DVDs option. If the problem was that Joel Hodgson isn't involved, then that can't be fixed and I can understand your disappointment. Why would they bring guys like Joel McHale and Chad Vader into the mix? The same reason that late night talk show hosts have special guests on their show I assume. Those guys have a fanbase of their own and if Rifftrax can get them to come to the site, maybe they'll become loyal customers. Plus if you're already a Rifftrax fan and you haven't heard of them, maybe you'll check them out after the track is over. It helps the site build and maintain interest to have stuff like that. MST fans would be happy to just have Mike, Kevin, and Bill do everything on Rifftrax, obviously that's a major part of their success, but they aren't trying to appeal to just us. Prominently featuring the former stars of a canceled TV series with no rerun airings will only get you so far after a while. That's why I'm pleasantly surprised that CT has managed to take their project as far as they've been able to with the MST fanbase as their only support in such a high risk venture.
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Post by tygerbug on Aug 3, 2009 5:59:26 GMT -5
I seem to recall that in the old days, the MST3K crew kept a few movies around just to do live. Beginning of the End and This Island Earth, weren't they?
Same sort of thing - they want to deliver a live act you can't buy elsewhere.
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Post by cityofvoltz on Aug 3, 2009 9:00:53 GMT -5
Let's take stock of exactly what has been said: 1) The Titans are taking a break after their tour. 2) The three films won't have studio versions recorded right now because they intend to use them for more live performances. Now, that's really not so scary. Though I wish that they would have something ready in time for Christmas. Joel said they were taking a break for the summer- its already august- so whats that probably till mid september that theyre on break till...or about till when those next chicago shows start- we could hope they would be in studio recording between the chicago shows and the st louis show. an available for christmas dvd would be grand
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Post by BEERxTaco on Aug 3, 2009 13:03:18 GMT -5
^I'd be happy with live DVDs so long as the sound is mixed well. Exactly, and this is the most important point. I don't care if they record their riffs in a studio or on stage, but if they have better chemistry on stage, then that's great, record those... BUT... I do NOT want to hear the audience. I'm sure they can isolate the riffs, so maybe this will be a better solution. As much as I want to love CT, the performances on the DVDs have been fairly stiff and lacking spontanaity. Maybe this will fix that.
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Post by Ford Prefect on Aug 3, 2009 17:05:41 GMT -5
I seem to recall that in the old days, the MST3K crew kept a few movies around just to do live. Beginning of the End and This Island Earth, weren't they? Same sort of thing - they want to deliver a live act you can't buy elsewhere. They did World Without End and This Island Earth live. World Without End was done once in 1992 and never made it to TV, presumably because of rights issues. They did This Island Earth live in 1994 at the first MST3K Conventio-Con ExpoFest-a-rama as a way to help convince the Universal executives in attendance that they should green light an MST3K movie. There was going to be another live show at the second convention but it was canceled after Trace announced his departure.
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Post by angilasman on Aug 3, 2009 17:06:31 GMT -5
^I don't mind hearing the audience, I just don't want them to be too loud in the mix.
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Post by Bix Dugan on Aug 5, 2009 12:57:08 GMT -5
One good thing about going on tour...Groupies!
But they're all married, right?
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Post by Miss Interoceter on Aug 5, 2009 16:26:13 GMT -5
Frank's single.
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Post by Donna SadCat Lady on Aug 5, 2009 17:27:35 GMT -5
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Post by Beautiful Mind on Aug 24, 2009 19:05:45 GMT -5
Wha? Did someone mention Frank groupies?
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