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Post by kmorgan on Mar 31, 2020 21:48:30 GMT -5
Oh, for Pete's sake. Yes, the country is on lockdown and many have lost their sense of time, but I'm really pushing it. Oh, well. Week 250...
Mary Jo's "Life After MST3K" is another interesting entry. She talks about how it was surprisingly tough for her to adjust after the original show ended. She talks abut her travels around the world (and I thought it was a big deal when I drove to Montclair), writing two books, and her ambitions (like learning to juggle). From the sound of things, this was recorded when CT was still touring, though she mentions doing one RT commentary with Mike ("Glitter", which I have yet to experience). It only runs under 10 minutes, but I liked it.
The cast Q&A from Gateway 2000 was just as good as I remember it. After some confusion over how many microphones and chairs they'd need, they get going with Mike, Kevin, Bill & Mary Jo. Among the subjects covered are the 'bot models brought by the audience (three Servos, one Crow and an S.O.L. bridge diorama), whether they receive residuals from the show (this inspired ironic laughter), the studio-mandated cuts to MST3K-TM, and some TimmyBigHands info (and I'm still waiting for "Kill a Guy: The Motion Picture"). Mike also resurrects his Torgo voice, Kevin sings, and Mary Jo meets a fan who's cosplaying Pearl Forrester. There's only one, non-mobile camera, and the audio isn't great, but it's still a good segment. However, no sign of a plain-looking guy with a then-red beard wearing a snazzy PCTV jacket.
As for "Stranded in Space", like Frank wrote, it's an OK TV-movie. The acting is OK, it has a good cast of familiar faces, and they even try for a bit of character development. (Benedict is a ruthless guy, but he has a tragic backstory justifying it.) Sure, it's one of a multitude of failed pilots, but I wouldn't have minded seeing the series that would've come next. Then again, given the trend of resurrecting old concepts to supply the abundance of channels, we may yet see Stryker resume his attempt to leave Terra.
Okay, given my irresponsible foul-up, I'm going to combine weeks 251 & 252. So, for the Outsiders, our first selection is... "Movie Sign with the Mads: 'Duck Soup'"... - Hail, Hail Freedonia! ... and the second selection is..."MST: The Home Game (11PM Show)"... - Did Milton-Bradley make this? ... while the first Originals selection is... "Beginning of the End" (Show 517)... - From Notorious B.I.G. ... and the second selection is... "Gamera vs. Barugon" (Show 304). - The one without the annoying kids.
We're stuck here...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 9, 2020 19:47:06 GMT -5
Well, let's take a break from waiting things out to look at weeks 251 & 252...
Trace, Frank & Carolina all spoke very well of "Duck Soup". The episode also touched on the Marx Brothers whole cinematic career, and how our hosts preferred their more anarchic Paramount movies over their more conventional (i.e. plot, romance, musical numbers) MGM movies (though they all praised "A Night at the Opera"). A number of interesting facts were noted (like Zeppo's post-movie career), and they did put in a few digs at the current Presidential administration. They even compared the Marx Brothers and the Ritz Brothers (I've only seen one movie with the latter and I really wasn't too impressed). A good program, except for one thing: the name is pronounced "chick-oh", not "cheek-oh".
As for the later "MST Home Game", it worked OK as a bit of a preview for the show's debut on TSNWSRN. The breaks in the movie featured the cast giving new viewers a few character bios, and hinting at new developments. The featured movie, "The Day the World Ended", was a good choice. Unfortunately, the delay in flashing the audiences riffs onscreen lessened the impact. It was like an improperly synched Rifftrax entry. Perhaps we'll get a fully-riffed version someday.
Turning to "Beginning of the End", it's one of the more watchable BIG movies, though not the best giant insect movie. (That would be "Them!") Peter Graves is his usual strong leading man self, giving a serious performance in the midst of grasshoppers walking on postcards. The riffs are good, and the host segments included an brief, surprise look at Deep 13, and Crow's as-yet-unfilmed Peter Graves biopic. A pretty good episode.
And "Gamera vs. Barugon" may be the best of the original run of Gamera movies. It's certainly the most serious of them, with no short-panted kids around and no talk about Gamera being a friend of children. Instead, we get some human greed and brutality, along with a lot of self-doubt from the closest character we have to a hero. Unfortunately, Gamera disappears for a good part of the story, which brings the average down a bit. Still, it's certainly a more tolerable movie. The riffing is very good, and I particularly liked the host segment with the "Men & Monsters" playset. Once upon a time, I'd have begged to get that one for Christmas. And I can vouch for the Stephen King book joke at the end. I've processed many of his works, and they can be heavy as boat anchors.
Well, those went well, I thought. Let's move on to week 253. Our Outsiders selection is... "CT: The Oozing Skull"... - Sounds particularly yucky. ... and the Originals selection is... "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster" (Show 213). - From lesser G-man to real G-man.
Good health to all from Rexall...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 16, 2020 23:18:39 GMT -5
Okay, time to look at week 254.
"The Oozing Skull" (a.k.a. "Brain of Blood") is one lousy movie. Low-budget and low-quality, it's about an illegal brain transplantation involving a dying foreign leader. There's an obsessed brain surgeon, a hulking & scarred henchman, a dwarf co-henchman, a hired killer, an unscrupulous wife, a token good guy and lots of red paint standing in for blood. I'm not sure what exactly they used to substitute for brain matter, but it looks pretty disgusting. And it all culminates in a downbeat finish. About the only real surprises are two characters who survive that I was sure would get killed. Plus I'm pretty sure it has the same stock background music as "Blood of the Vampires" and "Danger on Tiki Island". This was the first DVD release from CT. There are differences from the later releases, like going directly into the movie and skipping the "electron scaffolding" plotline. There's also four host segments rather than two; they're OK. The riffing is good, as well. I will say that I prefer the live CT releases over the studio work, though.
As for "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster", I'm kind of going against the grain but I prefer this movie over "Godzilla vs. Megalon". There's no annoying cute kid, the plot seems to work better, and Godzilla has a bigger role. And Mothra makes an appearance. But, that's just my opinion. The riffing turned out very well, and the host segments were good, particularly Mothra's Hexfield appearance. And has anybody figured out why they didn't enter the theater until after the opening credits?
Well, those kept me occupied during my enforced hiatus from work. Let's see how things turn out for week 254. The Outsiders selection is... "RT Live: Space Mutiny"... - Where's my Ballerian costume? ... and the Originals selection is... "Pumaman" (Show 903). - Sorry, I meant to say "Pewmaman".
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 23, 2020 23:51:24 GMT -5
I hope everyone is well, and up to looking at week 254.
The RT Live version of "Space Mutiny" turned out well, just as good as when I saw it via live remote at local theater. (Remember going to those, folks?) The opening short with the H.G. Wells adaptation "The Magic Shop" was off-kilter but good, though I'll have to check how close it was to the original story. At least the dad wasn't a magic-denying total jerk, like you might expect. As for the main feature, it was the full version, including several scenes removed by BBI for the MST version. While those included some interesting exposition regarding the characters (like how McPherson got his limp), it's mostly more fights, explosions and railing kills. I'm not saying it's a better movie, just more complete. One thing I thought of upon re-watching it is, given the current situation, I wouldn't mind having a couple of the gas mask/goggle combos that Kalgon's goons wear. The riffing was great, including a long-awaited on-screen acknowledgement of "Battlestar Galactica". The new riffs turned out pretty well. The nudity-blocking CGI gorillagram was...interesting. And Kevin's silver & blue Capt. Santa caftan looked good. I watched this on DVD, which is my preferred format for the live shows, as it includes the pre-show title cards. One more thing: there were a couple of mentions of the two "Captain America" TV-movies Reb Brown did a while back. One can only hope they'll be featured on a future RT show.
As for "Pumaman", it's certainly a candidate for the title of "Worst Superhero Movie". The unimpressive hero, the hypercompetent sidekick, the unmenacing villain, the dodgy effects, the laughable music...shall I go on? I've never seen the uncut movie, which supposedly includes some expository scenes that enable the story to make a bit more sense. But, for now, I'll stick to the MSTed version. As for whether or not it was meant as a spoof or a serious flick, I'm going to leave that question alone. This was one of the best shows from the TSNWSRN era. The riffing was great, especially the lyrics to the peppy Pumaman theme. The host segments were good, though I have to wonder how they chose Roger Whitaker to mind-control. As for the Castle Forrester scenes, I can only assume Observer and company watched the early episodes of "Sliders", before the show fell apart.
Well, two good ones this time. Turning to week 255, the Outsiders selection is... "RT: The Guy from Harlem"... - I've got TWO REASONS to watch this one! ... and the Originals selection is... "The Beast of Hollow Mountain" (Show 1105). - I'm back in the saddle again.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on May 1, 2020 23:55:21 GMT -5
Okay, let's look at week 255.
"The Guy from Harlem" has been referred to as the "Plan 9" of Blaxploitation, and it's a very accurate description. Low production values, bad print quality, poor acting and staging, and a nonsensical script certainly make it fit into that category. The lousy print they used make it look even worse than "Plan 9". The only real saving grace is nice guy mobster Harry "TWO REASONS!!" De Bauld; he's the most memorable character. And I agree that the lead looks like Will Ferrell in blackface. The riffing is top notch, and the guys are clearly enjoying the effort. I watched this from the DVD, which included both a special introduction and a "Talking Rifftrax" segment where they discuss the movie. Great stuff.
As for "Beast of Hollow Mountain", you'd be forgiven into thinking this was just a standard 1930s or 1940s Western B-picture from Republic or some lower-tier studio. The whole plot (noble rancher vs. unscrupulous rancher with beautiful girl between them and stolen cattle etc.) had been used countless times back when Roy Rogers, a pre-Cavalry Trilogy John Wayne and Hopalong Cassidy rode the backlot. It would've been OK even without the sudden T-Rex. (They could've substituted a hostile bear or mountain lion or puma, actually.) The dino doesn't really add much, but it's an interesting addition. The movie in general isn't that bad, and at least young Panchito doesn't turn into a Mexican Kenny towards the Beast. The riffing here was good, though this early in Season 11 they hadn't quite gotten the rhythm of the delivery down. The host segments were good, especially the takeoff on the weird parading townspeople. (I could easily hear Frank deliver Patton's lines.) And I agree that the guys new take on "My Dinner with Andre" would be definitely worth seeing.
Okay, those went well. Time to move on to week 256. The Outsiders selection is... "RT Live: The House on Haunted Hill"... - Give him a siditive! ... and I'm going outside the rotation for this Originals selection... "MST3K Live Social Distancing Riff-Along Special". - A new short, "Moon Zero Two", comments from the tour cast, and Q&A with Joel? I'm there!
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on May 8, 2020 22:16:38 GMT -5
Okay, time to look at week 256.
"House on Haunted Hill" is a pretty good movie, actually. It's not really that scary, but it's certainly enjoyable. Vincent Price is at his best here, laying on the sarcastic charm. The rest of the cast is also good, and there's some nice atmosphere. I'd love to have seen this as William Castle intended: in a theater equipped with Emergo. Oh, well. The RT Live version worked out fine. The riffing was great, though I'm surprised the presence of Richard Long didn't inspire at least one "Nanny and the Professor" reference. They also featured two shorts: "Magical Disappearing Money" (Grocery witch!) and "Paper & I" (Living lunch bag!). Guest riffer Paul F. Thompkins does OK, including filling in for briefly-fired Kevin. I watched this on DVD, which also included the pre-show title cards, and two funny "commercials" for Rifftrax in general.
As for the MST3K Live special, I thought it turned out OK. "Moon Zero Two" was a good choice, in that it featured a good movie, and left space between the jokes for a few new riffs from the touring cast. There were some nice tributes to medical personnel dealing with COVID-19, and they did address a few questions and riffs from the audience. (One viewer had the same question I did about a release of a recording of the touring episodes; Joel answered with "Maybe".) And, in the spots where commercials would go, they left the microphones open so we could hear Joel & the cast preparing for the next segment. (No "Uncle Don" moments, by the way.) The new short was OK, but was cut down for time and was too...short. Maybe the full version will be used someday. After that, they had the After-Show, the first few minutes of which I missed. It was a Zoom session with Joel and the cast members, as well as Jonah & Felicia. They talked about what they were all up to now, and just had a nice chat. I thought it was pretty interesting.
Those went pretty well, I thought. So, on to week 257. For the Outsiders, I'm going off the rotation for... "Hate Mail"... - This is a live-streamed charity performance of Bill's play. I haven't seen it performed before, so I'm looking forward to it. ... while the Originals selection is... "The Skydivers" (Show 609). - Please, no acid on my chute.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on May 15, 2020 23:04:17 GMT -5
Aaaaaand, here's a look back at Week 257.
I was looking forward to seeing "Hate Mail" (co-written by Bill and by Kira Obolensky). I'd heard about it for years, but had never seen it, nor could I get a copy of the script. (Not even Inter-Library Loan could help.) So, I jumped at the chance to watch the performance, and help a good cause. And I wasn't disappointed. Modelled after the two-character "Love Letters", the plot is about how a complaint letter about a damaged snow globe leads to a very odd, fairly dysfunctional relationship. And there's a millennial cult, "vitamins", GQ, parents, a cheap motel, foot odor and lizards thrown into the mix. I won't go any further than that, mainly because it'll lose something in the translation. The performances by RT veteran Paul F. Thompkins and Rhea Seehorn, appearing together via Zoom, were very good. I really enjoyed it. Last I heard, it was still available for rental vis Vimeo on Demand. It might still be there.
As for "The Skydivers", this might be the most semi-conventional of Coleman Francis' movies. Yes, it's darkly photographed and deals with deceit and spite and death, but it's a ray of sunshine compared to "Red Zone Cuba". And it lacks the fragmented narration of "Beast of Yucca Flats". I will say though that the actual skydiving sequences are pretty good. But where the heck did that Scotsman wander in from? And the opening short, "Why Study Industrial Arts?" is one of the greats. The riffing was very good, especially during the short and the later Petey Plane jokes. The host segments were OK, with Crow getting a lot of abuse. The Swing Choir segment reminded me of my unsuccessful attempt at Glee Club way back in New Market Elementary School. Suffice it to say it proved that I have very little singing talent.
Two good ones this time. So, let's move on to week 258. The Outsiders selection is..."CT: East Meets Watts"... - I thought Watts was on second. ... and the Originals selection is... "Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy" (Show 102). - Can't we call this one a draw?
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on May 22, 2020 22:01:01 GMT -5
Let's review week 258, shall we?
"East Meets Watts" is a fairly uncomfortable amalgam of martial arts and Blaxploitation. You've got an undocumented visitor from China fighting Asian gangsters and an African-American fighting the Man and both find themselves on the same side. There are martial arts battles and gunplay and a very cheap backlot set and insufficient lighting. Plus the traditional disposable women (except for one who seems to just vanish from the movie) and a few ethnic slurs. Measured according to riffed examples from each respective genre, it's nowhere near the level of "Fist of Fury" and lacks the enjoyability of "The Guy from Harlem". This was one of CT's live show DVDs, and I preferred this format over the in-studio riffs. The Titans worked very well together, and played off the audience to great effect, especially the riffs directly inspired by MST3K.
As for "Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy", this was not one of my favorites. Told primarily in flashback (taken, I recently learned, from two previous flicks in a series), it just moves so darn slow and is rather dull. The villain (Dr. Krupp, alias the Bat) is not enough of a distraction from the tedium. And the promised conflict is almost an afterthought, given how its presented. By comparison, the first part of "Radar Men from the Moon" wasn't too bad. Republic was very good at doing serials that held your attention, with at least one fistfight in every chapter. The riffing was good for this one, if still a bit sparse. I get the impression they hadn't fully gone over to scripted riffs, as many of them seem ad-libbed. Also, I understand this was the only time the writers used liquor to get through the movie viewings, and I'm glad this didn't become the norm. The host segments with the Demon Dogs were OK. Even though they appeared in the opening titles of the KTMA shows, I don't think they actually got used until this one. And I liked the discussion between Clay & Larry over Clay's convention behavior; very much in character.
Well, not to great for 258. Let's move on to week 259. For the Outsiders selection, we've got... "The MST Scrapbook"... - Ah, memories! ... and for the Originals, I'm going outside the rotation. Since we're coming up on Memorial Day weekend, the until-recently popularly-recognized start of the summer season, I'm going with... "The MST3K 2nd Annual Summer Blockbuster Review"... - From waaaaay back when indoor theaters were open. ... and since this lasts less than 30 minutes, I'm exercising my second feature option with... "Gamera vs. Gaos" (Show 308). - Is this a recognized title bout?
We now pause for station identification...
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Post by kmorgan on May 30, 2020 11:34:45 GMT -5
Time to review week 259.
"The MST Scrapbook" is a pretty important bit of history. I remember seeing the first version of it shown at ConventioCon I. In those days before YouTube and more extensive tape trading, this was the first time most of us had seen the KTMA era, or even season 1. The behind-the-scenes footage was also a new discovery. So, I got the tape from BBI as quickly as I could, especially since it now had footage from the aforementioned Con I. I still enjoy watching it, and seeing Joel live at the Comedy Gallery is yet another item on my "When I Get a TARDIS" list. I did skip past the Turkey Day segments, though; I save them for Thanksgiving.
The 2nd "Summer Blockbuster Review" was pretty funny. I'm pretty sure I didn't see any of the movies (like "Armageddon" or "Halloween Water") in a theater, but it's been more than seven years, so the Feds can't get me. I particularly liked the way they sidestepped the whole (JAPANESE KAIJU NAME DELETED) situation. One can only hope that next year, when summer blockbuster season returns, that we can get a new edition of the review.
As for "Gamera vs. Gaos", it's a step back from the more serious "Gamera vs. Barugon". We get another "monster child", but Itchy is not psychotic like Kenny was. The road construction subplot doesn't intrude too much into the proceedings. And Gaos actually looks pretty cool. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure this was the first one where we see Gamera actually get cut up, spurting blood and all. One other thing: I saw this one on DVD from the Shout Factory Gamewra set. It includes the original Japanese trailer, which includes a different Gamera song, and a bunch of kids (including Itchy) shouting something to Gamera. I just wish it was subtitled. Anybody know what was actually said? This is a particularly good episode. The riffing is funny and fast, but at just the right pace. The host segments were good, though I wonder how many responses they got on how to snuff Gaos.
Well, that turned out well. Let's move on to week 260. For the Outsiders, we have... "Life After MST3K: J. Elvis Weinstein"... - Glad that you're doing better, Josh. ... and since this lasts less than 30 minutes, I'm exercising my second feature option with... "RT Live: Reefer Madness"... - I guess this is legal in NJ now, with a prescription. ... and the Originals selection is... "Catalina Caper" (Show 204). - Ya got me!
Keep those cards & letters coming in, folks!
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Post by kmorgan on Jun 6, 2020 16:10:40 GMT -5
Time to look back at week 260.
The segment with Josh was, like the others in the series, very interesting. He talks about working stand-up until he could save up to move to L.A. He mentions several of the programs he'd worked on, the most famous of which being "AFV" (which he wasn't initially enthusiastic about working on) and "Freaks and Geeks" (which he remains proud of and remembers fondly). And he talks about how, like a great many in the industry, he's doing his best to use his day-to-day work to help get more personal projects off the ground. This was taped during his tenure with CT, which he speaks of very well. It was apparently made before his more recent health problems, which, thankfully, he's recovered from. (Oh, by the way, this segment is included on the "Robot Holocaust" disc. I recently saw that movie unriffed and it is just about intolerable that way.)
The RT Live version of "Reefer Madness" was pretty funny. The movie is, of course, quite notorious, so I don't have to go over that. The riffing was very good, though I'm surprised there were no Woodrow Wilson jokes directed at the bespectacled "educator". The show also included the shorts "More Dangerous Than Dynamite" (Ye gods, washing stuff in gasoline? Seriously?) and "At Your Fingertips: Grass" (I don't remember seeing that one in school, but the timing would be right if I did.). There were also a couple of quick shorts from Rich Kyanka featuring stories told by his five-year-old. I think those would work great matched up with "Dexter and Computress Get Mandark".
And I saw "Catalina Caper" not too long ago. It's an amiable enough beach party movie, though clearly from the lower tier. (Think Gamera, as opposed to Godzilla.) Still, Little Richard is good, though I'm not sure how exactly he ended up in this movie in the first place, beyond the paycheck. The episode has great riffing, and a couple of the great host segments (Joel's talk about the 60s, and "Creepy Girl"). And I watched this one via YouTube, in a presentation that included commercials for CTV, as TFNWSRN was briefly known. ("Sports Monster"? That's going way back.)
Well, those worked pretty well. Time to move on to week 261. The Outsiders selection is... "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" (with Joel)... - Who pays for the gas? ... and since this lasts less than 30 minutes, the second feature is... "Invention Exchange: Joel Hodgson Reflects"... - Who holds the patent rights? ... and the Originals selection is... "Shorts, Vol. II". - Will I need to bleach them?
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Jun 14, 2020 19:51:54 GMT -5
I'm a bit late again, but here's a look back at Week 261.
The Joel episode of "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" only lasted around 12 minutes, but it was good. Joel and Jerry Seinfeld drove out from NYC in a blue Karmann Ghia, and went to a diner. Along the way and after they arrive, they talked about a bunch of things like how "Mad Men" demonstrated wish fulfillment for those of their generation, comments on the cars alongside them, and speculation on the development of ketchup bottles with the cap at the bottom. It's brief, but pretty funny. And the diner they went to was the Skylark on Rt. 1 in Edison; I've never been there but I've driven past it. Maybe when we're back to semi-normal I go over there for breakfast. And the segment on the Invention Exchange only lasts around six minutes, but it's OK. Joel talks about the idea, both in- and out-universe, behind the concept, and comments on the exchange in "Bride of the Monster" (since this segment is on that disc). Not bad.
As for "Shorts, Vol. 2", it's got a pretty good selection, including "Catching Trouble", "What to Do on a Date", "Last Clear Chance", "A Day at the Fair", "Keeping Clean & Neat" and "Days of Our Years". It's a straight presentation, with no new intros. It's funny, with a couple of real classics, but I wish they'd included some of the related host segments. "Catching Trouble" is just too disturbing without seeing the guys break out the hammer on Ross.
That went pretty well. Moving on to week 262, I'm going outside the rotation for the Outsiders. We're only days away from the true start of summer, so I'm going to watch one I should've featured months ago... "Rifftrax: The Spring Collection" (w/ Bridget & Mary Jo)... - Guess we'd better clear the runway. ... and the Originals selection is... "Avalanche" (Show 1104). - I knew I shouldn't have put away my snow tires.
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Jun 21, 2020 23:00:16 GMT -5
Time to look at week 262.
"The Spring Collection" only consists of three shorts, with the whole think clocking in at around 30 minutes. But they still worked out well. The first one, "Fashion for Go-Getters", had a panel of male Dartmouth students critiquing some models in ladies' sportswear, circa 1964. The guys are obviously scripted, and the fashions are near-Fifties level restrained. The next one, "Accent on Spring", has a woman, while talking with her psychiatrist, going into production numbers highlighting guys in supposedly English-style sportswear that was never worn by anyone who did have at least $500K in family money. The only thing that caught my interest was that the actor who played the shrink did the voice of Heat Miser in "Year Without a Santa Claus". And the third one, "Match Your Mood", showed how Westinghouse products can match your wallpaper. There's no dialogue, but the soundtrack is groovy (and I'm sure one bit of music was used in one of the Ralph Bakshi episodes of the "Spider-Man" cartoon). The best thing about this is Bridget & Mary Jo's riffing. Their entries are always fun.
As for "Avalanche", it's a slow, stereotypically 70s disaster flick, but without a huge budget, slumming A-list stars, and Irwin Allen. The acting isn't that great (at least Rock Hudson gives it some effort), and the VFX are low grade. Still, I've seen worse. And they actually managed one surprise: in nearly any other disaster movie, Hudson's character would be killed off in spectacular fashion. The problem I have with this episode is I think they cut too much from the movie. Yes, I'm watching for the riffs and not the plot, but I would've preferred more of the original material. The riffing was OK, though they were still throwing in too many jokes at this early point. The Inventions were OK, and, in hindsight, "OK, We Get It" might've been a better title for Episode IX. The host segments were good, especially the duet between Felicia and Neil Patrick Harris. (I didn't see their work on that other show I can't remember the title to, but I let that aspect slide.) Gypsy's new club act seems like a natural sequel to "Gypsy Rose Me", and I'm sure at least two or three of those titles the guys tried to copyright must be on the way from TSNWSRN.
That seemed to go OK. So, let's move to week 263. The Outsiders selection is... "Rifftrax Shorts, Vol. 1" (2nd Half)... - Did they make a DVD featuring "longs"? ... and the Originals selection is... "Lords of the Deep" (Show 1203). - Shame that Troy Tempest didn't do a cameo.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Jun 29, 2020 15:53:35 GMT -5
Well, not "right" back, obviously. Late again. My apologies to whomever is reading these.
Looking back on week 263, the second half of the initial RT Shorts DVD has four good ones, two of which I'd count as classics. There's "Drugs are Like That", "The Trouble with Women", "It Must Be the Neighbors" and "Shake Hands with Danger". The middle two are OK (though the misogyny if "Trouble with Women" is a bit much), but the other two are great. Regarding the former, I didn't mind the meandering conversation of the two kids because kids really do talk like that. And "Shake Hands with Danger" is a perfect blend of short and riffs, though I'm not sure why they didn't riff on the whole thing. (The original short runs maybe ten minutes longer.) The only downside was the attempt to have an animated Mike, Kevin & Bill appear on screen; it's too derivative and distracting.
As for "Lords of the Deep", this is a remarkably cheap-looking ripoff, as noted by Max, of all the "Abyss" ripoffs. It's tough to tell the characters apart, the attempts at characterization don't work, and just about the only character who makes a good impression is Priscilla Barnes as the scientist. As for Bradford Dillman, the guys are right in that he seems to be going for a Shatner delivery, though I did notice him going into Adam West mode at times. I thought this worked pretty well for the show, though I think they shouldn't have cut so much from it. (I figure at least twenty minutes were edited.) The riffing was good, though, and pretty well-paced, though not noticing that the corporate bigwig was played by Roger Corman was as bad as not commenting on the "Battlestar Galactica" ships in "Space Mutiny". The host segments were OK, particularly the appearance of Dr. St. Phibes (great name!), who was equally funny in that year's live tour shows.
I thought things turned out OK. So, let's move in to week 264. Since the Fourth of July is this Saturday, the Outsiders selection is..."RT: Independence Day"... - The original, not the sequel. I'm not that masochistic. ... and the Originals selection is... "War of the Colossal Beast" (Show 319). - Special Guest Star: Mr. B Natural!
U.S.A! U.S.A!
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 6, 2020 21:55:07 GMT -5
Late again. I ran into a few problems. I'll attempt to explain.
First, I ran into trouble with "Independence Day". The riffing file was fine, but my DVD ran into trouble. It kept locking up, throwing the timing out of whack. I cleaned the disc at the library, so I'll give it another shot this week.
As for "War of the Colossal Beast", this one is the perfect example of "unnecessary sequel". Glen's story resolved itself quite well in the original; there was no need for a revisit. Add to this the fact that pretty much no one from the first movie's cast returns for this one makes it even more uncomfortable. And I have to agree with the riff that ReplacementGlen's growls sound like a minibike revving up. I do have one question: does bread dosed with chloral hydrate count as a "specialty bread"? (Please advise.) Anyway, the real star of this episode is, of course, "Mr. B Natural", one of the quintessential (that's a fancy word) MSTed movies. The riffing in this one is top notch, with "Mr. B" providing many of the most memorable jokes of the show's history. The host segments were OK, with Mike's return as OriginalGlen and Joel's turn as KTLA.
One scrubbed, one successful this time. So, let's move on to week 265. In addition to a second attempt at "Independence Day", the Outsiders selection is..."So Happy Together: A Look Back at MST3K and Gamera"... - Does Kenny do a guest shot in this? I can't remember. ... and the Originals selection is... "The Day the Earth Froze" (Show 422). - Just in time for a run of 90 degree weather her in NJ.
Be seeing you...
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 12, 2020 22:51:02 GMT -5
Time to review week 265.
"So Happy Together" runs just shy of 30 minutes and is very interesting. Joel, Jim, Trace, Frank and Josh talk about the Gamera movies and how they impacted MST3K, which they agree was in a positive way. The consensus is that the movies, while childish and goofy, were perfect for the show. They also mentioned how they liked getting another shot at them in the TFNWSRN era, after the ad-lib treatment at KTMA. As a side note, Joel and Josh both mention how, while they appreciate the way fans feel about them, they are dissatisfied with the KTMA shows and view them more as a test bed for the concept rather than actual episodes of the show proper. I was surprised that Trace mentioned that he'd never heard of Gamera before the movies appeared on KTMA. (I remember watching "Gamera vs. Guiron" on the WABC-TV "4:30 Movie", and how my brothers & I all joked about the brain-eating thing.)
As for "Day the Earth Froze", the movie is way off-kilter, but that doesn't mean it's bad. In fact, it has a lot of imagination and it was obviously shot with a decent budget, relatively speaking. I suppose it might make more sense if I saw the original version, or if the print was better, but that's not necessary. I'm more than willing to just roll with this. And the "Here Comes the Circus" short worked well, though it made me realize I've never actually been to a circus. I'm not really sure why; probably my Dad's teaching schedule and available funds (or lack thereof) factored into that. As for the episode, I'd class it as one of the best. The riffing is great, particularly the "He's a Failure" song. I liked the host segments, including "Gypsy Rose Me", which has been the subject of much MSTie discussion.
Two good ones this time. So, let's move on to week 266. The Outsiders selection is... "TV Wheel (HBO Version)"... - Including the trailer for "Statical Planets". ... while the Originals selection is..."Final Justice" (Show 1008). - Let's face it; they were pretty tough on Joe Don.
Don't forget to write...
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