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Post by kmorgan on Feb 4, 2021 23:57:14 GMT -5
Sorry, the snow (and the shoveling thereof) have completely thrown me off. Anyway, week 294...
First, I'm still trying to get those other two discs to work. I'll let you know.
As for "Crow vs. Crow", I'm not sure which con this was recorded at, but it works very well. Trace is flanked by a very good-looking Crow puppet he put together himself, while Bill's side of the table has a...somewhat less-impressive fan-made one. The session is really interesting, as Trace talks about getting started as Crow and developing the character, while Bill talks about trying to do his own take on Crow while doing justice to the original. They both talk about the difficulties in puppeteering, and they pass along a very important lesson: Never Take the Puppet Home. And, during the Q&A, special guest Frank is very funny.
Regarding "Mad Monster", this movie follows the usual pattern: disgruntled scientist uses his new creation to get back at those who dismissed him. The only real difference is having George Zucco as the bad guy rather than Bela Lugosi. Glenn Strange is somewhat sympathetic as the titular monster, though Lon Chaney Jr. perfected this sort of thing. And it is surprising that they'd actually have the monster kill a kid; only Karloff could get away with such a thing, really. And the ending depressed me, in that the wolf was still locked in that cage in the lab as the place burned down. Well, at least the second chapter of "Radar Men from the Moon" was good, though I don't understand why they'd design a disintegrator pistol and make it single-shot. The riffing was OK, with a pretty combination of ad-libs and scripted jokes. The host segments were also good, including the classic bit of Servo meeting the blender. I do wonder how they got away with the open flames during the Invention Exchange.
Well, maybe I can get myself back on track for what's left of week 295. The Outsiders selection is..."RT: Short & Sweet"... - Featuring Bridget & Mary Jo. Sweet, indeed! ... and the Originals selection is... "Revenge of the Creature" (Show 801). - Featuring the much less sweet John Agar.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Feb 6, 2021 22:42:30 GMT -5
Well, that was a short week, wasn't it? Anyway, week 295...
"Short & Sweet" is a DVD collection of six shorts riffed on by Bridget & Mary Jo. They are "Maturing Woman" (including breaks for group discussion and pre-RT photos of B & MJ), "Marriage is a Partnership" (like Michael Corleone and Hyman Roth, it seems), "Duties of a Secretary" (including nail-biting suspense), "Prom: It's a Pleasure" (and a plug for Coke), "Naturally a Girl" (the other film the girls watched while the boys saw "Why Study Industrial Arts?"), and "The Griper" (and his ghostly doppelganger). The riffing for all of these is great; B & MJ are not just funny, but very natural-sounding. They're clearly having a great time with these. And there was a quick cameo by Kevin, if you listen closely. Oh, like MJ, I didn't go to my prom, either. I'm not a big one for parties, I had no prospects for a date, and I'm a lousy dancer. But, it worked out OK. Some time later, the money I'd have used for the prom went towards my first car: a red 1974 Ford Mustang II, with a white vinyl top. Nice ride.
As for "Revenge of the Creature", it's definitely inferior to the original movie. Instead of a viewpoint of the debate between observing nature vs. bag 'em & stuff 'em, it seems we're supposed to side with the "scientists" who capture and torment the Gill Man in the name of "research". And there's parading the captured Creature for the masses, the awkward standard-issue "romance" (complete with doomed third wheel), and the ever-smug John Agar. And, worst of all, how could they do that to the faithful dog Chris? And why would Capt. Lucas go along with taking some other bunch of scientists after the Gill Man, considering his last run to the Black Lagoon? Sorry, but these questions nag at me. The riffing is good, though. The host segments were also OK, as we set up the aftermath of "Laserblast" and the new Deep Ape-based situation. Bill has admitted that his puppeteering skills weren't very good at the start, and we can certainly see it for ourselves. But he gave a good attempt in his initial work as Crow. It was a good start to the show on TSNWSRN, back when I could call it by name.
Two good ones for the brief week. So, let's move on to week 296. For the Outsiders, I'm going outside the rotation for... "The Mads are Back Live: The Choppers"... - Another live on-line riff, this time of a movie I haven't seen. With Arch Hall, Jr.! ... while the Originals selection is... "Space Travelers" (Show 401). - So, who packed the extra oxygen?
Keep those cards & letters coming in, folks...
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Post by kmorgan on Feb 14, 2021 21:35:13 GMT -5
Let's look at how week 296 went...
"The Choppers" was a better movie than I thought it would be. Not good, but not totally bad. It's about a bunch of juvenile delinquents who arrange for cars to break down so they can strip them for parts to sell off. They're actually pretty clever about it, though they can still be annoying, especially with the hipster lingo they use. In fact, for the most part, the police and the insurance investigator have little clue as to how to track these kids down. The investigator's supposedly ditzy secretary actually comes up with a clever way to find them. And it all ends in the traditional gunplay. It's not as bad as Arch Hall, Jr.'s more famous "Eegah!", and it's done in about 70 minutes. But it's still not a good movie. And the songs, while kind of catchy, aren't really hits. ("Monkeys in my hatband"?!) The riffing from Trace & Frank was great. Some viewers seemed to have audio problems, but I could hear everybody OK. And there were the expected Trump and Chris Christie jokes from Frank, along with a Joe Biden riff. The language was, I thought, a bit rougher than earlier shows, but that could just be my perception. The post-movie Q&A with former co-host Carolina Hidalgo was very interesting, with subjects ranging from their late, lamented podcast, their driver's licenses (or lack thereof), the shocking fact that Carolina has never watched "F-Troop", and their opinions of "Suicide Squad". And they even addressed the question I submitted: "Is there an actor whose presence in a movie always makes it watchable, no matter how bad the movie is?" (They said Gene Hackman or Denzel Washington fit that criteria.)
As for "Space Travelers", it's really not a bad movie. It's just too long and not really exciting. It is well-researched, though, except for why Pruitt would choose a possible suicide method that involves venting a whole lot of breathable oxygen. The acting is good, for the most part, and the Oscar-winning visual effects are OK. Still, it does provide a good amount of riffable material. I disagree with Dennis Miller that it's too good a movie to joke about (just as others would charge about "This Island Earth"). The riffing from Joel & the 'bots was great, with Trace's great Gregory Peck and David Janssen a real asset. The host segments were also good, and we find where where to get Mexican Stoplight Candy. The only problem is how heavily the original movie was cut down. I even wrote an article about that on the old Even Deeper Blurting board, though I've since learned that FVI is more responsible for that than BBI. I'll see about posting that one on the appropriate board.
Well, that went very well. So, let's move on to week 297, shall we? The Outsiders selection is... "RT: Casablanca"... - I am shocked, SHOCKED, that riffing is being allowed here! ... and the Originals selection is... "Rocket Attack U.S.A." (Show 205). - Help me!
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Feb 22, 2021 21:11:16 GMT -5
Well, time to look at week 297.
What more can be said about "Casablanca". One of the most honored, referenced, beloved, replayed and influential movies ever made. It's a really enjoyable movie. 'nuff said. The guys' attempt to riff it are generally OK. Yeah, they can't help themselves and throw in a few jokes about how much they hate the "Star Wars" PT. And they seem to accept Roger Ebert's view of Louis Renault's character, which is reading a lot into the story that may not be there. But, there is a genuine affection for the movie. And it's not like nobody has joked about "Casablanca" before. (For a great spoof of it, check out "The Cheap Detective".)
As for "Rocket Attack, U.S.A.", it's a dull, gray, downbeat bit of Cold War anti-Russia propaganda. We don't care about the characters (except for Art Metrano as the average Joe in need of a tie), and it all ends up with the beginning of World War III. And it seems to have a pretty low opinion of both the military and the intelligence services of the U.S. Joel & the 'bots were right in their angry protests at the finish. On the other hand, "The Phantom Creeps" may not be exactly good, but things actually happen. And it's got Lugosi. The riffing is very good, distracting us from the lousy movie. It also has three great host segments (The Charlie McCarthy Hearings, the Civil Defense Quiz Bowl, and Mike as the cosmonaut). And we get our first stinger. Not bad.
I'd say things were average this time. Let's see how week 298 turns out. The Outsiders selection is..."Total Riff Off: Guy & a Goose"... - This is one of the specials RT did for Nat Geo channel. We'll see if there are topless natives. ... and the Originals selection is... "Incredible Melting Man" (Show 704). - HOTCHKA!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Mar 4, 2021 5:55:53 GMT -5
Sorry, folks. I've had a bunch of headaches, both literal and figurative, recently. Hope you guys are doing better. Anyway, week 298...
As noted, "Total Riff Off" was a couple of specials RT did for NatGeo where they riffed on segments from what I assume were shows they broadcast. (I don't usually watch NatGeo; I'm too busy watching Hogan, Perry Mason and Svengoolie on MeTV.) I'm pretty sure they only did two of them. This one turned out OK, I thought. There were segments on a guy in L.A. who ended up regularly followed through the park by a goose, who later became an on-line personality. (The goose, not the guy.) There were multiple segments from "Swamp Men", featuring guys wrangling aligators and transporting them to, presumably, better parts of the swamp. And one segment from "VLK Headquarters", which I think is a show about dog trainers, where they deal with a customer in the market for a trained and effective cadaver dog. The riffing was OK in these. The guys got particular mileage in the final segment over the way the dog's prowess has to be demonstrated, like hiding small pieces of PVC pipe containing human remains. (Where did they get human remains from?!) All in all, this reminded me of stories I'd heard about how TFNWSRN wanted MST3K to re-tool and riff on bits from sit-coms rather than whole movies, a move Jim turned down. This was an OK experiment, but not a real substitute for movies & shorts. Oh, and the special opened with a disclaimer, basically saying, "It's just a joke. Don't blame NatGeo."
As for "Incredible Melting Man", I can see the director's point when he says this was actually meant as a spoof of monster movies, but the producers wanted it treated seriously. On reflection, the ridiculousness of the premise is pretty clear. But that doesn't detract from the fact that this is one really gross movie. I still can't watch a lot of it, but it certainly sounds like a parody. The riffing is very good, but the host segments take precedence here. The very sharp spoof of the making of MST3K turned out very well. I'd be interested in finding out if the execs at %^&*$#@ Universal/Grammercy found out how they were parodied, and how they reacted. For all I know, this was why it took so long for them to give Shout the rights for a good DVD release of the movie. Well, they had it coming.
Let's quickly move on to what's left of week 299. The Outsiders selection is..."Darkstar: Robots Don't Need SAG Cards"... - How about AFTRA cards? ... and the Originals selection is... "Warrior of the Lost World" (Show 501). - MEGAWEAPON!!
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Mar 9, 2021 10:08:47 GMT -5
Well, week 299. Let's talk about that.
"Robots Don't Need SAG Cards" is a brief (17 minutes) look at the making of the interactive game/movie "Darkstar". The segment included comments from co-producer Mark Williams and creator J. Allan Williams. It also interview & behind the scenes footage of lead Clive Robertson, and co-stars Trace, J. Elvis, Beez, Frank, Mary Jo and Joel. I haven't played the game, but I have watched the cut-together movie version, and I was impressed. The segment shows that everybody involved was pretty enthusiastic about the project. It seems it took years to assemble, filming each actor almost individually against greenscreens (much like is done today in the "virtual studio"), and adding everything else later. And it's interesting to see them playing new and different characters than what we're used to, especially Trace as a non-comic villain. I'd like to try and play the game, if I could find it and if it was compatible with current computers I have access to. Anybody have an idea on that?
As for "Warrior of the Lost World", I haven't seen the interview with writer/director David Worth, so I'm not sure of how close the final product was to his vision. What's there, though, isn't all that good. The story is confusing, both sides of the conflict aren't all that sympathetic, the final twist regarding Prosser (obviously a sequel hook) makes it all superfluous, and it just seems all too 80s-style weird. Probably the biggest problem is the lead character. I guess they were trying to go for a Mad Max/Han Solo idea, but he just comes across as whiny, lazy, self-centered and, at times, unintelligible. And don't get me started on the motorcycle. I mean, it's certainly not the worst post-Apocalypse good-rebels-vs.-evil-empire movie I've seen, but it's not good. The riffing, though, was great. And the host segments turned out very well, particularly the Steve Allen-style sketch. The slot car segment was good, and I can't remember if we had slot cars in our house back in the day. (I'll check with my Mom.) And, while I've heard that a variation on Bittersweet Hearts is available, I'm surprised that nobody has actually tried to market a Square Master.
Not too bad this time. Good heavens, it seems we've been doing this for 300 weeks, give or take. Does that show commitment, or obsession? While we ponder that, the Outsiders selection is from outside the rotation with... "The Mads Are Back Live: Phantom From Space"... - That's tonight, with special guest Bill for the post-movie Q&A. ... and the Originals selection is... "Superdome" (Show K-15). - Where's John Facenda when you need him?
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Mar 16, 2021 7:54:11 GMT -5
So, how did the 300th week go?
"Phantom from Space" was really not all that bad. It wasn't good, but it wasn't awful. Yes, even at about 75 min. it had a lot of padding. And the heroes were pretty slow to pick up on some obvious facts about the alien. But, at least it wasn't a mindlessly evil alien, and they actually made some effort to be sympathetic towards him. Still, it was a lesser movie. It was also another one I reviewed for Even Deeper Blurting a while back; I'll see about posting that one. The riffing from Trace & Frank was very good. The Q&A with them and Bill was even better. It was a very interesting talk, ranging from how they all ended up in the Twin Cities, to how many cats do they each have. And the pre-show visuals, featuring vintage drive-in intermission ads, was really great.
As for "Superdome", they were going for a "Grand Hotel"/"Airport" vibe, with multiple stories around a specific location/event. Problem is, it was pretty boring. The made-for-TV all-star cast tried their best, but the material wasn't really worth it. And it was that rare football-related movie with no football in it. WHO WON THE GAME?! The riffing was OK, but not great. This was just an off week, I guess. And it has the infamous moment when Joel actually says he can't think of anything funny to say. The host segments were good, though, especially the montage.
Interesting counterpoint this time. So, let's move on to week 301. The Outsiders selection is... "Jim on 'RhinoCast (3/2006)"... - A rare post-show audio interview with Jim. ... and the Originals selection is... "It Lives by Night" (Show 1010). - Featuring the slightly-less obsessive batman.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Mar 24, 2021 18:01:09 GMT -5
Where were we? Oh, week 301...
The interview with Jim from 2006 was very interesting. There aren't too many interviews with him available, particularly on audio; I got this one from Cheesy Flix a while back. It covers his pre-TV and KTMA work, the initial UHF season, the movie to the Comedy Channel (before it became TFNWSRN), and all the subsequent changes throughout the initial run. He also addressed securing the rights to the movies, a few of his favorite episodes (of those he can remember), and how valuable the fans were in helping the show continue. I thought hearing his perspective on the events was worth a listen.
As for "It Lives By Night", I'm a bit confused. Was it the bat bite that made Johnny transform, or was already already on the way there from the start? There are indications either way. It's a pretty glum movie (Dr. Mellow Ski Bum notwithstanding) with a definite Seventies vibe, especially in the downbeat ending. And Johnny really doesn't inspire a whole lot of sympathy; even Paul in "Track of the Moonbeast" had a bit of pathos about him. Still, seeing a movie with three TOS guest stars was interesting. The riffing was good, for the most part. I thought the host segments were fairly OK, and Mike does a really good Ted Baxter.
So, let's go on to what's left of week 302. The Outsiders selection is... CT: Danger on Tiki Island"... - Do my Hilton Honors points work there? ... and the Originals selection is... "The Green Slime" (Show K 00)... - Where the whole thing started, sort of. ... and since this lasts around 30 minutes, I'm exercising my second feature option with... "High School Big Shot" (Show 618). - As depressing as the COVID lockdown, but much shorter.
Please stand by...
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Post by kmorgan on Mar 31, 2021 23:12:32 GMT -5
Well, we still have time for a look at week 302.
I was surprised to learn that "Danger on Tiki Island" (a.k.a. "Brides of Blood") is part of a whole genre of Philippine-made movies featuring islands, natives and monsters. I can't remember if I've seen any of the others, unknowingly. Anyway, in this one we have the garden variety island village with a dread secret, the outsiders who are deemed to be more dangerous than the monster that's rampaging, and the traditional sacrifice of the young & eligible women. You do have to figure how dense these villagers are. Don't they realize they're going to run out of maidens pretty quickly? Can't they see who the obvious monster culprit is? Do they really need the handsome, studly white guy to explain how to kill the monster with fire? And let's not get started with Beverly Hills as the oversexed wife. The riffing by the Titans was very good. I prefer the live performances over the studio-bound ones. The cast can react to the audience and are more free to improv. And I liked the occasional callbacks, like saying a old lamp is "Old West Tom Servo".
The "Green Slime" pilot worked pretty well as a "proof of concept" presentation. Yes, it's pretty loose and quickly & cheaply made. But it's a place to start and it shows the potential. The copy I saw on YouTube included an intro from Joel, but precious little riffing. In fact, riffing was a secondary concern at that point. The host segments were OK, and inspired later segments in the proper series. I'm still hoping they'll do a proper riff of "Green Slime"; the movie's OK, but definitely worthy of jokes. (At the 2019 BlobFest, Joel mentioned that it'd be impossible to get the rights to this one, as it's a Toho movie. Actually, Joel was mistaken; it was a co-production between Toei and MGM, so there's a chance.)
As for "High School Big Shot", it's an unrelentingly depressing movie. The dweeb protagonist, the duplicitous girl who uses every man available, the tough guys who hate smart kids yet shun violence, the drunken dad, the downbeat finish. You can't watch it all in one sitting or it'll drive you to drink or suicide. I agree with the guys that the safecracker (played by Stanley "Cyrano Jones" Adams) and his pharmacist brother-in-law are the only bright spots, and they get zapped at the end, too. On the other hand, the short "Out of This World" was much better viewing. I had no idea the forces of Good and Evil cared so much about the delivery of bread. The riffing was great in this one, and it was desperately needed during the feature. The host segments were also good, and I think there might just be a market for pointy bread. One question: who got the giant Servo puppet in the prop auction?
Well, that was a bit of a slog, but I've had worse. Let's see what we have for the remainder of week 303. The Outsiders selection is... "RT Live: Star Raiders"... - So, Indy's gone into space or something? ... and the Originals selection is... "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II" (Show 1111). - So, they still haven't found that kingdom?
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 7, 2021 22:53:53 GMT -5
I have to stop getting distracted from this by other concerns. Like my job. Or eating regular meals. Well, at some point I'll get back on track. Anyway, week 303.
"Star Raiders" is a bit confusing. No, it's a lot confusing. In one of many "Star Wars"-inspired ideas, it starts in the middle of one story, then leaves us with an open-ended sequel-ready finish. Unlike "Star Wars", they don't really tell us enough to allow viewers to understand the plot. And there's the low-grade CGI, the underdeveloped characters, the synthesized music, the unexciting fight scenes, and the fact that we're still not told just who the heck the "star raiders" are supposed to be. I will say this, though: Casper Van Dien gives it a good try as the "hero". Having the lead be a guy carrying dual zap pistols and a cavalry sword is pretty cool, though. I'm not eagerly awaiting a sequel, though. As for the "Telling the Truth" short, it was OK, in general. It got it's point across. Though I'm still confused over the three bad kids' obsession with stones. At least they didn't hurt the cat. The riffing was great, throughout, and the guys worked very well with the audience. I watched this one on DVD, since the DVD version of the live shows include the pre-show titles. Oh, and I'm hoping a future live show will include this pre-show card: "DID YOU KNOW...originally, the big reveal in "The Rise of Skywalker" was that Rey was the daughter of Saber Raine and the female alien lizard."
As for "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II", I realize it's actually completely unrelated to the first movie. And I realize that's it's obviously a spoof, and not to be taken seriously. But, this is one awful flick. The budget is nearly non-existent, the jokes aren't funny, and the characters are annoying. And the way it's shoehorned into the franchise makes it look like, as the guys note, that the heroes of the earlier movie wasted their time. (One wonders if this is where the "Star Wars" ST filmmakers got their idea for their story.) I think I was better able to tolerate it when I first saw it, but now it was just too lousy. Maybe it just got me at the wrong time. The riffing was OK, though Jonah & the 'bots were still throwing in too many jokes, at times. The pacing of the riffs would be an ongoing problem during Season 11. And I was surprised they didn't make at least one Adric joke about our young & inept "Chosen One". The host segments were good, including the cameo from Pearl, Observer and Bobo. And we have the set-up of the season-ending big event.
I'm going to say a sort-of split decision this time, in that the one lousy movie was more tolerable than the other. Still, neither one was a total loss, I guess. So, here's what we have for the remainder of week 304. The Outsiders selection is... "Trace & Frank @ Sci-Fi London (2014)"... - I guess this was between Dalek and/or Cybermen attacks. ... and the Originals selection is... "Cry Wilderness" (Show 1102). - Well, only if Rosie Greer says it's OK.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 13, 2021 15:25:44 GMT -5
Now let's look at week 304.
The interview with Trace & Frank covered some familiar ground, like how the show started. But they also talked about the process of making the show, as well as how the movies were chosen. (And, in the case of near-miss "Moment By Moment", Frank gives the movie's original title.) As always, they're very engaging guests and always hold our interest. And, responding to a question about the shorts, Trace mentions one short they didn't do that I recognized as the hallucinatory film on listening that he & Frank riffed on a couple of months back. The only problem was sometimes the audio levels were a bit off, but that's a minor quibble. And another thing I found interesting was that this was from a London appearance, with fans who may not have been up on the show's lore. You'll find this one on YouTube, if you'd like to see it yourself. Oh, and it includes a plug for a special showing of "The Frank". Maybe somebody in London has a copy of that they could lend the Mads for their show.
As for "Cry Wilderness", this is in the same vein as those family adventures Sunn Classic Pictures made back in the day. But it's not even up to those minimal standards. The story makes no real sense (the kid got from his boarding school to the Rockies in less than a day?), the kid nearly reaches Kenny levels of both annoyance and psychotic tendencies, the climate changes as often as Yuri's hairstyle, and it pushes some dangerously wrong ideas about dealing with animals in the wild. As for Morgan (no relation!), he gets a pretty grim fate for someone in a supposed family movie. And did anyone else get bit of a "Pod People" vibe from this? Oh, well; at least they didn't push Coke as much as "Mac and Me" did. The riffing was good, and it was better paced than the previous week's "Reptilicus". (Oh, one thing: during the scene early in the movie with the mob chasing the escaped animal, the Native American sidekick says, "Nobody saw him!" I just couldn't help but throw in a Harry DeBauld, "Nobody ever sees him!") The host segments were OK, like the one with the 'bots as the adorably destructive raccoons. The visit from Pearl, Bobo & Brain Guy was good, too.
I think things went pretty well this time. So, onward to week 305. For the Outsiders, I'm going outside the rotation for... "The Mads are Back LIVE: A Night of Shorts 3"... - That's coming up tonight. Featuring special guest Kevin! ... while the Originals selection is... "Overdrawn at the Memory Bank" (Show 822). - So what's my cube time again?
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 20, 2021 22:00:54 GMT -5
Well, I'm still running late, folks. I guess we're all used to that by now. Anyway, week 305...
This month's live-on-line show with the Mads turned out great. They once again used vintage trailers and theater ads for the pre-show, followed by the dramatic 60 second countdown that reminded Frank of the opening to later episodes of "Lost in Space". This third all-shorts show featured "Managing Time" (author Pete Drucker and a full cast waste a lot of time telling us about how to use it more efficiently), a "Most Important Person" segment on where food goes (I remember watching these decades ago on Channel 11 during cartoon shows), "Don't Get Angry" (rage management when jumping rope and hitting punching bags), "Your Thrift Habits" (maintaining a budget without Ben Franklin), and "Marijuana" (a really...relaxed Sonny Bono in gold lame pajamas talks about "blowing" pot). The riffing for each was really good. The Q&A with Kevin went well, too. Their first question was one I submitted: "What are your favorite TV theme songs/theme tunes (besides "Mannix")". They also had questions on seeing movies in theaters, Kevin's musical background, and a question for Frank regarding "Invader Zim".
As for "Overdrawn at the Memory Bank", the basic idea is interesting, actually. They just tried to do it in the style of mid-1980s "Doctor Who", and with the same budget. Raul Julia does what he can with his role, but the script lets him down. And I can't remember the last time a movie featured a corporate exec who wasn't pure evil. The riffing was great though, and the host segments were OK. "When Loving Lovers Love" is one of their funnier songs. And the only problem with the Public Pearl pledge breaks is that they'd need to each run around two hours to be really accurate. (I still hold a grudge against Channel 13 for making me suffer through those breaks before Python.)
Two good attractions this time. Unfortunately, we'll have to have another abbreviated week. So, for the shortened week 306, the Outsiders selection is... "Life After MST3K: Frank Conniff"... - What were you up to, Frank? ... and since this is a short segment, I'm exercising my second feature option with... "Mike on 'These Days' (8/2006) and 'Sound of Young America' (9/2006)"... - These are two audio interviews made pre-RT, as I recall. ... and the Originals selection is... "Invasion of the Neptune Men" (Show 819). - Selected on Hitler's birthday. Such is fate.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 25, 2021 16:17:00 GMT -5
Well, I'm closer to being on-time now. So, week 306...
Frank's "Life after MST3K" segment was apparently recorded when CT was still going, as he doesn't mention "Movie Sign with the Mads" or the Mads riffing shows. He talks about his TV work, including several unsold pilots, "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Invader Zim". He also mentions his involvement with the ill-fated Air America network. He mentions a couple of projects I don't think I was aware of (like a spoof talk show for Oxygen), so I'll have to look those up. An interesting segment. Also interesting was the two audio interviews with Mike. They sound like they were both done for San Diego-based outlets, including one radio station. (I've got the info written down somewhere.) Both were recorded when RT was just starting out and were doing only JTJ tracks, as well as when he was working with Legend Films. In the first one, the focus seemed more on MST3K, while the later focused on RT. In both of them, the then-new riff of "Star Trek V" (with Kevin) was mentioned. I already knew much of the information presented, but they were still good segments.
As for "Invasion of the Neptune Men", what more can I say? Awful dubbing, annoying kids, less-than-effectual hero, non-imposing villains, nonsensical plot... No wonder this one almost broke the guys. Pity Pearl was busy and couldn't enjoy it. During this viewing, I did notice one thing, though: when they replay the bad guys' recorded threat, the voice reminded me of "Captain Scarlet". ("This is the voice of the Mysterons. We know you can hear us, Earthmen.") Anyone else notice that? The riffing was very good, and it had to be. The host segments were OK, including more shenanigans in Ancient Rome, Servo's attack of Roji-Panty Complex, and Krankor's return.
Well, I enjoyed the former and survived the latter. Tonight, as we start week 307, it's Oscar Night, The Night the Stars Salute Themselves! So, I'm going outside the rotation for both selections. For the Outsiders, we have..."Movie Sign with the Mads: 'The Oscar'"... - Don't stand up too fast, Frankie. ... while the Originals selection is... "The Academy of Robots Choice Awards Preview Special". - The envelope, please.
Also, tonight Mary Jo is hosting a watch party on Sidestream at 8PM EST. It's the hilariously awful Japanese "Starman" flick "Evil Brain from Outer Space". I don't know if she'll be just hosting, or if there will be riffing, as well.
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Apr 27, 2021 20:29:56 GMT -5
We've got a bit of an update.
First, Mary Jo attempted to show us "Evil Brain from Outer Space", but Sidestream had a bunch of technical problems, so it didn't work. I can sympathize; I know how it feels when broadcasts fail and you don't know how to fix it. My heart went out to her.
Second, I stumbled onto a livestream event with Joel and the tour cast last night on YouTube. They showed "Hobgoblins" and it was hilarious. And it seems he'll be hosting more episode livestreams starting later this week. I'll let you know how I'll cover these. Details are on the latest update on the Kickstarter page.
Again, stay tuned...
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Post by BoB3K on Apr 28, 2021 14:44:59 GMT -5
As noted, "Total Riff Off" was a couple of specials RT did for NatGeo where they riffed on segments from what I assume were shows they broadcast. I'm pretty sure they only did two of them. There were 3: 1 Killer Shrimp N' Friends 2 Demon Bat 3 Guy and a Goose I only watched them when they came out. If I recall, Demon Bat was the best because it was one of those 'search for mysteries' shows with a Crocodile Hunter / Bear Grylls wannabe type host that they get much mileage and fun out of mocking.
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