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Post by kmorgan on Jul 12, 2021 23:08:23 GMT -5
Time to look back on week 317.
It wasn't an official collection (though I suppose it might be someday); just a bunch of patriotic RT shorts from several DVDs. I watched "Patriotism" (with the guys really waling on Bob Crane), "The Bill of Rights in Action" (lock up the Nazi loudmouth!), "As We Like It" (yes, beer is the most important of our inalienable rights), "What It Means to Be an American" (place names and fruit farms, it seems). All feature some great riffing. I was visiting my Mom for the weekend, and didn't get to my usual annual viewing of "1776", but I did watch "The Great American Fourth of July...and Other Disasters", the second of Shep's PBS TV-movies. So, I saluted my country on her birthday, in my own way.
As for "Untamed Youth", it sends a mixed message. Yes, the kids are stuck doing slave labor for little money and bad food, but they still have nightly sock hops and don't seem all that oppressed. Even though the set-up is obviously corrupt, it still takes the UYs forever to rise up against it. What gives? And just what is an "Italian haircut"? (I think it's slitting someone's throat, but I could be wrong.) Well, at least Eddie Cochran gets a number, and Mamie sings four songs. The riffing was good for this early cable period, when they were still adjusting to scripted jokes. (I do wonder how it would've been if Frank was writing for the show at that time. When the kid dies of a miscarriage, I can just hear Frank riff, "She died on the table, Frankie! Under the knife! It was your baby!") The host segments were generally OK, even with prop malfunctions and developing characters. And I watched the Broadcast Edition, so I got promos from back when TFNWSRN ran shows like "The Lucy Show", "Sports Monster", "Night After Night" and "The Jack Benny Program".
Well, that turned out OK. Time to move on to week 318. For the Outsidsrs, I'm going outside the rotation for "The Mads are Back LIVE: Night of Shorts IV"... - That's on tomorrow night. Any suggestions for the Q&A? ... and the Originals selection is... "Teenagers from Outer Space" (Show 404). - "Teenagers" being a relative term.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 20, 2021 23:21:21 GMT -5
Running a bit late again. Anyway, week 318...
I was running late for "Night of Shorts IV", as well. My car battery conked out on me, requiring a jump from AAA. (The next morning I found that the battery was dead dead, so I had to get a new one. But that's another story...) So, I missed the opening, but I get caught up watching the later download. They had a good assortment this time. We had "Cindy Goes to a Party" (a fairy godperson helps a girl get ready for a party), an untitled short challenging the viewer to figure out the unsolvable problem of the coffee break, a long promo film for Gilbert Toys from 1963, "How to Say No" (teaching how to be supposedly assertive), and a few episodes of "Space Angel" (complete with non-animation and "Clutch Cargo" mouth action). They also ran a neat highlight reel of the previous year's productions. There was no guest for the post-show Q&A, but they still had a great session. The subjects ranged from their previous office jobs (or lack thereof), to the first movies they saw in a theater, and the guys' comedic inspirations. Great show all around.
As for "Teenagers from Outer Space", it wasn't TORCHA! but it wasn't good. Derek is too much of a drip, and Thor is too much of a psycho. And the way the townsfolk keep fouling things up doesn't help. And I couldn't help but think that the reporter guy was rather happy over Derek's self-sacrifice, since he now has a chance with Betty. (Oh, by the way: I dressed up as one of the "teenagers" for the costume show at ConvenioCon II. I'll try and find the picture of me in costume.) The riffing was very good, though I was surprised they didn't notice that the TORCHA! guy was played by King Moody, better known as Shtarker on "Get Smart!". The host segments were good, especially the re-enactment of the pre-movie trash can PSA and the skull cruiser. I also liked the Invention Exchange. In addition, I watched the '92 Turkey Day edition of this one, including promos for vintage shows like "Almost Live" ("Be like Billy: Behave Yourself!") and Turkey Facts from the 'bots.
Things turned out OK this time. So, on to week 319. The Outsiders selection is... "RT: Gravity (w/ Bridget & Mary Jo)"... - So, will Sandra Bullock run into Bezos or Branson up there? ... and the Originals selection is... "Gunslinger" (Show 511). - Forget Matt Dillon. She's the first one they look for, and the last they want to meet.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Jul 28, 2021 0:05:17 GMT -5
Late again. I've been getting ready for my upcoming vacation. But, I have a moment to look back on week 319...
"Gravity" is actually a fairly good movie. It has fine VFX, a good amount of suspense, an engaging plot, and some good acting from the leads. Regarding that plot, I agree with whomever described it as, "For 90 minutes, the Universe tries to kill Sandra Bullock". Yes, it's not exactly scientifically accurate, but who cares? As long as it isn't utterly ridiculous (like horses charging on the hull of a Star Destroyer), I don't mind. The riffing from Bridget & Mary Jo was fine, as always. I think it may have been a bit tougher to do this one, since they say at the outset that it's a good movie. But, the jokes still work well, with a focus on their ogling of George Clooney, and the massive amount of bad luck Sandra Bullock has to deal with. (At one point, when she trying to escape the exploding ISS, the joke is, "Job had better days than this!") And I did laugh a lot when, as Sandra reaches for the switch to activate her escape vessel, someone quips, "Push the button, Frank." Oh, and I watched the movie on a screener DVD that my late brother Bri got through his Writer's Guild membership, for his award consideration. And, contrary to the stern warnings on the disc, the DVD was not immediately destroyed or rendered unplayable after it was watched. Hey, Bri is currently outside of the jurisdiction of both the Guild and the Feds, so they can go...jump in the lake.
As for "Gunslinger", it's not too bad of a movie. It has two well-matched, strong female characters (played by Beverly Garland and Allison Hayes), John Ireland as a tough gunman, moody opening titles, and a good attempt at a more complex story. Unfortunately, it also has some plot chiches, a low budget, too many dead bodies by the end, and some odd spatial relationships. Corman has done better, but he's also done much, much worse. The riffing from Joel & the 'bots was great. The host segments were good, too. Regarding the segment on death and funerals, I've read some reviewers say they noticed tension between the cast members, due to it being near Joel's departure. Personally, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
Two good ones this time, in my opinion. So, one to what's left of week 320. The Outsiders selection is... "People Traps" (w/ Trace)... - So, how do you keep a cat amused, anyway? ... and the Originals selection is... "Robot Monster" (Show 107). - To riff like the hu-man!
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 2, 2021 22:48:33 GMT -5
Time to look back at week 320.
"People Traps" is something of a rarity. It's a pilot that Trace did for Animal Planet years ago, between MST3K and CT. It only ran once, so far as I know, and wasn't picked up as a series. Copies were available at Cheesy Flix (which seems to have closed down); I know this because I sent them a copy of my recording as a template. Still, I'm not sure of how many other fans have this. It's pretty much "Candid Camera" with an animal theme, like bringing in people (supposedly for a science experiment) and asking them to try and amuse a cat. Or having a couple go to Vegas so that they can arrange a wedding...for two rabbits. One very cute one is putting hidden speakers on goats at a petting zoo, and seeing kids' reactions to apparently talking animals. (They were OK with it.) Trace wrote & hosts the show, and I thought it was OK. Copies may be tough to locate, but I recommend tracking it down.
As for "Robot Monster", it's truly earned its status as one of the worst movies. Annoying kids, distracting romance, low production values, nonsensical plot, rip-off ending...shall I go on. Yes, Elmer Bernstein did compose a good score, and Ro-Man is voiced by John Brown, an actor with great OTR credits. (For example, he played "Digger" O'Dell on "Life of Reily".) So...I've seen worse. On the other hand, the two Commando Cody chapters were OK. Say what you will, those Republic serials really moved fast and gave the public what it wanted: fisticuffs, explosions and car wrecks. The riffing was good for a Season 1 effort. The host segments were good, too, and we get to see Tom, Crow & Cambot all blow a fuse.
Well, that was fun, wasn't it? Let's move on to week 321. The Outsiders selection is..."RT: Day of the Shorts (SF Sketchfest 2019)"... - Haven't seen this one yet. Sounds like a good one. ... and the Originals selection is... "Women of the Prehistoric Planet" (Show 104) - Hikeeba!
We now pause for station identification...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 9, 2021 23:01:08 GMT -5
I'm away on vacation at my Ancestral Home in PA, but I can still look back at Week 321.
"Day of the Shorts" is video of RT's presentation at the SF Sketchfest in 2019, pre-lockdown. They had one heck of a big cast, including Kevin & Bill, Bridget, Trace & Frank, Paul F. Tompkins, John Hodgman, Cole Stratton & Janet Varney, and Sean Thomason. (Mike & Mary Jo couldn't be there.) They riffed on a variety of sketches, most of which I'd seen before, either via RT or the Mads. They included "Cautious Twins", "Play Safe", "Farm Family in Spring" and "Cindy Goes to a Party". The riffing was very good, including new jokes from each group for the shorts. Trace, trouper that he is, was there even though he had laryngitis, but he still got in a few jokes, where his rough voice actually made them sound funnier. At the end, they all joined in for a mass riffing of the short "Flying Saucer Mystery", one I was unfamiliar with. I thought it turned out OK.
As for "Women of the Prehistoric Planet", beyond the inaccurate title, is a pretty inept movie. Yes, it does try to work in Einsteinian theories regarding near-FTL travel and make a statement on racism, but then you have the guy who falls into the corrosive puddle he could easily have walked around. Add in John "Ultra-Smug" Agar (who doesn't get billing), an inebriated Wendell Corey, the racist/sexist/annoying "Hikeeba" guy, and the done-to-death final twist, and you've got a pretty bad flick. The riffing is fine, as they finally master scripted riffs and balance the ad-libs. The host segments, with the digs at Isaac Asimov, were funny, too. (I remember his complaining about the parsec reference in "Star Wars", which was refuted by both the original script and "Solo". So, go jump in the lake, Asimov.) We also get the cable show's first real original song (the jingle for "Clay & Lar's Flesh Barn") and Mike's audio-only debut.
Well, we got two good ones that week. On to week 322. Even though I'm off-duty, I can still set aside time for these. The Outsiders selection goes outside the rotation with... "The Mads are Back LIVE: 'Beach Girls and the Monster'"... - I'll miss the livestream tomorrow night, but I'll catch the tape-delayed download. Looks great. ... while the Originals selection is also outside the rotation with... "Tormented" (Show 414). - They're running this with additional comments as part of the "Mindless Summer" series. I'll catch the archived program. Also, since I missed last week's "Mindless Summer" running of "Horror of Party Beach", I'll try and get to it this time, if possible.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 17, 2021 7:05:07 GMT -5
Sorry I'm late. I got back from vacation on Sunday and I'm still getting up to speed. Anyway, week 322...
"Beach Girls and the Monster" reminded me a bit of "Horror of Party Beach", but it's not as ambitious. It has a much smaller cast, a much lower budget, and it only runs about an hour. Oh, and it has a lower body count. It's a fairly lousy, fairly inaccurately-titled movie about an apparent sea monster who kills a few people (mainly) on the beach for reasons that are later revealed. In the end, the solution reminded me of "Scooby-Doo", actually, minus the doors gag. Sure, the actual "beach girls" are attractive, but they aren't on-screen nearly enough. The riffing was Trace & Frank was great. They threw in jokes that were, both their own admission, pandering to topicality (when we see the beach girls dancing to a pop tune, Frank quips, "This is what Andrew Cuomo sees when he looks at his staff."), and ones that the right people will get (we see footage of a guy surfing, and Trace riffs, "He's good, but let's see him do it in a Joker costume.") The guest for the Q&A was comedienne/"Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead. It was another very interesting session. This was the first one I couldn't watch live, but I caught the tape-delayed download.
As for the opening sessions of "The Mindless Summer", the aforementioned "Horror of Party Beach" featured ridiculous-looking monsters, a certain amount of misogyny, good music from the Del-Aires, and not much else. "Tormented", however, had some fairly good acting, a decent attempt at psychological suspense, and a somewhat restrained production from Bert I. Gordon. (No giant-sized whatevers.) I have to figure, though, that somebody's going to do a story about how emotionally messed-up that little kid was in later years. In both cases, the riffing was great, as were the host segments. In the former, it was the first true "Roman times" story, capped off with the great scene of Pearl and Flavia sniping at each other. While the latter had the tossing of the singers from the lighthouse (and I'll refrain from adding my choices on that one). As for the presentation, the running commentary from Matt McGinnis and the cast & crew, respectively, of the Netflix and tour shows turned out OK, though with a few volume issues.
Well, those turned out OK. So, week 323. We're still outside of the rotation. So, the Outsiders selection is... "RT LIVE: Hobgoblins"... - That's running tonight, and we'll see if the guys try to sneak out again. ... and the Originals selection is the next "Mindless Summer" attraction, "Blood Waters of DR. Z". - Perhaps he should see a urologist.
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 24, 2021 18:08:30 GMT -5
Late again, folks. There were a few problems this past weekend which threw me off. Anyways, let's look at week 323.
The new RT riff of "Hobgoblins" was both good and bad. It was good in that the jokes were funny, the uncut print of the movie included a couple of scenes explaining a minor plot point, and it was good to see the guys live (via remote) in front of an audience again. And it was bad in that the uncut "Hobgoblins" is even worse than the cut version. For example, the garden tool fight lasts even longer. And there's just more bad stuff there. As I've posted before, one saving grace of "Hobgoblins" is that the cast & crew clearly isn't taking the movie seriously. As noted, the jokes were funny, and they premiered a new, funky "Hobgoblins" song over the show's closing credits, They also featured a new short, "Life in a Medieval Village". And now I can live a better life, knowing what a "seneschal" is. The theater staff (my usual RT venue of the Regal Commerce Ctr. on Rt. 1 in East Brunswick) was a bit late switching on the system for the pre-show, but they were very nice about the situation.
As for "Blood Waters of Dr. Z", I'm not a big fan of this one. Maybe it's because it wasn't run very often, or maybe because it's similar to several other MSTed movies, or maybe it's the movie's repellently 70s look, but I just can't get into it very much. Yes, the riffing is good, but I'm just not a devotee of this experiment. The host segments were generally OK. As part of the "Mindless Summer" series, this one featured commentary from Matt, Nate, Tim, Jonah and, for part of the show, Jonah. They seemed to like the episode. So, maybe I'm just out of step. Couldn't tell ya.
On that note, let's move on to week 324. Again, both selections will be outside the rotation. For the Outsiders, we've got "The Mary Jo Pehl Show"... - I'd forgotten this was on live tonight, via Twitch. ... and the Originals selection is... "Catalina Caper" (Show 204). - And the "Mindless Summer" continues, with the Creepy Girl.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 31, 2021 22:04:12 GMT -5
And what's my excuse this time? I'm worried about all the rain that's headed our way, and might flood my basement again. Well, I have a few moments before I start lugging stuff upstairs. So, week 324...
MJ's show on Twitch was actually quite good. It was hosted by Chris Gersback, who also hosts the Mads' on-line shows. This episode was called "The Failed Film Festival", and focused on some of the failed pilots MJ did. We got to see the pilots for "RenFest" (also starring Trace and Gruber), "America Obscurious" (a mockumentary series also featuring Trace & Kevin), and a couple of the "Ruth Larson" sketches she created. Watching them, I thought any of them were worthy of a pickup, but I guess the network guys had other things to work on (like yet another "NCIS" series, or whatever). It was clear she was very proud of these attempts, and she should be. There was also a Q&A afterwards, which included a selection of next month's subject: passages from her Junior High journal. If you missed it, you have to subscribe to Dumb Industries' Twitch channel for a repeat showing.
As for "Catalina Caper", it's a pleasant, lesser beach movie, lacking the humor and musical quality of AIP's entries (though this one did land the obviously-high Little Richard). And it's one of the better early episodes, especially Joel's monologue on the Sixties and "Creepy Girl". I've heard others say this one is sort of like MST comfort food, and I can understand that notion. Once again, Matt McGinnis hosted the viewing, with Felicia, Conor, Baron & Rebecca providing running commentary. They really enjoyed the show, as well. Afterwards, the Q&A subjects ranged from "What was your worst birthday?" to "Is it easier to play a new character, or an established one?" This one is archived on YouTube, if you missed it.
Those went qyite well, I thought. So, what's on tape for week 325? Once again, we're off the rotation. For the Outsiders, we've got... "RT: Summer Shorts"... - Just a bunch of summery shorts I put together, informally. ... while the Originals has... "Code Name: Diamond Head" (Show 608) - The "Mindless Summer" concludes with David Vincent vs. Lovejoy in Five-O's backyard.
Excuse me, I've got boxes to carry upstairs...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 7, 2021 22:11:31 GMT -5
Well, I got most of my stuff out of harm's way before the water really started to flood in, with nothing major lost. We're not at the tail end of a salvage & dryout operation. Compared to those poor souls in Manville and other areas, we were most fortunate. Now, a look back on week 325...
The summer-themed RT shorts I selected were "Summer is an Adventure" (Mom, Dad & kids visit relatives at their lakefront home), "County Fair" (ACI uses fair attractions to teach basic vocabulary...I guess), "Farm Animals" (no, farmers don't dress up like the Good Humor man to milk cows), and "Farm Babies and Their Mothers" (just what it says on the tin). All of these shorts turned out OK, though I thought the guys got a bit too mean with a few of the riffs. Hey, as I've posted, I used to spend my summers on a farm, so it strikes a chord with me, as does the county fair. But, maybe I'm just being too sensitive. In the end, I prefer Bridget & Mary Jo's "Farm Family" series.
As for "Code Name: Diamond Head", it's a generally OK failed pilot. I really don't think American TV lost anything but not picking this one up, but it's blandly watchable. Pretty much the best thing in it is Ian McShane was the bad guy. I'm sure it was just a gig for U.S. TV money, but he really tries to give his character some depth and villainous charm. By comparison, Roy Thinnes is too conventional and by-the-numbers as Johnny, alias Diamond Head. Like Frank wrote about "Stranded in Space", the best thing you can say about this one is that it filled the time slot OK. The riffing was good, though they did over-rely on "Lovejoy" jokes. The host segments, with the alternate Mikes, were very funny. (Okay, how many of you knew Mike was parodying DeNiro in "This Boy's Life" without looking it up?) And, while I'm not as bad as the S.O.L. crew, I also have trouble keeping things neat & tidy. This was the last of the "Mindless Summer" on-line shows. Matt again acted as moderator, with guests Emily, Hampton, Tim & Baron. They all seemed to enjoy the experiment, and they also seemed to favor McShane among the cast. Afterwards, they addressed questions from fans, like how they manage not to crack up while making jokes, and "What would your secret agent code name be?"
Well, that seemed to go OK. Now, let's try and get through week 326 without a disaster hitting us again. The Outsiders selection is... "Reefer Madness"... - This is the pre-RT Mike-only version. They legalized it. ... and the Originals selection is... "Atlantic Rim" (Show 1202). - Hmmm, I wonder what this was ripped off from (he asked sarcastically).
Stay tuned...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 13, 2021 22:22:29 GMT -5
Well, week 326 made me feel like an idiot. I'll attempt to explain.
First, as for "Reefer Madness", a whole, big lot has already been said about it, both seriously and humorously. I'll just say I find it interesting that, back in the day, they relied upon a stern, humorless, judgmental semi-clone of Woodrow Wilson that smoking pot was bad. And, maybe thirty years later, that task was handed to a very...relaxed Sonny Bono in gold lame pajamas. Go figure. In his other pre-RT tracks, Mike presents kind of a mix between film facts and film riffing. Here, it's pretty much all jokes, and this movie gave him all the material he needed. I noticed, in fact, that many of his jokes would be carried over for use when the RT trio gave it a try. Hey, if it works...
Now the idiot part. I logged into Netflix to watch "Atlantic Rim", only to find that MST3K has been dropped from the streaming service. I quickly realized that I had heard that such a thing was coming, but didn't pay it much mind. Well, I guess I should have. And now I have to stick a crowbar in my wallet and buy the DVD set, like I should have long ago. And that, my friends, is why physical media will never leave us.
Anyway, let's move on to week 327, so I can try and get back on track. For the Outsiders, it's outside of the rotation for... "The Mads are Back LIVE: The Brain Eaters"... - Does this one star those alien girls from "Gamera vs. Guiron"? ... and, since we have a bit of a backlog on the Outsiders rotation, we're also featuring... "A Year at the Movies (Pts. 4-7)" - Kevin reads from his book. And, yes, the clips are still on YouTube. ... and the Originals selection is... "Alien from L.A." (Show 516). - I don't mind Kathy's voice. I've heard much, much worse. And if I can get a hold of "Atlantic Rim" this week, I'll let you know.
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by comedyc on Sept 14, 2021 0:14:11 GMT -5
Check Netflix again, sir. It's still there.
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 21, 2021 7:22:43 GMT -5
Check Netflix again, sir. It's still there. ******** I did, but I keep getting a message to the effect of, "We'll let you know when that's available." If you can advise how to reach the eps on Netflix, I'd appreciate it. Anyway, I splurged and got the "Gauntlet" DVD set, just in case.
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 21, 2021 7:46:17 GMT -5
Well, week 327, folks...
"The Brain Eaters" is, to be blunt, a rip-off of Heinlein's "The Puppet Masters". So much so that I believe Heinlein actually sued uncredited producer Roger Corman for it. Well, I only know "The Puppet Masters" from a few bits of the official movie of it they did a while back, so I can't comment. This movie, though, was pretty bad. It's the standard "mind-controlling alien parasite" routine that seemed to turn up several times on "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea". It's low-budget, not very well-explained, ends on a rather open-ended note, and requires the heroes to be kind of stupid about who's being controlled. Oh, and a fog-obscured Leonard Nimoy briefly shows up near the end, apparently fresh from his Gandalf audition. The riffing from the Mads was great, of course. And the Q&A was interesting, with Carolina Hidalgo as one of the guests. They even used two of my questions: "What movie do you think is consistently under-rated?" and "Who's Your Favorite TV cop?" And we had two cat sightings!
As for "A Year at the Movies", those were recorded at a live appearance by Kevin at what appears to be a bookstore, though I don't know where. The segments I watched featured him reading the chapters about attending a film festival above the Arctic Circle and having a great time, and going to see the awful "Corky Romano" with Mike. He also answered questions from the audience (like "Have you met Joe Don Baker?") and signed autographs. Good book, by the way, though I completely disagree with him on "Star Wars".
As for "Alien from L.A.", it's certainly weird, but is it "bad"? Yes, I suppose so, but at least they're trying something interesting. I thought it could've turned out much better, though. Or maybe I'm just being charitable because, well, Kathy Ireland. (Oh, and she exaggerated her voice. Watch "Loaded Weapon 1" and she sounds less squeaky.) Oh, and am I the only one who thought she was just as attractive in her early, bespectacled scenes as in the closing? The riffing was good, though the guys were too harsh with Kathy. The host segments were good, including a waning appearance of the invention exchange.
Well, I guess we can move on to week 328. Once again, I'm splitting the difference for the Outsiders. The off-rotation selection is... "Movie Jo Night: Satan's Triangle"... - That's a live stream tonight with Mary Jo riffing on a TV-movie. Will it have the cool "ABC Movie of the Week" intro? ... and the second feature is... "Movie Sign with the Mads: The Godfather"... - Better stay away from the oranges this week. ... while the Originals selection is... "Devil Doll" (Show 818). - Ham sandwiches for lunch, then.
We'll be right back...
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Post by comedyc on Sept 21, 2021 15:23:31 GMT -5
Wow, it's right there on my home page when I launch Netflix. Who knows? But it's cool to support physical media!
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 28, 2021 7:48:57 GMT -5
Well, week 328, folks.
"Satan's Triangle" is a weird TV movie from 1975, I believe. Doug McClure plays a Coast Guardsman who checks on a derelict boat. It contains three corpses and one traumatized survivor, played by Kim Novak. She tells the story of the odd events that led to disaster, while he tries to come up with logical explanations for all the supposed supernatural happenings. Well, there's a conclusion, then a twist, then another twist. There's an unsettling atmosphere throughout the story, and there are some effective moments. But you can see the big shocking finish coming from a ways back. It's generally OK, but it's no "Night Stalker". May Jo did a good job riffing this with no prep work. Fans on the chat gave her some help as far as recognizing cast members. It turned out pretty well, actually. There's been a note that this wouldn't be archived, but I later learned that subscribers to MJ's Twitch channel can access her comments, then synch it up with a copy of the movie on YouTube. I think I might just do that.
As for "Movie Sign with the Mads", they had a good conversation about "The Godfather". They talked about the casting and the difficult making of the movie, as well as how quotable it is. The conversation drifted a bit, so they also talked a little about "Godfather II" (which they highly respected) and "Godfather 3" (which they treated like BSG fans treat "Galactica 1980"). They also throw in a few barbs at "Gone with the Wind", while they're at it. It was another good segment from a sadly missed show.
As for "Devil Doll", it's just too dark and depressing to really enjoy. Yes, there's a creepy atmosphere that helps the story. But you have to wonder why Vorelli's act is such a hit, and why it takes so long for anyone to realize he's one evil so-and-so. Plus, there's English, yet another MST hero who does almost nothing truly heroic. Hugo's the one who really saves the day. The riffing is great in this one; it really lightens up this oppressive flick. The host segments were OK, including the return of Pitch. Meanwhile, Roman Times continues, with yet another "To be continued..." twist.
Well, things went OK, in general. So, let's move on to week 329. Once again, we're splitting the difference on the Outsiders. The first feature is... "The Mary Jo Pehl Show: Episode 2"... - MJ will be reading segments from her jr. high diary live tonight. Let's hope she was more conscientious about diaries than I am. ... and the second feature is... "RT: Lady Mobster" (with Bridget & Mary Jo)... - What, Luca Brasi has a secret life we don't know about? ... and, meanwhile, the Originals selection is... "The Sinister Urge" (Show 613). - Sorry, lady, that is Dirk.
Stay tuned...
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