|
Post by kmorgan on Oct 6, 2021 0:10:38 GMT -5
Okay, let's look back at week 329. Later, perhaps, we may discuss my lack of a sense of time. Anyway...
The second episode of Mary Jo's show was pretty interesting. I wasn't expecting that she'd have a few guests to also read diary passages. I didn't recognize most of them, but Beez and Dave "Gruber" Allen were ones I did. The passages ranged from some rather deep philosophical musings on the nature of God and the Universe, to her deep crush on Roddy McDowall. I submitted a question for the Q&A, asking if she was on the Honors track in English class. They didn't pick that question, but I'd be interested to hear if she was. (I was on the Honors track in high school as a freshman and sophomore. But I got bored with it and, against advice, abandoned it for Detective Fiction & Creative Writing as a junior, and Science Fiction & Journalism as a senior. It was lots of fun.) There were a few signal problems with the feed, but not massively so. I subscribed to Twitch so I could re-watch it at some point.
As for "Lady Mobster", we've got Joseph "Dr. No" Wiseman as a kinder, gentler mafiosi who takes in the daughter of his consigliere after he & his wife are wacked. She eventually grows up to be Susan Lucci, as a top lawyer who decides to aid her family (and "family") when things get tough. There are various rub-outs (with made-for-TV level violence), a couple of romantic liasons, the Feds nosing around, and a couple of twists stolen from much better mob movies. All too familiar, really. And Anthony James shows up as another creepy assassin, but not as funny as he was in "Naked Gun II". I thought the movie seemed kind of disjointed, then I realized why. RT cut about 15 minutes from the movie, most likely so it would qualify for PD status. They've done it before, but I wish they wouldn't. I'd gladly pay more if it meant they could afford the whole flick. Bridget & Mary Jo riff on this very well, with a running gag regarding Ms. Lucci's Emmy dry spell.
As for "Sinister Urge", Ed Wood preaches against porn, years before he decided to try it. It's not quite as laughable a cautionary tale as "Reefer Madness" was , but it's close. And, ye gods, that lady's voice was horrendously grating. The accompanying short, "Keeping Neat & Clean", was informative, though I shine my shoes maybe once a year. The riffing was really good, especially the barbs directed at Gloria of the broken-glass voice. The host segments were very funny, with Frank perfectly delivering all the villain cliches from the 80s, many of which endure to today. And I'll have to try the potato cakes next time I'm at Arby's.
Well, those went well. So, let's go forward to what's left of week 330. I'm again doubling up on Outsider selections with... "Attack of the Killer B-Movies"... - Frank does the writing, with Elvira doing the riffing. ...and the second feature is... "The Mads are Back: Walk the Dark Streets"... - With a Winchester-less Chuck Connors. ... while the Originals selection is... "Mac and Me" (Show 1201). - I got the Gauntlet DVDs, so I won't miss this one.
We now pause for station identification...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Oct 12, 2021 7:36:26 GMT -5
Slight bit of difficulty recently, including a crisis yesterday, has put me off schedule. So, I'm combining week 330 and week 331. Hope this isn't a problem. In any case for 331, the off-rotation selection for the Outsiders is... "The Mads are Back LIVE: Night of Shorts 5"... - That's on tonight, and it looks like they're including more with "Space Angel"! ... and the one from the rotation is... "RT: Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace"... - With Christopher Lee in the deerstalker, and no fangs. ... while the Originals selection is... "Danger!! Death Ray" (Show 620). - Bup-ba-dup-ba-da-da!
Please stand by...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Oct 20, 2021 0:23:36 GMT -5
Okay, let's try and get caught up on weeks 330 & 331.
"Attack of the Killer B-Movies" was one of the projects Frank worked on between leaving MST and joining CT. It's basically Elvira and the cast of, I think, "Saved by the Bell" riffing on cut-down (as in less than 30 minutes each) versions of "The Wasp Woman" (later riffed by CT), "Killers from Space" (later riffed by the Film Crew), "The Navy vs. the Night Monsters" and "The Monster from Green Hell". The major cuts to the movie rendered even these flicks difficult to watch. The first two I've seen in their entirety and could see how they suffered, while I can only guess on the other two. (Oddly, Corman didn't insist on the "altered from the original version" disclaimer on this version of "Wasp Woman", but he did on the full version shown by CT.) On addition, they were colorized, had new shots (with new VFX) added, and had new, annoying electronic music. The riffing, officially credited to Frank & Elvira, was sort-of OK. Elvira knew how to deliver the lines, but the kids struggled. Plus, I was surprised how bland the jokes were, making me suspect some creative changes by NBC.
As for the Mads' version of "Walk the Dark Streets", it's pretty much the worst version of "Most Dangerous Game", which is saying a lot. It features a transparently evil antagonist and a deeply stupid protagonist, with a rather hapless female lead between them. Plus the print was a dark & depressing b&w, with poor quality besides. Still, the riffing by the Mads was fine; I especially enjoyed Trace's assistance in the boat ride scene in the park. And the Q&A with guest Jonah was very interesting.
I was wrong about "Night of Shorts 5"; no "Space Angel". But they did riff on the first chapter of the "Captain Marvel" serial (one of the better Republic offerings, actually), the educational short "Too Much Affection?" (which may have been teased during one of MST's shorts), and a revised version of the "Halloween Safety" short they featured last year. The riffing for all three was great, and I liked the references to both the original show and Svengoolie. The post-show Q&A featured guest comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff (whom I'm not familiar with). They addressed two of my questions: "What is your favorite Hollywood legendary story, true or not?" (they were largely speechless, since the only ones they thought of were dirty) and "What's your favorite TV movie?" (they favored "Brian's Song" and "Duel").
And "Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace" was one of the worst Holmes movies I've even seen. Badly scripted & poorly shot, it was a real disappointment. Strangely, screen writer Curt Siodmak and co-director Terrence Fisher worked on some real horror classics previously. And, strangely even for a German-made production, all of the actors' voices are dubbed in English, even those of the English actors, including Christopher Lee. The riffing was by Bridget (in the U.S.) and Matthew J. Elliot (in the U.K.). They worked well together, and the jokes were very funny. I was surprised, though, that the presence of Leon Askin in the cast didn't inspire even one Gen. Burkhalter joke.
Turning to the Originals, "Mac & Me" was both shameless plug and shameless rip-off, but it tried to be quality product. And I have to give them credit for presenting the lead kid's disability as simply a fact, and not a source of extra schmaltz. I do wish they hadn't cut it down as much. The riffing by Jonah & the 'bots was OK, though occasionally they fell back into the old problem of tossing in too many jokes too fast. The host segments were OK, though the dismissal of Jonah's lucky escape was a bit too quick. (Actually, I've thought of an alternate way those segments could've worked. I guess I could write it as a kind of fan fic. Interested?)
As for "Danger!! Death Ray!", it's my 2nd favorite MSTed spy movie. ("Operation Double 007" is better.) It makes little sense, and Bart Fargo has little charisma. But it moves at a quick pace, there are a lot of fight scenes, and the music is good in a mid 60s Italian movie way. The riffing was great in this one. And it had one of the all-time great host segs, when Crow get death-rayed. (It's even better on the Poopie reel.)
Whew! Are you still with me? Well, now let's look at the selections for week 332. The Outsiders selections are... "Citizen Wood: Making the "Bride", Unmaking the Legend"... - It's a Ballyhoo segment on the making of "Bride of the Monster. BYO Angora. ... and "Bridget & Mary Jo's Halloween Safety and Monster Movie Mash-Up"... - I'm rushing the Halloween season by a few days. You don't mind do you? ... and the Originals selection is... "Starcrash" (Show 1106). - Two words: Caroline Munro.
Stay tuned...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Oct 25, 2021 22:43:37 GMT -5
Well, let's look back at week 332, folks.
"Citizen Wood" lasts about 30 minutes and is quite interesting. It includes comments from Joel, filmmaker Larry Blamire, George "The Animal" Sttele, and the brother of "Bride of the Monster" screenwriter Alex Gordon. They mention things like how Gordon's role in putting the movie together has been largely forgotten, Bela Lugosi in his later years, Tor's interesting choice of hotel souvenirs, and how Ed Wood's reach exceeded his abilities (such as they were). The commentators expressed a fair amount of affection for the movie, and I liked the title design they used for the feature.
Bridget & MJ's Halloween special started with a riffing of the "Halloween Safety" short Trace & Frank did for "Night of Shorts 5", though the ladies were there first. They also riffed on staggeringly brief Castle Films versions of "Bride of Frankenstein", "The Wolf Man" and "It Came from Outer Space". The results were thoroughly incomprehensible. Still, the riffing was very good. And I didn't have to miss "Dragnet" to watch it.
As for "Starcrash", I understand this movie has a fairly good fanbase. And it seems to be one of the better "Star Wars" rip-offs to be released pre-TESB. It's a bit tough to tell, since the movie gets cut down again. (I really hope Joel doesn't do that in Season 13.) But, Caroline Munro is very attractive, and there are a few good VFX. John Barry did a pretty good musical score, and, even in his brief scenes, Christopher Plummer earns the vacation in Rome. On the other hand, the script makes little sense, particularly how they'll come up with all-new powers & abilities for the heroes whenever they need them. Stella ends up as a damsel-in-distress a bit too often for my tastes, and the good guys tactics aren't very effective. (Why not put explosives in the torpedoes?) The riffing was good in this one, with few of the pacing problems that some of the Revival episodes have. The host segments were good, including BB-Servo (I guess Lucasfilm got cruel after Disney took over) and the guest shot by Jerry Seinfeld. And the UFO song was one of the better ones.
Not too bad, I figure. So, week 333. For the Outsiders double-feature, we've got two from outside the rotation. First, there's..."RT LIVE: Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes"... - That's going out live tomorrow night, but if the weather is lousy I might have to pass it up. We'll see. ... while the other attraction is... "The Mary Jo Pehl Show, Episode 3: Ruth Larson Lives"... - That's also going out live tomorrow night. I'm not sure if I'll watch it live or on tape delay. Again, we'll see. ... and the Originals selection is... "The Crawling Hand" (Show 106). - PUSH THE RED!! PUSH THE RED!!
Don't touch that dial...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Nov 2, 2021 22:25:43 GMT -5
I seem to be stuck posting these on Tuesday. I hope this isn't a problem. Anyway, week 333...
Starting with the RT show, I wasn't sure if I'd make it to this one. They were predicting more heavy rain, and I was still shaken from some flooding we had during Ida. But, I found out there was a theater much closer to my home (the Regal in South Plainfield, NJ) than my usual venue, so I chanced it. The rain held off for the most part, and it wasn't as heavy as predicted. Still, for a bit, I thought I might have the theater to myself. But, more fans came in during the pre-show. (By the way, as usual, I had to remind the theater personnel about the pre-show, but they were very nice and got it going right away. Fine customer service!) Anyway, they started with "It's Your Accident", another safety training film where a guy having a bad day ends up losing fingers, but learns a valuable lesson. And we fans get a replacement for "Is corn grass?": "Are tomatoes fruit?" As for the movie, thanks to a young priest fouling up the exorcism of the Amityville house, the evil possesses an ugly-looking floor lamp. Which is then sold at a yard sale (at the evil house!) and sent to another house in California. And the predictable hijinks ensue. Suffice it to say, this is one ridiculous movie. And don't get me started on the plumber's truck. Fortunately, the riffing was great.
Due to the RT Live show, I missed the live presentation of Mary Jo's show, but I caught it on tape delay. She ran all five episodes of her "Ruth Larson" mockumentary series. (Well, all five to date. There were a lot of calls for her to continue it.) Basically, Ruth Larson, newly fired from her job as a "product ambassador" at a supermarket launches a new "va-log" on various topics, like lifestyle coaching, break rooms, and apron design. It was very funny, though brief. I thought it turned out quite well. MJ also responded to questions from the chat, and recounted an encounter with an inconsiderate fan that was fairly disturbing. I made up for missing her regular show by making it to one I'd forgotten about: a live, on-line watch party featuring the movie, "Velocipastor". Like MJ, I was unaware of the movie before this, and knew nothing of it. Basically, a priest gains the ability to turn into a velociraptor whenever he gets angry, and he kills bad people. And there's an older priest who's a veteran of an ill-defined war, a goth priest/exorcist, a hooker with a heart of gold, and a bunch of mostly Chinese, dope-dealing priests/ninjas. Yes, it's even worse than "Amityville 4". And the fact that it's not meant to be taken seriously doesn't lessen the pain. How bad was it? During the showing, at a couple of points, MJ couldn't riff. She just watched the movie with a look of speechless astonishment on her face. Producer Chris Gersback got a screenshot of her and said they might use it for the show's new T-shirt, which is a great idea.
As for "The Crawling Hand", the movie is generally OK, though Peter Breck and Rod Lauren go waaaaay too far with the Method acting. It was nice to see Alan Hale, Jr. being serious as the sheriff, and I liked them using the Rivington's original "Bird is the Word". Still, the ridiculousness of the movie still shines through. The riffing was good, though you can tell they're still adjusting to scripted riffs. The host segments were good, as well. One of the better Season 1 shows.
Well, now let's move on to Week 334. For our Outsiders double feature, we have... "Group Therapy"... - That's a cast discussion on the ordeal of making the "Manos" episode. ... and... "RT: Starship Invasions"... - Let's hope Christopher Lee can save this one. ... while the Originals selection is... "Giant Gila Monster" (Show 402). - For the uber-super-umpteenth time!
We'll be right back...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Nov 9, 2021 7:34:46 GMT -5
So, let's look at week 334.
"Group Therapy" was just Joel, Trace, Frank & Mary Jo talking about "Manos". They went over how Frank found the movie, and their reaction to it. They were pretty astonished, and found it a bit funny that it wasn't until that lost shot of Debbie that they figured the movie went past the line. They did, though, give Hal Warren and the crew credit for trying to make a fully-independent movie. Trace puts it very well: "You have to aim high, to fail so big."
I've always maintained that Christopher Lee is an actor who makes his movies, no matter how bad, watchable. "Starship Invasions" severely tests that principle. It's about a bunch of aliens who decide to abandon their dying planet and take over Earth, after killing off the inhabitants. (The usual routine, actually.) They kidnap some humans, harvest their precious bodily fluids, then start making people kill themselves a la "The Happening". Fortunately, UFO expert Robert Vaughn and his computer programmer friend are the only ones on Earth able to help the Galactic Federation (or whatever they call themselves) save Earth. It's all poorly scripted, cheaply shot, and pretty boring. And all the aliens communicate telepathically, so there's no connection between Lee's imposing presence and his impressive voice. And Robert Vaughn is just...there, The riffing is good, though the guys do get a bit mean with Robert Vaughn. But not one of my favorites.
As for "Giant Gila Monster", it's reputation has suffered from the many times TFNWSRN ran it, but the movie is generally OK. Yes, the songs are a bit annoying (especially the "sing whenever I sing" one), but the rest isn't too bad. You do kind of fell sorry for the poor lizard that got roped into playing the title role, but let's hope they didn't really blow him up. The riffing is very good, and I liked the host segments, particularly the "knees up" review. And it has one of my favorite inventions: the Renaissance Faire punching bags. And we get the start of the "Crow/Art" thing.
Well, two out of three ain't bad. So, what do we have for week 335. For the Outsiders, our double-feature is... "RT: Mr. B Natural"... - Uncut and re-riffed. Oh, dear. ... and... "The Mads are Back LIVE: Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women"... - That's on tonight. With Mamie Van Doren and some cosmonauts who were never in the same hemisphere with her during filming. ... and the Originals selection is... "MST3K LIVE: Making Contact". - It's the "Time Bubble Tour" and I'm going to their show in New Haven, CT this Friday.
Don't touch that dial...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Nov 18, 2021 0:25:57 GMT -5
My sense of timing is getting as bad as my sense of direction. And I'm the worst navigator I know. Anyway, week 335...
The RT re-riff of "Manos" was interesting. Yes, the copy was uncut and in much better shape than the one used on MST. For example, we actually get to see Mr. B arrive in Buzz's bedroom, and get a better idea of why he chose the trumpet. However, the riffing was good, but not better. In a couple of places, the just did variations on the original riff (like "Leo Gorcey" replaced with "retired Bowery Boy"). It was a good attempt, and I enjoyed it, but I still prefer the original.
As for "Women of the Prehistoric Planet", this is the second of two...revisions of the Russian-made sci-fi movie "Planeta Bur" ("Planet of Storms"). Originally, it seems (I haven't seen the original), it was about two teams of cosmonauts who land on the hostile world of Venus. Then, Roger Corman got a hold of it, and re-cut it for the U.S. The first attempt ("Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet") dubbed it into English, then added Burr-style new footage with Basil Rathbone and Faith Domergue. But the Mads riffed on the third version, which re-re-dubbed the Russian footage and added new stuff with Mamie Van Doren and other young ladies in hip-hugging bell-bottoms and clamshell bras. And we got new narration by uncredited "director" Peter Bogdanovich. (The quotes are there since, by his own admission, he didn't direct enough of the movie for it to count.) The result is a real mess, but it's easier on the eyes. The Mads did a great job riffing on this one (like noting that the women's appearance meant that either Venus has a Filene's Basement, or they were from a Dean Martin special). Producer/host Chris Gersbeck said that he had to cut the film by about ten minutes so they'd get to Mamie sooner. And I noticed a few more cuss words in the riffing this time. I didn't mind too much; I suspect they did it in response to a complaint they received over the language in the past. The guest for the Q&A (once a couple of tech problems were solved) was program host Blaine Capatch, whom I'm not familiar with. They did use one of my questions ("What's your favorite performance by an actor going against typecasting?"), but they could only think of Pacino in "Godfather III" (compared to the other two movies) and DeNiro's early comedies.
As for "Making Contact", I addressed that over on the dedicated thread for the tour. I had a great time, well-worth the train ride to New Haven. The movie, as noted in the show, pretty much rips off five or so Spielberg movies and makes little sense. (I found out later it was the cut-down version of a German-made movie; maybe it's better constructed.) We've got the fatherless, lonely boy; the magical toys, the single mom, the bunch of local kids, the supernatural contacts, the paranormal researchers. Pretty much the whole assortment, actually, plus the prototype for the evil dummy from the "Goosebumps" books. Well, at least they don't go to McDonald's. The riffing, as I noted elsewhere, was funny and well-paced. The songs (including the re-write of the theme and the shameless plug for the tour merch) were good, and the host segments worked well. On the whole, I thought it turned out very well. I just hope they are taping this one; like the other tour shows, it's too funny to lose.
Well, last week turned out OK. So, now we'll move to what's left of week 336. For the Outsiders, we've got..."RT: Wide World of Shorts" (1st Half)... - I can't remember; is Jim McKay in this? ... and... "RT: Bride of the Gorilla"... - Will they hold the wedding reception at Turtle Back Zoo? ... while the Originals selection is... "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom" (Show 1110). - This is the one without David Carradine, right?
Please stand by...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Nov 23, 2021 18:17:14 GMT -5
Well, let's look back at week 336.
"Wide World of Shorts" was another good selection of films. The first half featured "Snap Out of It" (a twenty-something high school student is flummoxed by his slightly low grades), "Alcohol Trigger Films" (situations where youngsters would be tempted to drink are set up, followed by gaps for classroom discussion that never happens), "Carnivorous Plants" (a Christian-oriented look at God's plan for Venus Flytrap and its fellows), "Aqua Frolics" (some rather dangerous underwater fun), and "Why Vandalism" (an anti-vandalism short that's unbearably depressing). The riffing is good in each one, fortunately.
"Bride of the Gorilla" features Raymond Burr as a jungle plantation overseer who kills his boss so he can have his hot blonde wife. But the local witch witnesses the crime and curses him to change into a gorilla every once in a while. This, as could be expected, pushes him over the edge into shape-shifting madness. Or is he not actually changing, and just being poisoned into madness? This movie owes a lot to "The Wolf Man", which is understandable since writer/director Curt Siodmak co-wrote the screen play for that Universal classic. Raymond Burr really commits to his role and does OK, as does Lon Chaney, Jr., who plays the local law. The other actors are OK, and the movie makes an effort to bring up the possibility of this all being more psychological than physical. But the low budget, the undeveloped lesser characters and the script undermine those assets. Bridget & Mary Jo do their usual great job with the riffing, including speculating on the bridal shower and comments about the movie's focus on the bride's...attributes.
As for "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom", it is, indeed, the one without David Carradine. It does, however, feature a miscast Bo Svenson as an over-the-hill swordsman who sort-of mentors the typical young teenage wizard padawan. Thom Christopher once again gives a hammily villainous performance that's appropriate for the movie. There's also stock footage from at least four or five other movies, plus music, yet again, cribbed from "Battle Beyond the Stars", and a plot which is practically the same as the one in "Outlaw of Gor", but with a lower budget. Pretty lousy, actually. The riffing was OK, though still a bit overloaded. The host segments were OK, though where did they get the extra Crows? And we get another bit of build-up for the "romantic triangle" that'll feature in the season's finish. (Wasn't all that big a fan of that bit, actually.)
Well, that was OK, in general. So, what have we got for week 337? We're going outside the rotation again this week. For the Outsiders, the first selection is... "The Mary Jo Pehl Show" (Episode 4)... - That's going out live tonight, and I think she's doing a cooking tutorial of some kind. ... while the second selection is... "RT: Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 A.D."... - Happy Birthday, Doctor. I'm celebrating with one of the non-canonical incarnations. ... and with Turkey Day coming soon, I'm going to leave the marathon in Joel's hands via YouTube this year and only have one selection from my archives, which is... "Turkey Day Bumpers ('93 & '94)". - Those are the ones from the fan's home and the ones with Adam West, respectively.
Happy Thanksgiving!
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Nov 29, 2021 23:21:06 GMT -5
Well, how was your Thanksgiving? Mine was OK, as was the rest of week 337.
The fourth episode of MJ's show did, indeed, feature a cooking tutorial. The original plan of a tater tot-based recipe didn't work out, so she prepared a mystery dish found by producer Chris Gersbeck. She picked up the list of ingredients (well, most of them), then opened the envelope with the cooking instructions. And the result was... Cheesy Hot Dog Soup. It looked about as appetizing as it sounds, though MJ said it wasn't too bad. They did show the picture of the dish from the old 50s cookbook Chris found it in, and it's...something.
As for the Dr. Who movie, I know that both Amicus movies are somewhat divisive among fans. (Not as much as the current batch of shows, but I won't get into that.) Personally, I enjoy them both. Peter Cushing is great as the Doctor, as is Roberta Tovey as a more self-assured Susan. In this one, we got more action than the first one, plus location shooting. Future Quatermass Andrew Keir plays one of the anti-Dalek freedom fighters, and Whovians will recognize frequent Classic Who guest star Phillip Madoc. And this is the movie that featured Bernard Cribbins' introduction to the Whoniverse, thought it'd be decades before he'd return.
As for the marathon, I watched it on YouTube. The intros from Jonah and Emily were good, and we did, indeed, get brief promos of the Season 13 shows. (Those are covered elsewhere.) I managed to watch all or part of "Brain that Wouldn't Die", "Hercules Against the Moon Men", "Avalanche", "Giant Spider Invasion" and "Prince of Space". And I stuck around to watch Crow's student film at the very end. For some reason, the archived marathon on YouTube leaves out both "Prince of Space" and the closing bit. I hope they'll at least have a separate video with the host segments. And the two-minute pauses for commercial breaks (which included actual commercials at a few points) didn't bother me too much. And, yes, I did leave time to drive my Mom too and from Thanksgiving Dinner at my brother Bruce's place, along with viewings of "Turkeys Away!" from "WKRP", "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and "B.C.: The First Thanksgiving".
As for the '93 and '94 bumpers, they turned out OK in general. It would've been better if BBI had been involved, but that's the way it goes. The first batch was at fan Debbie Tobin's home, with costumed MSTies introducing the episodes. And the second one featured Adam West hosting (and plugging the premiere of "Zombie Nightmare"), with guest appearances by Robert Vaughn, Beverly Garland (they showed all three of her MST shows that year) and Mamie Van Doran. Not bad, really.
Well, let's move on to week 338. Since it's now the Holiday season, we'll be off the rotation for the Outsiders, beyond the regularly-scheduled new stuff. Anyway, for the Outsiders, we have... "Movie Jo Night: Invisible Invaders"... - Hey, that's the movie I suggested! And they're running it tomorrow night! ... along with the Holiday offering... "Christmas Shorts"... - It's four Christmas-themed shorts I just got from RT. I don't think I've seen any of them before. ... while the Originals selection is... "Cosmic Princess" (Show K-10). - It's the "movie" they harvested from "Space: 1999".
Stay tuned...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Dec 7, 2021 23:17:39 GMT -5
So, let's look back at week 338.
Years ago, I reviewed "Invisible Invaders" for the old Even Deeper Blurting site. Basically, a bunch of the titular group show up and try to force humanity to surrender. How? By taking over the bodies of dead, usually well-dressed white guys and causing all sorts of havoc. As the death toll mounts and the destruction continues, groups of scientists are tasked with stopping the bad guys, and they're mobilized less than a day after the attack begins. But, this is a low budget movie, so we're only concerned with one group: an older scientist, his hot daughter, a younger scientist/third wheel, and John "Smugger-Than-Thou" Agar. Basically, this movie had a bunch of problems, mainly due to the low budget (the same room does triple duty as three different places) and a confused script, along with the standard, unnecessary romantic triangle. But it only runs a little over an hour, and John Carradine shows up briefly. Once again, MJ went into this cold, knowing nothing about the movie before it started. A couple of times, she admitted she was caught up in the plot. But, she did offer some good commentary (like noting how an unfortunate victim of both Agar and the invaders looked a lot like Harrison Ford). It turned out well, but I'm not sure if it was archived.
As for the shorts, turns out I got five of them, not four. I'm not sure if they were all bought, or if some were part of a Kickstarter reward. In any case, they consisted of: "The Snowman": An old cartoon in the "Ted Eshbaugh's 'Fantasies'" series (Who? What?) where some Polar denizens make a snowman that is alive and evil, somehow. "Santa's Space ship": Some frightening marionettes star in a story of how Santa decides to trade his tired reindeer to a crooked salesman for a spaceship, with no apparent warranty. "December Holidays": An obviously school-intended short giving brief background on Christmas, Hanukkah, and Las Posadas, but omitting Festivus and Life Day. "Alias St. Nick": A stereotypical evil cat dresses as Santa to prey on cute but violent mice in this Harman-Ising "Happy Harmonies" cartoon. "The Blessed Midnight": The longest of this bunch (nearly 30 minutes) is an episode of the "Du Pont Theater" (with commercials) where a nice kid tries to help his friend, who's stuck with an abusive father and is being hunted by the cops for the crime of stealing a Bar Mitzvah cake. The first four are riffed on by the guys, with Bridget & MJ commenting on the last one. They all do a great job on these. The actual movies are of varying quality, from the rather depressing "Blessed Midnight" to the agressively cute "Alias St. Nick". But none of them do major damage to the Holiday spirit.
As for "Cosmic Princess", it's taken from two utterly unrelated episodes from the second season of "Space: 1999", when they switched from the thoughtful, mysterious plots of the first season to action-oriented ones that frequently contradicted the earlier shows. Both episodes are Maya-centered, and they don't really mesh. The scripts aren't too good, and the acting could be better, though BRIAN BLESSED is excused from such criticism. On the other hand, the VFX are great, especially the scene with the Eagle crash in the hangar. This being a KTMA show, the riffs are ad-libbed, but the guys do a good job. It also includes what may be the first time Servo falls apart (and, this time, Joel does temporary repairs in the theater). The host segments are good, and two of them made it onto the highlight reel to sell the series. And, as a bonus, the copy I saw included a Pizza & Pasta commercial with Trace & Josh.
Well, those went well, I thought. At least it gave me a break from Holiday prep. So, onto week 339. Our Holiday Outsider selection is... "The Second Annual Bridget &n Mary Jo Christmas Special"... - With special guest stars Kevin, Beez, and Harvey Korman! ... and our regular Outsider selection is... "The Incredible Mr. Lippert" (with Frank)... - Another Ballyhoo documentary for us. ... and our Originals selection is... "Manhunt in Space" (Show 413) - It's Rocky Jones and (ugh!) Winky to the rescue!
Please stand by...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Dec 14, 2021 8:39:20 GMT -5
Maybe I should take advantage of my lack of timing sense and just make Tuesday the usual day for these. We'll see. Anyway, week 339...
Oh, darn. Just as I sat down to write this, I realized I watched the first Bridget & Mary Jo Christmas special this week, not the second one. I'm really getting absent minded. OK, I'll watch the second one this week, in addition to whatever I select, and review them both next time. How's that?
As for "The Incredible Mr. Lippert", it's a very informative documentary, running about 35 minutes. It traces Lippert's work as an independent producer/distributor, from his early Western programmers to his later sci-fi movies. It covers his association with director Sam Fuller, as well as his deals with Hammer Films and 20th. Strangely, though, it doesn't include how he helped develop "The Adventures of Superman" with George Reeves, I'm not sure why. Commentators include filmmaker Bob Burns, and Frank, who notes his affection for Lippert's films, while thanking him for providing MST3K with material.
As for "Manhunt in Space", it's really not too bad. Yes, it's juvenile (it was meant to be) and the science is lacking (so what?), but it holds your interest. And Henry Brandon is good as Rinkman, the villain. On the other hand, Winky and Bobby can get annoying at times. Oh, well. I did like the "General Hospital" segment. (How come, during my hospital stays, the nurses didn't wear short capes?) The episode was very good, with some great riffing. And I thought the host segments were also great, especially Mike's appearance as Winky in his "invisible spaceship". (Yes, pal. Keep telling yourself that.)
Well, let's move on to week 340. In addition to the SECOND (remember, Ken, the SECOND) Bridget & Mary Jo special, the Outsiders selections, both off the rotation, are... "The Mads are Back LIVE: 'Manos, the Hands of Fate'"... - That's on-line tonight. Should I be eager for this, or dreading it? ... and... "RT: Santa Claus"... - It's the live version, featuring the (ugh!) uncut version. ... while the originals selection is... "Time of the Apes" (Show 306) - I don't care!
We'll be right back...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Dec 20, 2021 22:41:59 GMT -5
Well, week 340, folks.
The Mads' re-riff of "Manos" was...it's tough to say. On the one hand, they used the fully-restored HD print, which made the movie look quite pristine. Problem is, we now can clearly see how seedy the movie really looks, especially the couch. And the full version gives us more of the story, but it's more of a lousy story. And while Trace & Frank's new riffs turned out very well, we still have to go through this bad movie to get to them. I will say that the guys did a nice thing in giving the filmmakers their due for actually making and releasing this movie with such limited resources, bad as the movie is. They note that some talented people did actually work on it, and are worthy of consideration. And, at the very least, Hal Warren won his bet with Stirling Silliphant. The post-show Q&A was very interesting, featuring Jackey Neyman Jones. She answered a lot of questions about the movie and how it was made. I knew some of the facts from her very good book on the subject, but it was still good to hear them. (Like the story about the limo at the premiere, for example.) She also showed the trailer for her second "Manos" sequel, "The Manos Chronicles". It's supposed to be out soon.
As for the RT Live version of "Santa Claus", it also uses the full version of the movie, including the Spanish credits, the dance numbers (one from the devils, one from the dolls), and the extra footage at Santa's castle. But, again, it's still more of a bad movie. Well, it's still good to see Lupita resist temptation and be rewarded for her moral convictions. And one can only hope Pedro grew up and put things in order in that off-kilter reality Santa lives in. (Like sending the kids back to their families and bringing back the elves.) The riffing was very good, though. And the threw in another ACI short, "At Your Fingertips: Sugar and Spice", which will make your teeth and your sensitivities ache.
And both Mary Jo & Bridget Christmas shows were great. The first featured an butchered version of the classic Alistair Sim version of "A Christmas Carol" and a short about shepherds visiting the manger. And a Ford commercial, plus stories about their favorite Christmas gifts, and even Dean Martin. The second one featured a rather long and detailed tutorial on the ironclad rules regarding carving, with a pre-"Carol Burnett Show" Harvey Korman. Then, Beez stops by for a chat, and she & Kevin help riff on what appears to be somebody's Christmas home movies from 1955. Both specials are well-worth the pre-emption of "Dragnet" and "Ironside".
As for "Time of the Apes", I have got to find the series this thing is based on. Then maybe I'll be able to figure out just what the heck is going on. Yes, I suppose I shouldn't care, just like Johnny. But it would be nice to have some clarity. The riffing was good, though. And the host segments were also good, particularly the Bell Labs short. (Tarkus Brainlab IV?)
Well, we're heading down the home stretch to Christmas Day. So, we'll mark week 341 with our Outsiders selections of... "RT: Beyond Christmas"... - Bridget & Mary Jo are back, along with non-Dickensian ghosts. ... and... "RT: The Rifftrax Yule Log"... - Let's see how it compares to WPIX. ... and the Originals selection of... "The Christmas That Almost Wasn't" (Show 1113). - As long as Pitch and Droppo don't show, how bad could it be?
Merry Christmas, all!
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Dec 28, 2021 21:50:38 GMT -5
Okay, here's a look at week 341. I should've posted this yesterday, and I'll explain why in a moment.
"Beyond Christmas" (original title: "Beyond Tomorrow") is about three older businessmen who live in a NYC mansion. As an experiment, they toss wallets with their business cards in them out into the snow to see who'll return them. Two of them come back, brought in by a nice girl and a handsome guy with a great singing voice. They become fast friends, which lasts even after the business men die in a plane crash. So, as ghosts, they watch as the guy starts a singing career which draws him away from the nice girl. You can probably guess much of what happens next. It's actually a pretty good, if predictable, movie. The characters are likable, and there some nicely sentimental moments. And everything turns out OK (except for two characters whom I won't give away, though you'll catch on pretty quick). The riffing was very good from Bridget & Mary Jo, and they really seem to have a liking for HOLLYWOOD ACTOR RICHARD CARLSON. Oddly, though, they don't seem to realize that the housekeeper is played by the same actress who played the old Romani woman who tells Larry Talbot his fate in "The Wolf Man".
As for the RT Yule Log, it's just like the Yule Log that Channel 11 started and everyone else copied. Except that there's no film loop; we see the fire get low and Kevin put on more wood. He also sings while working, though the lyrics to the Christmas songs aren't the ones we're used to (like about calling the cops during "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"). They also run video clips from past Christmas riffs, along with new ones for scenes from several different "Christmas Carol" adaptations, along with "Die Hard" and "GoodFellas". (What, no "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"?) There are also audio clips of Christmas songs from the guys, along with a multi-part audio sketch that I won't spoil here. (It involves Mike, a moose, and Bill's new residence.)
As for "Christmas That Almost Wasn't", my opinion of the movie has gone down since I first saw it for Even Deeper Blurting. It's just that they way it figures "no presents equals no Christmas" kind of gets to me, leading to an ending that only lacks Sam Wainright's telegram. Plus villainous Prune is thoroughly one-dimensional, and depressed Santa lacks the toughness of his cousins in "...Conquers the Martians" or "Santa Claus". He's like Jake Skywalker in TLJ, actually. The riffing was OK, though with a few pacing problems. The host segments worked all right, particularly the slide show at the end.
Well, I hope your Christmas turned out OK. (Incidentally, my nephew Donnie gave me copies of "Death Rat" and "Super-Powered Revenge Christmas".) So, let's close out the year with week 342. For the Outsiders, the outside the rotation selections are... "The Mary Jo Pehl Show (Episode 5)"... - Actually, it was on about an hour-and-a-half ago, but you can still catch the tape on Twitch, if you want. ... and... "KTMA Melon Drop Special (1989)"... - Yeah, it a clip show, but that's OK, too. ... while the Originals selection is... "Gamera vs. Zigra" (Show K-08). - It's, thus far, the only New Year's Eve show they've done, and I haven't seen it in a while. So, why not?
Happy New Year!
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Jan 2, 2022 23:55:56 GMT -5
Well, I hope everyone is having a Happy New Year, thus far. Let's look back at week 342 for a moment...
The latest episode of MJ's show was mainly based on the classic game show "To Tell the Truth". Thanks to Zoom technology, three possible figure skating judges were brought together, along with a three-person panel (including Bill) to determine the real one (who did, indeed, stand up). There were a few technical glitches, but it worked fairly well. On the other hand, she talked about an odd Christmas gift she got from her Dad, and then we learned the significance of it. Suffice it to say, I could've spent the rest of my life happily not knowing this, just like I'd have appreciated not hearing the Ernest Borgnine story from one of the Mads' shows.
As for the '89 Melon Drop, it was, as noted, a clip show. The framing story was about a father dealing with a rather loud kid who wanted to revive the Melon Drop tradition. (By the way, the YouTube poster for this is right; the father looks very much like Nick from "Time Chasers".) The special (which was apparently posted from the original broadcast masters) was made after Kevin & Jim had left KTMA, so their contributions are only via the clips. The special was OK, though it's sad that it ends with them talking about how they couldn't wait until next year's Drop. I'm pretty sure it was around twenty years before the station tried it again.
As for "Gamera vs. Zigra", this is one of the stupider Gamera movies, which is saying a lot. And I seriously doubt the Kenny in this one is meant to be the dysfunctional mental case of the original. Need I say more? This was a relatively early KTMA entry, so there are several dead spots in the riffing. Also, there was one bit where the guys left for commercial sign, and the movie ran on for several minutes before the break. Still, the riffs they used were good (including a couple from Servo that would never have passed the censors during the later shows). And it featured the first in-show appearance of the Mads, though their characters are really developed yet. And Trace really makes use of his Gregory Peck voice.
Well, now it's on to 2022 and week 343. For the Outsiders, we have one from the rotation, and one new one. The new one is..."Movie Jo Night: 'The Day My Kid Went Punk'"... - That's this Tuesday night, as MJ and we watch this 1987 "Afterschool Special", no doubt with a message. ... and the one from the rotation is... "RT: Mothra"... - Presented in TOHOSCOPE! ... and the Originals selection is... "Prince of Space" (Show 816). - HAH HAH HAH! HAH HAH HAH!
We'll be right back...
|
|
|
Post by kmorgan on Jan 10, 2022 0:49:10 GMT -5
So, for anyone still here, let's look at week 343,
"The Day My Kid Went Punk" surprised me. I hadn't seen that particular "Afterschool Special" before, and I guess I thought it would be a preachy, cautionary tale. As it happens, it was pretty good. The kid in question isn't angry or drugged-up or violent. He just likes rock music and adopting punk look. But he also likes classical music, he's good with kids, and is generally nice. His problem is that his family takes little notice of him (at first), and adults misunderstand him. It was rather balanced, and there were no Jack Webb-style speeches. It wasn't perfect (his punk affectations are fairly shallow), but it was actually OK. MJ was pretty impressed, as well. She didn't riff very much, making more general comments. She liked that the kid wasn't off-putting or demonized, and that the adults (well, some of them) were more understanding by the end. I was surprised, though, that Bernie Kopell played the kid's father, but few seemed to recognize him as Siegfried.
As for "Mothra", it's one of the better Toho monster movies, and presents the third in the company's Big Three, after Rodan and the G-Meister. Unlike the other two's debut movies, the world is given ample warning of the destruction to come. So, Mothra is at least playing somewhat fair as she rips up Japan and Roscilica (home country of devastated New Kirk City) in pursuit of her kidnapped twin priestesses. The acting is good, the SPFX are great, and I really liked Bulldog, the reporter who's set up as the overweight comedy relief but shows himself to be pretty darn heroic. This is the studio version of the riff, and I figure the only way you'll see the live version now is if they do an encore presentation or you can find a poorly-recorded bootleg. The riffing is very funny, though, and they get a lot of mileage out of how the sneering, greedy villain is named Nelson.
As for "Prince of Space", I'll keep it simple. Hilarious movie. Top-notch riffing. Really funny host segs. One of the best in the series.
Three good ones this time. Let's see how we fare in week 344. Again, for the outsiders, we have one new show and one from the rotation. The new one is... "The Mads are Back LIVE: Night of Shorts 6"... - That's live on-line this Tuesday night, and I have no idea what they have on tap. ... and the rotation one is,,, "@ Midnight" (w/ Jonah, Felicia and Hampton)... - That's a game show on TFNWSRN. ... and the Originals selection is... "Hamlet" (Show 1009). - Better stock up on ear poison.
Don't touch that dial...
|
|