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Post by kmorgan on Jul 26, 2022 18:14:45 GMT -5
Okay, let's look at week 371...
"The Elevator" kind of surprised me. It wasn't really a straight disaster movie, though it did have many of the usual plot elements of one. In a big office building that's just closing up for a holiday weekend, a bunch of disparate people get into an overloaded elevator. And it promptly gets stuck between floors, and looks like it could plunge down the rest of the way. This results in a bit of soul-searching among some of the people, like rental agent Roddy and a lonely old lady played by Myrna Loy. The big problem, though, is the armed, dangerously claustrophobic thief played by James Farantino. The movie was pretty good, though it could've used a bit more character development. (Chris did note that the print they were using had been edited, and appeared to be an off-air TV recording.) MJ seemed to like it, and the riifs from all of us were good. I even got name-checked when I passed along some movie info she couldn't remember. (It was the scene in "Star Wars" where Luke & Leia had to swing across the chasm.)
As for "The Making of MST3K-TM", it wasn't the documentary I thought it was. Rather, it was the five-minute puff piece that was released to promoite the movie. Jim, Kevin, Trace & Mike seems happy talking about the movie, and it has footage of the filming, including the scenes those jerks at Universal/Grammercy ordered cut. Then again, the guys have said that they enjoyed the actual making of the movie. It was dealing with the execs that was the soul-crushing experience.
As for "Gamera vs. Jiger", it's the standard thing. Gamera vs. another monster, who cripples Gamera for a while. There are the kids who figure everything out, while the adults are nearly useless. And the rather disturbing monster violence that, oddly, is standard for the kid-focused Gamera series. There's also a "What the heck?!" plot twist late in the game, and I beg you to avert your eyes when the elephant appears. Oh, and Cornjob (at least, his actor) is there. And, to make it more painful, the rights holders demanded the movie be shown uncut. Why? Don't know. This was a really good episode. The jokes were plentiful and well-paced. The host segments were also good, including another appearance by Dr. St. Phibes, and a parody of the kid in the movie with the incomprehensible Scottish/British/Whatever accent. We also got a few new lyrics to Gamera's theme, and two new songs, one to cover up a loooong monster sequence that they couldn't edit out. On the whole, it was a lot of fun, and another sign that Season 13 is turning out well. It was followed by a post-show with Matt, Jonah and some of the writers for this episode. The writers talked about how they got their MST jobs, and their reactions to riffing on a new-to-MST Gamera flick. It was very interesting.
Well, that went well, I thought. So, here's what's happening for Week 372. The off-rotation Outsider is... "The Mary Jo Pehl Show (Episode 12)"... - That's on Twitch tonight. MJ will be reading from her new book, "Dumb, Dumb, Dumb". ... and the on-rotation Outsider is.., "EW On-Line Interview w/ Kevin & Mike" (1998)"... - It's another audio segment, and they must be talking about the TSNWSRN episodes. ... and the Originals selection is... "The Rebel Set" (Show 419). - This episode? Put it in the hole with everything else.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 2, 2022 23:14:06 GMT -5
Well, time to look at week 372...
On her show, MJ and some special guests (including Felicia and Tim Kazurinsky) read from Dumb, Dumb, Dumb. I must say her mom is one of the better reviewers I've read. Very clear and concise. The other parts of the book are MJ's memories of her mom, and I found those rather touching. It seems like a very good book, and I've put in a request for it at my library. Let's just hope Danielle can get it.
As for the audio interview, I was right. It was during season nine, the TSNWSRN era. The audio wasn't all that great; it sounded like it was recorded in a hotel room, and it may very well have been. Still, it was an interesting segment, running about 30 minutes. In addition to the usual questions (At the beginning, did you think the show would be so successful? Have any of the movies' stars contacted you?), there was also info about MST3K-TM, minly about how the shoot was fun and the executive meddling was soul-crushing. Mike & Kevin also talked about why the show stayed in Minnesota, nd how they delt with cast changes. I got this from Cheezy Flix when they were still selling MST items, and I'm glad I did.
As for "The Rebel Set", at the very least it features some actual beatniks, not the pseudo barkeep-killing ones. It really just a generally OK caper movie, with a few neat twists. Yes, it's still not very good, but it has some good points, and Ed Platt was OK as the so-called mastermind/fake priest. And the accompanying short, "Johnny at the Fair", is one of the better ones. I bet Johnny got to tell the story of how he hobnobbed with the celebrities many times over. The riffing was very good in this one. And the host segments were OK, especially the closing bit exploring the Merritt Stone Conundrum. Oh, and I once had a 30-minute layover in Chicago, but all I could do was race from one side of O'Hare to the other to get to my connecting flight.
Well, that was fun, wasn't it? Now, on to week 373. I'll be away in PA on vacation, but I think I can fit these in. The first on-rotation Outsider is..."ConventioCon II Highlights: BBI Tour"... - Let's see how much of it I remember. ... and the second Outsider is... "RT: Farm Family Shorts"... - Well, I'll be at the Farm, so it certainly fits. ... and the Originals selection is... "The Human Duplicators" (Show 420). - I swear I did not plan on selecting the ep after "Rebel Set"; it was random.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 9, 2022 8:46:50 GMT -5
Well, from my Ancestral Home somewhere in PA, here's a look back at week 373...
The BBI tour footage was a great reminder for me. I remembered how each group of us ConventioCon attendees piled into school buses and were driven to nearby Eden Prairie. We got to see a bunch of props not on display at the Con (like the "Tragic Moments" figurines, the huge hypo from "Amazing Colossal Man", and the movie projector from MST3K-TM). We saw both the S.O.L. (with an intro video from Mike & Kevin) and Deep 13, plus the writers' room (with intro video by Paul & MJ). As with most fan-made videos, the picture & audio were shaky, but I didn't mind.
The "Farm Family" shorts are among my favorite RT offerings. They were made just before I was born, but I still remember how farms were in that era. (I spent my summers at my grandparents' farm, and would work just down the road at the farm my great-uncle had.) It's a nice time capsule, and a lot more true-to-life than "Uncle Jim's Dairy Farm", in that cow barns are not as clean as operating rooms. The riffing from Bridget & MJ was funny, but never seemed to really go after the subjects. It was more affectionate, and I appreciate that.
As for "Human Duplicators", it's on the border between a spy-fi flick and a sci-fi flick. Yes, it's obviously low-budget B-list material, but it wasn't too bad. They did what they could with what they had. And Richard Kiel actually give his role as Kollos a good try. The riffing was very good, and the host segments were also good, especially Mike's return as Hugh Beaumont. We got to see the beginning of Crow's cloning habit, and the Mads' invention was wonderfully silly.
And I tried to patch into the Gizmoplex re-run of "Puma Man" with extra material (including a new short), but I couldn't get a good connection. I'll see about accessing it after I get home.
Well, that went OK. And I was able try fit it into my vacation schedule. So, let's see how we can do with week 374. The off-rotation Outsider is... "The Mads are Back LIVE: Battle of the Worlds"... - That's live on-line tonight. As noted, my 'net connection here is iffy, so I might have to wait and watch this on tape delay. ... and the on-rotation Outsider is... "The History of MST3K (Pt. III)"... - It's always good to be reminded of where we were. ... and the Originals selection is... "Project Moonbase" (Show 109). - Mysogynists IN SPACE!
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 16, 2022 7:22:26 GMT -5
Sorry, getting back from my vacation has thrown me off-schedule. So, my review of week 374 will have to wait a bit. But I can post what's up for week 375. The off-rotation Outsider is... "Movie Jo Night: 'A Taste of Evil'"... - It's another "ABC Movie of the Week" and it's live on Twitch tonight. We'll see if it includes "Odd Couple" promos. ... and the on-rotation outsider is... "RT: The Most Dangerous Game"... - They made a movie about lawn darts? ... and the Originals selection is... "The Batwoman" (Show 1308). - It's on the Gizmoplex on Friday. No, it isn't that Batwoman, or that Batwoman, either.
We now pause for station identification...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 16, 2022 18:38:37 GMT -5
Wait a minute. WAIT A MINUTE! WAIT A MINUTE!!
Once again, my memory failed me. So, "Most Dangerous Game" will have to be pushed back a bit, because the second Outsider for this week is the off-rotation selection... "RT LIVE: The Return of Swamp Thing". - That's live in theaters Thursday night. Hopefully, the AC will be working.
Sorry to interrupt...
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 23, 2022 14:33:49 GMT -5
Okay, time to get caught up. First, week 374…
I saw “Battle of the Worlds” several years ago when I was writing reviews for the old Even Deeper Blurting board. Seeing it again, my opinion hasn’t changed. It’s a generally OK movie, but it’s hampered by some poor SPFX and script problems. The biggest problem, though, is the character of ^^^, played by Claude Rains. Rains does the best he can, but the character is like a combination of Dr. House and the cranky shopkeeper from “The Brute Man”. While he has a few moments of near-human warmth, he’s just such an egotistical jerk most of the time that it’s tough to take. I prefer the semi-remake of a couple of years later, the also Italian-made “Planet on the Prowl”. Trace & Frank did a great job with the riffing. They went easy on Rains (Frank noting that he at least got a working vacation in Italy out of the deal), while riffing on his character. The post-show Q&A was good, though I can’t remember the guest’s name. They didn’t use the question I submitted, but did file it away as an evergreen. And we all submitted ideas for the name of Trace’s cat. (The Mads’ shows are becoming quite feline-centric, which I like.)
The third segment of the “History of MST3K” series picked up from Mike becoming the host, then covered the move from TFNWSRN to TSNWSRN, the movie (fun to make, but the execs gave them a lot of hassles), MJ and Bill ascending to the cast, and their amazement towards & appreciation of the fanbase. Once again, a very interesting segment, with good comments from the principals.
As for “Project Moonbase”, the deserve credit for at least attempting to make it sort of realistic. But the plot contrivances (the Reds have doubles for every possible crew member?) and the distasteful male chauvinism (and the female ineptitude) make watching it a chore. Well, at least the two “Radar Men from the Moon” segments provided some dependable action. This is a fairly good Season One effort. Riffing was good, as they got into the rhythm of scripted jokes, while the host segments were OK, with the SPACOM commercial one of the earliest true classics.
Now, week 375…
I’m at a bit of a disadvantage regarding “A Taste of Evil”. It was scheduled for Tuesday, but unforeseen circumstances pushed the showing back to Wednesday. (Chris filled the Tuesday slot with a repeat of MJ watching “Satan’s Triangle”, the first “Movie Jo” offering.) On Wednesday, I had a WebEx meeting, so I tuned in late. What I saw was pretty good, I thought. It’s another “ABC Movie of the Week”, with Barbara Parkins as a woman returning to her family home. Years earlier, as a teenager, she’d been assaulted there, and has spent the time since then in a mental hospital. She seems OK, but is she, really? What about the corpses she keeps seeing, which are nowhere to be found later? The movie also starred Barbara Stanwyck and fan-favorite Roddy McDowall. And the ending was both surprising and expected, somehow. MJ and Chris both watched and riffed with the fans. On the whole, the reaction wasn’t too bad. At least, MJ didn’t curse the movie out like she did with “Haunts of the Very Rich”.
As far as the “Rifftrax Live” showing is concerned, I went into “The Return of Swamp Thing” cold. I don’t recall seeing the original or the sequel. As it turns out, the movie was pretty lousy. You’ve got a seemingly embarrassed Louis Jourdan as a scientist looking for eternal youth blah blah blah. You’ve got Heather Locklear as his stepdaughter, who’s not really all that swift. You’ve got the title character, who’s sort of heroic. You’ve got two kids who are the most annoying youngsters in movie history this side of the “Neptune Men” brats. You’ve got mutants, and explosions, and a plot that made no real sense. Fortunately, the guys’ jokes were very funny. Before the main feature, they had a short: “Danny’s Dental Date”. It combined poorly-operated marionettes and live action, and it’s meant to inform kids about good dental care and how not to be afraid of dentists. It only succeeded in showing the most horrifying dentist visit since “Marathon Man”. And we the audience paid good money to see puppets licking things.
As for “Batwoman”, it was a pretty good movie. Our heroine (and I don’t know if they mention her real name) is quite wealthy, drives a sports car, is a dead shot, is a renowned luchador, and fights crime in a cape, cowl and bikini. The total package, really. She’s up against a mad scientist trying to advance human evolution yadda yadda yadda. The result of that is a creature that’s a cross between the Gill-Man and the Dr. Z amphibian. This was actually a pretty good movie. There’s a good amount of action and a great jazz score, yet it was goofy enough to be riffable. And Batwoman was a credible lead, except for a couple of moments where male superiority is sort-of shown. But I can forgive them that. This was an Emily episode, and she & the ‘bots did a great job with the riffing. The host segments were also OK, including more of a chance for Sinthia & Mega-Sinthia to be kind of in the spotlight. They even used one of my questions in the Q&A, when I asked if the DCEU would be improved if all the characters were reimagined as bikini-wearing, copyright-defying, female, attractive, Mexican wrestlers. (The general consensus was, “Yes”.)
Whew! Now I guess I can move on to week 376. The off-rotation Outsider selection is… “The Mary Jo Pehl Show: Episode 13: The Company Retreat”… - That’s live on Twitch tonight, and it’s the season finale. Will there be a cliffhanger? … and the on-rotation Outsider selection is… “RT: The Most Dangerous Game”.. - Hey, no sense in wasting this one due to my forgetfulness. … and the Originals selection is… “The Creeping Terror” (Show 606). - Should we shampoo the monster, or will just vacuuming be enough?
We’ll be right back…
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Post by kmorgan on Aug 31, 2022 11:58:33 GMT -5
Late again? Shouldn't be a surprise by now. Anyway, week 376...
The new episode of MJ's show turned out very well. With the help of a facilitator, Mj and Chris tried to work on their efficiency, their communication, and their core competencies and all the rest of it. A lot of it seemed to center on MJ paying Chris back for an omelette a while back. Still, it was very funny. And Chris finally got the Mohawk, though not to the extent I thought he would.
"The Most Dangerous Game" is one of the most familiar and most adapted/ripped off stories around. Basically, a shipwrecked hunter ends up on the private island of another hunter. Except this one is deranged, and has set it up so he can hunt anyone who's unlucky enough to arrive. You know the basic idea, I'm sure. This version was from 1932, and it's the first and best-known version. Joel McRae plays the target, while Leslie Banks plays crazy Count Zaroff. Banks is good in his role, though I'd have loved to see Bela Lugosi of that period try it. The movie version also features new characters played by Robert Armstrong (as a drunken guest who comes to a bad end) and Faye Wray (who screams a lot). This was just before they teamed up for "King Kong", which was filmed on some of the same sets. All in all, this was a pretty good, and pretty fast-paced (62 minutes) movie. I'd forgotten that the riffers in this one were Mike, Kevin & Bridget. (I think she was filling in for Bill during the lockdown when he was unavailable.) It's an usual team, but they did a very good job.
As for "The Creeping Terror", it's one of the lousiest movies ever made. But, then, I'm sure you already knew that, right? The riffing was OK for this one. (When they noticed the David Carradine look-alike, I couldn't help but wonder what Josh would've brought up.) The host segments were OK, I thought, though it does feature the "listening to the party music" bit that has provoked some disagreement. As for the "Love, American Style" bit, I can testify that the actual show was, indeed, just like the S.O.L. version.
Well, time to move on to week 377. Our Outsider selections are all from the rotation. The first one is... "MST: The Home Game" (4PM showing)... - Back when riffing from home was new and unusual. ... and the second selection is... "RT: Missile to the Moon" (2-Riffer Version)... - Featuring Mike and the late Fred Willard. Not recorded in Fernwood, I suspect. ... and the Originals selection is a new episode... "The Million Eyes of Su-Maru" (Show 1309). - And we have another threepeat!
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 7, 2022 12:29:46 GMT -5
Well, let’s join your humble, consistently late correspondent and look at week 377.
The 4 PM edition of “MST: The Home Game” is practically the same as the 11 AM showing. We have a riffable movie (Corman’s post-Apocalyptic “The Day the World Ended”), plus some segments from the cast talking about the show’s upcoming premiere on TSNWSRN. They gave a few hints of what was to come, plus a look at the BBI set-up for those who couldn’t make the tour at ConventioCon II. The only difference is the viewer-submitted riffs on the screen. While the time delay lessens the impact, many of the jokes were pretty good. And this also serves as something of a prototype for later, chat-centered fan riffing of things like The Mads’ and MJ’s on-line movie showings, as well as for Svengoolie. (This past Saturday, we riffed the daylights out of “Frogs”. Be nice if MST or an alumnus would get the rights to it.) The two-riffer version of “Missile to the Moon” worked out OK. The movie is, effectively, a remake of “Catwomen of the Moon” (hilariously riffed by Bridget & MJ), but with a lot more unneeded complications and the same lack of scientific accuracy. I prefer the former version of the story, myself. The riffing was very good, and I only noticed a couple of jokes that they re-used for the three-riffer version. Fred Willard did a good job with the jokes, and it’s a shame he wasn’t able to do another one with Mike. As for “Million Eyes of Su-Maru”, I’ve noted before my problem with the movie. On the one side, you have a murderous gang of women who are out to control the world for, no doubt, nefarious purposes. And, on the other side, you’ve got a couple of chunk-headed dolts as our good guys, under the command of an annoyingly vague British chief. Who am I supposed to root for? Plus, I still don’t get how these committed, well-trained, lethal, attractive, and liberated females fall for the aforementioned chunkheads with little or no provocation? Maybe the original story explains it. The riffing from Jonah and the S.O.L. ‘bots was very good. I thought the host segments turned out fine, especially Max during the Invention Exchange. (By the way, when they talked about how odd coffee really is, was I the only one thinking about Bob Newhart and his routine about Sir Walter “Nutty Walt” Raleigh?) I’m not really sure where Jonah, Emily & Joel are going with their rhyming plot, but at least we got a brief return by Magic Voice. Well, on balance, I thought this worked OK. So, how about what little remains of week 378? We’ve got two on-rotation Outsider selections, starting with… “RT: Road House (Three-Riffer Version)”… - This’ll prepare us for the probably-much-worse remake.… and… “Masked Review Interview with Mike & Kevin”… - This is another audio offering. It’s from 2003, and I figure it’s RT-centered.… while the Originals selection is… “The Beatniks” (Show 415). - Well, pseudo-Beatniks, anyway.
We now pause for station identification…
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 13, 2022 15:03:09 GMT -5
Time to look back on week 378. I’ve been busy with personal stuff, but I did get a chance to watch these.
What more can one say about “Road House”? A truly iconic movie (in a way), and worth watching (if you understand what you’re getting). One note: I found Doc, Dalton’s love interest, confusing. She condemns Dalton for using force against Wesley’s men, but seems to have no problem with how the bad guys maim and kill innocent people, while the police do nothing. Lady, show some perspective, please. Oh, and I really can’t see the need for the upcoming remake, can you? I prefer the three-riffer version over the solo one from Mike. The latter is funny, yes, but the three-riffer one works better. Very good effort from the guys.
As for the interview from the Masked Reviewer (whom I’m not familiar with), I was wrong. This was apparently recorded in the period between the sad loss of TimmyBigHands and the true advent of RT. There are references to “Death Rat” and “A Year at the Movies”, though. The audio on this segment is poor, but it’s audible. It’s an interesting segment, with the guys answering frequently-asked questions like “What movies would you have liked to riff on, if you could’ve gotten the rights?” (“Charro” and “Baffled!”), “What are the chances for an MST3K reunion?” (Haven’t heard anything yet.), and “Is it OK for people to talk in movie theaters?” (No, unless you’re the only one there.). It only runs around 18 minutes, but I liked it. Oh, and extra points for the host using the fanfare from “Remo Wiliams” for the theme music.
As for “The Beatnicks”, the misnamed title characters are just too bland to be interesting (except for Peter Breck as Moon, who’s practically in the strastosphere, acting-wise). The songs are pure 50s white bread. It’s just not very interesting, except for Moon falling apart. I did like the “General Hospital” segment, though. I wonder if they can dig up more of those for the show, or maybe for the Mads. The riffing was good, and I liked the host segments, especially the rise & fall of Tom’s career. The opening was OK, though it’s very odd to see Joel being mean to the ‘bots.
That went well, I thought. So, what do we have for week 379? The off-rotation Outsider offering is…”The Mads are Back LIVE: Bride of the Monster”... - They’ll be tampering in God’s domain tonight at 8:00. … and the on-rotation Outsider is… “X-Box R&D”… - No, not that X-Box. Joel’s X-Box. … and the Originals selection is… “Hercules” (Show 502) - Maybe I should’ve bulked up in advance.
Don’t touch that dial…
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 20, 2022 12:13:21 GMT -5
Time to look back at week 379, folks.
The re-riff of “Bride of the Monster” went OK, I thought. It’s been called Ed Wood’s best movie, which really isn’t saying much. Still, Bela does a good job, and there is at least an attempt at making his character tragic and a bit sympathetic. But, then there are the cardboard sets, the immobile octopus, the nonsensical plot, the atomic ending…shall I go on? Trace & Frank did their usual great job with the riffing. There were a couple of jokes that seemed like retreads from the MST3K version, but I didn’t mind. I had a meeting that night and missed the pre-show and the intros, but I can see the latter via the download. The post-show Q&A featured filmmaker/writer Rachel Lichtman, whose work I’m unfamiliar with. But it was still a good and interesting session, and they used one of my questions, “What is your favorite ‘Columbo’ episode?” (The general consensus was, “Any episode with Robert Culp or Jack Cassidy.”)
The “X-Box R&D” is basically the story of Joel’s prototype for his later “TV Wheel” special. It opened with a segment on how the X-Box was built (in collaboration with his brother Jim), and how a lot of friends in the comedy community signed up to help mainly to work with Joel. The comedy special itself ran around half-an-hour and was very much like the later “TV Wheel”. Some bits were very funny, and others were very weird. I’m pretty sure only one bit was later re-used on “TV Wheel”, and I noticed Dana Gould and David Cross in the cast. And, in the show opening, Joel makes a quick reference to that other show he created. I’m left with one question: did Microsoft clear their use of “X-Box” with Joel and give him compensation, or was Joel ripped off? Anybody know which?
As for “Hercules”, it’s actually a pretty good movie. It has some great production values and an interesting storyline. And Steve Reeves is pretty much the definitive movie Hercules. The only problem is that the print BBI used for the show was seriously cut in a number of places, making it tough to follow the plot. (Incidentally, years later I wrote an article for the old Even Deeper Blurting site on what was cut out. Want me to dig it out?) This is one of the better episodes, I thought. The riffing was top notch, and I liked the host segments. (I used to watch “Match Game” when I was much younger, so I understood Crow’s show. Oh, and that other Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds song was “Falling in Love”, and it was a bigger hit than “Don’t Pull Your Love”.) The appearance by Bridget & MJ as the Amazons was very funny, and I figure your average current cell phone is basically a cellular desk, just less cumbersome and more annoying.
Well, that went well, didn’t it? So, let’s look forward to week 380 (for those who actually follow these posts). We’ve got an off-rotation Outsider selection this week, and it’s… “Movie Jo Night: ‘Devil Dog: Hound of Hell’”… - That’s live on Twitch tonight, and I hope Chris enjoys it, after pushing for it for so long.… while the on-rotation Outsider selection is… “RT: Rifftrax Shorts, Vol. 1 (1st Half)”… - And the learning process never stops, I guess.… and the Originals selection is… “Zombie Nightmare” (Show 604). - I swear I didn’t plan on selecting this one day after Adam West’s birthday.
Stay tuned…
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Post by kmorgan on Sept 27, 2022 16:42:54 GMT -5
So, how did week 380 go? Glad you asked...
"Devil Dog: Hound of Hell" is a TV-Movie from the 80s, and it's not an "ABC Movie of the Week". It seems a Satanic cult did a "Rosemary's Baby" deal with a dog, and is giving away the demonic puppies. One ends up at the home of Richard Crenna and his family, and bad things start to happen. People, and another dog, die, and Crenna's wife & kids end up as brainwashed demon worshippers. So, rather than call the cops or a priest, Crenna sees a shaman in South America for a way to combat the Damien-like canine. I had a problem with this flick. Obviously, they were going for an "Omen" kind of thing, within TV content standards. They gave a good effort, but the family were such idiots. The kids accept a puppy from a creepy guy they never met before (and MJ pointed out how disturbing it is). And it takes Crenna twelve kinds of forever before he realizes something is even mildly wrong. (I quipped that Kolchak would've exorcised the dog, and written a soon-to-be-rejected story by the time Crenna even realized the problem.) Plus, there was the ending, which makes it all seem like a failed pilot. I'm saying it could've been a lot better. At least MJ and Chris did a good job ad-libbing riffs and comments.
As for the RT shorts, I had a refresher course in not clumsily falling over clearly visible objects, following Bob Crane's advice on patriotism, how to buy food non-wastefully, recognizing that dogs can be more prejudiced than people, and how much of a moral dilemma it can be when your peers leave you to take a vandalism rap. Great work from the guys, though.
Turning to "Zombie Nightmare", you have to wonder why the zombie's mom goes immediately into "resurrect my son as an undead killer" mode, instead of calling the cops or seeking out Charles Bronson. Plus, the victims are appallingly stupid ("There's a door marked 'Exit' right in front of you!!") or, in the case of the spaghetti-thrower, totally worthy of brutal death. On the other hand, I really didn't mind the Matthau-like coroner, and it was interesting to see Adam West play against type. I haven't seen the RT version, which I understand uses the uncut movie, but I'm considering it. The riffing was very good in this one, and the host segments were OK. And I guess West was a good sport about the jokes, since he hosted this episode's premiere.
Well, that wasn't too bad, I figure. So, on to week 381. The off-rotation Outsider is... "The Mary Jo Pehl Show: Mary Jo and Chris Give You Advice"... - It's the second season premiere, it's live on Twitch tonight, and I forgot to send in my question on buying a new microwave. ... while the on-rotation Outsider is... "Freaks & Geeks: Discos & Dragons"... - With special guests Joel and, if I remember correctly, Trace. ... while the Originals selection is a new episode premiere of... "The Shape of Things to Come" (Show 1310). - It's on the Gizmoplex this Friday, and I may miss the opening hour due to a TV shoot. I'll catch it on tape delay, if need be.
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 7, 2022 11:44:34 GMT -5
There has been a slight delay, due to several reasons. There were a few health issues, my copy of “Freaks & Geeks” had a technical hitch, and ProBoards locked me out for some reason. In any case, from my work computer, let’s get caught up with week 381.
First, the second season premiere of MJ’s show was very good. The letters she & Chris received ranged from finding gluten-free, tomato-free pizza to waiting in long lines to dealing with rejection of creative efforts. And they gave some pretty thoughtful advice. This was not just a springboard for comedy. (Well, there was one exception…) It was actually a good show, and they got so into the subject that the show ran twice as long as usual. They also showed a few unboxing videos, and we picked the subject of the next “Movie Jo Night”. By an overwhelming margin, it was Frank’s recommendation of an episode of “The Snoop Sisters”. Haven’t seen that show in years.
As for “Freaks & Geeks”, like I wrote, there was a technical problem. But I think I’ve taken care of it, so I’ll carry it over to what’s left of this week.
And, regarding “The Shape of Things to Come”, I don’t know what to make of this movie. Even the Gizmoplex intro noted how utterly confusing this movie is. As I put it in the live chat, I found “Zardoz” less confusing, and that movie was made by a seriously zonked John Boorman. I could work out there was an evil despot, hostile droids, a friendly robot, radiation-scarred kids, a wise scientist and his brave son, a plucky heroine, some vital substance only found on one planet (no, not Spice), and a bunch of explosions. What those have to do with each other is anyone’s guess. At least Barry Morse, in full Victor Bergman mode, was good, as was the reliably villainous Jack Palance. The riffing by Emily and the Simulator ‘bots was good. And I liked the host segments, though I was surprised they could spoof celebrity roasts without any reference to Dean Martin or Foster Brooks. And Crow (well, Kelsey) got to do a darn good Jack Palance impression.
Well, there's a little bit of Week 382 left. So, here's what's on the agenda. For the Outsiders, in addition to "Freaks & Geeks", one on-rotation Outsider selection is... "Star Wait" (featuring Joel, Trace & Josh)... - Well, the segment of the DVD that they're featured on, anyway. ... and the other on-rotation Outsider is... "NPR MST Farewell (1999)"... - This is an audio segment marking the show's (supposed) finale. ... while the Originals selection is... "Hobgoblins" (Show 907). - Does Club Scum have valet parking?
Don't touch that dial...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 11, 2022 17:22:28 GMT -5
So, let's take a look back at week 382.
I got the "Freaks & Geeks" episode running. I didn't watch the show when it was first-run, and haven't caught up with it on video. Thus, I was a bit lost in terms of the continuing plot. Still, I've heard a lot of good things about the series, short-lived as it was, and this episode was OK. With the school year winding down, there are romantic difficulties (and the involvement of disco, therein), concerns over summer vacation and the future in general, a cool slacker who must mix with the D&D fans of the A/V squad, and it seems the Grateful Dead is a factor in some of this. The episode did a good job in presenting the mid-80s high school atmosphere (if I remember it correctly, so many decades later), and I may just look up the rest of the series. Oh, and Joel is great in a brief bit as the DJ at the disco, while Trace has a brief but funny cameo. There's also good work from the guys' fellow Comedy Channel alumni Steve Higgins and Dave "Gruber" Allen.
As for "Star Wait", it's a documentary about a bunch of "Star Wars" fans on Hollywood Blvd. awaiting the premiere of Episode II. (For the record, I enjoyed it, as I enjoyed the entire PT, though the romantic dialogue took a bit of getting used to.) The various fans, some of whom were doing it for charity, talked about various topics that were important to them. Like the design of their ID badges and what each symbol means, their attitude towards spoilers, lightsaber construction, and trying to get girls to notice them. I admit I've only seem the first two segments of this documentary, when Joel, Trace & Josh/J. Elvis were offering commentary. The documentary itself was OK and just let the fans speak for themselves. And the commentary wasn't overly hostile or insulting. Trace seemed kind of quiet, but Joel and J/JE were asking about the badge symbols (Joel wondered if one symbol was the Mark of the Beast), where the fans went to the bathroom, and how the people could tell the difference between waiting fans and local homeless. By the way, during the last "Mary Jo Pehl Show" episode, when they were talking about waiting in line, I mentioned this DVD in the chat. Neither MJ nor Chris had heard of it. And I promise my selection of this Outsider was not planned.
As for the NPR segment, it ran around nine minutes and I think it might've been from "All Things Considered". Anyway, with the (supposed) last episode due to air on TSNWSRN, they dug up a brief segment with Joel & Mike they recorded during the making of the "Attack of the Giant Leeches" episode. It also featured audio from the writing room for that show. The guys talked about the writing process, the wonderful sight of a man maintaining a puppet, and the thing that is "Mr. B Natural". It was a nice segment, I thought.
As for "Hobgoblins"...oh, dear. Characters that are either deeply stupid or utterly replusive. Bad puppet effects. A plot that makes little or no sense. Lousy dialogue. And WHY DIDN'T THE GUY BLOW THE BUGGERS UP LONG AGO?! Oh, well. At least the riffing was good. And they had a couple of truly great host segments: Crow's expose on women, and the guys' most audacious escape attempt.
So, what's on tap for week 383. For the off-rotation Outsider, we have... "The Mads are Back LIVE: Night of Shorts 9"... - That's live tonight, they're focusing on Halloween, and Dana Gould is the Q&A guest. ... while the on-rotation Outsider is... "RT: Planet of Dinosaurs"... - OK, I think Richard Attenborough has gone too far. ... and the Originals selection is... "Space Mutiny" (Show 820). - YAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!
We'll be right back...
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 20, 2022 10:48:28 GMT -5
I have been horrendously disorganized lately. My apologies…again. So, week 383…
I can’t really review the Mads’ “Night of Shorts 9” because I ran into some difficulty. I was in PA dealing with a family issue and I tried to pick it up on my computer. Unfortunately, I was at my Ancestral Home, where the ‘net connection can be iffy. I ran into a whole bunch of interruptions with the feed, so it was tough to get into the presentation. I have downloaded the recording, but haven’t had a chance to watch it. I’ll defer my review until then.
As for “Planet of Dinosaurs”, I’m all but certain Channel 9 (WOR-TV in the NY/NJ/Ct tri-state) ran this movie on some Saturday a few decades ago, probably right after “Doctor Who”. It has that sort of feel to it. It’s a low budget flick about some deeply stupid and/or deeply incompetent space crew & passengers who end up marooned on the titular planet. They proceed to bicker amongst themselves, made poor decisions, and wonder if they’ll ever be rescued. (Personally, I think everybody else wrote them off in record time.) It’s a pretty lousy movie, but it does have some very good stop-motion dinosaurs from Jim Danforth, which reportedly took up most of the budget. The riffing from the guys was good, though.
As for “Space Mutiny”, it’s one of the better episodes from the TSNWSRN era. So much has been written about the movie that there’s not much more I can add. It’s nowhere near as bad as, say, “Planet of Dinosaurs”. It’s been alleged that it was meant as a spoof, and maybe that’s true, but it sure lends itself to riffing. And, you have to admit, the actors sure hold your attention. The riffing is great in this one. The host segments were good, and we finally finished up the Roman Times stuff. That sequence was OK, especially Bridget as Flavia, but it was time to move on.
Well, is there anything left of week 384? Maybe just a bit, actually. In addition to my re-trying “Night of Shorts 9”, the on-rotation Outsider is… “Movie Jo Night: ‘The Snoop Sisters: A Black Day for Bluebeard’”… - This was on live this past Tuesday, but you can still access it on Twitch for the moment. … and the on-rotation Outsider selection is… “RT: The Happening”… - Suddenly, I have the urge to lie down in front of a moving lawnmower. … and the Originals selection is… “Last of the Wild Horses” (Show 611). - Sorry, I left my Agonizer on my desk. Can you lend me yours?
There will now be a short intermission…
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Post by kmorgan on Oct 25, 2022 12:51:38 GMT -5
So, how did the abbreviated week 384 go? First, the catching up. “Night of Shorts 9” turned out OK. Three of the featured shorts (“Halloween Party”, “Dirt Witch Cleans Up” and “Skipper Learns a Lesson”) were previously done by RT, though I didn’t see their “Dirt Witch” version. However, the Mads still did well in providing jokes of their own. Meanwhile, they also featured “Man to Man” (a salesman is instructed during a dream/trial on how to effectively sell hardware and firearms), “Puppetry: String Marionettes” (we learn how creepy marionettes are made, but WHERE’S THE KID?!), and “Don’t Be Afraid” (turns out fear is both useful and for losers, or something). The riffs turned out very well, and Dana Gould’s return for another guest shot during the Q&A turned out fine. And, as a bonus, our hosts dressed up for the occasion: Chris wore a yellow Gizmonic jumpsuit, while Trace & Frank were costumed as a couple of mad scientists from some cow town puppet show. As for “The Snoop Sisters”, it was an OK episode of an OK, if short-lived, NBC detective series. Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick, as the sisters of the title, investigate when a horror movie icon/ham actor (played by Vincent Price, having a great time spoofing himself) is accused of killing his wife. Roddy McDowall shows up as one of the suspects, as does William Devane, before he played JFK and did those insurance commercials, and Lou Antonio is there as the sisters’ comic relief sidekick. It made little sense, but it was a generally pleasant 75-minute show. MJ & Chris did a good job with ad-libbed riffs and commentary. However, it seemed they had trouble getting into the mid-70s TV mindset. (For example, since this was the last episode of the show, they referred to it as the “series finale”. Back then, shows just stopped. The only real “series finale” back then was the one for “The Fugitive”.) Still, they seemed to like it to an extent, while noting what lousy detectives the Snoop Sisters were. Moving to “The Happening”, having nature strike at humanity without warning or reason can make for suspenseful viewing, as Hitchcock showed with “The Birds”. This one, though, is nowhere near as good. The explanation is just nonsense (the plants depend on us for carbon dioxide, but just try to destroy us, just because?), and, as Bill noted, the over-the-top and sometimes convoluted way the suicides occur move quickly into Monty Python territory. Yes, there are a few effective and even scary moments, but it’s not enough. A bit more mystery and subtlety would’ve been much better for the movie. And the characters, both suicidal and not, can be just plain stupid. Well, at least the riffing from the guys was very funny, fully exploiting the dark subject matter for laughs. And as for “Last of the Wild Horses”, it’s pretty much a typical Western B-picture, one of countless other programmers made to fill up a Saturday afternoon schedule for the kids & family audience. It’s a generally OK movie, though you have to admit the sheriff is easily put in his place, the bad guy is incredibly obvious in his intentions, and the hero isn’t exactly all that bright. It’s certainly not the work of John Ford, but I’ve seen much worse. The host segments are classics, though. The “Mirror, Mirror” parody works great, and they obviously did some research (note the Mirror Sulu scar on EvilCrow’s beak). The riffing was very good, and the appearance of Forrester & Frank in the theater can now be looked on as practically the pilot film for The Mads are Back. And the Joey the Lemur song is just as annoying as ever. That actually went pretty well, I thought. So, let’s move along to week 385. This week, I’m going outside the rotation for everything. For our first Outsiders title, we have… “The Mary Jo Pehl Show (Season 2, Episode 2): ‘The Halloween Special!’”… - It’s live on Twitch tonight, and I hope I don’t get a rock this time.… while the second season-appropriate Outsiders title is… “Podhouse 90: ‘Dracula Has Risen in the Polls’”… - Written by Frank, featuring MST alumni, and not endorsed by Hammer Films.… and, for the Originals, we have another new episode… “The Mask” (Show 1311) in 3-D!. - No, not the Jim Carrey version, thank Heavens.
BOO!!!
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