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Post by ArtCrow on Feb 11, 2004 23:15:04 GMT -5
Whe I first laid eyes on MST, the first thought that came to me was, 'this show was made specifically for me'. All those endless hours of my youth spent in front of the tv, all those old sitcoms and late night movies were nowing paying off in big laughs. It's like I had been prepared my whole life to love MST. I've found people who weren't tv junkies like me, who weren't all that saturated in that media culture, don't really get what the lambasting is all about. They think it's just silliness. I dunno, I clicked instantly with MST, how can you not love it.
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Post by Phantom Engineer on Feb 12, 2004 0:38:12 GMT -5
Whe I first laid eyes on MST, the first thought that came to me was, 'this show was made specifically for me'. That's what I used to tell people. I mean I really knew they didn't make it just for me but I liked to tell people that anyway.
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Post by Ator on Feb 12, 2004 5:05:24 GMT -5
I really don't bother people with the show, but if we're (the people at work I mean) are discussing something, and a really funny riff that relates to the topic at hand pops in my head, i'll usually point it out, with no results . What a bunch of pricks. For me, it's like polar opposites. Either the person I mention it to has seen it and totally loves it, or is like "That show is so gay." That is the true mark of a good show, when it's polar opposites. I feel this because when something is either controversial, or not the usual thing around, people will adopt a love-it-or-hate-it attitude. One friend of mine will watch the shows with me, but he doesn't laugh, except at the pee-pee-poo-poo-style jokes that they'll occasionally say. He doesn't like the show though. All the other guys at work literally MAKE FUN OF ME just because I really like the show. One of em will say "So, are you gonna go home tonight and actually watch an episode of *snicker* Mystery Science 3000 *snicker* or whatever the hell it's called?", and I say, "Yeah, and...?"
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Post by marytrobot on Feb 12, 2004 12:14:05 GMT -5
I think you need to have good attention, speacialy for ones with REALLY obscure plots like...Girl In Goldenboots, you need the right sence of humor, not what I would call "mtv or comedy central humor"which is a blunt staring you in the face joke, you need a more...obscure one, sarcasm, subtel type. You have to love movies, and I think you need to be able to be a credic, I was pointing out errors in movies and making remarks, before I got into MST3K.
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Post by Miss Interoceter on Feb 12, 2004 12:44:58 GMT -5
I got a lot of my friends into watching it when I was a teenager. I was the first to find out about it and oddly the one who never had cable. I agree you need a critical eye and the ability to look at things sarcastically. And a scimitar wit. <"psst! rapier! rapier!"> Oh yeah, rapier wit. Here's my odd story though. Coming home from a grad party late one night, I said something like "Brr, I'm hungry." And everyone looked at me and I laughed too because it was after all a stupid thing to say, but it immediately reminded me of Tom saying, "Listen, it's cold," which I said, and everyone thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever come up with. So when I explained it was an MST line suddenly the laughter stopped from one girl. "Oh, I don't like that show." You just laughed at one of the lines!!! Truly, a non-Mstie freak.
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Post by TheEvilDead on Feb 12, 2004 13:56:44 GMT -5
I agree with Forrest that Mitchell isn't the best episode to show someone off the bat. It's an episode you need to know Joel for to appreciate fully, in my opinion.
Try showing him an episode with a movie that reflects his favorite genre. Does he like Godzilla? Show him a monster movie. Sci-fi? Hit him with Space Mutiny. Comic books? Puma Man. The best episodes are the ones where you dig the movie itself, sure it could still be an awful movie, but in my case, my least favorite episodes are the ones with movies that are just bad. Bad with no sense of fun. Boring bad.
I have a few friends who aren't into the show. Who find Adam Sandler funny, or some trite sitcom hilarious. I get pissed when people come into my room while I'm watching it and just stand there and don't crack a smile. It hurts my enjoyment, and honestly, makes me look down on them cause those people are obviously below me if they can't see the humor in MST3k.
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Post by ImCherokeeJack on Feb 12, 2004 20:22:02 GMT -5
I know. It's absolutly puzzling! I thought that all I would have to do was show just one episode, and everyone I showed it to would go nuts for the show. I had one dweeb actually say that he didn't like the show because it spoiled perfectly good movies! He's no longer really a friend of mine -- idiot!
I think it's best to show one of the shorts to a novice first. I get a pretty good response from the Home Economic short.
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Post by Phantom Engineer on Feb 12, 2004 20:47:15 GMT -5
The best episodes are the ones where you dig the movie itself, sure it could still be an awful movie, but in my case, my least favorite episodes are the ones with movies that are just bad. Bad with no sense of fun. Boring bad. Absolutely. I said as much on a thread a while back and someone disagreed and cited examples but that matters so much. Time and again people say they don't like the ep because the movie was just to bad (I've said it). I think the movie makes a difference in how receptive you are to the humor.
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Post by mightyjack on Feb 12, 2004 22:39:30 GMT -5
That was me phantom. So if the riffs are great, I mean killers, but you hate the movie, then your sayng you don't like the episode?
I guess I'm in the minority here, because, for example: I hate Coeman Francis and all his movies. But Yucca Flats makes me laugh till it hurts and that's why I love it. Period. I kind of like Amazing Colossal Man as a movie, but it earns a lesser grade than Flats because I don't laugh as much.
Are there movies I can tolerate better than others, sure. And I do think it can be a factor, but it's very minor factor; at least for me.
I don't know folks, I don't get it. Bottom line, if the BBI is on it doesn't matter what the movie is.
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Post by vanhagar3000 on Feb 12, 2004 22:40:41 GMT -5
I tried showing my friend this show. I told him that there was only one last show ever going to air, The Screaming Skull. He thought it was retarded. Then he bitched about the the final host segment, you know the one with Bobo being small. I tried to explain how they were making of the dumb special effects, he just didn't get it.
Sigh
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Post by Phantom Engineer on Feb 13, 2004 1:10:53 GMT -5
And I do think it can be a factor, but it's very minor factor; at least for me. I wouldn't argue with your reaction to a movie MightyJack. Everyone's approach is their own. But for many people it makes a big difference. From Don's review of 519- Outlaw "For me, this was one hilarious episode – maybe because I really enjoy these cheesy Sword & Sorcery type films." On the other hand many say they didn't like an ep because the movie was so bad that the riffing couldn't save it. Here's my theory on that. Humor is subjective and dependent on your mood. Sometimes you find a movie so bad it makes you mad. If so you may not be in the right frame of mind for comedy. When I watch Deathstalker or Hobgoblins I know some of the riffing is very good but I'm seriously hating the movie so I'm just not having a good time. This isn't just me, I see people describe episodes in these terms a lot. So I wouldn't project this onto you MJ but I stand by what I said, many times one's opinion of the movie makes a big impact on one's opinion of the episode.
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Post by OfficerCornJob on Feb 13, 2004 1:47:54 GMT -5
When I'm introducing a friend to MST3K for the first time, I usually take care in the selection. Its usually one of these:
THIS ISLAND EARTH - this one has a very broad humor appeal. very few obscure refrences, they make all the obvious jokes... short running time. still very funny. a good one for people who have never even heard of the show.
SPACE MUTINY - for people who may have heard of or even seen a few minutes of the show. People who you know have a warped sense of humor. Someone who already likes things like Monty Python is likely to "get it" more than your average MTV crowd.
PRINCE OF SPACE - This one usually wins over the older crowd. Same type of person who might like SPACE MUTINY, but this one clicks more because they remember movies like this, and probably think "I always thought these were corny, and these MST3K guys are reading my mind!"
CREEPING TERROR - For people who enjoy pointing out the shortcoming of movies. Bad effects, bad editing, bad everything. Film geeks love to tear movies apart for technical shortcomings.
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Post by losingmydignity on Feb 13, 2004 2:24:11 GMT -5
I never try to convert anyone to anything...it rarely,if ever, works. Usually in fact backfires.
You've got to sneak things on people.
You never say, hey, this my fav show, you've got to see it, you're going to love this, this is the greatest show ever, or even you should see this... hear this, whatever. A long time ago I tried to do this with people with everything from punk rock to Bergman films and it doesn't work.
Try this: "Hey, (fill-in-name), have you ever seen MST3K?" "No," "Oh, okay." long pause "Why?" "Wanna watch a little. We don't have to." "Right now?" "Maybe next week. Nah, let's pop it in." "All right. Then can we watch Hellazapoppin?" "Yeah, right. That's much better than this. Sure" "Okay." "This isn't their best ep, it's called (fill-in-any great ep title) "What a stupid title!" "You bet. God I haven't seen this one in a long time. Hope it doesn't suck." "Me too." Soon :starts laughing, continues laughing 2 hours later: "After Hellazopopin, you got another Mister Science Theatre?"
Okay, maybe it won't work for you. But I did this with my wife and after three eps or so she was hooked. Good luck, folks! Happy subterfuge!
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Post by mightyjack on Feb 13, 2004 3:11:39 GMT -5
I wouldn't argue with your reaction to a movie MightyJack. Everyone's approach is their own. But for many people it makes a big difference. From Don's review of 519- Outlaw "For me, this was one hilarious episode – maybe because I really enjoy these cheesy Sword & Sorcery type films." On the other hand many say they didn't like an ep because the movie was so bad that the riffing couldn't save it. Here's my theory on that. Humor is subjective and dependent on your mood. Sometimes you find a movie so bad it makes you mad. If so you may not be in the right frame of mind for comedy. When I watch Deathstalker or Hobgoblins I know some of the riffing is very good but I'm seriously hating the movie so I'm just not having a good time. This isn't just me, I see people describe episodes in these terms a lot. So I wouldn't project this onto you MJ but I stand by what I said, many times one's opinion of the movie makes a big impact on one's opinion of the episode. I think those are valid points. And I'm not total immune to what your speaking of. "Incredibly Strange Creatures" for example, is one where the riffing would have had to have been relentlessly funny for me to enjoy it. The (for me) hand full of good quips aren't enough to make me return to that episode a lot. On the other hand. The short "Design For Dreaming", I don't feel it's the best riffing they've ever done on a short. But it's the kind of weirdness I enjoy, so I actually don't mind watching it. So I can kind of see what you and others are saying. And you're right, a lot of people do refer to wether they like "the movie" or not when speaking of favorites (and the not so favorite). I've just always had a difficult time wrapping my brain around that as a primary influence, since my focus is mainy on the comedy. Interesting discussion though, I like exploring thoughts such as this. It expands my horizons beyond my own personal world view.
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Post by NewGirl731 on Feb 13, 2004 7:13:35 GMT -5
First off, I never TRY to turn people on to MST. I figure if they didn't get it between 1990 and now, then they didn't get it, and they're not worth my time to try to convince them. When I meet someone crazy enough to potentially be a MSTie, then I'll slip in a couple riffs to see if they'll take the bait - "Hi-Keeba" is a great password for that kind of thing. You're talking to someone you're just sure has got to be a fan, and you throw that out as you're leaving them, and you'll know if they know you know... I also tried to get a Castleton T-shirt online for just that same reason, but couldn't find a place to buy one on Castleton's website. It's in my life plans to actually drive down to Vermont to get one at some point in the next couple of summers.
My husband hates MST, but I had Bride of the Monster in the other night, and he actually watched a little with me. I do think it's the attention span thing, because he just can't seem to watch the movie, listen to the movie's dialogue, AND listen to the guys. But he likes that movie because it's so bad. He also hates when I laugh at things he just doesn't get - he feels stupid. And having been an English major, I laugh at many jokes he just has no clue on. We are a rare breed who can laugh just as hard at crap jokes and the Zoroastrian philosophy - who are familiar with the works of both Anna Nicole Smith AND Pintar! Basically, I think we're just better than everyone else.
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