Showing posts with label Mystery Science Theater 3000. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mystery Science Theater 3000. Show all posts
Monday, April 17, 2017
Saturday, April 15, 2017
The Lighter Side of the Moon: MST3K's Triumphant Return
In the not too distant past, Stephen Fitzpatrick introduced me to Mystery Science Theater 3000, a television show unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The concept was deceptively simple: in the near future, a mad scientist kidnaps a blue-collar worker and forces him to watch the worst movies ever made, monitoring his mind to see how the movies impact the man's sanity. Joel, the victim, builds some robot friends to help him endure the agony. We, the audience, watch as Joel and the robots screen the films, making fun of them with "riffs:" well-timed bon mots and sometimes quite obscure literary and cultural references. Stephen secured episodes via a friend who had satellite television - a rare luxury back in the late 80s - and Stephen dutifully "circulated the tapes," as the show itself exhorted, with his circle of friends. Those get-togethers remain a fond memory.
Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, I watched the show infrequently on VHS tapes, mostly borrowed from Stephen; I don't think I ever watched the show live, not having the requisite cable TV channels. Later in the 90s, I picked up episodes on DVD, and since then I've probably seen about a third of the show's near-200 episode run. To this day, I quote riffs from Joel, his successor host Mike, and the robots whenever it seems appropriate.
Yesterday, a new batch of episodes appeared on Netflix, made possible by original creator Joel Hodgson and a massively successful crowdfunding effort. I watched two of the new episodes ("Reptilicus" and "Cry Wilderness") yesterday, and I'm happy to report that, if the rest of the 14 new episodes are true to form, the rebooted MST3K is a wondrous success. The cast may be new (led by Felicia Day, Patton Oswalt and new host/victim Jonah Ray), but they've done an incredible job of capturing the goofy je ne sais quoi that made the show so special. Most importantly, the riffs are as sharp and funny as ever, transitioning seamlessly into the 21st century as if the show had never gone off the air back in 1999.
I look forward to watching the rest of the revival episodes over the course of the next couple of weeks. Maybe even today and tomorrow, AKA "Next Sunday, A.D...."
Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, I watched the show infrequently on VHS tapes, mostly borrowed from Stephen; I don't think I ever watched the show live, not having the requisite cable TV channels. Later in the 90s, I picked up episodes on DVD, and since then I've probably seen about a third of the show's near-200 episode run. To this day, I quote riffs from Joel, his successor host Mike, and the robots whenever it seems appropriate.
Yesterday, a new batch of episodes appeared on Netflix, made possible by original creator Joel Hodgson and a massively successful crowdfunding effort. I watched two of the new episodes ("Reptilicus" and "Cry Wilderness") yesterday, and I'm happy to report that, if the rest of the 14 new episodes are true to form, the rebooted MST3K is a wondrous success. The cast may be new (led by Felicia Day, Patton Oswalt and new host/victim Jonah Ray), but they've done an incredible job of capturing the goofy je ne sais quoi that made the show so special. Most importantly, the riffs are as sharp and funny as ever, transitioning seamlessly into the 21st century as if the show had never gone off the air back in 1999.
I look forward to watching the rest of the revival episodes over the course of the next couple of weeks. Maybe even today and tomorrow, AKA "Next Sunday, A.D...."
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Space Mutiny Mystery
Space Mutiny, the movie mocked late in the eighth season of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, provided ample fodder for Mike and the Bots to mock. It's one of the series' best episodes, one I enjoy revisiting from time to time.
And yet there's one thing about the show that's bugged me for years. Space Mutiny features many stock shots of the Battlestar Galactica from the 1970s television series of the same name. In Space Mutiny, the Galactica footage is meant to portray the exterior of the starship upon which the titular mutiny occurs.
And yet not once do Mike or the robots deliver a riff to draw attention to this very obvious use of stock footage. Their failure to mention the Galactica's dissonant presence is a distraction throughout the whole episode: audiences are left wondering "Where's the Battlestar Galactica gag? It's gotta be coming soon."
These things bug me. Was it some kind of complex licensing issue? Could the writers simply not think of a funny gag? Argh!
And yet there's one thing about the show that's bugged me for years. Space Mutiny features many stock shots of the Battlestar Galactica from the 1970s television series of the same name. In Space Mutiny, the Galactica footage is meant to portray the exterior of the starship upon which the titular mutiny occurs.
And yet not once do Mike or the robots deliver a riff to draw attention to this very obvious use of stock footage. Their failure to mention the Galactica's dissonant presence is a distraction throughout the whole episode: audiences are left wondering "Where's the Battlestar Galactica gag? It's gotta be coming soon."
These things bug me. Was it some kind of complex licensing issue? Could the writers simply not think of a funny gag? Argh!
Saturday, January 07, 2012
MSTie Mints
Gypsy's pose reminds me of the time my friend Susan had a few too many Misty Mints and wound up vomiting them into the bathtub. Poor Susan.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Mystery Sylvia Theatre 3000
Yesterday afternoon Sylvia screamed up at the ceiling, fists clenched in frustration, eyes pinched shut in rueful ennui: "I'm bored!"
I rushed into the theatre room where my wife reclined. My eyes roamed speculatively across our collection of movies and television shows, searching for the perfect entertainment. They came to rest upon the gaudy boxed sets of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a program much adored by geeks.
"How about one of these?" I asked.
"What's the premise?" Sylvia replied.
"It's about mad scientists who maroon a guy in space and force him to watch horrible movies," I explained.
"So basically what you do to me every weekend," she said.
I had no response to that and retreated back to my office, defeated.
I rushed into the theatre room where my wife reclined. My eyes roamed speculatively across our collection of movies and television shows, searching for the perfect entertainment. They came to rest upon the gaudy boxed sets of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a program much adored by geeks.
"How about one of these?" I asked.
"What's the premise?" Sylvia replied.
"It's about mad scientists who maroon a guy in space and force him to watch horrible movies," I explained.
"So basically what you do to me every weekend," she said.
I had no response to that and retreated back to my office, defeated.
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