Posts tagged MST3K

I’m going to be honest with you…when I grabbed the DVD the other day to watch this, my mind immediately went.

“OOH! This is the DVD that has the Mike J. Nelson commentary track…you haven’t watched that track in a while.” And then I remembered I have the Rifftrax, “Three Riffer Edition” of this and…well…I watched the movie with the Rifftrax instead of on it’s own.

But hey…I’ve seen this movie a bajillion times, I can review it just fine without being effected by the Rifftrax.

I love watching this movie, not only because it has all my favorite cues in it…practical special effects, minimal score, interesting characters…but because it is such an anomaly…or at least it was when it came out.

This movie came out right at the end of the civil rights movement in America, and so making the lead character in the movie African-American was a bold choice. Even bolder was the choice to do so and NOT have the issue of civil rights and racism a part of the film, which is very much a study of people and how people react when faced with the fragility of their own humanity.

Then there’s the whole concept of zombies, which would be a much, milked for decades to come as a film genre.

Taking yourself back to time frame, and forgetting all you know today about zombies and all the movies and comics and books and all the other zombie nonsense you see today is tough…but when you manage to pull it off, and try and think back to what it must have been like to see this movie for the first time. It’s damn creepy. The idea and visual of a corpse standing up and slowly shambling its way towards you…eyes lifeless…skin pale and gray…it must have been quite shocking.

The movie itself however is not without its problems. Hell, it’s an independent movie after all. Some of the effects are cheap, even for back then, the acting is wonky in places, and the pacing is atrocious…let’s not even discuss Barbarah…

Still, it makes for an enjoyable film, as long as you can get past the second act drag and pacing issues.

Or…

There is a remake out there made in the 90’s, and it’s damn good. It keeps the story almost word for word from the original, boasts better effects, and a much more tolerable, and interesting character for Barbarah. PLUS TONY TODD IS IN IT!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEE! Pardon me…but I love Tony Todd.

There is another thing I think I should mention…yes, the Mike Nelson commentary DVD. If you haven’t heard about it yet, it’s the Legend Films colorized print made in 2004, and one of the special features is a special audio commentary track by none other than Mike J. Nelson of MST3K and Rifftrax fame.

Now, I’m sure this is no big deal to some of you youngsters out there who are used to Rifftrax always being there for us…but imagine a time after MST3K, and no Rifftrax…it was a humorless time…a sad time. Now, imagine going to the local FYE and finding a new NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD DVD, turning over to read the back, and seeing “Mike J. Nelson Commentary Track” splashed just below the special features.

I may or may not have hyperventilated and fainted in the middle of the store…I plead the fifth on this one to preserve what’s left of my dignity.

HOLY CRAP!!!

MST3K Volume Sets $30 and free shipping on Amazon!!!!!!

Oh sweet jeebus, please stick around until payday.

From GAMERA

Japanese Soldier: “Sir, the plant has been destroyed!”
Crow: “I told you to water that plant! You’re Fired!”

From ESCAPE 2000

Mike: “Oh, I’m shot then you trip me, great.”

From NIGHT OF THE BLOODBEAST

Mike: “Stupid wall, stupid wall, *sobs* stupid wall.”

From THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE

Tom Servo: “Lucy I’m home, LUCY!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!”

From ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE

Tom Servo: “Oh, is your Batmobile in the shop?”
Crow: “Shut up…”

From FINAL SACRIFICE

Crow: “I think this sacrifice is going really well.”

From WEREWOLF

Crow: “GOODBYE JOE!”

From VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS

Crow: “Hey, it’s Keanu Reeves on bass.”
Mike: “I will go to Count Dracula.”

From THE WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN

Tom Servo: “END!!!! END!!!!”

From OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK

Crow: “Hooray for Socks.”

spellcheckme:

doctorsage replied to your post: I offend your principals…

Even a Joel episode at its worst is better than about 98% of TV today.

CHALLENGE EXCEPTED!!!

The following TV shows are currently on TV and are 10 times better than any Joel episode of MST3K:

• Community
• The League
• How I Met You Mother
• Psych
• Burn Notice
• Breaking Bad
• Justified
• Good Eats
• Game of Thrones

…I’d go on, but I feel these shows are strong enough on their own to make my point.

Yeah, and those are all in the 2%.

For every Community, there’s three Real Housewives or for every Good Eats (which I actually haven’t praised on this blog before now) there’s at least ten Down Home with the Neeleys. Joel episodes are still pretty damn good, and if the worst MST3K episodes are still funny, then that’s something to be said for the show as a whole.

…which brings me to the heart of this discussion.

JOEL ISN’T FUNNY. At least not to me…

…and trust me, this has nothing to do with some stupid Team Joel/Team Mike bullshit…because I still watch Manos fairly regularly, or some twisted preference due to who I was introduced to first…which consequently was Joel.

I just, really don’t think he’s funny.

His voice is dull and monotone, he portrays no convincing emotion (Mike had a similar problem, but at least he had “annoyed” down pretty well), any skit involving him delivering an extended monologue is painful and awkward, and let us not forget the worst of all…he’s a PROP COMIC…the lowest form of comedy, just under Dane Cook.

doctorsage replied to your post: I offend your principals…

Even a Joel episode at its worst is better than about 98% of TV today.

CHALLENGE EXCEPTED!!!

The following TV shows are currently on TV and are 10 times better than any Joel episode of MST3K:

• Community
• The League
• How I Met You Mother
• Psych
• Burn Notice
• Breaking Bad
• Justified
• Good Eats
• Game of Thrones

…I’d go on, but I feel these shows are strong enough on their own to make my point.

I know I have been posting a lot of HARVEST MOON stuff lately…

…well tough tomahawks (yeah, I know that’s not a real saying but I’m trying it out for size, it’s gonna be a thing!) cause I got jack else to post about.

My life has gotten pleasantly boring as of late and I’m enjoying it as best I can without being bored. Sure, I feel guilty for spending hours on end laying on the couch playing a video game about being a productive member of society instead of actually being one myself, but hell, I’m 26, single, and live by myself. If that’s how I want to spend my time off, who’s to nag me about it? No one that’s who!!

Even Transformer collecting has taken a bit of Hiatus. Sure, that’s because the DOTM toys are just as awful as the movie, but still KRE-O has been released and I’ve still to seriously consider purchasing them. Of course, when the PRIME toys come out, all bets are off…

Also, some of my sloth can be blamed on Netflix…or Qwikster…or Boneyouintheassbecausewehavenoideahowtorunasuccessfulcompany-ster…or whatever the hell they want to call themselves. DVD cue has been full up on BURN NOTICE, and BREAKING BAD was just added to the Instant Watch along with a ton of MST3K Gamera movies…sure they’re *shudders* Joel episodes. But for Gamera, I’ll take the not-at-all-as-funny-as-Mike Bullet.

Apparently they put lesbians in ADVENTURE TIME and both sides are freaking out. One side because “OMG I love LESBOS!!” the other side because “OMG I hate LESBOS!!” Frankly, I think both sides are missing the big picture; the princess is made of bubblegum. It’s not going to work out between them…she has no blood for the vampire chick to drink. It’s common sense people…come on.

Lastly, I finally have a decent collection of liquor to constitute the phrase “Liquor Cabinet.” At the moment it contains a full 750ml minus one shot of Sailor Jerry Rum, an unopened 750ml of Woodford Reserve bourbon, and 3/4 of a Flask of Jim Beam Black bourbon…ok, so maybe “Bourbon Cabinet” is more accurate, but you get the picture.

…bourbon is delicious.

Decisions, Decisions… by ~AngelzRfalling on deviantART

Late for my Ice Dancing Lesson by ~AngelzRfalling on deviantART