Can it be true? A little birdie (OK, actually Slashdot) told me that the guys behind MST3K are back! It’s not on the Satellite of Love, but I don’t care, as long as I can watch their silhouettes mocking bad flicks. They have regrouped, calling themselves The Film Crew. I have zero time to download and watch their stuff, but I will, oh yes, I will.
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Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
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July 30th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
There’s also http://www.rifftrax.com/index.php done by the same guys, but you can download the audio and play it along side any of the movies they’ve done. There’s samples up for them all. Good stuff.
July 30th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Mike Nelson, aka Mike Nelson from MST3K, has actually had a project called “RiffTrax” up for a couple years. He has a website where you can download alternate humorous commentary tracks in MP3 form. He does all kinds of movies, like Lord of the Rings, Battlefield Earth, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Star Trek 5. Most of the time, he does the riffing with other people, like Neil Patrick Harris for some reason, but also with Kevin Murphy, aka Tom Servo, and Bill Corbett, aka Crow T. Robot (the sci-fi years).
I guess The Film Crew is a little different, as they will actually obtain the rights to distribute the movies they are riffing. RiffTrax is completely seperate from the movie, so you have to own the DVD or rent it. I’m glad these projects have continued the MST3K spirit.
July 30th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both RiffTrax and The Film Crew, but if you’re hoping to see the on-screen silhouettes, you’ll be somewhat disappointed. The basic idea is that of DVD commentary in the MST style. Still great projects, and The Film Crew doesn’t require any downloading (just a DVD purchase) or annoying syncing up of MP3s. DisembAudio’s good fun though, especially his credits song-singing at the end of Glitter. ^_^
…Man, I can’t believe I watched Glitter.
July 30th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
My wife actually met one of the folks involved in both projects (http://torgospizza.livejournal.com). According to him, “The Film Crew” is already done and over with- they won’t be producing anything else under that moniker. All of the releases for “The Film Crew” are already produced, and they’ll be staggered into release over a period of time. All of their new stuff will be done as RiffTrax, at least for the time being.
I watched the ST:V RiffTrax- comedy gold. The syncing does get a little annoying.
July 30th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Mario – I can’t believe you admitted it.
I too am looking forward to this. Did anyone see the special “Chad Vader” episode when he went and met Mike and Kevin? Hilarious.
July 30th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Unfortunately, no silhouettes, and it’s not Trace Beaulieu (Original Crow/ Dr. Forrester), but Bill Corbett (who’s pretty good himself).
July 30th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Rifftrax also has their own YouTube channel where they offer clips of their work.
http://www.youtube.com/rifftrax
July 30th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
From what I’ve read, the rights to use the silhouettes goes along with the rights for MST3k. They are a lot of the fun of MST3k, so it’s a shame to not see them with the Film Crew project.
I actually enjoy RiffTrax a bit more than MST3k, mainly because the movies aren’t so painful. I’ve watched only a few (Matrix, Fifth Element) and loved them. I really want to watch the LOTR one, but I don’t have the theatrical release DVD.
July 30th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
We just watched The Film Crew doing “Hollywood After Dark” this weekend. Dear god, that’s an awful film, and the Crew did a decent job of panning it. I do miss the little intermission sketches from MST3K, though. They really only had one in the middle, and I’d like to see them bring back some more.
July 30th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
I have hosted a Golden Raspberry Party for many years. The Golden Raspberries are given out for Worst Picture, Worst Actor, etc. The party consists of renting that year’s winner and sitting around with some improv theater types giving it the MST3k treatment.
You either love going to a movie with me or you hate it
July 30th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Rifftrax is awesome. They made Star Wars: Phantom Menace actually watchable.
They also do live shows. There was one here in the Bay Area a couple months ago, which I didn’t hear about until it was over. Boo.
July 30th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Glad I’m not the only one that knows of Rifftrax.
I heard of “The Film Crew”, though never looked at it. But I’ll make the time, now that I’ve seen it here!
July 30th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
It’s not mentioned above, but apparently you have to PAY to hear the Rifftrax. Not sure yet if it’s worth $2.99 a movie.
July 30th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
I first heard about RiffTrax in a Mac magazine in Jan or Feb. And yeah, you have to pay for RiffTrax. A few bucks for entertainment?! C’mon. Sorry if everything on the Internet isn’t free.
I tried them out a while back with “The Fifth Element,” one of my favorite stupid movies (fascinating to watch, just a really silly plot). It worked rather well. My CD player ran slow, so I had to pause the movie every now and then to catch up. The early episodes have just one heckler; more recent ones have more, so I presume they are funnier. I’ve been wanting to do another.
July 30th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Yikes! MSTies who don’t regularly visit the Satellite News website?
(http://www.mst3kinfo.com) RiffTrax and Film Crew links are/were on there when they first started up the systems, including a vote on which of four movies the FC were to riff (Killers from Space is the next,and Wild Women of Wongo is coming out soon).
Also, Mike and the ‘bots did an appearance on Cheap Seats (ESPN Classic series that has hosts riffing various sports events) some time ago (which I have recorded and put on DVD along with some other interesting programs).
J/P=?
July 31st, 2007 at 8:44 am
No Crow or Tom Servo? hhm!