Although I maintain the the best actually MST3K seasons were 6 and 7, I am happier with the post Comedy Central era than the pre Comedy Central era (when they were on Comedy Channel during season 1). That’s entirely unfair, of course, since the post-CCentral era had everyone (except Bill, of course) in the groove of MST3K and they had a cache of available scifi flicks from the SciFi Channel’s library.

I admit I miss MST3K proper quite a bit, but The Film Crew sated my thirst for riffing and skits a LOT.

It made me sad. Their timing simply isn’t there yet. It felt a little too stilted for it’s own good, and the visual gags fell pretty flat for me.

After having watched all of the available Film Crew episodes (when do we get more?!) and having seen the RiffTrax crew live twice, I simply must give the high points to FC/RT for better timing and better writing. Admittedly, CT is in its initial outing so it may get better, but The Oozing Skull is sadly a big “meh” for now. I didn’t laugh out loud a single time, and when the film was over I just felt sad.

I thought about what might be the big difference, and the main thing I came up with is that Kevin and Mike both have musical backgrounds, which may mean that they have a better feel for timing in general. I am not aware of Bill’s background (sorry Bill) so he may simply be good at improv timing. FC/RT simply has the timing down better at the moment for my own sense of humor. FC/RT references to pop culture are also a little more to my taste as well. CT had MANY references that I just didn’t get.

I will certainly be giving CT a few more tries, but for now I’m sure FC/RT will be getting more play in my house than CT. (Of course, MST3K overall gets the most play. After Plan 9 I was inspired to finally transfer my VHS of The Violent Years over to DVD for my viewing pleasure. “Men flock to crime scene!”)

Then again…I like pie!

Heres to hoping for more Film Crew, or similar projects in the future. And I think I might have to pick up a few more Rifftrax. Maybe I wouldn’t mind having films I actually respect being riffed on as much as I think I would.

The real MISTIEs are praising the Gods that be
that there are great projects from all the important people that made MST3k. And for the people that think 15$ is too much, you are cheapskates, you are paying for all the production values, etc.

I tried to address what’s up with the Film Crew during my recent Q & A here, since people were asking. Short story: it’s in limbo. Here’s a link to my exegesis. Hope it’s coherent:

http://blog.rifftrax.com/2007/12/20/talk-to-me-people/#comment-936

” But with you lot, and them lot all doing your thangs it’s better now for us MTSies than it has been in years”

Glad to hear it. Hopefully there will plenty of fun to go around, for all tastes.

Gracias.

Also Bill, I’m sorry but Cinematic Titanic is the wet dream of anyone like me who has been a MST3K fan since nearly the beginning (started watching it with the first episode of the second season) so I think your iceberg will look quite dainty to a lot of us. As much as I love you guys and what you do I am going absolutely mad with anticipation waiting for my already ordered CT DVD to arrive in the mail. But with you lot, and them lot all doing your thangs it’s better now for us MTSies than it has been in years, so as that guy in that Guitar Hero song that played at the end of The Sopranos says “don’t stop believing”.

It’s pretty pathetic if the lack of a plastic case, and an extra seven dollars prevents you from supporting something as potentially awesome as Cinematic Titanic. If it lives up to it’s potential, and is even half as funny as the great teaser they put up then $15 will be the best bargain in the world. Your prediction will only be correct if their are enough cheapskates out there who care more about having an extra seven dollars in their pocket than in seeing something like Cinematic Titanic happen.

Also you could use your reasoning to ask why Rifftrax don’t cost a lot less. I mean there is no licensing cost for the films, the tracks are only audio recordings, and therefore the production costs are probably a tiny fraction of what CT’s full on greenscreen/soundstage production most likely costs, and the only cost in bringing you the downloadable Rifftrax files is in maintaining the website and servers. For what a single Rifftrax costs the profit margin is most likely far above that of CT.

In point of fact, Jews are among the most tolerant of folk when it comes to jokes about death (”Ah, somebody died. Well, that’s life!”)

Of course, if being constructive isn’t the point, then troll away, by all means. Also: why the bile for Jim Mallon? That’s bizarre.

I like good comedy. I like to laugh. Most modern films are not worth my time without somebody to “riff” on them. I riff right along. It’s not required that we check our brains at the door and sit quietly, letting the pros do all the commentary…but they are lots funnier than me. Plus, they’ve actually written and edited their comments, while mine are off the cuff.

I love it all.

I bought all the Film Crew (4) stuff even though I thought they were also overpriced (and I could rent them on Netflix and watch certainly as much as I needed to). I did it to support the guys because I want to see this stuff continue — free TV or cable would be better, but if it takes $20 a month for me to get a two hour funny it’s a blessing.

(Now, I *don’t* do Rifftrax because I think they are completely missing the boat on the movies they riff — I want my riffs on old, crummy movies, not new, crummy movies).

I agree — next thing you know someone will be making some sort of movie about making a funny musical about Hitler. Who knows, they could even make a real Broadway musical about that, and then someone could come along and make *another* movie about that and… geeze, it will never end.

Personally I much prefer to joke about grandma getting killed by reindeer, at least this time of year.