Before reviewing the work for CT, here's a quick look at some of Joel's other post-MST3 K projects...
X-Box, the early
prototype to the TV Wheel was simply a stage that rotated around a stationary
camera. At each new stop a new set and skit. The show opens with a documentary
type -making of- feature. But the comedy itself is too rough around the edges. The concept is brilliant, ahead of its time, but the execution on this "test" is lacking
With "TV
Wheel" the kinks were worked out, which results in smoother, sharper
production all the way around. Talented folk like David Cross, Nick Bakay, Jud
Apatow and Paul Feig worked on this. Joel as host has an easy, natural
relationship with the camera, he comes off very intelligent and confident (He's
much too hard on himself in this regard. He doesn't consider himself a great
host or an actor - but he has a cool and breezy screen presence that can't be
down-played)
The (live) comedy is
funnier too. A skit with a bartender table puppet which features David Cross
was a kick - as was the bombastic living "Gag Catalog" and a silly
take-off on the Thunderbirds. While not every sketch works, there are enough
big laughs to make it worth the watch and I wish HBO had picked this up, as I would have enjoyed seeing it grow, show after show.
Finally:
"Statical Planets". This was a short preview of a supposed movie Joel
had planned. How this odd ball sci-fi parody could have been expanded into a
feature film is beyond me. But as a 15 minute bit, it's bizarre, fun and
reminds me a lot of a Devo video. Frank Coniff's there as a King and as the
Frank Army. Joel plays a caveman rocker who saves the day. Strange and playful,
Statical Planets was... interesting.
All told: Mileage
will vary on these shows, depending on your appreciation of Joel's surreal,
skewed vision. And whether you are a "the glass is half empty, or
full" type of person; - as it can be very hit or miss. I've got a
twisted brain, so I generally enjoyed myself. Though Mr. Hodgson doesn't capture lightning in a bottle as he did with MST3K, these projects were strange and wonderful. Grades: X-Box D+ / TV Wheel (HBO version) A / Statical Planets B+
"Star
Wait" is a documentary-style DVD that focuses on those geeks who stood in
line at Grauman's Chinese Theater for 6 weeks to see Star Wars. They did this
under the pretense of doing so for charity, but we all know the truth - they
would have camped out for the movie anyway. Being a MSTie I can appreciate a
nice obsession, but holy hole in a donut
Batman! these folks exist on a whole different level of freakdom. Even to the point where it makes me uncomfortable to watch 'em.
So why did I
watch? Because for the first two chapters (nearly 19 minutes), we are treated to
an audio track recorded by the original big 3: Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu and
Josh "J. Elvis" Weinstein. Now, this is some nerd fuel I can get
behind!
Having MST3Ks
founding fathers together again was a huge treat and was more than worth the
paltry $3 I spent at Target for the disc. The trio slip comfortably back in the
groove with similar chemistry seen during the KTMA season. Trace takes a back
seat to Joel and Josh's high-spirited banter. Which is strange considering what
a pro he was over the years. He does get in one nice quip -"When did
standing in line get so complicated?"- but it's Joel and especially Josh
who utter the best lines.
J. Elvis makes
funny observations about "hair Unicorns" and the "exclusive
internet". After a convoluted look at the Star Waiters name tags; Josh
remarks... "He needs an extra badge that says - Ask me about my
badge". And Joel gets in a wry shot at the geeks hopeless attempts at
trying to pick up passing women -"I think the R2 D2 cookie jar is going to
lure her over"
Mr. Hodgson and
Weinstein clicked in the old MST days. The two obviously enjoy making each
other chuckle and they really really should work together more often. Just as
Bill, Mike and Kevin make an awesome team, Joel and Josh are a dynamic duo and
would be brilliant on any commentary track. (Editors Note: Of course, they and Trace would team up with Mary Jo and Frank on CT)
As for the rest
of DVD? I don't know I don't really care (Though I'm curious to hear Dana
Gould's chapter as it was he who inspired the "Go to bed old man"
riff). Yeah, I'm a freak too, but a freak for MST. Joel, Josh, and Trace are the
reasons why I bought the disc and they made me more than happy with the
purchase. Grade: A+
And Star Wait leads us to Cinematic Titanic and their
premier release:
"It's like there’s a game show in my head and I'm
always wrong!" - Josh
Within seconds
after popping this into my DVD player I was struck by a tidal wave of
nostalgia, as Joel's new riffing project is everything I loved about MST3K: The
perfect blend of humor, the high brow and the low, the esoteric referencing and
observational. The props (including at least one hysterical walk on) the
shadowrama –which only adds to the funny and helps facilitate new discoveries
on repeat viewings- and at the top is the talent associated with CT.
I absolutely love
these people, their voices, their delivery and timing. You might fear that 5
commentators would make for a crowded, noisy experience. But no, the pacing is
smooth and the group never steps on each other’s lines.
Joel is a true
genius and his type of humor is right up my alley. When he follows up a
beautiful “Mod Squad” riff by noting… “Oh I’m old”, I howled. So am I Mr.
Hodgson, we are in the same age group, grew up with the same toys, TV shows, and
music and that will always endear me to you and your comedy.
Josh is one of
the funniest men alive, a quick wit and sharp as a tack. Mary Jo made me laugh
often, she’s hilariously matter-of-fact (loved her line about “smooth dollar
bills”), Frank brings a skewed childlike madness (“He’s dead, there’s no way we
can ride him into town”) and when Trace gives a quick giggle it brought forth
memories of Crow. The troupe work so well together, a sequence where they all
join in on an old Nancy Sinatra song, is only one priceless example of many.
I am in Heaven,
wonderful, blissful, giddy Heaven. Thank you Cinematic Titanic for bringing
back a style of humor I’ve missed and loved so much. I loved the short host
segments, I loved hearing the word "dickweed", the quick "voice
on the phone" bit, and the long Slinky theme. I can’t wait for the next
one!
“It’s like watching someone else watch ‘Manos: The Hands of
Fate’” - Frank
I never thought
it was possible that there would be anything that could challenge “Monster A-Go
Go” for lamest ending… Doomsday Machine might have actually accomplished the
feat. Sexism, a sick whiney rapist type is one other distasteful aspect to this
low budget space adventure, which focuses on the last survivors of Earth.
As bad as the
movie is, the riffing is stunning. While I don’t feel it quite reaches the
heights found on their previous effort, it still is amazingly funny (add the
classic style of CT to Rifftrax recent run of brilliant releases –Cloverfield,
Spiderman 3, the shorts- and it’s a new golden age for MSTies). Mary Jo
especially delivered some of the best quips in this episode. From her comment
after a Chinese man is killed early on, to the bit about the chair with the
spring under it at the end… she had me roaring with laughter. I loved it when
she and Frank quibble over who brought the data and her clever slap at the
films sexist attitudes -“Next thing you know they’ll be wearing pants and
wanting to vote!”-
But the whole
crew does a bang-up job. Trace references Alice Cooper, which made this A.C.
fan very happy. Joel is always a delight -“Ah, he hits girls like a girl!”- and
Josh not only does a killer Elton John impression but he provided me my biggest
laugh when he slams the movies ending by replacing himself with a fake Josh
(complete with space helmet). Boy, I was breathless during this bit, and I like
how Trace started chuckling while speaking his lines.
One of my favorite
gags, which date back to the MST3K days, was when the camera goes from
character to character and the riffers each add a thought. They do this a few
times here and it’s always a hoot (the best sequence culminates with Frank
having the old guy wondering where he put his oxygen mask). Doomsday is another
winner –but if you don’t like puns, brace yourself, especially during the
credits.
“Just filling up my nostrils with your perfume before I go
back to ratshit central” - Trace
Comedy is a
difficult animal to cage, let alone review. While I find CT rib cracking funny,
there are others who sit in a cone of silence, scratching their heads and
wondering what the heck I’m finding so hilarious. As they say, humor is
subjective and even fans of the MST3K brand can’t come to a unanimous decision
on what’s the best episode. So why do I dig the Titans?
I dig Joel’s
animal voices ”Oh yeah I swear it’s like kissing God”, said the rat. And his
pop culture mindset matches my own (See how he latches onto familiar
musical ques… The Outer Limits, Batman and Hawaiian Eye). I adore Frank’s
‘skewed innocent’ outlook on things - During the credits he warns, “This is
what happens when you don’t spay or neuter your insects”- as well as his
delightful puns ”Twas Beauty killed the bees.”
I get a kick out
of Mary Jo’s matter-of-fact observations -“What kind of weirdo says weirdy?”-
and Trace giving voice to the characters, as when he has an investigator offer
-“But I sure love barging in cold”- And J. Elvis, well I love everything J.
Elvis does ”I hope the counterman gets back soon so I can get some condoms and
a cherry phosphorous.”
I enjoyed this
return to Corman’s creature feature cheese. My favorite-riffed moments involve
an upper crust character and his pipe – especially when he’s sneaking about in
a lab, and the ‘driving around trying to find a missing scientist’ scene. The
second half is stronger than the first. There are two skits: The board meeting
is okay while the spot on Buddy (er Biddy) Rich bit was a slice of subversive
and profane genius. I loved it though I’m sure the language will cause a stir
and upset some folks (Comedian Dana Gould played Rich. He is best known for
inspiring the old MST riff, “Go to bed old man”).
In closing, why
do I dig Cinematic Titanic? Wasp Woman is why. It gives me a buzz. It lightens
my load… it’s just damned note-perfect!
“Whoa, was dad watching a lot of “Scooby Doo” before he
died?” – Mary Jo
Terrible
melodramatic flick about a family forced to spend a week in an old Mansion
after their father (John Carradine) dies. One by one each is knocked off and
the ‘who done it’ is one of the goofiest reveals ever. Apart from being a
tedious soap opera, the picture looks washed out, Mary Jo says it best – “This
is the most black and white color movie I’ve ever seen!” (So true, you can’t
even tell that pretty Brooke Mills (Leslie) had stunning red hair). And yet as
bad as this film was, it wasn’t a distraction, and the collection of oddball
characters gave the Titans much to work with.
Especially in
regards to crazy Johnny, played by the beefy Richard Davalos (The good brother
in “East of Eden”, and the guy on the cover of the Smiths album, “Strangeways,
Here We Come”) Davalos chews the scenery with zeal and every time he’s on the
screen the laughs jump to the stratosphere. Many of the cast have MST ties:
Merry Anders (Woman of the Prehistoric Planet) Faith Domergue and Jeff Morrow
of “This Island Earth” fame and John Russell, who was Mr. Tropp in “Untamed
Youth”, but strangely, not one of the CT cast seems to notice, not even Frank (which
was a surprise).
Still, the
riffing is razor sharp! Mary Jo especially gets in some memorable zingers (I loved that
bit after they find the guy's head and she quips, “Let's go put this in a horse's
bed”). But all 5 do great work: Trace delivers some hilarious lines about
incest, Frank does a great tribute to himself and Josh wonders why the over-acting Leslie doesn’t meet Lee Strasberg in her dreams?
There’s a lot of
variety in the riffing, the delivery and timing by is impeccable and huge
guffaws are frequently had. As good as it is at the start, the riffing is
killer down the stretch. They even get each other chuckling as when Joel
attempts the old line, “Or is it” and falters, Josh enjoys a laugh along with
the rest of us! Highly recommended.
“You stupid fat bastard, you’re killing us with your
Pollyanna routine!” - Frank
This release has
sparked much controversy and debate since it is a do-over of what many consider
an MST3K classic. Some hated the idea, others welcomed it. As for myself, I
had this thought after going through the mountain of CDs and Tapes I’ve
recorded (of songs I’ve written) and noticed that many of those CDs are filled
with different versions of the same musical number. I’ll fiddle with lyrics,
tempo and chord progression and try different arrangements. Even when I nail a
definitive structure, I’ll come up with dozens of different mixes. It struck me
that maybe the reason I'm more receptive to the idea of revisiting an old
experiment, is that I don’t see the creative process as something static, and am
open to the idea that there can be several viable versions of the same artistic
product. So Joel and company want to give it another go? Super, I’m all for it.
Comparisons are
inevitable and while the MST3K version of SCCTM features those classic host
segments, host segs make up on average only about 15/20 minutes of airtime. So
while that’s a nice side dish - there’s still about an hour and 15 minutes of
movie to riff on, and that’s the meat and potatoes of an experiment, that’s the
work that has to click to make for a great episode. While MSTs Santa/Martians is decent, riff wise the Titan’s effort towers over its
sister.
The work opens up
with some mention of their past effort, Trace even has to be dragged back into
the theater. Once they get going in earnest, I was offered one sharp quip after
another. There are some updated pop culture references (Frank observes that Dropo
is like a green Dane Cook) as well as a variation of an oldie… (Frank again,
got me laughing with his blunt statement about a rocket, he doesn’t even try to
be clever and offer the standard, “Good morning!” – In fact, Frank was on fire
throughout).
The delivery is
breezy and self-effacing (Josh’s bit about the kids echoing a Titan's riff and
adding, “we suck”). My favorite sequence was when Torg attacks Santa’s Workshop
- man I was in stitches from start to finish. There are also some new never-before riffed scenes and one cute host segment with Joel handing out gifts.
I didn’t suffer
any echoes of riffs past, I didn’t feel like my memories were trampled on,
after all, it’s not like the original has up and disappeared, there’s room for
both. This is funny, that’s all that matters, that’s why I buy these things, to
laugh. Bravo Titans for another stunning release!
“Well I’m all out of Sorbet so I’ll just have to use this
rabbit crotch to cleanse my pallet” - Joel
Frankenstein, a
movie filled with Eegah’s (yet there were no references to that episode) packs
in the riffs, but strangely there were also more dead zones in my laughter than
usual. There were too many jokes that didn’t light my fire and even a clever
bit with a silhouette floundered: The “Breast Blimp”, which floats in to cover
unsightly nudity, was a great idea in theory that didn’t work in practice. Perhaps
if they hadn’t set it up during the intro and just let it pop in unexpectedly
(with a flying sound effect and note of surprise or disappointment from the CT
crew), the gag might have come off funnier?
Nevertheless,
even though it was a bumpy road for me, this castle of freaks offers up some
gut busters. Among them the great music quotes (One Step Beyond, Loving You,
“What’s this all about…”, “Alfies?”), a cute Artemis Gordon quip, Joel’s record
scratching bit and Josh earned one of the biggest laughs of CTs short history
with a riff concerning his days at MST.
As with SCCTM,
there is one skit, a slight but amusing piece lead by Trace and his love for
Frank…enstein. I also really enjoyed the way they were cracking up over each
other’s jokes, hearing their laughter tickled me and added to my fun The
riffer’s individual comedic mindsets work in the shows favor, Josh in
particular deserves a special mention, as his material was smart and edgy. Also
I liked that they’ve created their own running gag (ala MSTs “He Died as He
Lived” or the “Jim Henson’s “such and such” babies”) with the “The last thing a
“so and so” sees”.
Even though I
felt there were a few draggy moments; and it wasn’t as steady as their last 2
efforts, the 6th release from the Titans is still a solid one with much mirth
and merriment to recommend in it.
“Oh boy it’s the Catholics, and you do not want the
Catholics on your ass” – Joel
The Titans return
to form after turning out a lesser effort in their last release. Return to
form? No, they hit a monster grand slam, as this Vampire flick is arguably the
best release from the fab five so far. The riffing is especially clever and as
with MSTs “Sinbad”, it expertly taps into the vibe of the film. For one - this
is a movie set in Mexico, but played by Filipino actors, some of whom are in
blackface! It’s the kind of movie that hands itself over on a silver platter,
and for the most part the Titans do not let anything slip by them (the only
riff I anticipated and didn’t receive was a reference to the sister’s boyfriend
looking like a Filipino Elvis… Buuut, Mary Jo did note the Wayne Newton
connection on the other male lead, so that makes up for it)
In addition to
the hilarity of the actors in blackface, the Catholics take a lot, and I mean a
lot of ribbing, especially at the end. Boy, the CT crew was relentless. Being
Catholic, part of me thought it was really sharp and hilarious, the other part
started feeling guilty about laughing so hard –
Frank’s early line about the guy needing a wad of cash to get himself into
Heaven had me rolling (and in case your not sure why, read this Wiki on
Indulgences, in particular, the chapters on abuses and the Protestant
Reformation).
There were also a
few nods to MST past and I love the line that appears to take a sly dig at
message board critics, but which also acts as a self-effacing quip… “Hey
they’re only showing silhouettes of the performers, that’s lame!” - Joel. The
only out and out failure was the skit in the middle. It felt off. It wasn’t
especially funny and was awkwardly played. Aside from that, this release was
genius.
"Uh sir, you just ate a cat turd" - Josh
I enjoy live
comedy whether I'm actually in the audience or watching on TV/DVD - something
about the interplay between act and audience, the spontaneous laughter... It
adds to my enjoyment. And because this is live we get Joel correcting a flub,
Frank thanking the older members of the audience for getting a joke and one of
the funnier spit takes you’ll ever find. Unfortunately, we lose also a riff that
Mary Jo fumbles (the curious soul in me wonders what it was?)
I saw this one in
Seattle and it was fun to remember the jokes and the crowd reactions (they are
pretty much the same, though my group got a bigger kick out of the Eegah
callback). The sound mix on the disc is good. The audience isn't obtrusive.
There were about 3 jokes I couldn't understand clearly - but that also happened
with MST’s studio mixes. I have a nice sized television, so the picture wasn't cramped and it was cool seeing the Titans (not shadows) on screen.
There is a quick
intro at the start - disappointingly they didn’t add in the opening skits (I
would have loved to have had Frank’s ‘Convoluted Man’ included). Humor wise it
felt the same as it did the first time I heard it. The biggest laughs are had
during the first half of the movie, but there are goodies throughout. They toss
out a few naughty words, just to warn those of you who might be offended by an
“S” bomb. All in all this was largely a success and I wouldn't cry if they
decided to release everything this way. Comedy always works well live… even via
DVD. “What a fun afternoon, I wish every day was grave staring day!” – Frank
"I'm surprised they didn't write 'Ambulance' on the
side with a Sharpie" – Mary Jo
The second live
release is one of the Titan's finest efforts. The film itself is a
"Wurwilf" level treasure. While it does feature tedious walking
scenes... the non-acting, the Moog score ("It's like the worlds most
depressing Ice Cream Truck" – Frank) and loopy looking creatures all
"factor" in to making this the funniest bad movie the troupe has
riffed on so far. And thankfully the riffing follows suit: From the 3 Dog Night
bit to the sequence with the kids and the ball. Trace’s electric elephant to
Joel's animated 'Magician Drake Unger' shtick - all of it had me in tears.
The Titans are
amped up and seem to be feeding off the audience’s energy. Their delivery is
full of vim and vigor and while they fluff the timing here and there (Mary Jo
steps on one of Josh's riffs and Joel comes in too early on delivering a line),
these weren't major gaffes and we don't lose a riff as we did in "East
Meets Watts". The sound mix was solid, while the crowd was lively, they
never obscure the jokes.
Another goodie, their best yet IMHO, with very few dead spots. I'm enjoying this live stuff. Hearing the laughter,
not only from the audience but the Titans themselves makes it all the more fun.
So, 2 releases in, I'd chalk the endeavor up as a win.
"I need a virgin, a piece of string and a cardboard
box" – Trace as Esteban planning a trap for the monster
Another
Hemisphere flick from the Philippines is yet another solid release from the CT
crew. The movie offers up much, including a guy who loses a fight with a
butterfly…. Seriously. I love Joel’s line here, "Should we help him or
laugh?" The plot concerns a group (including the guy from MSTs "The
Eye Creatures") who visit an island riddled with mutations, including
writhing trees and a goofy rubber-faced monster that looks like a melted green
version of Jeremy Hilary Boob (Yellow Submarine). While I don’t feel this matches
the "Alien Factor", it’s still loaded with laughs. The humor
sometimes leans on the adult - due to the inclusion of a female character with
a raging libido, and that naked natives are sacrificed to the creature (the
nudity is brief and is all back-shots). It never gets overly dirty and it’s
actually pretty funny to hear the gang let loose in such a way.
The live debate
is no longer a debate; this format serves the Titans well. Most of all in the
person of Frank Coniff, whose exuberance and laughter keeps the atmosphere
bubbly. That’s not to slight the other talented folks in this troupe, they trade
quips smoothly and only on a few occasions flub a line (and then, only in a
minor way in this release).
In addition to
the main event we get an extra, titled "Between the Riffs", which
features cast members reviewing one another - peppered with a few shots of fans
hailing the wonderfulness of the live show. Sure it sometimes comes off like a
commercial, but so what, it's great to have an extra and these are interesting
people to listen to. I hope we get more.
"Why is the American actor being dubbed?" – Trace
This Japanese
movie about angry, mutated bugs hell-bent on genocide, is a laugh on it's own.
And by far, the star of this shit parade is the character of Charlie. The
paranoid, panicky, mad man (who sometimes stops acting mid-scene) provides
ample inspiration for our brave riffers. And it's no coincidence that the
effort loses the tiniest bit of steam down the stretch when he says sayonara.
Save for the fair
final 15 minutes, War is a perfectly brilliant release. Right out of the gate Frank
delivers a hilarious dart directed at the nice title font. From there we meet
the buggy Charlie and the steady laughs continue once we enter the Hotel
Bougen... where we find a slappy maid, Japanese Hitler and a scene that leads
to a joke drawn from the song "Turning Japanese". The references are
stellar, Mary Jo earns a round of applause after a clever nod to "Citizen
Kane" - and interaction between riffers adds to the fun, as when Josh gets
a laugh at MJs expense after she muffs a line and he quips… "Well, they
all can't be sentences". Yup CT is solid gold once again. And while I
understand that they are primarily a live act, I sure wish we could get more
releases.
"This is a matter of national herpetology!" – Mary
Jo, as a concerned snake scientist
Sam Chew Jr. (the
smug guy from MSTs Being From Another Planet) stars as an expert in snakeology,
who is called in to investigate some rattler-related deaths. Along the way to
solving this mystery, he sleeps with his photographer, befriends a drunk doctor
with a bad haircut and upsets a corrupt Colonel (whose office was built with
Lincoln Logs!) All in a day's work for our intrepid hero.
Yeah, the movie
is a goof-fest, one of those flicks that gets the audience laughing even when
the CT crew isn't making with a joke. And overall this is another solid release
with many a cute and clever quip (ala Frank's observation of, "Georgia
O'Keeffe's Leftovers"). Though it does take a dip in the middle
section -- and the crowd was sometimes not feeling it as much as I was (Mary
Jo's line, "I'm scared and my blood sugar's low”, had me howling -- but
maybe that's just extra funny for diabetics). Rattlers (and the audience's appreciation) bounces back during a trip to Vegas and finishes strong -- making
for another recommended release from the Titans.
And sadly, that was it. The troupe called it a night, with 3 shows left unreleased... Astral Factor, Doll Squad and Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World (which ran into licensing issues). I wish I could have seen and heard those 3, but I am grateful for what I did get and that I got to see them live, got to meet these folks who brought so much light and laughter into my life.
Thank you, Joel, Trace, Mary Jo, Frank, and Josh!
And sadly, that was it. The troupe called it a night, with 3 shows left unreleased... Astral Factor, Doll Squad and Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World (which ran into licensing issues). I wish I could have seen and heard those 3, but I am grateful for what I did get and that I got to see them live, got to meet these folks who brought so much light and laughter into my life.
Thank you, Joel, Trace, Mary Jo, Frank, and Josh!
BUT WAIT!
"But I walked all the way from Dairy Queen without any pants on." - Joel
Robert Foxworth, Stefanie Powers and, Blackenstein(?) star in this film about a cop investigating an invisible murderer.
Ah sweet, one final CT gift, via a fan-made video using audio recorded from the show, synced to a print of the movie - so yeah a bootleg, but it has preserved something special so I'm okay with that. Since this isn't a professional mix, I watched and listened with headphones to help catch as many quips as I could. And it's a hoot right from the start, from the scenes at the prison, to the guy talking to his mom at the cemetery, to the credits photo session... funny as sin. And it stays strong as it goes, with a great mix of observational humor, dialogue additions, and pop references ("I wonder if he dialed "M" - Frank, during a shot of a phone off the hook).
The biggest laughs come in the scenes between Foxworth and a pantless Powers ("I made that cake with a plunger top, and frosting" - Trace) - plus the audience lose their shit during a bit where the cop spins a disc - there's no riffing here, just one of the cast making whirring sounds - sometimes the simplest thing can be the funniest.
It's important to note that Josh was ill, and was replaced by Gruber, Dave Allen, who joined them on tour as an announcer, (he also did skits). His voice is similar to Josh's so he fits in well, though yeah, J. Elvis, you were missed.
Photo courtesy of Tom's Temple
