Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Release Date: August 18, 2006
Riffers: Mike Nelson & Kevin Murphy
The third
Rifftrax download reunited Mike with Kevin Murphy. At its release Trek V was
well received, and the thought that other MST3K alumnus might soon be joining
in the fun had forums buzzing. I remember what a joy it was to listen to this
duo again - though I find their work hasn't stood the test of time.
Hearing it
today, it sounds more like 2 grumpy guys throwing out angry insults (Chekov
often raises their ire), rather than making brilliant observations and offering
sparkling bon mots. Plus, they overdo the sex and fart jokes. Despite these
complaints, there are occasions when the crankiness works and the teaming lives
up to expectations. Their horror over Uhura’s dance was a larf (and would be
referred to in future Trek Trax) as was those spoken when the group meets with
God.
Mike and Kevin
slam Sulu and take every shot they could at Shatner. From hits directed at his
heavy-handed direction to his “Price-Line” commercial work. It was great to
hear Kevin sing out a riff again (“Scotty won't you please take me home!”) So
while Trek V isn’t their sharpest, it has its moments and provided at least
one all-time classic: When Mike has Spock say, with calm Vulcan reserve...
"Bull-sh**, Captain."
Star Trek VI: The
Undiscovered Country
Release Date: February 9, 2007
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
Trek VI is a
good film met with some planetary guffaws. As with Trek V, the George Takei
imitations are exploited fully and are as fresh and funny as ever, every one of them brought about gales of laughter. But there's more! From a quip about Spock
googling a woman's skull during a mind-meld to Mikes's joke about Kirk making
out with green-skinned girls. Sex was also a big topic here; I love the way
Bill has Spock say -uncharacteristically- to a female Vulcan he's offered a
drink to... "Fire this back and lose the top/" They do slam the
movie too hard ("Day After Tomorrow" didn't get slaps like this) but
these three folks are magic and having them back together was a joy.
Star Trek
Generations
Release Date: July 2, 2007
Riffers: Mike Nelson & Kevin Murphy
"You know the prime directive of Star Trek should
have been, never do comedy!" – Kevin
Generations is
a tedious film marked by some weak comedic writing and acting
(Brent Spiner as Data).
Thankfully Mike and Kevin are around to slap the film silly and make it
somewhat palpable.
There was a few
bumps in the road with this one. Perhaps this is because the Next Generation isn't as colorful as the original crew. The riffing bears this out because the
jokes level out in the middle spots, while the work sparkles in bookend
segments featuring Kirk and company.
The opening
scenes are the best, providing an abundance of big laughs. The iconic
characters are deftly riffed. Everyone is targeted smartly, each to his own
unique personality type. Scottie's girth (Macy’s Day Parade, he, he) Chekov
is... well just Chekov (Crepe paper hair, ha!), even those great Sulu impressions
are heard, despite George Takai's absence. And of course, skewering Shatner is
always a riot. All of this and more make for the funniest moments on this Trax.
When the film
shifts to the new crew, the riffing slows down its relentless photon assaults
and eases into a comfortable pace. Funny stuff is to be had – Primarily Kevin's
clever and spot-on observation concerning Warf's "hat jump". This is a
brilliant piece of comedic diatribe that would do Bill Corbett proud. The
Malcolm McDowell stuff –He’s an old Kiefer Sutherland- is a kick as well (as
are the comparisons between he and Patrick Stewart as to which stellar English
actor has taken the most hackneyed roles). And then, of course, there’s Renee.
The reference
material is great, and the big (lame) finish is dull, anticlimactic, and is kept
afloat only through Nelson and Murphy’s (and the ineffective Nexus') efforts.
Without them, this ending would have made an effective sleeping pill).
Though it's
not the finest or most consistent Rifftrax available, and I do have questions
on whether the Next Gen crew, in general, can inspire the big laughs the
originals did (I need my Sulu voices!), I wouldn’t mind seeing another Trek in
the future. With 2 great Trax and this good one, it’s well worth taking another
shot
Star Trek The New
Voyages: World Enough And Time
#26 in Mighty Jack's Top 50
Rifftrax Presents Release Date: May 8, 2008
Riffers: Bill and Kevin
"It's really just a giant flying hot plate" -
Kevin on the Enterprise
Kevin and Bill
team up and throttle a fan film, which stars George Takai and a few other Trek
alumni. Sure it's probably mean to pick on such a production, but what the
heck, the riffing is hilarious so in the immortal words of Joe Don Baker,
"Go ahead on!" Of the 3 I watched tonight (Saw, I Am Legend) this was
the brightest work. The riffers hit their stride right from the start when they
tackle Takai (always a fun target) as Bill has him explain... "I'm not
worried, I'm old!" and during the opening credits, the duo has fun with
the introductory narration.
The new actors
also receive their shots but in a playful way. Kevin corrects the guy playing
Kirk on the correct Shatnerian delivery of a line, Spock's eyebrow acting is
noted and Scotty's not very Scottish accent is delightfully teased. This really
was a fun, lighthearted 'trax. Oh, and Bill does a hilarious callback to Plan 9
From Outer Space ("You stupid, stupid humans!") This comes highly
recommended.
Star Trek the New
Voyages: To Serve all my Days
#41 in Mighty Jack's Top 50
Rifftrax Presents Release Date: May 28, 2008
Riffers: Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy
"It's Shatnerriffic!"
Bill and Kevin
tackle another fan-made Star Trek flick and while it's not as grand a success
as the first, there are still laughs aplenty. The last ep gave us the original
Sulu, this one features Walter Koenig. It's pretty dull as there are many
scenes of Chekov literally talking to himself. Riff highlights include Bill's
first Captain's log entry (about dating grandma), an uproarious running
Spockenstein gag. Mocking the medical instruments (A tube of lipstick and a
slide whistle), Kirk's teeth trying to escape his face - Above them all are the
funny jabs at the actor playing Scottie ("I've diverted power from my
accent") and Kevin's superb impression of the Simpson's comic book nerd.
The spacecraft
related jokes are a laugh as well from the cute hat the Klingon ship wears to
urinating vessels - and Bill's riff, "This thing has fewer controls than a
garden hoe!" put me in stitches. Good stuff
Star Trek
Release Date: November 19, 2009
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
Notable riff is difficult to quote, it's the Shatner baby
talk
I was looking
forward to this trax and revved myself up by watching Kevin & Bill's
hilarious work on the fan-made vids. The next day I popped this one on and
awaited similar laughs... a half-hour later I had this bad feeling. Aside from
a couple of chuckles -cute Ty Pennington and Leonardo Dicaprio references- the
jokes sunk like a led balloon. I waited with anticipation for the doctor with
the goofy eyes to show up, I couldn't wait to hear what clever barbs they'd
come up with during McCoy's first appearance, yet these and other scenes were
met with less than even passable material. And when the guys are reduced to
lame barf jokes I threw up my hands and quit.
Later on I
tackled the next hour hoping that the trio could recover. I was rewarded with
Spock farting in the Enterprise's space-elevator, so okay – that's how it's
going to go. The download finished with a smattering of smiles and an
occasional laugh at a cute reference (Bif Tannen's sports almanac), or the
observational (Noting those times when Abram's forgets he's not making Star
Wars). When I add it all up though, this was a bit of a letdown - guess I
should have lowered my expectations.
Star Trek II: The
Wrath of Khan
Release Date: April 12th, 2011
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
"Seriously, crack a Jeffries tube next time!" –
Kevin as a stern looking Spock.
Not their most
inspired work, but not bad. Listening to this was like taking a lazy stroll,
with an occasional sprint tossed in now and again. It opens with a spoiler
exchange that doesn't really work with a movie this old, and closes on unfunny
bits about pon farr boners and Vulcan death dumps. Still, in between that,
every now and again the silliness would click. A dig on Phil Collins, for
example- might have been obvious, but what the heck, it made me laugh --- The
funniest section for me, started with Spock and Bones quarreling about Genesis
and continued to Khan's surprise attack on Enterprise --- it wasn't that the
jokes got suddenly sharper, wiser or whatnot, but that they simply fit the
moment. So while I can't shovel heaps of praise on the download, it
wasn't a train wreck by any means. Especially not when you got Kevin shouting
to Kirk... "Stop pummeling your bastard!"
