Release Date: April 5th, 2013
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
"I have a good mind to jump over you!" – Kevin as Evel, scolding his pal.
One thing I learn from watching this flick is that Evel Knievel is a lot like Gamera, in that he's a friend to all children. I was happy to see this get the riff treatment because I was a big fan of the motorpsycho daredevil when I was a lad: I had the toys, once saw him do his stuff live -- and then there was this movie - It featured several familiar faces in the cast, including Gene Kelly, Frank Gifford and... Leslie Nielsen, who plays a drug trafficking bad guy that gets Evel tangled up with one of the dumbest schemes ever put to film. The story (and Knievel's performance) was a goofy blast, and our Riffer's squeeze lot of yuks out of it - teasing the actors, the plot, the art of jumping stuff, and our heroes special bond to kids (pointing out the reality of the man, in contrast to the wholesome hero the film presented him as). It does miss the mark a few times (what, no mention of Nic Cage as Ghost Rider?) but with gut busters plenty, who's complaining. Not me? Especially when you get Mike imitating Matthew McConaughey eulogizing Evel. All right, all right!
Release Date: June 10, 2009
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
"Elmer was left on the Police station's doorstep as a child" - Kevin on the ineffective deputy.
I love the many references (The Zombie/Argent line was a beaut), callbacks (Kevin’s line about Zooey Deschanel's performance in "The Happening"), and the quick and witty observational riffing is on par with what they offered on "Planet of Dinosaurs". "Voodoo" is pure MST3K style B movie fun, with a few familiar MSTed actors: Such as George Zucco, Wanda McKay, Bela Lugosi, and John Carradine –who, as Mike notices, runs like he's carrying 2 heavy suitcases. The Trax as a whole took me right back to the golden days of MST – this was wonderfulness.
"A Beatnik is applauding somewhere" – Kevin as Bela snaps fingers. In addition to clever quips like that, Voodoo also provides the line -"Gosh all fishhooks"- which could become Rifftrax new catchphrase, ala, "Bonesaw is ready!" or "You eye'n my lemon drink?". Missed riff. A guy shouts for Stella and we don't get a "Streetcar" quip?
Release Date: November 15th, 2011
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
"This really is just a less incoherent version of Hanna Barbera's wacky races" - Kevin
This Italian post-apocalyptic adventure features several recognizable faces from MST. Fred Williamson from "Warrior of the Lost World", the gal who played Sandra in "Devil Fish", Strike from "Escape 2000" and Palermo from "Final Justice" is seen as a Holy man. (The movie was also directed by the guy who did MSTs Escape 200).
The trax starts off funny as hell, there's a kid mechanic to tease, bubble domes, and Hallmark card messages to laugh at. I felt it slipped as it went on. There was some of that lowbrow material I'm not so fond of, and the clammy hand's thing at the end got really stupid. Regardless, I enjoyed it for the most part and my musician self really dug Kevin's line... "I think this guy helped me last time I went to Guitar Center".
Release Date: February 7th, 2013
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
"There's your problem, this part of the wall opens!" – Kevin as Charles Durning checks a door.
I actually saw this in theaters with friends and I can't say I have fond memories of the evening, or of the movie. But watching it again, it all flooded back: From the boring first act to the idiotic plot twist at the end... and thank God for that last bit, because when co-star Charles Durning voices his theory it's a laugh out loud moment. Overall this is a decent though not great trax, which gets stronger in its second half. Most of the jokes center on the actors (the lead actress' haircut gets a good flogging) - they also take note of any object on screen, such as a tricycle, which grows up to be a bicycle - or the combination of gun with pear, found on a table. But my favorite line comes when Kevin asks why anyone would listen to anything a silhouette had to say?
#14 in Mighty Jack's Top 50
Release Date: April 3, 2007
Riffers: Mike Nelson and Neil Patrick Harris
“This is what happens when crazy people don't have cats to will things too” – Neil
This Rifftrax film was selected by Neil Patrick Harris, and the first half is pure gold--en ticket material. I was won over from the first song as Mike and Neil take each word literally; from there Neil –who is outstanding by the way- zaps Ian Zeiring and notes the poison Laffy Taffy fumes spilling from Wonka's factory!
I was in high spirits at the go, hungering for more. From the jokes mocking the plight of the poor (Cabbage water; shirt boiling) to crooked corporations ("They’re scabs Charlie!" – Neil as Gramps). Neil and Mike were relentless; every detail in this section of film, every lyric, hardship, and eccentricity is deliciously riffed. I couldn’t stop laughing – "...This film is all Wonka and no Willy" – Neil
Strangely, once we enter Wonka’s factory, things kind of slow down. Oh, there's still great stuff. Mike wonders if it’s possible to overdose on too much whimsy, while. Neil harps on Chocolate Pogo Sticks one last time as Willy makes his grand entrance. And the Oompa Loompa's make it all worthwhile. There is a smart quip about Northern Ireland inspired by the musical factory workers, as well as killer lines that reference Tarantino, Jaundice, and the odd clothing they wear.
Some fans have wondered why they picked on this version, rather than the Tim Burton remake. And while Johnny Depp's pale, "man-child" take, would have been a nice target. Wilder's menacing madman is not above reproach either. (Mike notes his creepiness too, when Wonka aggressively fondles a young lad's hair). The guys do a great job on this, it's a heck of a lot of fun, very high spirited, dark humor - and having a bigger name actor join in the riffing added something new to the project as riffs directed at Neil's career were a hoot. All in all a tasty Trax.
Release Date: March 2, 2007
Riffers: Mike Nelson & Kevin Murphy
"With the power of the magical cape, I become... Wicker Man!" - Mike
I loved the riff that referenced the film, "House of Sand and Fog". Why? Because that movie was simply one of the most bleak and hopelessly depressing I'd ever seen. And the riff sums up Wicker Man for me as well. While Mike and Kevin do get in some decent quips, ultimately, this flick defeated me.
But let us not focus on the suffering we endure while watching this Nic Cage remake, let us instead enjoy the soothing balm of humor applied by our intrepid riffers. Such as... The Wicker Man theme song and noticing that the titles looked similar to something seen in a Quinn Martin Production * After a truck demolishes a car pulled over by Cage's cop character (apparently killing the passengers, a mother and daughter), Mike says... "And that's what happens to bratty little girls. Good night everyone" * The self-reading letter scene! * Kevin sings Dylan! * Any scene with the spacey, distracted ex-fiance. Especially the one set at the gravesite. * Mike singing "This is a man's world" when it obviously isn't * "My God! The script is caving in!" - The acting and dialog are so bad that Kevin wonders if this wasn't supposed to be a comedy, (Cage screams suddenly and incoherently throughout, and early on he asks the islanders if they are bagging sharks??)
Jokes that didn't work for me: The running gag about Cage's suit, er, sport coat and slacks. And I was hoping for and didn't receive a Ro-Man reference at the end of the film, which saw Cage gadding about in a furry animal suit.
#32 in Mighty Jack's Top 50
Release Date: January 17, 2014
Riffers: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett
"Gah! They're like a crossbreed of Charlie Brown and Popeye!" - Kevin (on the Lollipop Guild)
So Rifftrax takes on another beloved classic... and wring a lot of laughs out of it. I struggled when they did Casablanca because I kept getting drawn into the drama of the movie and wasn't focusing on the jokes. But I didn't have that issue with Oz. Maybe fantasy is a better riff canvas than war-time romance?
The esoteric material here was sharp: Kevin's comment about the Scarecrow not only having trouble with crows but never being able to stop the Batman. To the bit about the Cowardly Lion being afraid of Fred Savage (google Savage's Filmography to get the joke). They tap into the film nicely as well. I thought it was a scream how they zero in on Dorothy the killer, and how everyone in Oz is pretty happy about that. Or the scene where we see Scarecrow packing heat. The biggest side-splitter was a follow-up line to the quote posted above, about the Lollipop Guild having strokes.
