March 31st, 2009
March 30th, 2009

XV Extras Update

Shout! Factory tells us that, due to technical quality issues, they’re replacing the footage of Joel and Trace’s MIT appearance with another bonus feature to be named later. They assure us they still plan to produce a featurette on “The Speculative Science and Technology of MST3K” with Joel and Trace for a future release.


March 30th, 2009
March 29th, 2009

DVD Lists Updated

Yes, it’s taken a while, but we’ve now added a Shout! Factory page to our DVD lists.


March 28th, 2009

Weekend Discussion Thread: Most Ridiculous Scene

Alert reader Trevor suggests:

Most Ridiculous Scene: My vote goes to the phone sex operator scene in Hobgoblins. This scene is so bad that I actually feel embarrassed for the people who made the movie. Did they even watch it before they put it in the film?

Me, the scene that comes to mind is the seance scene in WILD WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN. Everyone involved will have to pay, now or in the afterlife.

What’s your pick?


March 27th, 2009

New RiffTrax Short…

Download it here. Free sample here.

Oh, and the scuttlebutt is that the next feature is “Twilight.”


March 26th, 2009

RiffTrax on CBS Radio

CBS Radio.com has created a new RiffTrax page that features exclusive audio content (like the hit single, “Bruce Willis Needs A Nap”) along with previews of future RiffTrax releases. Individual 30-minute interviews with Mike, Kevin and Bill will be posted over the next few weeks.


March 26th, 2009

Episode Guide: 613- The Sinister Urge (with short: “Keeping Clean and Neat”)


First shown: 11/5/94
Opening: Gypsy gets a shower
Intro: Dr. F. begins to worry about the missing Frank
Host segment 1: Frank gives the SOL a taste of what he’s planning
Host segment 2: Checking Frank’s background for clues
Host segment 3: All looks bleak until Mike remembers Frank’s weakness
End: Dr. F. stops Frank’s plan, letter, Deep Fried Frank!
Stinger: “Dirk? No that can’t be Dirk…uh, uh…no…that’s not Dirk…no.”
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (115 votes, average: 4.47 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...

Okay, taxpayer, let’s get to it:
• Ed Wood usually is the basis for a good episode, but I have to put this one in the “good-not-great” category. Good-not-great riffing, and topical host segments that haven’t aged very well. Great short, though.
The references.
• The springboard for the host segments is a spate of “mad bomber” movies that hit theaters in ‘94. Most of them are pretty much forgotten now, but they were a pretty big deal at the time. I do give Frank credit for capturing the tone that most of the villains in these movies. His evil faces are fun.
• Daddy-O notes: Some of the exterior shots were done at acting coach Harry Keatan’s ranch in Palmdale, Calif. Several of the actors in the movie were studying there at the time. Ed Wood’s cinematographer and veteran of many films, WILLIAM C. THOMPSON, was nearly blind when this film was made and required assistance. Thompson also filmed the movies in 423-BRIDE OF THE MONSTER; 610-THE VIOLENT YEARS; 616-RACKET GIRLS; 109-PROJECT MOONBASE; as well as the infamous “Plan 9 from Outer Space.” You can see him in front of the camera as the judge in Wood’s “Glen or Glenda.”
• Tom says “I think these scenes are from a completely different movie” and in fact they are. The Pizza Joint sequences were shot in 1956 for the unfinished film “Rock and Roll Hell” a.k.a. “Hellborn.”
• That whole “outraged taxpayer” scene is pure — and dreadful — Ed.
• Non-Spaghetti ball bumpers: datebook, bulletin board, film canister.
• Callback: “You’re stuck here!” (Fugitive Alien).
• We get our first “Wha-happa?” in a while.
• Speaking of callbacks, Mike refers to the the grinning car as “Jet Jaguar” and Crow replies: “How would YOU know?” Fans were doing that sort of thing for a while, so I guess it was inevitable that they would do it.
• We get our first Pat Brantseg appearance since Santa Claus.
• Fave riff: “I’m just gonna ask: Is this a juniper?”


March 25th, 2009

“XV” Now Ready for Pre-Order at Amazon

We would appreciate it if you would use THIS LINK to pre-order it. Thanks.

Thanks to Bob for the heads up.


March 24th, 2009