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How Was the Show?

An open thread for reports from tonight’s Cinematic Titanic Show in San Francisco.

26 Replies to “How Was the Show?”

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  1. RHildreth says:

    Packed theater (1,400 seats!) for both films. Amazing to see how much the show has improved since they started touring. Doll Squad suffered from atrocious sound – the rental audio crew didn’t balance the riffers against the theater’s own sound system – a lot of the riffs were obscured by the film’s rather rumbly soundtrack. My favorite moments: Trace’s new short film featuring a “Dr. Eff” resurrecting a Frank monster; Joel handling with aplomb audience questions akin to “in episode 24 the ship uses its thrusters in combination with its warp drive to escape the wormhole, completely contradicting the Lemurian cutoff switch established in episode 13, how do you explain that?” Joel stated that we all watch the episodes a lot more than he does. Ah, “just repeat yourself ‘it’s just a show’…”

       3 likes

  2. hellokittee says:

    Show was fantastic, although as mentioned above the sound during Doll Squad was horrible. I would say that I missed at least 50% of the riffs (if not more) and had absolutely no idea what was going on in the movie. At first I was thinking it was because I was sitting on the very right hand aisle of the rather large Castro Theatre but then the sound was nearly perfect for The Astral Factor, so I think that something just got fixed in between the two shows.

    All of the pre-movie bits were great, everyone was just firing on all cylinders. Gruber filled in for Josh and was hilarious and weird as usual.

    The Q & A with Joel was interesting because he seems to remember nothing about the host segments from MST3K (Mexican Stoplight Candy was mentioned) but I guess in his defense it WAS 20 years ago and he doesn’t watch the show as much as us nerds. His favorite Mike era episodes are “the Rowesdower one” and Werewolf, which got a lot of applause.

    One interesting bit that was shared with the audience by SF Sketchfest is that apparently Joel will be at 2014 Sketchfest with a solo show?!?! Not sure what that is all about but I am there!

       1 likes

  3. two and a half says:

    I had a hard time hearing a lot of the first movie, but I put it down to being halfway back in the theater and being functionally deaf in my left ear anyway. Maybe my hearing’s better than I give myself credit for. We moved up for the second movie, which turned out to be the funnier one anyway.

    I was so excited that they came back to this side of the country that there was no way I was going to miss the shows, even though it ended up being a six hour drive (including a lot of city traffic, which is frankly terrifying). Totally worth it. CT was in top form riffing-wise, and I’m so glad that I got to shake their hands and thank them. All of them just seem like normal people, people I’d like to hang out with, and I appreciated that about them. Joel in particular seems to blend in with the crowd really well. I’m not sure why that is, but my friend missed him four times when he walked past us, and didn’t even notice when she walked past him as he was greeting people at the theater entrance before the shows. (I noticed him though. My Joel-dar was working overtime, apparently.) Everyone was super nice in the meet and greet line. Trace especially comes across as a warm and friendly person. He said he liked our t-shirts (my friend was wearing one with a TARDIS, and mine had the silhouettes from CT and MST3K composited with “I reject your reality and substitute my own” in the screen space).

    I did forget to tell them how great they all look. Maybe it’s the impending retirement of CT, but they all looked pretty svelte and healthy. And they look like they really enjoy doing the show, and enjoy being around each other.

    All in all, I’m just really happy that I got the chance to see Team Awesome in person, and I’m looking forward to whatever comes next for all of them. Hoping to get to see Joel’s one man show in February!

       1 likes

  4. David Mello says:

    I was also at the first show only, and was barely able to follow the riffs to “Doll Squad”. This is why I hope the CT crew makes a DVD version of this. It was a good thing the action on the screen was ridiculous enough to laugh at. Really wish I could have stuck around for the second show. At least I got them to sign my copy of the Blu-ray of “The Heat”. The reason, of course, is that the first season MST3K crew have its own commentary of the movie.

       1 likes

  5. asimperson says:

    I went to both shows. As the above have noted, the sound for Doll Squad was bad. Either because of the sound or it’s more my cup of tea, I though the Astral Factor was a much better show.

       0 likes

  6. Rachel says:

    We came all the way from Oregon and the shows were great! As everyone else said, the audio was horrible for Doll Squad so I couldn’t hear half of the riffs, but Astral Factor was perfect and I think it’s my new favorite of theirs. It’s too bad they’re not releasing a DVD of it. I got my Tom Servo signed, so I’m very happy!

       1 likes

  7. Cameron Gouda says:

    Are they officially not releasing any more DVDs/downloads?

    Have they come out and stated this?

       1 likes

  8. Captn Ross Hagen says:

    Is Josh okay? I know he missed one of the other shows and his last Twitter post was Oct.5
    Hope all is well with Josh.

       2 likes

  9. Dan in WI says:

    Cameron #7> To my knowledge they never came right out and said no new DVD’s. But consider the following and reach your own conclusion. The group as a whole will cease to exist at the end of the year. That means no new material including new studio DVD’s. As for a few last live DVD’s: I want this. I want this a lot! But a while back they’ve liquated all the inventory that Trace was shipping out of his basement. Only 6 of 9 of the titles which the Cinmatic Titanic website claims can be bought on Amazon are actually available as new on Amazon. 4 titles are not even listed on Amazon. (Everything is still available as a digital download on EZTakes.) Again I may be adding 2+2 and getting 5 but Cinematic Titanic was responsible for arranging the pressing of DVD’s for sale. I don’t believe Amazon had any involvment in that what so ever. It sure looks like they are letting everything clear out. EZTakes is still there so I suppose they could do a couple last live titles that way. But so many of us still prefer owning a physical media so waiting until after the final show and this first pressing DVD’s doesn’t seem the way an artist owned venture is going to go. And even if they were going to go digital download only wouldn’t now be the time to do it before the audience looses interst and touch?

    I don’t think anything has ever been officially said, but looking at the signs I just don’t see it happening.

       1 likes

  10. dsman71 says:

    I had a great time – I could also barely hear the Doll Squad at certain points..but it was a great show. I loved getting autographs and meeting the CT minus J Elvis..
    I really need to go to a Rifftrax show to see Kevin, Mike and Bill :)

       1 likes

  11. Trace says:

    #9

    We are in the process of re-stocking titles at Amazon. Please stay tuned to your CT email club newsletter for more information.

    At this time we have no plans to record ASTRAL FACTOR or DOLL SQUAD for release.

    Thanks folks!

    Trace

       9 likes

  12. Luther Heggs aka Number 6 says:

    @Trace

    This is great to know. We can avoid the opportunists selling “oop” copies of Danger On Tiki Island for $39.

    Shame on you, opportunists!

    Whaddya think you’re doing? Scalping Celine Dion tickets? More like scalping Celine Dion! And don’t get me started on those individuals selling used copies of Blood of the Vampires for $50! New for $75!

    Have you no shame?!

    Treating fellow Mysterons that way…

       3 likes

  13. David Mello says:

    Thanks to Trace for the update on whether there will be new CT DVD titles, but I still say they should record the final performance in December for posterity, then make it a DVD that zillions will happily buy for our own posterity. Just an idea. Until then, the MST3K commentary on the Blu-ray of The Heat will tide us over.

       5 likes

  14. Rachel says:

    My offer to run a Kickstarter to get the film crew to record your final performance still stands. :)

       5 likes

  15. Kenneth Morgan says:

    I agree with recording the final performance, as well as “Astral Factor”. This material is too good for it to be allowed to be lost like “London After Midnight” or those Ernie Kovacs shows that got dumped into the river.

       3 likes

  16. Luther Heggs aka Number 6 says:

    I still have a gut feeling (or is it blind fan boy hope?) that Shout Factory will get involved down the line and re-release a really nice set of everything CT created, along with much Ballyhoo madness. Make the box a tin container with raised relief details that look like an old movie theater ticket booth, and inside the tin, red velvet curtains are evoked, and there’s like a collector’s card that looks like a movie ticket and…. and.. like… The Paradise Theater of spoken of by Styx… and a gargoyle stress squeeze figure … and …

    I can dream, can’t I?

    Meanwhile, in the real world, I’ll purchase everything CT/Trace can restock whenever it happens, which I’m assuming will be after they’ve finished touring. I’ve subscribed to the CT newsletter. The several CT discs I’ve purchased have been viewed multiple times. Like MST3K, I seem to appreciate something new with each viewing.

    Okay. I’m all set. Other than my never ending quest to locate all copies (131) of Johnny Cypher in Dimension Zero, I’m just hunky frickin’ dory.

    And now…… to get a life.

       6 likes

  17. Ham Dinger says:

    I hate to be the one to bring this up, but for gawd’s sake someone needs to start videotaping / bootlegging these shows. if they’re not even going to put these out on DVD, we have GOT to be able to see these shows. come on people, get your cameras out and start those torrents! please!!

       5 likes

  18. Mysticon says:

    In response to comment #2 from hellokittee.. Yep, Joel is doing a swing through Northern California during the first weekend of February 2014. He’ll be doing San Francisco and Roseville (just outside Sacramento).

       1 likes

  19. Cheapskate Crow says:

    So I guess it wasn’t just me that couldn’t hear half the riffs of the Doll Squad. I flew in from Idaho and a friend of mine joined me from Las Vegas to see this show and were underwhelmed at the theater this was at. Beautiful building, bad sound crew and charging $10 for a 12 oz bottle of beer should be prosecutable as extortion! The second half of the evening was a great improvement, I thought the Astral Factor was hilarious and really wish it would be recorded and released. I also really liked Frank’s standup before the Doll Squad. And thanks again to the crew for doing the meet and greets, even though I turn into an idiot and can’t think of anything cool to say, I will always treasure knowing that you guys (and gal) seem like good people and genuinely appreciate your fans.

       4 likes

  20. Luther Heggs aka Number 6 says:

    “and charging $10 for a 12 oz bottle of beer”

    That is a fine example of some San Fran “cost of living” upgrading of prices. It would take me 40 or 50 dollars to loosen up!

    (Mother always said I was wound a bit too tight.)

    Boardwalk Empire extortion aside, Cheapskate Crow, know that you are envied. You made the right call to attend. Yessir.

       1 likes

  21. Captn Ross Hagen says:

    98 bottles of beer on the wall
    98 bottles of beer
    AT THESE FREAKIN’ PRICES THAT’S ALL
    WE CAN AFFORD!
    KEEP YOUR BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL!

       4 likes

  22. bad wolf says:

    Thanks to Trace for stopping by even if it is with some bad news–no plans to record two performances? I thought the DVDs were the ‘evergreen’ sales! I have never understood CT’s business plans.

    But as someone noted, the one show i made it to i found him surprisingly warm and personable. Hope to see him and the rest again someday!

       5 likes

  23. Ms. Terrie Syenz says:

    I was fortunate to attend shows in Milwaukee the last few years, and saw Astral Factor last year and Doll Squad this year.I, like others here, have been hoping there would be plans to release both those titles on DVD. I think they are some of the best CT has done. My real CT fantasy though, was that even if they weren’t going to do the cross country tour – and who can blame them for not wanting to do that for months at a time – they would organize a once-a-year Titanicon weekend in some nice city. They would show some of the previously released CT titles at different times during the weekend, and on Saturday night have a show with a new film, and record it. As Charles Nelson Reilly would say “It would be Fab-ulous!”

       6 likes

  24. Luther Heggs aka Number 6 says:

    It’s all part
    of my
    Cinematic Titanic
    Fan tuh seeeeee….

       1 likes

  25. Captn Ross Hagen says:

    To one and all, are you out there?
    I know the upcoming CT shows are the end all be all.
    Thank you one and all, you gave to us something we’ll all remember.
    But please, we lost LOU REED over the weekend.
    Can you folks during the last CT shows give a nod to LOU
    and have a live sing a long to SATELLITE OF LOVE
    to close the show and his contribution to that song as a thank you LOU for the song and the name of our
    beloved show (or satellite) that has helped us all have a special place to go to escape our fears and anxieties of dealing
    with this world we’re stuck with?
    Please give me a chance and all of us a chance to say
    “THANK YOU LOU!” and thank you all who have been connected to MST 3K/CT/ And RiffTrax for the many years of escape from this
    mixed up world we live in.
    I have always been a huge fan of Lou Reed and how the song SATELLITE OF LOVE tied into our Cow Town Puppet Show and helped me
    appreciate the pure joy of this show and our culture from the 70’s ’til the not too distant future.

       0 likes

  26. Captn Ross Hagen says:

    As a follow up to #25 let me say I’ve had a hard time dealing with this loss of someone I really looked up to, Lou Reed has been a bile spitting
    angry voice in many of the things that have pissed me off since the 70’s.
    Please JOEL, JOSH, TRACE, FRANK, MARY JO, MIKE,KEVIN,AND BILL show your love to this time
    when maybe a song could pull us through this time we’re stuck in.

       0 likes

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