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Now Available from RiffTrax…

MagicSword_Poster

Stream or download it here.

71 Replies to “Now Available from RiffTrax…”

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  1. Kali: I’d rather Rifftrax tackle Corman’s version.The problem is, with three big budget craptastic failures now, Corman’s version is actually starting to look good.The acting is pathetic, the special effects are about as good as you’d expect from a Corman movie filmed in three days with a budget of $1.98, but the actors look good, the Dr Doom costume is as good as it will ever get (shame the actor started overacting once he was in the armor), and, dang, the Thing suit is absolutely perfect — almost looks like Jack Kirby designed the costume.There’s a semi-reasonable version floating around the interwebs, and someone just did a documentary on the making of the film which I just ordered (www.doomedthemovie.com) in which the director defended his vision.Should be interesting.

    Now I’ m reminded of that one episode of Arrested Development where they showed their take of a bad low budget Fantastic Four movie complete with Mst3k shadowrama.

       1 likes

  2. Ptomreeves says:

    Brandon Pierce:
    I wish they’d tackle some of the films used during the KTMA era.

    Brilliant!!! That would be awesome

       4 likes

  3. ready4sumfootball says:

    EricJ:
    Although keep in mind, like the old series, they’re only grasping at whatever’s readily available on Public Domain…
    So while the old series could do Manos, Magic Sword, and the Giant Gila Monster without having to pay nasty royalties…

    Umm, it should be obvious to anyone paying attention to the licensing for these movies to be released on DVD that The Magic Sword is absolutely NOT public domain. It’s copyrighted to MGM.

       6 likes

  4. EricJ says:

    ready4sumfootball: Umm, it should be obvious to anyone paying attention to the licensing for these movies to be released on DVD that The Magic Sword is absolutely NOT public domain. It’s copyrighted to MGM.

    Oh, so they bought it back now? Used to be playing on every backwater station, in a hundred different print conditions, when I was growing up. (And likely during the 90’s when it was on MST3K.)

       1 likes

  5. Johnny's nonchalance says:

    It’s interesting to see how much discussion some of these seemingly innocuous threads generate. For all the talk about creativity and the hallowed nature of MST3K, let’s not forget that Rifftrax is a business. Certainly there were many factors that went into the decision to riff this movie. The cost to get it is a big factor. The likely appeal to all fans of Rifftrax is another factor. They have fans that are not as intimate with MST3K who will appreciate this offering. The sword and sorcery genre seems to be popular, and with offers such as Hawk the Slayer, Sword and Sorcerer, and LOTR, they want to target that audience.

    Besides, it’s funny. I watched the first half and so far it has been great.

    And am I the only one who thinks the oldest daughter on the show Medium looks like the Princess Helene from this movie? Take a look: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia_Vassilieva

       10 likes

  6. ck says:

    #46

    Don’t forget Rue in Hollywood After Dark (a.k.a. Walk the Angry Beach). That one
    hurt a whole lot.

       1 likes

  7. CHF01 says:

    ck:
    #46

    Don’t forget Rue in Hollywood After Dark (a.k.a. Walk the Angry Beach). That one
    hurt a whole lot.

    Agreed, another really bad print. Wild Women had terrible color timing…but I think that adds to its “allure” of being a cheaply made film :)

       1 likes

  8. Terry the Sensitive Knight says:

    One of my favorites, it’s where I got my username from.

       4 likes

  9. schippers says:

    #41 – I am absolutely with you on remakes. Hey Hollywood, pick a subpar movie with an otherwise good premise or concept and remake it. Don’t remake Robocop.

    Although yes I know why remakes of beloved properties are undertaken – they have a built in fanbase, moviemaking is a business, etc. etc.

       2 likes

  10. ready4sumfootball says:

    EricJ: Oh, so they bought it back now?Used to be playing on every backwater station, in a hundred different print conditions, when I was growing up.(And likely during the 90’s when it was on MST3K.)

    Can you “buy back” a copyright? My impression is that when something falls into the public domain it stays there. Moot point anyway. You’re talking like Rifftrax did this because it’s PD and it would give them extra sales due to it being a cheap redo. The MST3K DVD states distribution rights go to MGM, and Rifftrax would have had to purchase rights from there as well. So I’m sorry, but you’re wrong about that.

       5 likes

  11. Ray Dunakin says:

    Droppo:
    I am just not a fan of Mary Jo’s voice or delivery.I think it’s PTSD from her performance as Pearl (which I detested).Sucks because clearly she’s a talented, likable person who’s directly responsible as a writer for countless laughs that I’ve had as a fan of MST3K.I just so disliked the Pearl character that I can’t get into any Mary Jo performance.I’m sorry!I feel genuinely bad about it – not that she would (or should) care.

    I thought Pearl was too unlikeable on the CC eps, but I thought she was a hoot in the SciFi channel episodes. But to each his own.

       6 likes

  12. Ray Dunakin says:

    PrivateIron:
    One movie NOT to watch the full version of is Hobgoblins.It’s amazing how much slimier the unedited cut is!

    Wow, I’m amazed that it could possibly be any slimier! Eww!!

       1 likes

  13. Yeah I saw the uncut Hobgoblins. THere’s more scenes of Pee Wee Herman Casual Wear Guy having phone sex to give you an idea of what got cut.

       2 likes

  14. Droppo says:

    #61:

    I totally agree that the Sci Fi incarnation of Pearl was superior to the CC version. Unfortunately (for me), I disliked both. It was just so jarring because prior to that point, MST3K casting/performers could do no wrong in my book. And it’s not that I’m averse to change. I love both Joel and Mike. I love both Trace and Bill. I just never found the Pearl character to be remotely enjoyable. I take that back. One exception: the opening of Time Chasers when Pearl is acting like a totally pleasant Midwestern neighbor: “Yeah, I s’pose.” And yet, she’s casually evil. That was genuinely funny and I would have been totally fine if that was the take on her character. The over the top approach just never worked for me.

    But, again…I must always caveat any criticism with: Mary Jo was one of a handful of contributors to my favorite show/piece of art ever. I just wish I liked the Pearl character/performance is all…

       3 likes

  15. thequietman says:

    CowboyCrocket:
    Yeah I saw the uncut Hobgoblins. THere’s more scenes of Pee Wee Herman Casual Wear Guy having phone sex to give you an idea of what got cut.

    So that “Excuse me sir, may I use your phone?” line at the very end was supposed to be the payoff to a running gag? Who knew…

       2 likes

  16. ck says:

    Surprising to read dislike of Pearl. I though she and Brain Guy and Professor Bobo rejuvenated the show. Thinking of their musical work together makes you want to contribute to a PBS telethon.

       5 likes

  17. PrivateIron says:

    Cue a boilerplate Black Adder comment: Hobgoblins uncut is as slimy as a greased slime mold climbing a larded barber pole on St. Slimin’s Day, Baldrick. Or any random moist scene in the Matrix.

       1 likes

  18. PrivateIron says:

    I liked SF Pearl, liked. CC Pearl was a bit hard to take. I recently wondered what the show would have been like if Trace had stayed. I would not have wanted a continuation of the 7th season dynamic, but hopefully they would have had a fresh take of some sort lined up.

    I cannot find a list of all the Pee Wee Herman riffs from MST3K. Dammit, what good is the interweb if you cannot automatically find stuff like that?

       2 likes

  19. Droppo says:

    By the way….getting all the way back to what this thread is supposed to be about:

    Last night, I watched the Rifftrax Magic Sword and it was hilarious. I love (and still prefer) the original MST3K version, but, this was a great re-riff and made me even more interested to see Mike/Kevin/Bill take on other Joel classics.

    I thoroughly approve!

       3 likes

  20. SAVE FERRIS says:



    While I agree with others that it seems a bit odd that they’re choosing to revisit old MST titles, with the TREMENDOUS amount of other options out there, in the end, we ALL have the choice not to buy what we don’t want.


    BUT, if we’re going to insist on retreading old tires………I personally can NEVER get enough of the Great (Canadian) Anus’s, “The Final Sacrifice” (1990) !!!!


    ;-)

       0 likes

  21. FordPrefect says:

    I feel like this is a specific sort of issue for riffaholics like us who watch stuff from the MST3K catalog on a weekly basis more than it is for anyone else involved. It’s easy for us to view these from a perspective of “didn’t they JUST do this” if we watched our Shout Factory copy of it last month. However, Conor and Sean weren’t around for any of those episodes. With the exception of Spring Fever, neither was Bill. The only active participants for whom these are truly redos are Mike and Kevin but I seriously doubt that, prior to the writing of the Rifftrax version, they’ve sat and watched these movies since they finished production on the episodes in question roughly 20 years ago. I have trouble remembering a movie I watched four years ago, let alone two decades ago. Anyway, the MST3K Classics category of the catalog is still fairly small and easily avoidable in relation to everything else they’ve done over the past nine years. I doubt they want to (or legally can) re-riff the majority of the films they did back in the 90’s for their VOD catalog. Plus they’ve gotten to a point where they’re releasing a new product every week, so if you don’t want to see The Magic Sword again just wait until next week and maybe you’ll like the next thing they post better. Don’t forget if you have a specific suggestion for them, you can send it to them on here: http://ideas.rifftrax.com/forums/244244-rifftrax-movie-requests

       2 likes

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