Will they keep the beloved “I’m gonna sink this bitch!” riff? Found out now!
  Visit Cinematic Titanic, the new site by Joel Hodgson and other original MST3K cast members.  And be sure to visit mst3k.com, the official site of Best Brains, Inc. and Mystery Science Theater 3000.  And don't forget about rifftrax.com, the place to download DVD commentaries by Michael J. Nelson.  And also be sure to visit the official web site of Michael J. Nelson.  Also also be sure to visit the official web site of Kevin Murphy.  Discover Darkstar. |
Now Available from RiffTrax…77 comments to Now Available from RiffTrax… |
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I think I’ll pass on this one. The movie does have its sappy moments which may lend to some good riffs, but it deals with a real life event that isn’t one bit funny.
I helped my daughter years ago with a junior high report about the Titanic. There’s a book by Walter Lord called A Night To Remember that comes to mind; probably the most detailed book about the topic. That and the movie of the same name sticks with you.
I wish Rifftrax the best with this one, but to me, comedians providing movie commentary that deals with this type of subject matter is, in my opinion, crossing the line. To each hi or her own, I guess.
I would say if it’s OK for someone to make a movie about it — heavily fictionalized and hugely profitable — then it’s also OK to make fun of that movie. Not of the event itself, of course, but of the movie.
Bill confirmed on Twitter they’re keeping the “sink this bitch” line.
Eric is indeed right. The movie itself is completely ripe for it, and I don’t see any reason it shouldn’t be riffed.
Also… it’s not like there aren’t a million jokes about the actual Titanic anyway, and they’re not every last one poor taste or crossing a line. I don’t recall anyone being offended when Ghostbusters II did their joke on it. (I mean, specifically that. The movie as a whole… well, I can see people getting miffed at its existence.)
It’s Ok to make fun of the movie…even when the movie itself, no matter how heavily fictional, depicts the death of 1490 people? I don’t get that at all. I do understand your point about making heavy profit based on real life events, The Passion is good example of this.
So Eric, should Rifftrax queue up World Trade Center next? You said its Ok to make fun of a movie, not the event itself. Maybe the events of 9/11 would be a fun movie to make fun of, in your opinion?
Are you seeing my point at all?
This might actually convince me to watch this movie for the first time ever.
It’s not like they’re riffing Oliver Stone’s “9-11.”
I think Patton Oswalt and David Cross have sufficiently proven that even 9-11 can be an event to build brilliant (and biting) comedy around. As the regrettably late George Carlin said, “you can make fun of ANYTHING”. It’s just all in how you frame the joke.
So no. Riffing Titanic doesn’t cross any kind of “line”. And considering we haven’t heard the jokes yet (save the obvious, a line that is completely hilarious), I think this is a bit of presumptive overreaction.
I didn’t know ‘Titanic’ the movie was so sacred.
Yeah, death is a tough subject, but it’s been with us since Adam & Eve first sinned.
Titanic is one of millions of movies and tv shows since the industry began that have dealt with real life subjects, but that doesnt make them sacred and immune from criticism.
To say Rifftrax is crossing the line by riffing on the movie ‘Titanic’ strikes me as a completely ridiculous charge. And while I respect every individual’s right to an opinion, it doesn’t mean I can’t shake my head, roll my eyes, and laugh at it.
‘Titanic’ the movie is far from sacred. I never said it was; please read my posts again. And I don’t give a damn about the jokes I haven’t heard.
Let me explain ‘crossing the line’ a bit, as I didn’t fully express myself in my first post. Perhaps what I should have said was: ‘in very bad taste’.
May I express an opinion?
Years ago, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” had a flashback episode where Rob was certain that, at the hospital, his and Laura’s baby got switched with the baby of a couple named Peters. Rob was so convinced that he called the other couple and invited them over to talk about it. Well, they arrive and Rob is realizes how wrong he was…since the other couple is African-American.
When this episode was made, some people at CBS told Executive Producer Sheldon Leonard that he couldn’t do this story because they felt the show was making fun of the fact that the other couple was black. Leonard answered, “No, we’re not. We’re making fun of the fact that Rob is a dope!”
Rifftrax is not making fun of the fact that nearly 1500 people died. They’re making fun of the fact that the movie is a sappy mess. There is a difference, and I’m sure they’ll keep that in mind.
TOO SOON!
If they make a horrendous movie about two star-crossed lovers (from two different castes) who spend 10 minutes getting to know each other before being hopelessly in love….and 70 years later after a lifelong marriage he’s the one she thinks about in death — then yes a 9/11 may be acceptable nearly 90 years later. If they resurrect a Celine Dion song to go along with it, then it should be required.
Both 9/11 and Titanic were horrible tragedies. It makes neither the Titanic movie or the awful songs (either protesting Bush or capitalizing on the event itself) sacred.
No, “in very bad taste” is basically the exact same charge as “crossing the line”… ridiculous.
Should they have not done Time Chasers, since that has the Civil War, and lots of people died in that… The Giant Of Marathon…
Kentonic #12…
I give it ten years before we see the movie you describe. Complete with a vapid pretty boy going WOOOOOO on the roof.
#13, I think that was the Revolutionary War in Time Chasers.
#1: Your opinion is stupid.
OH SPLIT HAIRS WHY DON’T YOU
For me, the line of decency has to do with making it personal. I think the jokes about lame plot holes or terrible lighting are funnier than when they call any one person out and spend the whole time basically cruicifying him or her.
Same stands for this. Tear the flick apart but try to avoid making fun of the actual people involved in the real disaster (the sinking disaster, not the movie disaster).
So that being said, while I may disagree with #1, I can totally understand and accept where MeMyself is coming from. I might buy it, s/he probably won’t. Neither of our opinions really affects the other’s opinions or actions. Live and let live.
I don’t understand people who have nothing to do with the movie or RT getting upset at other people who have nothing to do with either for having a different opinion. And I’m speaking more of those attacking MeMyself’s stance, than those who just offer a different voice.
But a whole extra hour of riffing for a single dollar more IS quite a bargain…
If they were riffing “A Night to Remember,” which is much more factually based on actual events, the poster who thought this was “crossing a line” might have something vaguely approaching a point.
But it isn’t, so he doesn’t.
I mean, by his logic, “Towering Inferno” represents everyone who was EVER killed in a burning building; “The Poseidon Adventure” can’t be touched because some people have in fact drowned in sinking ships, and “Airplane!” is a shocking example of bad taste — people HAVE been killed in air disasters, you know!!
Puh-lease. Titanic was ****e. Even the author of “A Night to Remember” thought so (publicly, I might add). The *film* is fair game for riffing, belittlement, and other such mockery.
One wonders what the original poster would make of “Springtime For Hitler” …
I saw that movie ONCE, in fast forward, I only hit play 3 times. Twice for Kate Winslet sans clothing, and lastly, Leonardo sinking to the bottom of the ocean. The ONLY good scenes I can think of. If only he took Celine Dion with him. I guess I’m a very bitter person.
Why are so many attacking MeMyselfand! for his opinion? I see nothing wrong with what he has stated, it’s a fair opinion. Sheesh…. you posters, sometimes….
“LOOK OUT! ICEBEARD. Just kidding.”
Why is it big league movies, especially James Cameron’s TITANIC of all films, so easy to riff?
Of course they can’t riff Titanic! The McKinnley assasination just became acceptable to joke about. Barely.
I’m glad they’re keeping that line. Classic. I was kinda disappointed when the X-Files rifftrax was missing some of the great stuff from the 2nd Annual MST3K SBR.
Chas M has hit the nail on the head.
By MeMyselfAnd!’s logic, riffing on RED ZONE CUBA (based on the bay of pigs which was a real life subject in which people died) was crossing the line (or as restated “in very bad taste”).
And don’t tell me the amount of people that died makes any difference. Even one person dying is bad enough. Death is a terrible thing period. So if you are going to say riffing on Titanic is in very bad taste, you have to say it is very poor taste to riff on any movie in which a person dies.
Agree about being disappointed by the three riffers or rifftrax re-dos of past riffed movies.
I thought the Plan 9 by Mike alone had some funnier things left out of the redo by the 3 riffers. Same goes for Night of the Living Dead. They left out Columbo becoming zombified, and some other very funny riffs that Mike made in the version done all by himself.
I wish they would watch the original riffed versions before setting out to write re-riffed movies. I bet they don’t. That’s shoddy workmanship if you ask me.
As far as I’m concerned they committed the ultimate insult to everyone who died on the Titanic when they decided to make a film that wasn’t actually about those events, but instead just used those tragic events as the backdrop for a fictional “love” story that was so cliched, predictable, and boring that it be an embarrassment even if it were just a Harlequin romance novel. I’ll happily make fun of such a ridiculous movie and feel no guilt. This movie does not honor or respect those who died in the historic events it so callously uses to “thrill” audiences, and so there is no reason to honor or respect it.
For once I agree with Cronkite.
This Guy #5: me too. I have actively avoided seeing this movie simply because it was so super-popular, and I can’t stand girlboy Leo.
God, some people are way too uptight these days.
What a disappointment! I, for one, was truly hoping that rifftrax would finally give the all people involved in the real-world Titanic incident the savage vocal beat-down they’ve been asking for all these years!!!
…
I’m kidding, of course.
That should have been obvious but if some people on here believe that was the way rifftrax was going with this one, I guess I can’t be too sure.
@ The Professor: I hope that after this they go after those mouthy Civil War widows.
Cronkite has it down pat; if James Cameron wouldn’t take the subject matter seriously, why the hell should we?
One problem, though: isn’t Titanic split across two discs? How are they going to keep things synched up?
All I know is that it’s PARTY TIME!
(If you know what I’m referencing, then you know there are MUCH worse incidences of the Titanic disaster being taken advantage of/mocked than either that of the Cameron movie or the Rifftax mockery of said Cameron movie).
(If you don’t know what I’m referencing…then count your blessings.)
The Legend Goes On…
Opinions, by the way, are not by any stretch of the imagination unassailable, bulletproof holy writ. Especially when they’re based on faulty logic or lack of facts. I don’t know where this notion came from, but can it go back now?
Despite it’s historical accuracy, Cameron’s Titanic is still mostly a work of fiction. I think this makes the riffing acceptable. You might say they are riffing the “Cinematic” TITANIC!
I actually think that this glorified Harlequin romance of a movie was more offensive to the victims of the sinking than any riffs could possibly be.
I’m looking forward to this one.
#20–I think jumping on the boards immediately to dump on the movie choice is inviting criticism in a big way. Plus to do so in such a overmoralizing way–”hey, you are bad people for making fun of a real life tragedy, but i guess that’s your choice”–is a bitter pil. “Want to make fun of Titanic? Guess you tell a lot of 911 jokes too huh.”
And let me remind you of previous choice Casablanca; lots of people killed in the Resistance, or possibly the whole WWII thing.
@#33
Yeah, nothing about the Titanic could EVER be worse that that…thing.
titanic is long stupid and dull, why would someone ever watch it unriffed?
as far as riffing is gos anything can and I say must be riffed!
people are way to sensitive now a days, “oh no everyone on the real titanic died, you can joke about that” sure you can, they died so long ago theyed be dead now if they had survived.
I dont believe in a subject being off limits.
joke about nine eleven, go ahead, I’ll find it just as funny as titanic.
people die every day, thousands of them, just because something is historiclly noteworthy dose not make any more serious.
death like everything else is and can be funny.
(I wont be watching titanic, I dont have the movie and I refuse to buy it and the mp3, I watch riffings on dvd or vhs format, I am out of date)
“I wanna decide who lives and who dies”
Wow, 40 comments already for the mere announcement of RT’s Titanic. Must be a record for this website.
I for one was glad to see this as MSTies/RT fans have long requested a full riff of this film, not just the trailer from the Summer Blockbuster Special. This suggests to me that Cameron’s silly looking Avatar will be riffed when released on DVD next year.
Most of this discussion has been in response to poster #1′s decision not to watch this particular Rifftrax product. ‘Crossing the line’ and ‘in very bad taste’ are very subjective when dealing with comedy. Your mileage may vary. The following quote says more about his/her POV than anything they wrote about the film “Titanic” itself:
MeMyselfand! @ comment #4: “I do understand your point about making heavy profit based on real life events, The Passion is good example of this.”
That’s a joke, right?
lol @ #19 celine dion should have went down too! i am glad that i have never seen this movie. until now…but at least it’s with the rifftrax
I watched 5 minutes of this once. The dialogue was so cliche and sappy I think my ears started bleeding. RT will most likely be making fun of the FICTIONAL events that was shoehorned into a real life disaster for our entertainment and amusement. Perhaps they should riff Raise The Titanic next. Oh and I’ve never seen so many people whine except for when they riffed The Dark Knight. Get over it!
wow…I didn’t ever think this would be a angry topic. This movie is overrated so they gotta take it down.
I cannot wait. I got dragged to a showing of this when it was out. Theater packed and full of women. At the end when old Rose threw the necklace into the sea (and all the women in the theater were sniffling and bawling), I laughed like a bastard.
She screwed those researchers and their hard work good! It was HILARIOUS!
I’m just waiting for them to do Schindler’s List.
geez, it must be too soon for memyselfand!. That’s how I felt about Touch of satan for a split second then I screamed “Burn the Witch”
It’s Ok to make fun of the movie…even when the movie itself, no matter how heavily fictional, depicts the death of 1490 people? I don’t get that at all. I do understand your point about making heavy profit based on real life events, The Passion is good example of this.
So Eric, should Rifftrax queue up World Trade Center next? You said its Ok to make fun of a movie, not the event itself. Maybe the events of 9/11 would be a fun movie to make fun of, in your opinion?
Are you seeing my point at all?
The Passion was based on REAL life events??
I’d like to see proof of that.
Sorry for the double post.
This part was a quote from #4:
“It’s Ok to make fun of the movie…even when the movie itself, no matter how heavily fictional, depicts the death of 1490 people? I don’t get that at all. I do understand your point about making heavy profit based on real life events, The Passion is good example of this.
So Eric, should Rifftrax queue up World Trade Center next? You said its Ok to make fun of a movie, not the event itself. Maybe the events of 9/11 would be a fun movie to make fun of, in your opinion?
Are you seeing my point at all?” – MeMyselfand!
I’d like to see proof of that.
The last 2 sentences were all me.
Just had to clarify.
I still have on tape the MST3K oscar special with clips from this movie, and have been waiting over ten years to see a full riff. Even my wife who usally dosen’t get into these trax has said she well definitly watch it with me, and it is one of her favorite sappy movies. If this movie would have been about the victems of the sinking that would be one thing, but this is a typical monie grabbing sappy movie that with the exception of a couple names, has no historic relevence, hmmm like another movie, Pearl Harbor ring a bell, that was an insult to any vet that movie. But it’s america, if you feel it is to sensitive for you, hey don’t watch, and I hold no ill feelings, I plan on 3 hours of laughter though, just like when I watched it normal. What insanly crule mother instead of securing her daughters futur goes and throws away a multi million dollar diamond. Oh and I checked the DVD is on one disk, so there shouldn’t be a propblem, but even with two they did fine with Lord of the Rings. Rift on !!!
okay should have previewed that, my what horrible speeling, never do this after ten hour shift!!!!
Just wondering, has anyone else seen those great big inflatable titanic slides at carnivals? Has anyone else noticed in video
arcades those spinning, sinking titanic games
where you drop quarters? Just my 2 cents.
The only way to watch this overrated and bloated movie is with Rifftrax.Listen,if they were making fun of the people that died on that ship,then I would take issue,but since they’re not,I say,Riff away!! However,I would take issue with them doing Schindler’s List because it focuses on those who died,as well as Liam Neeson’s character.No sappy love story at all.But,since this is about Titanic,I’d say,go at it Rifftrax-sink the fricking ship!!
Totaly Agree Gary, a movie like Schindler’s list was about the victims and would be in bad taste to rift, Titanic was about anything but the real victims
Um, just so it’s clear, I don’t REALLY want to see Rifftrax do Schindler’s List…
The boat sank. Get over it.
Thanks alot Mike. I had never seen it and now you went and ruined it for me.
You could have at least put “Spoiler Alert”.
Just in case you’re serious, Manny, let me point out that there’s an expiration date on movie spoilers. Since this movie was somewhat based on a real tragedy, it’s more of a history lesson than a spoiler anyway.
Apropos of that, allow me to reveal that “Rosebud” was a sled, Soylent Green was made of people, the planet turned out to be Earth, Darth Vader was Luke’s father, Dil had a wang, and Bruce Willis was really dead the whole time. You’re welcome.
I’m fine with them riffing “titanic”. concerning the first post, I thought about whether it would be appropriate for them to riff a documentary about the Titanic. This led to thinking about documentaries and ended with me settling on the idea that it would be a wonderous thing if they ever riffed the old “In search of” show with Leonard Nimoy. That would make me happy. That and old episodes of Love Boat or Fantasy Island. But yeah, Titanic is fine too.
Does this mean the name ‘Cinema Titanic’ is completely inappropriate as well?
You could extrapolate this point to cover about two dozen or more movies MST3K, Rifftrax, or Cinema Titanic have done.
Plus, I may have my memories mixed up, but I believe the reason they can’t riff ‘Schindler’s List’ is that Kevin & Bill keep making out during the whole movie.
#24 :”Death is a terrible thing period”
How do you know, MS?! Have you ever died?
…oh, for the living, maybe?
I think I might actually watch this one…
They aren’t making fun of the people who died on the ship… the’re making fun of the actor’s whose careers should have died on the ship!
Mark: Now that you mention it, aside from Bernard Hill (he played King Theoden, remember?), few of the non-DiCaprio cast members have appeared in anything watchable since then. Did anyone actually watch The Reader, including the cast and crew?
Hoorah! They are finally going to sink this long turd!
So proud to admit I watched it alone in the theater near the end of its run. And I enjoyed most of it. I have a very sappy side, the same side that enjoys the “St. Elmo’s Fire” lovetheme with complete impunity. As well as all the best romantic moments of the “Titanic” film, with its nude modeling and antique auto window-steaming fornicado. But even I must loudly yawp about how broudly drawn and howlingly rendered was Billy Zane’s character. And that is the, pardon the expression, tip of the iceberg of offenses. So I say, have at it, Trax of Riff.
Never saw it. And I probably still won’t.
The gang and I are watching it tonight.
I worked as a theatre manager when this was out. It spent 18 weeks in our largest house and I saw so many bits and pieces through out that time that collectivly I’ve seen this movie about 20 times. One more can’t hurt. Let the riffing roll!
I just remember seeing this in highschool on a double date and being very proud my date didn’t cry.
Until after it was over…in the lobby…
I believe that was our final date.
Interesting tangential discussion about what is appropriate for riffing, or more broadly, perhaps what is appropriate for comedy.
As others have pointed out, making fun of fictional characters, the massive ego of James Cameron, and the actors involved in the movie should be fine. I doubt very much that the Riffers made jokes about real people who actually died, or made light of the event itself. A fine line, perhaps, but a line nonetheless.
I assume that everyone here has no problem with M*A*S*H or Hogan’s Heroes, which made comedy out of war and death (in very different ways, of course) while never making fun of any real people (except, of course, the Nazis in Hogan’s Heroes). Somehow we have managed to make comedy out of tragedy before, and the world has gone right on spinning.
Schindler’s List keeps coming up. The reason it is not very mockable is that it treats its source material – real people in real situations – with care, respect and dignity. It is clearly crafted not to be simple entertainment. Cameron, on the other hand, just used the Titanic tragedy as a backdrop for his teen romance and special effects orgy.
To me, the real tragedy here is this awful movie, with its cliched dialogue and teen heartthrobs, as well as the hordes of people who insisted upon seeing it several times, and that stupid song which you could not get away from.
So I’m glad RT knocked it down a peg, and hope they continue to take the piss out of the Hollywood ego factory.
First of all, Titanic is a giant, overblown turd… it has nothing to do with the subject matter, or that it is a romance. It is poorly conceived, handled, and executed. It is just awful… and in comedy, the line is drawn by the viewer, not the artist. If someone doesn’t approve of what they are watching, its up to that person to decide when the line has been crossed, and then they should move on.
That being said… Mike, Kevin, and Bill are very sensible and cognitive individuals, and they have never practiced overtly insensitive comedy. They are simply poking fun of a horrible movie that deserves as much lampooning as they can possibly summon up. Next issue…
Rifftrax should do Ilsa: She-Wolf of the S.S. next.
And then they could do Salo: The 120 Days of Sodom.
C’mon people…MST3K & their chief riffers make fun of movies right. They weren’t too hard on somebody getting sold to slavery in Hellcats, the death at the finale of Super Agent Secret Dragon, or just about any other morbid scene they ever sat in front of. They’ll know how to treat the horrendous scenes depicted in Titanic. They’re pros.
Lucas D. said:
“…Bruce Willis was really dead the whole time.”
Thanks a lot, you totally spoiled ‘Die Hard’ for me now. Some people can be so rude.
Titanic was a good movie. I really hated Billy Zane’s character, so I think that aspect worked.
That being said, I never need to see it again.
a whole lotta bashing on #1 here, i have to say i’m a bit surprised. he’s entitled to his opinion. with that said though…
i agree with most everyone else…this isn’t making fun of the sinking of the Titanic, it’s making fun of the movie. i would say the movie did it’s fair share of exploiting a real tragedy for entertainment and is therefore fair game.
i wouldn’t say that the RT guys are never insensitive but i still laugh, just a bit guiltily every now and then
probably joe don baker would agree with me 
A Night to Remember is a good movie and attempts to stick with factual events. It’s a bit dated in style (early movies were always so dramatic) but worth seeing nonetheless.
I wish the guys would do a Live Riff event on New Years Eve of “The Posiedon Adventure!”
John Seavey: No no, you’re thinking of a different movie. In Die Hard he turned out to be Keyser Soze.