Sometimes it’s all in the timing. Example: In STARFIGHTERS when Bob Dornan is in the bar with his buddy acting all cool and calm after his flight he pauses and looks down at the same time that there is a missing frame in the film (because missing frames are a kind of ruling aesthetic in crappy movies like this), which elicits a resounding BELCH from one of our riffers. Sure, it’s a juvenile gag, but the timing is PERFECT; you would swear that that was what happened in the movie. :-)
So what are your favourite perfectly timed moments–those little (riff) moments when everything comes together?
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From “Danger! Death Ray”, Servo’s little “Ole!” when Scarface dives out the window. That had me on the floor.
From “The Screaming Skull”, as Jenny just sits on her bed listening to nothing, Crow leaps out of his seat and shouts “Can we help you, movie lady? Do you need a push or something?”
From “The Incredible Melting Man”, when Melt smashes his hand through the window of Nell’s double-wide, he jerks his head back, and Servo adds a smarmy little “Ha ha ha ha!” It’s perfect. :D
The precisely perfect number of seconds pass between the opening shot in “Why Study Industrial Arts” and Crow’s comment, “Depressed yet?”
EricJ, you reminded me of a similar one from Devil Fish: the sheriff slowly takes off his sunglasses, staring at the scientist. As he does so, Crow riffs menacingly, “I’m going to kick your ass…”
A Date with Your Family:
Mike: “Mom…I’m pregnant.”
Narrator: “Oh, is it that late?”
In this week’s episode, Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders, the moment near the beginning when Servo repeats the “book” music. The timing, namely the fact that Merlin repeats “the book?” immediately after Zurella, is basically the only reason it’s funny.
Zurella: “Why don’t you give him… the book?”
Musical riff: do-do-do do-do-do
Merlin: “The book?”
Servo: “Do-do-do do-do-do!”
Another one from “Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders”, at the end when Merlin is looking over his shop, Servo says this:
“Yes, it is my duty to release evil and gradually recover it. Following the deaths of many innocent people.”
The best part is Merlin NODS HIS HEAD just as Servo mentions “the deaths of many innocent people”, as if he’s confirming Servo’s riff as true. You just can’t plan a riff better than that.
I love the entire episode “Boggy Creek II”, but my favorite riff is when Doc pauses in Crenshaw’s house, and Mike says “Hold it, I’m going to belch the alphabet”. I laugh every time, and I’ve seen it at least a hundred times.
In Agent from H.A.R.M., there’s a scene when Chance somehow rigs his T.V. to electrocute anyone who touches the knob. Because they were too cheap to show the actual effect of electrocution, it’s heard off-screen, meaning that we only see the effect: the nameless baddie throwing himself down the stairs. Crow’s “Gotta Dance!” is absolutely perfect in it’s timing, and it gets me every time.
In Cave Dwellers, when the girl runs into the room and slips. The riff, “Careful, I just waxed the floor.” Gets me every time.
In The Giant Gila Monster
The little sister gets braces and she barely makes it across the room in them. The following day we see her with a very heavy suitcase.
Crow: Yesterday she couldn’t walk, today she’s hauling furniture!
Almost forgot my two favorites from “A Case of Spring Fever”:
– (Our character’s spouting of springs’ virtues causes golf partner to miss his shot and throw down his golf club: )
“All right, that’s it…”
– “So, ‘guns’, huh?”
Similarly, in Magic Voyage of Sinbad, when Annoying Old Guy interrupts Sinbad during one of his motivational town square speeches, Sinbad turns, and Servo matches his expression with a Robert DeNiro “Did I tell youse to talk?”
(Favorite, though?–Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, as Voldar comes out of the ship with an odd scowly expression:
Servo: “Why, Voldar, you’ve been crying… :( “)
From Gorgo:
William Sylvester: “I’ve been listening to myself.”
(phone rings)
Servo: “Uhp, that’ll be me again.”
In “Track of the Moonbeast” when Johnny Longbow is speculating about the killer lizard situation, the camera cuts to an incredulous reaction from the gray-haired cop, and Mike blurts out, “Let’s just go eat!” in a tone of frustration…
Girl in Gold Boots.
“I’m back!”
The “Help, I’m trapped in another dimension” riffs from Brain/Head that Wouldn’t Die”.
The combo of Mitchell, Martin Balsam and Joel = comedic gold.
Martin Balsam: “I don’t pay for your hookers, Mitchell.”
Joel: “Well, could ya?”
Balsam: “You don’t have to be a pig for the rest of your life, Mitchell!”
Joel: “Well, I kind of do.”
Finishing a sentence riffs are always great. One of my favorites is from The Deadly Bees when Manfred starts an explanation of his work by saying, “I’ve been making…”. And a riffer completes the sentence with, “…this movie really hard to watch”. This kind of riff needs precise timing to be inserted in the dialogue.
During ‘Danger!! Death Ray’
In a host segment where Tom is demonstrating his own death ray, at the end of the skit Crow’s head goes up in (unplanned) flames. The way Trace rolls with it and dials the maniacal shrieking laughter up to 11 is perfect.
Just thought of this one from “The Home Economics Story”. Right before the football game scene (with the ‘look, look, look at my crotch!’ cheer), the girls are in a class learning about the ‘why’ of nutrition and the teacher reaches down and picks up a jar. A split second before the scene cuts to the next, Servo throws in “This is phlegm!”
I think that’s the most razor-sharp riff I’ve heard and it slays me every time.
Another one from “Danger Death Ray”. When Fart Bargo comes to the door of the villa, and the butler opens the door, Mike shouts “Taco!”, followed by Servo singing “Puttin’ on the Ritz”. I know it’s coming whenever I watch, but it gets me every time.
In Gunslinger near the start of the movie as Bev enters the Sheriff’s office and the camera continues to pan to two men on stationary horses and Joel riffs “uh, cue the horses” just as they lurch into motion. Crow’s incredulous “Corman…” under his breath just adds to the moment.
In Mitchell, when Joel very quickly speaks for the burglar:
“If that’s John Saxon, I’m dead!”
Another perfectly-timed riff that just came to me: In Mighty Jack, one of our heroes bursts into the room where the bad guy is and shouts, “Don’t move!” But then he starts shooting anyway and Crow quickly adds, “You moved!” One of the biggest laughs in that ep for me.
In “The Painted Hills” the “First thing I’m going to do is buy me a montage” scene is full of brilliant timing. The old prospector’s cheerful expression as he shouts “The world is dying!” and “Sampo!” just set me laughing uncontrollably. Shep’s “Snausages?” are also pure gold (pun intended).
In “Super Agent Secret Dragon” there’s the scene where Secret Dragon is kissing the femme fatale and the power cuts out, causing the record playing in the background to slow to a stop. They stop kissing and Joel riffs “Don’t worry, that happens to all guys sometime.” Perfection!
Do you think some of these “perfectly timed” moments actually hit just right during the shooting of the theater sequences, or was the timing adjusted later with ADR to make them just right? Sometimes the lip flap (particularly noticeable on Crow) doesn’t quite sync up.
Beginning of the End:
(Peter Graves) and Audrey (Peggy Castle) stand by the demolished warehouse discussing the disappearance of all the wheat. Cut to Ed’s deaf assistant Frank watching them. Crow channels Woody Allen from the end of ‘Love and Death’ to paraphrase:
“Wheat. I’m deaf and they’re talking about wheat.”
Too perfect.