One of the great joys of college was waking up early Saturday morning (after a night of doing things that college kids do) and watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 with my pals. Oh the joys of having Joel and the bots sitting at the bottom of my screen mocking crappy movies. Now those silhouettes can be in your home once again with a cool decal.
Tag Archives: MST3K
WTF: Check out the Russian MST3K
It’s not uncommon for television series that are popular in one country to get adapted for the airwaves in another. The Office, Skins, Being Human, and Life on Mars are just a few that we took from the Brits. Likewise shows like The Big Bang Theory have been adapted for audiences in other countries, but the one that has to take the cake is Project Popcorn.
What? You’ve never heard of an American show called Project Popcorn? That’s because you probably know it better as Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Check out the intro, that seems eerily familiar, even down to the round red fox (Tom Servo) and Penguin (Crow T. Robot). Even the main character, Stepa, bears a strange resemblance to the Mike.
“The protagonist – Stepa is a guinea pig at the Institute of Brain. His mind processes the old movies the villain Professor Zamyshlyavkin. But friends – talking dog ketchup and cynical penguin Fidel always ready to joke in the most dangerous places for the psyche! Watch movies with the steppe, ketchup and Fidel – the best entertainment for fans of black humor!”
Are we as Americans going to put up with this?
Considering how the series eventually wound up, I’d say yes…
If you want to endure an entire episode of Project Popcorn, Google Videos has you covered.
28 Days of Geek Giving: MST3K Glasses*
We’re down to the wire, and if you haven’t purchased something for the geek in your life, you’re going to hear a lot of “Worst Christmas Ever!” phrases for the rest of your life. It’s probably too late to run out and buy something truly classy, but a home made gift might score you a few points.
Enter the MST3K glasses. Now, the movie geek in your life will be able to make every movie an episode of MST3K with these hand made specs. You’ll need a laser cutter to cut the acrylic, but at this late a date, working a little harder will pay off.
*(Snarky comments not included)
Cinematic Titanic releases Cinematic Titanic Live: “East Meets Watts”
I’ve been a fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000 since they first debuted on HA! I’m a big Joel fan and have had the pleasure of exchanging pleasantries with him on several occasions. Joel and many of the other MST3K troupe have been going around the country doing live shows, and on December 16, 2009, they are releasing their first live DVD: Cinematic Titanic Live: East Meets Watts.
Review: RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
I’d like to start this review by being perfectly honest: I love Mystery Science Theater 3000. The premise of mocking bad movies is excellent, and the jokes are very smart, witty, and chock-full of film and pop culture references. I admit I joined in the MST3K fun late in the game – the first season I watched was the last season filmed. But through the magic of DVDs and the Internet, I have been able to relive virtually all the bad movies they covered. Needless to say, I was thrilled a few years ago when I heard that the writers (as well as actors) of the show were launching not one, but two movie-riffing projects. One evolved into Cinematic Titanic, headed by the likes of MST3K originators Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, Mary Jo Pehl, Frank Coniff, and J. Elvis Weinstein. They tend to cover B-movies exclusively.
The other became RiffTrax, created by former head writer and second MSTie host Michael J. Nelson. It takes a slightly different approach to riffing. They produce .mp3 files that can be played along with commercial DVDs separately, allowing them to riff bigger-name films like Independence Day, Harry Potter, and most recently, The Room. Both are amazingly funny shows, and are well worth checking out.