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.
7 Comments
Does the Penguin look “stoned” to anyone else?
I’ve gotta say, this looks like it could be amusing at the very least. The ever so obvious “cheap” look, though, makes me cringe.
Are you sure this is real? I mean, they even replicate some of the shots in the opening sequence (like the shot of the three of them sitting in the “theater” with the camera angled on the floor and in the front of them).
OK, my Russian is basically nonexistent, but it cracked me up several times during the first few minutes! And one part got me laughing out loud – when the professor warned them that they are going to see a Georgian movie, with Georgian cinematography, Georgian editing etc., and when the credits started rolling the three guys just looked at them and went “oh, right, Georgian. Jughashvili, Jughashvili…”
I was surprised how genuinely funny the clips of the actual show were; even if I don’t speak Russian (which I don’t), I could still get some of them. Only one person at the Info Club was pitching a fit, claiming that Best Brains should tell the FBI to declare war on Russia for this – and NOT JOKING. She just watched the intro and decided it was the worst thing ever (she had no objections to Rifftrax or Cinematic Titanic, making me think that the Cold War never ended in her brain). Frankly, I think they should release subtitled DVDs; I’d buy it.
I wonder if there are any “fan subbed” episodes floating around the net (similar to some of the fan subbed anime that clarifies some of the horrible subs that mistranslate or just plain butcher what is actually being “said”).
And the Info Club member reminds me of the girl who thought Magic: The Gathering was a ripoff of Yu-Gi-Oh (Not my friend, just a girl who was always bugging people at the old gaming shop).
Awesome!
Good for them. Mst3k changed my life.
It looks like they’re doing Soviet era propaganda. I can’t think of anything better to fight the lingering effects of Stalinism. And i love how Dr. F-ski’s got a hitler stash.
Is the one guy named Ketchup?
I think it’s cool seeing a Russian version of a U.S. property and to be honest, I think their theme song seems kinda peppy and catchy, too.