We’ve got some funny, creative, and intelligent people here, that all love this show. I figure, why not pool our minds together and collectively create our OWN episode of the show?
Whether or not it ever becomes an actual episode doesn’t matter. The point is the fun and the exercise of working with each other to create our own “fanfic” episode! It would also help us to get to know each other better!
So, here’s going to be the overall process:
You all throw out your own movie suggestions (let’s say, we let that stay open for about a week as of this post). DONEHere was the poll and the results:Let's Make an Episode! - #37 by Ansible
I start a poll asking you all to vote for THE movie to use (don’t worry if yours doesn’t win, if this “experiment” is a fun success, I’m sure we’ll be digging back into that list for future ones!) DONEMovie Selected - The Incredible Petrified World:The Incredible Petrified World (1959) John Carradine | Sci-Fi | B-movie - YouTube
After the poll is over, and the movie chosen, we all watch the movie as many times as we can stand, and then take turns bouncing ideas off the wall for the following “elements”:
Intro Segment (what wacky things are the host(s) and the bots doing before the Mads call?)
Invention Exchange
Host Segment 1 - Something wacky happening on the SOL (like
Host Segment 2 - Something directly related to the movie and/or something in the movie (like The Movie’s “Metaluna Mixer”, or Mike Nelson’s Torgo delivering pizza, that sort of thing)
Host Segment 3 - Something with the crew interacting with the Mads
Host Segment 4 - Something totally off the wall, with a callback to an earlier host segment
Fan Letters
Finally, we start the “big work” of giving riff ideas for each timestamp in the movie. We’re currently ironing out the process to use for users to submit riffs and for them to be decided/voted upon.
We eventually put this all together into a rough “script” for a new show!
I have never wanted to quit my job more than right now.
That’s a “yes, yes, gods, yes!”
Questions about the ground rules.
Will we anger Lesley and Ivan with potential lawsuits?
Will R- and MA-rated movies be considered? (Even if we trim them into a PG state, that would still rule out under-aged and sensitive people from working on the project.)
At this point in the nominations, are there any expectations? Are we personally vouching for the movies, or is this more of a brainstorming free-for-all?
(Sleeping on it, I think we have to select a G or PG movie. This isn’t about the end product, it’s about the process, and we want to be inclusive.)
I’ve never heard of that one, so I decided to look it up. I’ve only watched the first ten minutes so far, but I hear some riffs in my head already. I’ll watch more later when I have a chance.
I’ve always thought A*P*E would be great. It’s a cruddy 3D(!) kaiju flick with a “giant” gorilla the fluctuates in size quite a lot. It has a “They just didn’t care” kind of vibe about it. I haven’t seen it in ages but it’s got lots of janky editing and nonsense that seems like it’d be both fun and riffable.
Here it is on YouTube. I hit play, the music started, and my brain immediately expected to hear Crow start riffing.
I finally finished watching The Incredible Petrified World. Enjoyable, and, my god, that film is ripe for riffing! With only 5 minutes to go until the end, and so many loose ends, I had to double check that I was watching a complete version of the film (it’s quite short at roughly 70 minutes).
Now, I will go watch A*P*E (the title of which begs for a M*A*S*H riff, don’t you think?).
MST3k did use Hobgoblins, so I should keep an open mind about considering a comedy. That includes The Ice Pirates and The Peanut Butter Solution (I actually remember seeing these about 35 years ago, but wasn’t analysing their riff potential at the time ).
I see it’s a musical, too. Will talking over the singing work? @EBK , please let me know what you think, too, after watching it.
Oh my dear so-long-ago crush: Kristy McNichol. Was quite warm for her form in my youth, and this movie had her leaping about and swashing buckles and baring shoulders ~gasp~
While I wasn’t the model of a modern major general, a song prominently featured in this loose ‘Pirates of Penzance’ remake, I was in fact the very model of an ancient minor corporal (or some such). This could be a fun one, though I recall the crew saying riffing comedies (I’m being generous) can be challenging. How to goof on something that goofs on itself? Mystery Meta Theater?
I’m watching it now, and it’s right up there with the best! The goofy scenes dropped in to show off 3-D alone are comedy gold. SEE random things launched at the camera!
Although I don’t think the ape changes size (I think it’s a hobbit in the hang gliding scene), it definitely has the power of invisibility.
And, yeah, whistling the M*A*S*H theme would definitely fit in a couple of places. oh, and those choppers are flown by leprechauns, too.
UPDATE: I stand corrected about the changing scale. The 36’ ape throws 10’ boulders, then the same props fly into the humans, looking about 18" in that scene.
I watched this as a teenager when my friend and I would pick out random videos at the local video rental shop. We ended up crying laughing because we couldn’t believe how ridiculous this movie was. It was so bad we just had to watch the whole thing. This was before I had really seen MST3K and as soon as I was introduced to riffing, I really wanted them to roast this one.
Here was the poll and the results: Let's Make an Episode! - #37 by Ansible
).
oh, and those choppers are flown by leprechauns, too. 