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Ask MST3k Creator Joel Hodgson
Posted by
CmdrTaco
on Wed Nov 21, 2007 04:07 PM
from the because-you-can dept.
from the because-you-can dept.
As turkey day approaches, we have the chance to ask Joel Hodgson whatever you can think of. If you've lived without electricity since the 80s, you might not be aware that he was the creator and original host of what may be the funniest show in history - Mystery Science Theater 3000, as well as the upcoming Cinematic Titanic. I've still got my fan club membership card even after nearly 2 decades. Standard Slashdot interview rules apply: ask your questions here, and we'll pass a bunch of the highest scoring ones for Joel to answer.
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Joel and Original Cast of MST3K Riding the Cinematic Titanic 185 comments
AugstWest writes "Unfortunately it's in separate projects, but just after Jim Mallon (the man who owns all things MST3K) announced that he would be bringing back Tom Servo, Crow and Gypsy in animated Flash shorts on the web along with Paul Chaplin (a writer from the original MST3K), Joel Hodgson, the series creator, has announced that he will be launching a new venture called Cinematic Titanic. It will feature horrible movies riffed by the original cast of MST3K, including Josh Weinstein (the original Tom Servo), Trace Beaulieu (the original Crow), Frank Conniff (TV's Frank), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester) and, of course, Joel himself. They've already got the rights to 12 movies, and will be releasing one a month starting in December for DVD purchase or download."
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Rifftrax & The Film Crew (Score:5, Interesting)
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Box Set Frustrations (Score:5, Interesting)
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Just bit torrent the seasons. Sure they're VHS dups and the quality suffers sometimes but that's half the fun.
Re:Box Set Frustrations (Score:4, Interesting)
Robert Fiveson, the director of "Parts: The Clonus Horror" which appeared in MST3K Volume 12 Set was smart about it appeared in an interview clip on the DVD. He said he'd originally realized that while MST3K would certainly mock his movie, which despite its low budget and cheesy production was actually a decent movie, so decent it was totally ripped off to create the recent "The Island" directed by Michael Bay. Fiveson went on to say that he received tremendous support from the MST3K fanbase when he pursued a lawsuit against the makers of "The Island", which ended in a settlement, IIRC. Fiveson said he's very glad to have been associated with the show.
All that said, however, there are still a large number of unreleased episodes of the show based on movies whose copyrights have lapsed or are otherwise in the public domain, and here's hoping Jim Mallon and everyone else in a position to do so will work with Rhino to continue these quality releases of the best TV show ever.
Expensive or not, I'm more than happy to support Best Brains and everyone who made this wonderful treasure of TV. Yes, that means I'd bought them all on VHS originally, but I think all those have subsequently been re-released by Rhino, and sadly, the rights have expired again on some movies meaning they can no longer sell Volumes 1 and 10 (I think those are the two).
Push the button, Frank!
How did MST3k come about? (Score:5, Interesting)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_Science_Theater_3000#Inspirations_and_influences [wikipedia.org]
Sci-Fi Channel Years (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Sci-Fi Channel Years (Score:4, Interesting)
I had heard rumors that Sci-Fi was the end of MST3K.
Sci-Fi is where shows go to die. I have never seen a concept so promising completely fail to deliver in all respects, but the Sci-Fi channel is the penultimate failure of cable television. I love science fiction as much as anyone, but I intentionally and actively avoid that channel because the vast majority of the stuff they air is total crap.
Allowing your show to be put on Sci-Fi channel is the death knell of your intellectual property (prime example-- Highlander: The Source).
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MST3K was, and always will be a niche show, and TV executives as a group have some sort of bizarre mental block when it comes to n
Why'd you stop? (Score:5, Interesting)
Public Domain (Score:5, Interesting)
Hollywood Trends (Score:4, Interesting)
New Content (Score:5, Interesting)
We've all laughed at the choice of just inane productions you guys have lambasted over the years. However, there's new choices for great commentary being made every day (skipping personal suggestions). What sort of licensing issues do you guys run up against for acquiring certain content? Is there a "sweet spot" for movies to be in for it to be worth fighting for? How do you choose?
How's it feel when people quote decades-old jokes? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:How's it feel when people quote decades-old jok (Score:2)
Allovertheworld!
Hikeeba!
MITCHELL!
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Allovertheworld!
Hikeeba!
MITCHELL!
See also this XKCD Comic [xkcd.com]. We love when somebody does something cool, original, and funny - are we missing the point by fixating
Cherokee D (Score:4, Interesting)
Also if you could could give the MS3K treatment to any move which movie would it be?
My vote would go to the original Star Trek movie.
So... (Score:2)
Cheap Seats (Score:2)
How much improv? (Score:5, Interesting)
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Still, there are mom
why (Score:4, Interesting)
Theme song (Score:3, Funny)
Does it contain a subliminal message?
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The bastardized song from Pod People
Permission and Sets (Score:5, Interesting)
Has this caused limitations of content for your treatment?
What movie(s) did you really want to review but were denied for some reason?
One of my favorite parts of the show was the creative use of inexpensive materials for the set (except that Millenium Falcon on the door might be worth something now). Will your current project use the same creativity, or will it be more funded and "polished?"
Dear Joel, (Score:3, Interesting)
The first (Score:5, Interesting)
What do you do in your own off-time? (Score:5, Interesting)
We all know what a great job you did with MST3K, what the show was about, etc. HOWEVER -- I'm more curious about you!
And, perhaps most interestingly, are there any particular movies that you wouldn't dare lampoon?
Inquiring knows want to mind!
Earlier-than-documented influences? (Score:3, Interesting)
All of the on-line biographies of you gloss over your "formative years" and seem to concentrate on your prop comedy stand-up work in the Twin Cities as being the impetus for MST3K. However, having grown up in the Green Bay area myself, I can't help but think that some of MST3K (especially its connection to irresistibly awful movies) was inspired in part by WLUK's TJ and the ANT [milwaukee-...-hosts.com] show. Can you comment or elaborate on whether you enjoyed this show as a teenager?
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Long-term effects of spaceflight? (Score:3, Funny)
Hey Joel (Score:5, Interesting)
What do you think of KTMA episodes being available (Score:4, Insightful)
Other Stuff (Score:3, Interesting)
Well... (Score:4, Funny)
Pissed off any target? (Score:5, Interesting)
Joe Don Baker (Mitchell), I Believe (Score:4, Funny)
Also, there have been some new introductions to the DVDs licensed by Rhino and I've watched them all. At the beginning, they often talk with or about trying to contact the actors/directors of the films. Oftentimes, it's kind of sad when they show the actors or actresses as they really poured their heart into the movie. For Time Chasers, Mike opens up saying that they invited the original cast to see the movie together with them. I guess they thought it was going to be more friendly
That said, I have spent considerable amount of time and resources researching Manos and although this is off-topic from your question, I must point out that it was written, directed, produced and starred in by the same man. Hal P. Warren, a fertilizer salesman from El Paso Texas. You can find considerable material on that movie including that the camera had no sound function and couldn't hold more than 60 seconds worth of film which resulted in many cuts and bad editing and three people doing the voices. The film crew was not allowed to do anything artsy and soon dubbed the production "Mangos: Cans of Fruit." The unfortunate story of Torgo is that he was supposed to look like a Satyr but instead put the metal leg inserts in backwards (supposed to make his legs look like that of a goat's) and, as a result, had hilariously large knees. This caused him great pain and, whether he was addicted to pain killers or shamed from the movie I can't say, but he committed suicide shortly there after. Rest in peace, Torgo [imdb.com]. After I found out about that, I did feel a touch bad for him, considering his short life.
Zippy TV show? (Score:4, Interesting)
Illegal video downloads (Score:3, Insightful)
Alternate question: What is it like to watch regular movies with those jokes going on inside your head?
Could you make it today? (Score:5, Interesting)
So Joel... (Score:3, Funny)
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Your ignorance is not Slashdot's fault.
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I didn't think your generation was big enough to be on the net yet. Welcome!
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What, he was supposed to do the same thing forever? He wanted to go other places with his career.
He doesn't owe you crap.