Recently, Rifftrax allowed Mary Jo Pehl and Bridget Nelson to re-riff Angels' Revenge, a Charlie's Angels/Wild Bunch/anti-drug PSA knockoff that was also known as the last MST3K episode Comedy Central ever showed. Very soon, it will also take another look at Final Justice with Joe Don Baker. .
Two years ago, though, Rifftrax reriffed The Magic Sword, an MST episode from 1992. It was made by Bert I.Gordon, and includes his trademark "special" effects. It featured Gary Lockwood as the adopted son of a witch and Basil Rathbone as an actor who had to appear in movies like these to pay for expensive parties thrown by his wife, Actually he's a cruel sorcerer who really needed a good wardrobe.
Anyway, George falls for a princess he's been stalking through magic pools. She's grabbed by Lodac (Rathbone), who wants to feed her to his dragon. George wants to save her, but his adopted mom says he shouldn't bother because he's so young at 20. He takes some magic gifts he was supposed to get when he's 21, and he's on his way.
He's got a rival in Sir Barton, who's actually in league with Lodac. Barton expects to get the princess thanks to Lodac, but that doesn't work out. Of course, George wins in the end, and gets the princess.
I saw both versions, and it looks like Rifftrax's approach was better than the MST version. The jokes were more sharp, and they didn't give Gordon an inch. Also, the Rifftrax version has the entire movie while MST had to cut for time.
Let's compare riffs:
George spies on Princess Helene thanks to a magic pool
MST: Gidget goes to the Renaissance Festival
RT: He's using a pool to watch a woman bathe without her knowledge. So I assume this guy's the villain?
George defeats an ogre by making it dizzy
MST: Chest Hair Club For Men
RT: He's the type of guy who would throw up on a ferris wheel
Sybil, George's adopted mom, finally escapes after George traps her so he can rescue Helene
MST: Tonight on Tales From Lucy's Crypt
RT: Septic Tank ruptured and it spawned Carrot Top
Lodac is finally killed
MST: Oh, goodness gracious, I'm dead
RT: He died as he lived, wearing a lady fortune teller costume.
Rifftrax's version also had riffs on Rod Stewart, Game of Thrones, Safety Woman and Road House.
You can take your choice of either version of The Magic Sword at Rifftrax or Shout Factory. Very soon, we'll compare both versions of Angels' Revenge. The MST version was riffed by some guy, while the Rifftrax version was mocked by his wife and her friend.
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