It's A Wonderful Riff, Rifftrax, But It Could Have Been Better

 

This has been the Holy Grail for Rifftrax fans: seeing the riff of the ultimate holiday movie, and which has been the source of many riffs from this and MST3K.

The week before Christmas, Rifftrax finally presented a VOD of.....MOST of It's A Wonderful Life.
The entire movie is still owned by Paramount, although it was a TV favorite in the 80s when it was under public domain until 1996. 
Fans have been clamoring for a "just the jokes" version for the past three years, since it seems a VOD is out of the question.

Then Mike Nelson and the gang discovered most of the story, except for act three, is public domain. Some of the music is also under copyright but certainly not Buffalo Gals.
This is how he was able to provide an edited version of the movie, although some had thought they were getting the whole thing.

The story, of course, is about how George Bailey, who had big dreams, thinks he's a failure being stuck in his home town of Bedford Falls. An angel named Clarence, who wants to earn his wings (yet apparently hasn't had too many chances to get them), figures out he can show what life would have been without George.

This version is almost able to cleanly remove act three and still let the movie make sense, but those who have watched the movie may miss the "Potterstown" scenes.
Actually, the Rifftrax Yule Log has some copywritten clips from the movie, including the scene where George tries to convince Mary she's his wife. 

The riffs are pretty good, and can get dark at times. Note the scene where George finds out Harry had married and was offered a new job outside Bedford Falls. The riff at this moment is a little unexpected.
Then there's Mike talking as George's dad admitting he'd rather have a daughter.
Uh, this movie might change his mind. 

While the VOD is good, it would have been better to have the "just the jokes" soundtrack for the whole movie. Several other fans have the same idea apparently, and it should happen. Imagine the comedy gold the RT gang would have mined from George's inability to recognize he's in an alternate world that doesn't include him. He passes it off as a dream, spell or bad liquor.
At least in Tiny Toons' version of the movie in 1992, Buster Bunny recognizes where he is after it's literally spelled out to him. It takes a while for George to get the message.

So, let's get to the riffs:

The title is in quotes
Seems kind of sarcastic

George (talking about suitcases):  I want a big one
I thought this was a family movie.

"Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?"
Good advice, voyeuristic porch guy.

Ruth, Harry's new wife:  "George, George, George, that's all Harry talks about"
Even in bed

George mopes after refusing a job offer from Potter (but then why take it?) but then learns he'll be a father. 
Kind of creepy to remember that Clarence is silently watching all this

George: We've got to find that money!
Have you looked under a big W?

There's also riffs on Willy Wonka, Robert Altman, Quibi, Dianetics, and Lana Turner. 

Rifftrax's version of It's A Wonderful Life can be found on its website. 

Coronavirus Is Killing Too Much of Reno

 

Coronavirus has taken too much from this nation.
As of this typing, nearly 241 thousand people have died nationwide, but it has also killed a lot of businesses. The Nugget in Reno, known for a famous burger, went under. So did a Japanese restaurant, and a few stores.

What really upset me is that this happened: 
Reno 1868, which had the best record in the USL in 2020, is CLOSED. 

Why? Part of it is having no fans thanks to the virus, but it's also the fact that the team would prefer its home pitch rather than sharing it with the Reno Aces.
This is why Fresno FC had to move out of town this year, but will go somewhere else. 
I have been to a few games over the team's short history. I remember when they place balloons at the Virginia Street Bridge to celebrate the team's arrival. I even wore the special scarf USL had to celebrate the team entering the league. After I had to leave Sacramento and miss its soccer success, I was so happy soccer would have its chance in Reno. Since it was the top team this past season, I fully expected to come back next season. Seeing that e-mail at work horrified me more than the idea of Trump winning.

A Facebook page called the Battle Born Brigade has had a lot to say about this, and it's not wasting time trying to resurrect itself, as you can see in this link.
Actually, a site called Zac Electrify has even more to this story, including the fact that the team has never turned a profit and the Earthquakes might be pulling out of its partnership. He does have a plan where we'd have a team in the lower divisions but would be a start to get back to the USL Championship level.
Sadly it means the Las Vegas Lights will smirk at Reno for quite a while, but Reno fans can turn to Sacramento Republic for a while. 

Remember, San Jose Earthquake fans were in the wilderness for more than a decade until Major League Soccer arrived. It's Reno's turn, and it can create something to get back to USL League Two at least.

In the meantime, fans can keep their jerseys and masks and other gear until the city's back in a league. I still plan to wear any of the four jerseys and five or six scarves.

Reno can be big league again, but it will take time. Medical malpractice will not rob Reno of its status as a soccer town!

Rifftrax Live Battles Jack-O, Not That One

This is me in a movie theater for the first time since February, thanks to Dr. Trump.
To be honest, if there were movies worth risking coronavirus for, I would go to an Imax theater, since I got a Galaxy gift card at a discount.
Sadly, Tenet ain't it.

However, Rifftrax is a different matter.
At this time, we were supposed to see a TV-movie knockoff of the Amityville Horror involving an evil lamp. Thanks to the pandemic, we have to wait a year for that.

This year, instead, we got a movie called Jack-O, about an evil pumpkin demon who's gunning for the ancestors of the family who offed him.

To be honest, having a VOD at theaters is just not the same as a live show. The excitement is not there. That's why Jack-O was a bit dull, but good considering the circumstances.

Anyway, the movie is about a nerdy kid named Sean Kelly, the ancestor of the last guy who killed Jack-O at the risk of his own life.
Thanks to some drunk teens who like Hamm's Special Light a bit too much, Jack-O is revived and starts killing people. They include one of the teens and a mean grocer who doesn't give out candy.

The parents have no idea, but a strange woman with Billy Squier hair seems to know something, and decides to get too close to Sean.
A really sexy babysitter played by Leanna Quigley (a horror film superstar) also figures into all of this.

A big question is why the movie included cameos by John Carradine (as a so-called wizard) and Cameron Mitchell (as a TV horror host), since both died before the movie was done.
Also, how did they get Carradine if he died seven years before this movie was made? He did look Photoshopped in there (but IMDB hints this may have come from stock footage and why this was the reason behind this movie). 
If both were healthier at the time, we could have had a knockoff of Fright Night.

Also, the opening titles has "Jack-O" and the word "Lantern". Were they worried people would think the movie had Michael Jackson in it?

On top of that, they come up with a really dumb way to kill the Pumpkin Guy. Let's say it's an insult to the "chosen one" cliche.

The riffing was pretty good, though, with a lot of variety of subjects from Equus and  Billy Joel to Tik Tok and My Pillow.
Some examples:

"Pumpkinhead"
What a great new insult for Trump on Twitter

Jack-O's at the mean grocer's house
I need directions to Ichabod Crane's house

The wife of the guy who's trying to kill Jack-O in 1915
I wonder if the Sears Roebuck catalog sells new husbands.

Before the movie there was a short about Halloween safety that was also shown during the Mads (Trace and TV's Frank) festival of shorts the night before. Granted, there aren't too many Halloween safety shorts, but maybe they should have dug a bit deeper.
I still say the kid that had to change his robot costume to make it safer was actually wearing a ballot box, and Rifftrax should have made a riff from that.
Actually, Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl have a better Halloween short, plus other clips with this offering at the Rifftrax site.

As far as going to the movies was concerned, it wasn't that different than the old days. There was only a plexiglass shield to protect the ticket takers, and posters about how the theater was staying COVID-free. If only there were movies that would get them back, 
There are....but at streaming services.

By the way, an R-rated version of Jack-O is now available on Rifftrax. It means seeing the baby sitter in the shower, in a pervy way, plus some bloodier scenes. 
Is this what Frankie Goes to Hollywood meant when they said "Are we living in a land where sex and horror are the new gods?"
In the 1990s home video world, pretty much. 

Rifftrax Provides Debate Relief With Starship Troopers Online Show

This group of citizens are just as happy as those who chose Rifftrax's online presentation of Starship Troopers instead of the political cage match between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in Cleveland Tuesday night.
If the bugs from that movie also were part of the debate, they would've won based on their coronavirus plan and support for Medicare For All. They'd be too smart to eat Trump.

Anyway, the third attempt by Rifftrax to show a movie via Scener was the best attempt of all when Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy figured out if they turned off their cameras but left their mikes on to riff, it would be a smooth show. 
It was. Fathom Events may have something to worry about now.
The only problem was that the pre-game show was 45 minutes late because of problems getting Scener off the ground. Considering the show started 15 minutes after the debate started, it may have been the alternative people were looking for.

Otherwise, it was a great show. Anyone who's seen the Mads' online shows would have been happy with this show. It was just like the live show seven years ago except no gorillagrams were there to cover Diz's bare chest...or hide Carmen's face trying to look smart.

The movie, of course, is a "war movie" where young teens from the Beverly Hills section of Buenos Aires become "citizens" fighting big bugs from outer space. It's supposed to be satire, and could have been with better actors.
Just remember one thing, whatever Jake Busey was in that movie, he outgrew it and became better looking by Stranger Things (yes, he's in season three). 

The riffs are about the same as the mp3, with some updates, like Denise Richards as Carmen flying a ship while thinking "I'm going to be a Real Housewife".
Surprisingly, no Trump or coronavirus jokes, but there were these...

"Rico"
Polo

Diz asks Rico why they never got together
Well, crucifying a squirrel on my front yard...(actually she was way sexier than Carmen)

"I'm going for federal service"
I'm going to be a mailman

Carmen is in a Dear John letter to Rico (which winds up not being that)
Let me tell you about the Flex Belt
and of course, Rico's sad
Just like my childhood letter to Captain Kangaroo

"We thought we were smarter than the bugs"
Just like Elmer thought he was smarter than Bugs

Diz and Rico have sex
Now call me Saber Raine
She later dies in battle
Give my hair to Felicity (or is it Zorii Bliss?)

Then Carmen and Zander meet the Big Bug
Van Morrison has not aged well (maybe the only coronavirus joke after all)

There were also riffs on How I Met Your Mother, Pretty in Pink, United Airlines, Chris Farley, Twitter and Albert Knobbs. Again, though, the riff from the Scener show is about the same as the mp3.
You can get the riff at the Rifftrax site.
Next up, coronavirus pandemic pending, people can see a VOD Halloween show on three weeks in theaters. The movie is Jack-O, and it's about a scarecrow that kills people.
It also includes Rifftrax staples John Carradine and Cameron Mitchell....sort of.
Some of the gore is also taken out to make it PG-13, but there will be a horrifying short. The event will be a regular VOD about two months later.

Rifftrax Tries Live Online Riffing, Gets Stuck In Upside Down For A While

After the country was overrun by the coronavirus, media companies have been forced to provide us with entertainment through cable or streaming channels. That's why we got several concerts or Zoom gatherings at first, followed by more complex events.

Since Rifftrax's theater events have been in limbo thanks to the pandemic (we're still waiting for Hobgoblins, which will be shown in theaters just before Halloween...we hope), the gang decided to experiment with something called Scener, where a couple thousand people can see the same screen and respond with others. The idea was to have Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy riff the first episode of Stranger Things while the viewers also rant via text. It was similar to The Mads doing an online riff on Glen or Glenda recently. The viewers were mostly either backers through Kickstarter or Patreon.

It was a rough first voyage for the crew, more glitchy than the live broadcast of MST3K's final day of their Kickstarter campaign. It started about five minutes late, and the tech crew had a tough time trying to get all three riffers online. At one point, Bill's mike was down and Kevin and Mike had to reboot like crazy to be heard. It was something to see.

Also, Mike was singing like Bing Crosby while coming up with puns. For example, he thought about a broken golf club that was "Stranger Pings" or how Chandler from Friends would show up in a spinoff called "Stranger Bings". This was while he couldn't hear or see anything else.
Ah, bloopers.

Once they got past the opening credits at around 6 PM Pacific, it worked very well. All three riffers were online, the video lagged a bit, but it worked great.
This shows Mike and the guys should try a couple more "beta tests" before making this the alternative to Fathom Events shows since nearly all theaters are closed for now, They have riffed on Game of Thrones, Westworld and Walking Dead's first episodes. They can use those for future beta tests or maybe a chapter from the Batman serial.

OK, now, how about the riffs?
They were rather 80s-centric, even commenting on what songs were being played in the background.
Again, they got much better once the Scener process worked better.

Now, let's list a few:

A scientist at the Hawkins lab runs into an elevator after something goes wrong (natch)
The elevator blood from The Shining is very late today.

Chief Hopper makes his first appearance
My Joe Don Baker Detector is going off the charts

The scientists at the lab get into hazmat suits before they confront the Upside Down
They're going to the grocery store in 2020 (only current riff)

Hopper talking to Will's friends:  One at a damn time
My personal feeling about Marvel movies

Eleven stares at a fan and makes it stop
Kubrick stare. Everybody duck!

Joyce, Will's mom, answers the phone, hoping for news
Do you like scary movies? Oops, sorry, wrong number.

This version, different from the "Just the Jokes"version, also included riffs on Toto, Molly Ringwald, Schlitz, Delaware, and Stand By Me.

The riff for Stranger Things is available now at the website. It can be downloaded into the app, and people can synch it up if they see it on Netflix, or have the download or the DVD set

Bride of the Gorilla, As Seen By Rifftrax and ICWXP

Recently, Rifftrax took on Bride of the Gorilla, with a pre-Perry Mason Raymond Burr as a guy who thinks he's turning into a gorilla after killing his boss and marrying his wife. It also includes Lon Chaney Jr. as the local sheriff who suspects something but can't prove it. Ironside, he ain't

This is the second time RT has taken on a movie that was previously riffed by Rikk Wolf and Incognito Cinema Warriors XP (the other time was Bloody Pit of Horror, which also included a short that Rifftrax approached in a live show).

Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl riffed this movie in their usually gossipy and amusing way. They told a lot of TV jokes, along with ape humor including Planet of the Apes.

The ICW version was more aggressive with jokes that still had a punch even after a decade. The only difference in these two versions is who's riffing on this movie, housewives or frat guys.
The Rifftrax version is also more complete. ICW's version. It cut a big chunk after Barney came home from the jungle the first time. Pity, since it shows Burr as a decent leading man.

Also, it's next to impossible to get a copy of the ICW version. Good thing I got it more than a decade ago, just after Rifftrax was getting off the ground.

So, time to compare riffs:

The jungle stock footage includes a leopard

RT:  And to think I once worked with Cary Grant
ICW:  It ain't easy being cheesy

Burr as Barney shows up

RT: Boy, do I hate Hamilton Burger
ICW:  It looks like the pool boy's in for a treat

After Barney gets poisoned by an old lady and her plant, he seems to think his hand's turning into a gorilla

RT:  I set the tanning bed to "George Hamilton" again
ICW:  I'm rotting again

A guy claims a monster killed a bunch of men:  "It was big and red"

RT:  Ed Sheeran?
ICW:  The Kool-Aid Man strikes again

Barney explains to Dina why he won't leave the jungle:  "I'm happy out there in the jungle"

RT:  Upton Sinclair had it all wrong
ICW:  It's got fun and games, and you got no money and it has your disease (best riff of both versions)

The Rifftrax version also has comments on Jane Goodall, Elvis, Vermeer, Death Cab For Cutie, and Fruit Loops.

Check out Rifftrax's feature on the website. As for the ICW version, it's no longer for sale, but if you know a guy....

The Farce Was Strong With This One: Rifftrax Sinks Rise of Skywalker

This says it all:

C3P-O:  Will this agony ever end?
Mike Nelson:  My review of every Star Wars.

And this comes from a guy who dealt with the Twilight Saga.

This doesn't mean Rifftrax is also the Rian Johnson Fan Club, but the gang really did a number on the final Star Wars movie, Rise of Skywalker. They mocked the story, the characters, the props, everything.
While there have been complaints, and some praising the movie, it's safe to say Mike, Bill and Kevin came up with some real zingers. Be very afraid, Avengers: Endgame

The story is about the attempt to make the First Order the master race of the universe thanks to a cloned Palpatine. Of course, Rey has to be connected, and she is. We find out her real last name, and so does she in a duel with Kylo Ren. There's a bunch of other things that people complained about, like seeing two characters we thought were gone (but forgetting it didn't stop another character around 40 years ago).

This blog will concentrate on what kind of riffs these bitter, bitter men made through the 135 or so minutes of the movie. Again, it's amazing they were that rough. It's as if they were convinced Stephanie Meyer and JJ Abrams were to blame.
Then again, they did throw in a couple of Twilight jokes.
If there's one complaint, it's pointing out Carrie Fisher was in this movie after she died (thanks to CGI, but Catching Fire 2 did the same thing) way too many times, starting with this:

"The dead speak!", from the opening crawl
So I guess Carrie Fisher is in this, too.

Then there were these...

Rey trains as a Jedi, even on a tightrope
The sequel to Man on Wire looks a bit desperate

They get to the Acky Acky Festival
Oh, crap, it's Burning Man

Rey heals an injured sand worm
I have an HMO. Is this off-network?

Then she's alone in the desert.
This is turning into a Calvin Klein perfume ad.

Then she discovers she can release lightning from her fingers in that duel with Kylo Ren
Damn static buildup

Rey corners Zorii Bliss with her Lightsaber
You have the right to resemble the Rocketeer.

Kylo to Rey:  "Your parents were no one"
Chris Lemmon and Frank Stallone? (This makes no sense. Mom should be Sean Young)

Then he holds out his hand to her:
I know those gloves. You framed OJ Simpson

Leia with her dying breath: Ben
Kylo: Hannah? You want me to go back to Brooklyn?

Palpatine:  I am all the Sith
Rey:  and I...
Let the dogs out.

There's also riffs on the NFL, Manchester United, The Masked Singer, Benny Hill, Game of Thrones, Gwar, Death Cab For Cutie and Teri Hatcher.
It also has the best "mike drop" line since The Dark Knight.

Fans can riff every Star Wars movie by getting the mp3's at Rifftrax's website.

What if Mystery Science Theater 3000 Mocked Itself?

Now that "Let's Give Stupidity A Chance" is the national anthem (thanks to how sad the fight against coronavirus has become), fans of MST3K are wondering if and when they'll be another live tour. It's already suggested a new era, with Cambot operator Emily as the new test case, and Mega-Synthia the Angry Tall Mad.

This past weekend's special online event made it official. Emily, Servo, Crow and GPC (Gypsy's new name) gathered to mock a cheesy movie. This time, though, they mocked an episode from the Comedy Channel era called Moon Zero Two (Season one, episode eleven). This was called a space western, although a group of people who wear brown coats would differ. Besides, it was made just after Apollo 11, proof the future ain't what it used to be.

As with late night shows, Emily and the bots riffed at different locations, but were able to merge their efforts fairly well. The only problem was the episode's sound wasn't loud enough, but they were able to squeeze in quite a few riffs in between the ones already there. Here's the show:



If this is the future of MST3K, whether on stage or maybe Shout Factory TV, it looks like Emily will be way too much of a good sport responding to bad movies. It'll force Mega-Synthia to maybe riff a reel herself to see where is the flaw in the experiment.
The flaw, of course, is failing to notice how sharp Emily REALLY is.

Anywho, the movie's about an ex-astronaut who salvages broken tech. He meets a shifty rich guy named Hubbard who wants an asteroid loaded with sapphires to land on the moon so he can profit from it. Meanwhile, a woman's looking for her missing brother, whose mining claim is about to expire. Naturally, they're connected. Making a movie set 50 years in the future is interesting, but the movie doesn't do much with the idea. Using jazz music to mimic a shootout isn't enough.

During the riff, the crew shifts between being in character and themselves, but it was an interesting look at how the cheese is made. Emily asked Joel questions about the episode at a couple of times, especially how the Moon Landing pageant tailed off at the end.
Still, Yvonne Ingrid Freeze should fine tune Mega-Synthia. Staying at full rage won't help, but opening up every once in a while could help...along with a comb. The original Synthia should also show up to look in on her "copy".

Also, it was strange to see the movie with Emily and the bots in boxes on the far right. It would be better, just like Rifftrax, to show them for three minutes, then fade them out, during each "reel".

So, what riffs did they deliver?

The bots look at themselves from 1990
Servo: We haven't aged, have we?

Emily looks at Joel dancing through the opening credits
Even in silhouette, Joel is so very white

Old Servo:  In the future, bras will grow on the moon. Cross my heart
GPC:  And right next door, the training bras are in bloom.

There were also comments on ESPN, MegaBlocks, Barbarella, The Music Man and Mr. Plow.

Emily also had a host segment with the bots, riffing on the wigs of two girls who hang around with Hubbard. It was a nice touch.

Servo is supposed to be Kemp, based on the fact that his forehead is shiny, too.

The show ended with a short called "Circus Day", narrated by a clown who does his own makeup. The short actually was barely four minutes, but the full version can be found here. It has more details about the show and some of the acts. Hopefully, future episodes can include short films, which is something dominated by Rifftrax these days.

This show gave people who didn't make the live show a taste of what they missed, and what they might get sooner or later. It also keeps the dream alive that it'll be back somewhere.
If Mystery Science Theater 3000 has proven anything, it's that Hollywood hasn't learned a thing, and most likely won't.
Thanks to a test case and two bots, at least we can strike back.
That being said, what other first season episode could they take on? Maybe "The Mad Monster" (despite also having to deal with the serials) or "Untamed Youth". Any ideas?

It's Kickstarter Season at Rifftrax: Goblins and The Evil Lamp

It's that time of year again....time to pay for three guys who want to mock bad movies in front of a few hundred people in Nashville, then expect thousands nationwide to go to movie theaters and see them do it.

It's worked so far, and they're doing it again.
This time, though, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett have decided to have only two movies rather than three in their annual Kickstarter campaign. There's been some comments in the True Blue Riffcast, which reviews Rifftrax shows every week. It's been pointing out the guys might be more likely to do only two shows a year rather than three mainly due to costs and a process that's more complicated than the Setting Up a Room short.
Anyway, they're going with two shows this year as they did in 2018. It's offering an MST fave and, for the first time, a TV movie.

On June 11th, Rifftrax takes on Hobgoblins, a movie so painful Mike, Servo and Crow tried to sneak out 22 years ago. It's a terrible knockoff of Gremlins, where a guy with a prune-colored car and a frigid girlfriend has to deal with some tiny uncute monsters who escaped from a vault in Hollywood. It was made by Rick Sloane, who also made Blood Theater. Sad, really.
At least it inspired one of the best riffs ever: "It's the 80s. Do a lot of coke and vote for Ronald Reagan"

Then on October 21st, the gang has its first Halloween show in a while, Amityville 4, The Evil Escapes. Believe it or not, this is the "evil". It's an ugly lamp possessed by a demon who apparently wants to hug the unsuspecting to death. This was based on a book, and eventually became a TV movie in 1989 with Jane Wyatt from Father Knows Best and Patty Duke. Expect jokes about old sitcoms in that one.

Just like last year, the goal is 225 thousand dollars. It's certain Rifftrax will hit that goal. (UPDATE: it hit the goal at 10 AM Eastern the day after the campaign began). The real issue is what stretch goals they'll be offering. Last year, fans got mp3 riffs including Street Fighter, the sequel to Jurassic World, and Rise of Skywalker (coming in April). This year, maybe they can finally do The Five Doctors mp3, or make it easier to get a riff on It's a Wonderful Life approved. It would be interesting if they took on Birds of Prey or something like that. As for bonus VODs, that's harder to predict. Maybe Hobgoblins 2, which exists? Really.

Anyway, people can chip in at this link.

No Retreat, No Surrender: The MST3K Circus Comes to Reno

When Joel Hodgson announced his farewell tour, also known as the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Great Cheesy Movie Circus tour, he planned to make sure a major part of the country saw him and his retirement from mocking bad movies.

He and his crew arrived at the Pioneer Center in Reno this past Monday, which looks like a UFO, before a near sellout crowd. The crowd was literally an all-ages event, from kids like these:

to those who have been with the show, and their successors, like me.

I was among about 20 people who were there for the meet and greet. The usual questions were told, especially how an episode is made and how it began way back in 1988. I even asked if fans wrote their own scripts to movies that might be riffed. Joel seemed to be surprised someone would mock Serenity (the sci-fi version), but I'm glad I didn't mention how I wrote riffs for the 1992 Buffy movie.

I did tell him I actually had a poster from Catalina Caper, the only "comedy" the show ever riffed.

So, here's me with everyone:

and the sign that was outside the theater:

Joel also seemed to be surprised I saw the "feature presentation", No Retreat, No Surrender, which was a movie that tried to be the Karate Kid, Rocky and maybe The Outsiders at the same time and didn't come close. He apparently didn't know Mike Nelson and Rifftrax pounded that movie in 2015.
However, I also discovered the movie had two different cuts. Rifftrax had the longer, but definitely not better, version by adding how the guy who ran the Seattle dojo was also threatened by the mob. The MST version was shorter and a few scenes were re-arranged, but at least it had one scene that explained how Jason knew Kelly, the love interest who was more like a prop.

The plot is about a kid named Jason who wants to be like Bruce Lee. When some mobsters cripple his dad after he refuses to sell out to them, they move to Seattle for a fresh start. He has a friend in RJ, but fails to impress the karate dojo mainly due to some fat kid who can be described as Andy Richter Jr...and not in a good way.
Suddenly, Jason gets help from the ghost of Bruce Lee. Jason becomes better at martial arts, but no one notices.
This is also the debut of Jean Claude Van Damme, who plays an evil martial arts guy named Ivan. He's the guy who cripples Jason's dad for the mob. Of course, Jason and Ivan have their rematch in the big karate competition that's supposed to help the mob take over Seattle.

You can guess the rest.

The host segments were quite different compared to the previous two live tours. The one familiar thing is Joel in a new version of his red jumpsuit, and he sang the theme himself.
Tom Servo and Crow were there, too, while a new version of Gypsy called GPC was more flexible than the original.
There was also Mega-Synthia (Yvonne Freese), whose origin story is interesting, and a gal named Emily Crenshaw (Emily Marsh) who has a jump suit that suggests her future. She briefly took over for Joel in the third segment, and well, she did play a big part in last year's Turkey Day marathon:



If and when a new version of MST3K is made, it looks like she'll take over along with Mega-Synthia. She'd be fine in a new Satellite of Love.
The host segments had their own take on traditional circus acts, with Crow up to his own tricks. They were pretty good, especially with Joel's decision to use "hidden puppeteers" to help the bots do things they've never done before, It was a trip seeing Crow with legs and on a pogo stick.
You can learn more about the cast here, and this page has very good behind the scenes videos, especially on the puppeteers.

As I said before, MST's riffing on the movie is different from the Rifftrax version because they used two different versions of the movie. So, comparing riffs will be a bit tougher. Joel (and Emily) and the bots packed a lot more riffs than Mike and his guys, but they also seemed a lot fresher. So, time for examples:

JCVD shows up with mobsters:

RT: Ivan the Scotsman
MST: Jean Claude Van Mannequin

Jason's dad tries to stand up to them, but his acting is as weak as his resolve:
"I will not join....your organization"
RT:  That's what I keep telling the CVS Extra Care Rewards Program
MST: Boy, if these cheaply painted walls could talk

Scott and his gang try to beat up RJ for no reason because the movie doesn't say why
RT:  Biggest fast feud brawl since Dave Thomas kicked Arthur Treacher's ass at a Wendy's 
parking lot.
MST:  (Scott's too big for RJ to knock down) Nothing moves the Blob

Ghost of Bruce Lee shows up
RT:  A waiter from a Chinese restaurant
MST:  HE'S NOT EVEN CLOSE!

Scott's dad serves beer to a fat drunk
RT:  Darker side of Chris Pratt
MST:  Treat me right. I'm an influencer for Yelp

Ivan comes back in the big karate battle, and this time he's got an entourage
RT:  Flanked by the sales team of a Yugoslavian Guess store
MST:  Los Lobos?

There's also riffs on Pacific Rim, Reno (of course), Joe Don Baker, Game of Thrones, the Oscars (which shows how they retool the show), and the Beverly Hills Cop theme.
At this point of the tour, the crew seems to play this movie more than the other choice, Circus of Horrors. Both movies will be shown in the same area twice in the home stretch in a couple of weeks. If MST comes back, it would be interesting to see their riff on this movie.

Oh, the concession stand in the lobby did some great business, especially t-shirts and MST decals where your laptop can have an MST silhouette. There's even a website where anyone can get swag.

This, however, is not available online:

Good thing the sign has the recipe. That way, anyone close to a BevMo can try their own "Robot Roll Call" while watching the show. At least it's easier to make than a "Killer Shrew". Anyone got ideas on how to make a "StarCrash"or a "Torg-Over"?

The tour continues for another month, with upcoming stops in Colorado, Minneapolis, Atlanta and Texas. Just click mst3klive.com for more info.

Jojo or Jo March? The Only Close Race In 2020 Oscars

The Academy Awards are six days away, and it looks like the results are already settled.
The acting races are all but over. Laura Dern and Brad Pitt will get the supporting nods, although the races should have been closer. Pitt should have had a stronger challenge from Tom Hanks with his Mister Rogers movie, and Dern should have had good rivals like Florence Pugh for Little Women and Scarlett Johannson for Jojo Rabbit.

Joaquin Phoenix will have the last laugh in Best Actor for Joker, while Renee Zellweger will win for Judy in the quickest result since Helen Mirren. The Academy never gave Judy Garland's acting skills the respect they deserved (see Judgement at Nuremberg), and Renee's amazing recreation of the fading star is award-worthy and has been since October.

Parasite is a lock for International Film and Original Screenplay. It should also be Best Picture except Academy voters don't like to reward movies you have to read. Too bad, since it's the complete package: a good story about a poor family who cons their way to a nice gig working for rich folk, nice direction and good acting, too. The father dealing with a boss who doesn't give him more respect is an interesting guy and the con woman/daughter would give Dern a run for her money. The war movie 1917 seems to be the favorite because of its epic war scenes, but showing it in one long take still seems to make it a gimmick. The stock for The Irishman fell steadily once people saw it's just a mob movie with DeNiro and Pacino looking younger via CGI.

If there is one real battle, it's the race for Adapted Screenplay. It's a very competitive list:

So far, Jojo Rabbit has won in the BAFTAs and Writers' Guild Awards, while Little Women won the USC Scripter Award which has been a good predictor on which movies wins in the Oscars.
Either of these movies could win Adapted Screenplay. Let's look at the pros and cons.

Jojo Rabbit, at first glance, would be a surprising choice. A boy in Nazi Germany has Hitler for an imaginary friend, then finds out her mom is hiding Elsa, a Jewish girl, in their house. No one would think that would make a good movie, but Taika Waititi does it. He's wise to emphasize Jojo's relationship with his mom, while wrestling with how his previous "expertise" about Jews is just plain wrong. It doesn't hurt that he's got a crush for the girl, too. It's also interesting the movie is an complete overhaul on Caging Skies, the book the movie's based on. The original is much darker, especially the relationship between Jojo and Elsa.What might scare voters is having Hitler in the movie, although the script gradually shifts him from comforting pal to jealous friend. That takes the focus away from him and to Jojo with his mom and Elsa.

Meanwhile, Greta Gerwig's version of Little Women takes a different angle to previous movie versions. It's the story of how Jo March publishes her new book, Little Women.Yes, Jo is Louisa May Alcott in this movie. The story is told in a different way, with some flashbacks. That's only because she's trying to see the book for publication to Dashwood. That's why she "negotiates" the ending with him. Also, it finally gives some sympathy towards Amy March thanks to her "economic proposition" speech about marriage.

At this point, Jojo Rabbit seems to be the favorite, but Little Women should not be dismissed. A lot of people were upset Gerwig's direction was snubbed by the Academy (and Golden Globes and Directors Guild). It wouldn't be surprising if she got Adapted Screenplay as a consolation prize. There will be some last-minute lobbying based on that, and will give the show some interest from movie fans. My choice of Gerwig, but Waititi would also be good.

Maybe next year, the Oscars can do something that will guarantee more viewers: the courage to have a host, and not be ashamed of who they choose....as long as it's Aubrey Plaza.