Rifftrax vs. Godzilla '98: The Home Game

It's been two months since Rifftrax took on the 1998 version of Godzilla, or as it was produced, Sleepless in Jurassic Park.

Backers of the Kickstarter project, including me, just got the mp3 version of the riff for the movie. This likely made a lot of people happy, especially those who didn't hear the riff in theaters.

I've already made a review of the live show. Seeing the movie again with the mp3 actually made the movie better. There were a couple of riffs people may not have understood the first time, but it got easier the second time. There were at least a couple of new jokes, but only a few remarks about this year's version. A lot was also made on Emmerich's attempt to mock Siskel and Ebert by making them bungling New York City officials. Nice try, Roland, but rebooting Godzilla from scratch doesn't work out. At least the 2014 version admits its Godzilla probably came from 60 years ago, and the MUTO in that film may have said 'SCOOOOOOOTTTTEEEEERRR"

Here's some more riffs:

early in the credits
Bill Corbett:  Before Michael Bey'd, there was Roland Emmerich

Shot of NYC skylinw with the caption, "The City That Never Sleeps"
Kevin Murphy:  Ah, Las Vegas. Fort Worth?

Fishing Market starts its day
Mike Nelson:  Delivery for some guy named Oswald Cobblepot (makes more sense thanks to Gotham)

Godzilla heads for the fish that Nick the worm guy (Matthew Broderick) laid out for him
Kevin:  Ferris Bueller's second day off not as whimsical as the first

One of the eggs Godzilla laid at Madison Square Garden hatches
Mike:  Biggest disappointment since the Gobbledy Gooker

Audrey decides to broadcast on TV by using "an internet"
Mike:  An internet. Is that where they have the Google?

And of course, Godzilla's two painful cries, "PAAACCCKKKEEERS"  and "SCOOOOTTTEEERRR".

There's also riffs on Game of Thrones, Rodan, The Monkees, Bernie Goetz, Harry Knowles, Dr. Strangelove, Ernie Anastos (mainly for this), 4 Non-Blondes the Knicks, and this year's Godzilla.

The mp3 riff is now available soon at the Rifftrax site. Meanwhile, Rifftrax Live prepares for Anaconda on November 4th and Santa Claus (the 1959 version) on December 4th.

Rifftrax vs. Godzilla 1998: Bambi's Revenge

That was the one riff they didn't use, but the Rifftrax crew used everything else when they took on the 1998 version of Godzilla Thursday night in Nashville, broadcast in hundred of theaters.

A lot of people wanted to see this big lizard go down for years, especially since it had the bright idea of ripping off Jurassic Park and adding a rom-com plot to the destruction. Judging from the reaction from those who saw the live show, maybe this wasn't the best choice for the Rifftrax guys to make. It's not exactly a bunch of gung-ho teens blasting big bugs, or Tara Reid and that guy from 90210 taking on a deadly storm with teeth. Still, the movie's a lesson that when you remake a classic monster movie, you don't add a lame reboot of When Harry Met Sally.
Still, it seems Rifftrax fans prefer their heroes to take on really bad, and shorter, movies like Yambao or Beast of the Yellow Night. Maybe so, they should continue their Kickstarter projects to take on bigger,yet not better, movies. One day, the dream of targeting Twilight in theaters nationwide will be fulfilled, although Sharknado 2 will likely be done first.

The timing of the crew also seemed to be off. They stumbled on a couple of riffs, but it was a good job anyway.

Now, let's get to some of the riffs.

Matthew Broderick stands in the paw print of Godzilla, and has this shocked look on his face.

My God, I married Sarah Jessica Parker?

An old guy tries to fish in the in the East River...and gets a very big bite.

Ironically, he reels in Rodan, and has to throw him back

Godzilla starts wrecking buildings in the middle of New York

Oh no, we're in Inception. Everybody wake up.

Godzilla chases everyone, stepping on buildings

Godzilla's into parkour. (In fact, the crew marveled at how fit the big lzard looked, compared to the 2014 Godzilla looking a little chunky)

One of the most puzzling things about Broderick in the movie, recalled by a guy from the Rifftrax forum:

Why is everyone acting like he's Channing Tatum?

Audrey, the fake TV reporter, sees a secret tape on Nick's desk

Top Secret. Can we watch that instead?

Mini-Godzillas start hatching at Madison Square Garden, and chase Audrey and her cameraman

The velociraptors from Jurassic Park have acquired a legal team.

Godzilla, who was thought to be dead, emerges from the river after its babies are dead

Oh no, it's King Kong.

and the big guys's final words:  "See you in a forgettable remake in 16 years". Well, at least the remake was worthy of a sequel.

There's also riffs on Game of Thrones, Woody Allen, a pro wrestling idea that never caught on, Dukes of Hazzard, Ladyhawke, Ted Nugent, Dr. Strangelove, The Expendables and Ninja Turtles. There was also a riff when Jean Reno's character opens an elevator at the Garden and just finds spilled popcorn. Mike stumbled on this one, but recovered pretty well.

Before all that, Rifftrax unveiled a new animated intro that will be added to all future releases. The song is pretty good, although it's not exactly like the MST theme. There's also great references from past Rifftrax movies, and even a spaceship we know all too well. Here, take a look:



You can get the intro at the Rifftrax site for 99 cents, and the song at the same price. The song is also available on iTunes.

Next up, the other Kickstarter special on October 30, Anaconda with Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez, Eric Stoltz, Owen Wilson and Jon Voight. It's basically Moby Hiss, or a crazy guy forcing some people to hunt a really big snake in the Amazon. This was made a year before Godzilla, so expect CGI that's even more lame.

One more thing:  here's my ticket with a nickname for Godzilla that thankfully never caught on in 1998

MST3K vs. Godzilla vs. Megalon vs. The Sea Monster

As you know, Rifftrax's plans to riff on the 1998 version of Godzilla in August have paid off, after the gang was able to raise more than 100 thousand bucks in less than a day thanks to Kickstarter (it's up to 143 thousand as of noon, May 16th). Many fans wanted this version to get the treatment because the big guy's nemesis is Matthew Broderick, and there's a dash of Jurassic Park after it reproduces and creates mini-Godzillas in the subways.

Longtime fans, however, know that Mystery Science Theater 3000 took on Godzilla twice, with two movies from the big lizard's lesser period. They were shown towards the end of season two in early 1991.
In both cases, adding Godzilla was an afterthought. He's not even the star of these movies, but a "supporting role" for the real "star"

Take a look at Godzilla vs. Megalon (2.12), which used to be part of Volume ten of the DVD series until Toho disputed the rights. The plot, such as it is, is that people from Seatopia (a knock-off of Atlantis with dancing girls wearing see-through gowns and Klan hats) decide it's had enough of the nuclear bomb tests from the surface world. So, it unleashes Megalon, which looks like a cross between a motorcycle and a beetle with a hood ornament and two jackhammers for arms:

Godzilla is there in the beginning when Monster Island gets the brunt of one of those tests. After that, we see a couple of scientists who are working on a new robot called Jet Jaguar. Their lakeside holiday with a young nephew is interrupted when the lake suddenly dries up. This leads to a battle between the scientists and Seatopia agents (including one that looks like Oscar Wilde), and Megalon flattening a big part of Tokyo.
So, they call on Jet Jaguar, who has suddenly become self-aware and able to grow to Ultra-Man size, to get Godzilla to help.  The Seatopians even ask for help from other aliens to get Gigan, but that doesn't work.

This leads to a big battle that seems silly to anyone over the age of ten.This attempt at a drop kick at Megalon says it all:

And here's Jet Jaguar and Godzilla celebrating their victory:

The episode is best known for lots of riffs on Japanese movies, which will serve Joel, Tom Servo and Crow well when they get assaulted by Gamera movies in season three. There's also a classic host segment that shows what would happen if Eugene O'Neill wrote a commercial for Orville Redenbacher popcorn. Of course, there's also Mike Nelson's "translation" of the Jet Jaguar song.

The other movie was Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, which aired two weeks later. In this one, some guy steals a boat to look for his brother, who has been missing at sea. He finds his brother at an uncharted yet busy island. There's some natives trying to wake up Mothra with the help of twin priestesses.

An evil army has taken over the island, and a large lobster called Ebirah is threatening everyone.

Then, the heroes find a sleeping Godzilla, who is awakened by lightning. This, of course, leads to Godzilla battling the oversized lobster. When Mothra is finally awakened, it helps out, too. the brothers are reunited, and the natives are rescued. Godzilla also escapes before the island is destroyed.
This movie was supposed to "star" King Kong, but they used Godzilla instead. Too bad he acts like King Kong in this movie anyway.
The version that MST got was from Film Ventures International, which explains the sloppy editing and the opening credits that have scenes from Son of Godzilla. The host segments include the Godzilla Geneology Bop, and a cameo by Mothra (aka Mike).

You can get either of these episodes through CheesyFlix, but you can see shortened MST3K versions of Megalon and Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster through YouTube.

Rifftrax Presents Kickstarter II: Godzilla vs. Ferris Bueller

History shows again and again
How nature points out the folly of men.....GODZILLA...Blue Oyster Cult

About a year after the Rifftrax gang asked its fans to donate for plans to do a live riff of Twilight, which was later changed to Starship Troopers, in theaters, and hit its goal very quickly, they're back with another project,
On August 14th, they plan to take on the 1998 "re-imagining" of the classic movie monster Godzilla. They already have approval from Sony. The gang just needs 100 thousand dollars for the event, movie rights and such.
Naturally, the goal was met at supersonic speed. It took about 20 hours, and the money's still rolling in. They're still taking donations to put more money on the presentation, possibly including a life-sized left foot, and maybe plans for "Bambi vs. Godzilla III, the Last Stand" Some extra bucks to grease Sony's palms won't hurt, either.

I've already come up with a web ad....

Now, a little history lesson:

The 1998 remake of Godzilla featured Matthew Broderick, Hank Azaria and Jean Reno. It mixed in the classic story of the big guy being created by nuclear testing, plus some political conspiracy. It also showed Godzilla laying eggs, and reproducing. It was considered a new take on a classic movie monster, without Raymond Burr being in nearly every scene of the American version (and that includes a very short 1985 version).
The movie was also written and directed by Roland Emmerich, who gave us Independence Day, Stargate, 2012, 10,000 BC, and White House Down. These days, it's not even considered a true Godzilla remake. People, especially Japan, refer to the beast as Zilla, considering the monster never gets anywhere near Tokyo.

The announcement of the Kickstarter project comes just a few days before the new Godzilla movie, which at least will guarantee the big lizard will show Bryan Cranston the real definition of Breaking Bad.

Anyway, here's the link to the Kickstarter page. Fans who chip in will get special rewards, depending on the contribution. They include a shorts package featuring a re-riff on "A Case of Spring Fever", the Cold War short "Duck and Cover", and one of those "At Your Fingertips" shorts. Major contributors can get a limited-edition t-shirt, the original scripts from the event, signed posters, and even a chance to come up with your own riff that'll be used on the show. That's about the same as being an "associate producer."

Again, the Kickstarter page for Rifftrax taking on the post-grunge version of Godzilla is right here.

UPDATE:  with two weeks to go, the crew is shooting for a goal of 250 thousand dollars to also get the rights to Anaconda, a 1997 movie with  Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson and Eric Stoltz. They're part of a National Geographic crew looking for an Amazon tribe, but is forced to help a crazy hunter played by Jon Voight. Apparently he's hunting the Great Green Anaconda, Moby Hiss. It's a pretty cheesy movie that still made enough for a sequel or two. If they can hit this goal, it'll be riffed October 30th.

Of course, Rifftrax will also take on Sharknado on July 10 and 15th. Tickets are available, and you can go to fathomevents.com for more info.