Kickstarter Time! Now Rifftrax Will Become Its Father....Sort Of

 

You are not seeing things. THIS WILL HAPPEN!
Somehow it wasn't enough for the Rifftrax and MST3K crews to have a reunion back in 2016. 
Rifftrax had to pull a Darth Vader and become the master of MST3K...at least for four movies.
After that, who knows? A merger wouldn't be THAT out of the question.

The new Kickstarter campaign started on Groundhog Day with a goal of 20 thousand dollars. It's a pretty low goal, and it got smashed VERY quickly. In just ten hours, it scored a million dollars!
That's even more than the cost of a live Rifftrax show.
The plan is to show the first episode in theaters. We're guessing Pearl finally finds Mike and the bots (how long it takes probably won't be addressed) and gets him back to work.
Bobo and Brain Guy will be part of this, too, but they must admit a GOOD CHUNK of time has passed
Or maybe Pearl realizes "The Devil Wears Prada 2? Freakier Friday? Buffy just became a Star Search judge? WHERE'S MY OVERDUE SEQUEL? I wanna be in a Smart Industry! Now, how to start and bring back my SyFy hair?"
 

As you can see, Kevin and Bill just developed some strange growths on their hands, but the growths are benign until you show them Melania's documentary.

This is an interesting move considering the Gizmoplex tried to raise cash for new episodes but it didn't work out due to maybe donation fatigue or maybe the actors' strike. The need to see bad movies with justified derision is still strong, though. The Rifftrax streaming subscription model is as strong as ever, and it must have crossed Mike's mind he can revive MST in his own way. It's safe to say the set will be just like the SyFy days, along with the style. It's basically Rifftrax with the shadows and host segments.
IT'S NOT THAT HARD.

I still would like Pearl to mock Kinga's efforts, knowing she won't respond.
But what if she did? That has to be considered, if this experiment continues beyond 2026 and Thunderdome.
By the way, if Amazon Prime can copy Rifftrax's stunt of a poorly edited version of "It's a Wonderful Life", let's have a "Just the Jokes version"as a bonus reward

UPDATE:  Trace Beaulieu and TV's Frank Conniff will be part of the fourth and final MSTrax movie.
No word on whether Pearl, Bobo and Observer made this happen, but that would be a good explanation either through time travel (sort of what Joel) or cloning (hello, Synthias). However it happens, it could be the FINAL BATTLE. Maybe this is a way to get new people to take over while the bots can still be the Cyber Statler and Waldorf.

Anywho, pledges will be accepted until March 16th, and you can send some cash to RiffTraxMakesMST3K.com.

X Games This Ain't! It's Kickstarter Time in Rifftrax

 

While Mystery Science Theater fans wait for news of a 14th season...and their swag from the Kickstarter campaign...Rifftrax has been busy.

Its annual Kickstarter campaign is underway, and this time it's taking on another fad movie. 
It's the 1986 movie, RAD, which ain't. It's about a BMX rider who has to choose between a major competition and preparing for college.
The decision takes seconds.
However, he has to deal with some sneaky guys who keep changing the rules so that their BMX guy gets all the glory.
Any resemblance between this and, say, "No Defeat, No Surrender" is unavoidable. 

The movie features gymnast Bart Conner because he clearly couldn't cut it in Gymkata, Lori Laughlin before Full House and the Big House, Talia Shire as the "go to college" mom, and Ray Walston.

So, should MST3K be worried?
No. Season 14 is coming, in the same way as Rifftrax. 
Will this be funded in record time? Of course. 
UPDATE:  Hit 250K in about eight hours.

The link to the campaign is here, and it'll do as well as last year's Return of Swamp Thing, if not better. 
The real excitement is what stretch goals will be coming through the end of March.  We shall see.

MST3K, The Streaming Channel! Coming Soon....If You Want To Help

In the not too distant future, etc.

"DAMMIT!"
"MAX!"
The angry woman slugs her poor lackey.
"OUCH!"
"Hey, you should have noticed I'm wearing my MODOK costume for the next Comic-Con...whenever that happens"

Yeah, it's Kinga and Max. They just found out not even Shout Factory TV won't OK another season.

"This is an outrage," she says. "They show the really old stuff, some of the newer ones. We can make more."
"Uh, Kinga, you better see this..."
"See what, Max?", she says.

She then sees Jonah and Joel announcing the new Kickstarter plan for MST3K to be its own streaming service, with new stuff and specials.
"BLASPHEMY!", she yells. "Why didn't I think of that when we had all those COVID specials online thanks to President Virus Chump?"
"Maybe because you alienated all those other streaming services," Max says.
"Hey, I tried to be charming, offered the Satellite of Love to Amazon Prime to help with their delivery services. I still refuse to believe HBO Max when it said I was more terrifying than Godzilla or Kong. I'm more sure of that after seeing that movie the other day."
"Yeah, I think it's more terrified that Millie Bobbie Brown is 17"
"Why?," Kinga wonders. "Because it means Enola Holmes 2?"
"Well, Max says, "let's see if we can horn in on this before Synthia or Mega-Synthia find out."
"Yeah, I don't need that sequel to Attack of the Clones."

So, they see the new attempt to bring back Mystery Science Theater 3000, found at 
MakeMoreMST3K.Com

After they see the pitch video....
"OK, where are we in this?", Kinga wonders. "Besides, I thought Joel retired. This is not the time to pull a Jay Leno."
"Of course not," Max says. "Since you have that Conan O'Brien shrine, with rubber duck."
"Hey, Funko didn't offer that.

"Well, aside from dropping a few bucks of our own (thanks to our somewhat official swag we did sell), we can figure out a way to be the Mads again. I don't want that loudmouth Mega-Synthia taking over my job."
"Right," Max says, "or you shoving me towards Meg when she tries to attack you."
"Why would you think I'd....OK, that's too easy."
"It's not as if you'd be friends with Pearl's Clones."
"Sure I would....until I betray them...or they do....

"Look, let's just make sure this Gizmoplex is made, then we can inflict ourselves in it. In fact, let's make a threat, er, video, on that."
"Good idea," Max says. "The first goal is two million for three episodes..."
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, to quote a Super Dragon. We must break six million...and we're already close to a million four hours after this started. This will be a snap."
"Yeah, and thanks to being stuck in that other theater Jonah made for a couple of hours, and reviewing all the previous experiments, we'll have some ideas on new entries."
"Well, it wasn't my idea to do that, but once I found out some TV-movies were riffed in the pre-historic days, I just had to look."
"Sure. Of course, Kinga, you really want to get the sequel to Grizzly since it was shown on Showtime."
"I'd prefer getting Mike Nelson and force him to see it. It's bad enough he's our arch-enemy, the least he can do is be mad at us when we recapture him."
"Yeah, but what if we try to borrow a movie he's riffed, like with Ator?"
"I'd rather not do that. We just have to beat him to the punch, or maybe punch him if he offers us Lycan Colony or something like that"

"Come to think of it, what about our dads?", Max says.
"OH, THEM! They fake their deaths so they wind up mocking bad movies online too? Whose side are they on? Next thing you know, fans will expect us doing it."
"Well, I've watched enough Turner Classic Movies...."
"You dare suggest me doing it and I'll find that Metal Reptilicus you found a few years back and turn you into its lunch."
"Actually, it made up a third of the Metal Godzilla in that movie."
"How? It looked more like a bad Lego set."
"Hey, let's just make sure this Gizmoplex is funded, then make sure we're part of it."
"Damn right we will. No clone gonna replace me.

"Come to think of it, what about Emily whats-her-name. Could she replace Jonah?"
"Maybe they take turns. Since it's a streaming service, maybe it's twice the experiments."
"Well, let's get this funded. Maybe we can get revenge over those who have forsaken us, especially Netflix."
"Maybe. By the way, Kinga, could this lead to spinoffs like Dr. Donna St, Phibes' Monster Kingdom?"
"Oh, great, waste 30 minutes on seeing the wild Trumpy, Beast of Hollow Mountain, Hobgoblins or Coleman Francis in their unnatural habitats. 
SAAAYYYY..."

If you want MST3K's streaming service Gizmoplex to come true (watch out, Paramount Plus) go to makemoremst3k.com. The campaign will run until May seventh. Lots of bonus swag will be available depending on how much you want to give. They even include a music box and snow globe. 
HI-Keeba!

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.

Octamen, Raiders and Spiders, Oh Man! Rifftrax's Kickstarter Campaign Is On!

Just a few days before people wonder who will be praised as the best movies of 2018, Rifftrax has started its seventh annual Kickstarter campaign.
Instead of featuring movies that the average fan has heard of, the live shows will stick to Rifftrax's B-movie roots. Two of them are new to the Riff-verse, and the third is an MST3K favorite.

Each of them has an interesting story.
Coming this April will be Octaman, a really cheesy movie made in Mexico in 1971.
Safe to say this little guy was made by radioactive water or something. It was written by the guy who wrote Creature From the Black Lagoon, and the creature was designed by Rick Baker. The cast features Vic Morrow from The Last Shark and former MGM starlet Pier Angeli.

Then we'll have Star Raiders: The Adventures of Saber Raine in June. This was partially funded by Kickstarter two years ago,  and features Casper Van Dien from Starship Troopers and Cynthia Rothrock who is anything but Mrs. Santa Claus here. It's basically Space Mutiny or Starcrash on a budget, in the style of Birdemic.

Finally in August, Mike, Kevin and Bill take on the Giant Spider Invasion. It's just as many of us remembered it about 20 years ago on MST3K: Alan Hale as a sheriff, Barbara Hale being chased by big spiders, and a disturbing part of the Midwest that included guys who claim they spend their time listening to a loud preacher. It's made by the same guy who made Monster-A-Go-Go. This time, the movie will be uncut, and the riffs will include "PACKERS!" but not as often.

The goal of 250 thousand dollars was hit in one day.. The real question is what stretch goals will be offered. Last year, supporters almost got It's A Wonderful Life but did get an extra shorts DVD and mp3's of Ready Player One and Solo. This year, what will be next? It seems Aquaman could be a target, along with Glass, The Predator, and maybe the "Battle of the Bastards" episode from Game of Thrones. Since Bumblebee was a good Transformers movie, it might escape Rifftrax's wrath..or maybe not.

If you're interested in tossing in a few bucks for goodies including VODs of the shows, t-shirts and the like, visit here. The only question is if it breaks last year's record of 501 thousand dollars. If so, maybe it can finally fulfill its original goal: riffing Twilight within an inch of its afterlife.

Is Rifftrax Taking a Page From MST3K's Kickstarter Campaign?

Once again, Rifftrax has gotten more than enough funding for its annual live shows. It also broke a record, snagging just over 501 thousand dollars from more than 9400 backers.
The stretch goal rewards were a bit impressive, including riffs on Last Jedi, Ready Player One and the first episode of Stranger Things. They also gave out its first set of pins to rival the ones MST3K has been selling, a VOD of a movie that features the voice of Eric Roberts (which you can call "Uninvited II: Look Who's Talking Meow), a blu-ray of the Space Mutiny live show, and a new DVD of shorts.
Even the one dollar donors came out ahead by getting ten shorts, and an upcoming riff of Solo: A Star Wars Story for free. This should be interesting since no one knows how a movie about a young Han Solo will do come Memorial Day weekend.
Even with a 100 dollar pledge (which I made), backers got good value. It's too bad it'll be only two shows this year with Space Mutiny and Krull. It would have been nice to get another Halloween live show in there, but it's possible it could add a "best of" show again.
Besides, people will get a chance to hear alternative opinions about three blockbuster movies. The Avengers and Marvel should be grateful they won't be targets this year.

What's interesting is that the campaign isn't really over
People who contributed to the MST3K Kickstarter campaign two years ago got a chance to buy some of the rewards separately, including USB drives shaped like Servo and Crow, a special DVD set of season eleven, t-shirts, calendars and even a coffee table book.
It only makes sense that Rifftrax follow suit. Clicking to this link will send you to a BackerKit showing all the non-video rewards. They're all reasonably priced, too.
The pins are 12 bucks apiece, but the full set is 40 dollars. The Space Mutiny DVD is priced the same as the other DVDs in either form. People who just want the digital media in one package can do that, too.
In fact, that section has already raised a thousand bucks in the first day. If only the number of backers could be added so we can get closer to more people getting a free riff of Ready Player One. Oh, well...
The shorts should be available soon, but you can bet a lot of people just can't wait until the Last Jedi riff is available, It'll please those who liked the movie and those who felt betrayed by weird stuff by seeing Leia float in space and live, Rey and Kylo getting a bit too close, or Luke milking that....whatever it was.

Meanwhile, the MST3K season 11 DVD is coming in a month, but people can get it just after Easter if they order now at the website or Shout Factory. It'll include a documentary about how the show finally came back. Maybe once everyone can get it in three weeks we'll know when they'll start making season 12.

Time For Rifftrax's Annual Pledge Drive, With Cheesy Sci-Fi

Being a fan of vindictive movie commentary is getting expensive...and worth every penny.

It's bad enough the new MST3K on Netflix is pulling a lot of fans' hard earned money thanks to an upcoming DVD set, t-shirts, pins, oven mitts and aprons. Now Rifftrax is asking the fans to give again for this year's live shows.

The drive started on February 20th and will continue through just before Easter. Its goal is 250 thousand dollars, same as last year. It earned 430 thousand bucks, and might hit it again if it offers the right stretch goals. Last Jedi and It's A Wonderful Life riffs, anyone?

Two movies are confirmed, as shown in the above photo. Space Mutiny, a fan fave from season eight, will be shown on Flag Day. This movie was best known for giving leading man Reb Brown alternate names to his character David Ryder. The complete list is here, but for $500 anyone can come up with something stranger like maybe Ty Tanium or  Lun Dolphgren.
It's also remembered for a missed opportunity. Aside from Cameron Mitchell appearing as a commander who stole Santa's beard, and a woman who dies in one scene yet is alive again 30 seconds later, there's lots of unused footage from the original Battlestar Galactica. Mike and the bots didn't notice that, but he, Kevin and Bill won't make that mistake again.

The other movie, set for August 23rd, is Krull from 1983. It's a space swashbuckler where some prince gets some lowlife pirates to help save a queen from some beast or other. It also has cool frisbee blades that are tossed around. Checking the wiki for this movie, Liam Neeson had one of his earliest roles here.  The cast includes Robbie Coltrane, Francesca Annis just before Dune, and the body of Lysette Anthony (she was dubbed because her voice wasn't mature enough).

The movie was not popular, although it has some fans. It should be interesting how many Star Wars, Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings jokes they can fit into the movie. People who pledge 25 bucks or more can get the mp3 of the Krull riff around Thanksgiving AND a ten dollar credit to cover the cost of getting the movie via Amazon Prime or DVD. That should get a lot of people to pledge at least that much cash.

As of 6 PM Pacific time, or about five hours after the Kickstarter began, it's earned 124 thousand dollars. That's much faster than last year, when the campaign hit the first goal in two weeks. Maybe it'll hit the all-time record of 630 thousand two years ago. It all depends on what else the Rifftrax gang will offer between now and March 24th.

UPDATE:  Mission accomplished after less than five days, a new record.
Last Jedi next?

A New Record For Rifftrax Kickstarter, And The Secret Show IS.....

Well, they almost made it, but George Bailey is still safe.

The annual Kickstarter campaign by Rifftrax collected $430, 620 from more than 8600 backers. That's a new record for both, but some fans were hoping to hit nine thousand backers to get the next Star Wars movie riffed and ten thousand to finally take on It's A Wonderful Life. Considering the holiday movie has been a steady source of riffs from MST3K and Rifftrax over the years, people were really hoping the holiday classic will finally get the treatment. The Last Jedi may wind up being riffed anyway next year if Rogue One is still on the list of possible future riffs, but It's A Wonderful Life will stay a dream target for now.

Still, backers, even those who paid a buck, will get a nice bargain. Everyone will get ten shorts, and riffs on Batman V. Superman (just in time for Wonder Woman), Mothra, and the first episode of Westworld. The BvS riff will involve everyone who has ever riffed, kind of like a 40x4000 meter relay race. Considering how tragically bad this movie is as a missed opportunity (except you, Diana), it could be too much for three people anyway.
Others who gave 75 bucks will get "The Rains of Castamere" from Game of Thrones (now THAT is a challenge to riff) and Final Justice Redux (or the first time a SyFy-era episode of MST3K is re-riffed), while 100 dollar backers will get DVDs of the June live show and the best of the Riffing Housewives, Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl.

The only question is what will be the "target" for the August 17th show. Some Facebook fans have unearthed the name thanks to a movie theater and Fandango jumping the gun. In the special countdown show, the gang hinted it could be Ice Castles and La-La-Land (the latter very unlikely).

Actually, the movie will be.....

Remember when this was once considered a major PBS event? The TARDIS upgrade? Tegan's new look after a year in a stewardess uniform? Seeing a new guy be the original Doctor, #2 in color, and some companions we've never even met?

HOW????

Well, somehow Rifftrax used its connections with Fathom Events and BBC America to pull off this miracle after riffing on the two Peter Cushing movies, where the TARDIS looks like the basement of a Hewlett Packard building.
Not here, though. This must have been in the works for some time, because look where they make the big announcement....



For those who don't remember the story, "The Five Doctors" involves someone on Gallifrey grabbing the Doctor in all of his incarnations. They're all guided into something called "The Death Zone", where they figure out the main bad guy wants something very special from there. Thing is, the Master is not behind this for once, because the Time Lord Council asks for his help.

If you clicked the link, you'd know they had to rewrite the plot because Tom Baker, #4, decided not to be part of it. Technically, he is, thanks to use of footage of the famous unfinished episode, "Shada". The story is actually the first time people have seen certain characters from the show. Back in 1983, the Doctor had been a staple of PBS programming for ten years or so. Showing the episodes before Baker became #4 was still a rare treat for some stations. It was the first time for many to see Jamie and Zoe from the late 1960's or Liz Shaw, the Companion before Jo Grant. It was also a rare chance to see #2, Patrick Troughton, in color. That hadn't happened since "The Three Doctors".

When it was shown, this was considered to be a big deal, and was used as a pledge break feature. It's available on DVD, but in an interesting way. The 2008 DVD version has the original cut plus an upgraded version. As for me, I have the "special edition" and the broadcast version back when KTEH in San Jose was Who Central for me. (Update:  After that KTEH DVD no longer worked because of age, I got a newer version of "Five Doctors" which has lots more extras).

Now, it's going to be mocked  by three old fans.
Couldn't they have mocked "The Gunfughters"? Now THAT episode stunk on ice.
Well, it should be interesting to get Peter Davison's response to all this.

All we can do is quote the Doctor's farewell message to Susan in "Dalek Invasion of Earth" that was used to start the show:  "One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all you beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine."
If that's the First Doctor's message to what Rifftrax will do this summer, it's a lot better to what he thinks about his next two forms ("a dandy and a clown").

If nothing else, pulling this off proves Rifftrax has more than earned the right to go after sparkly vampires someday.

Review of Rifftrax Kickstarter 2016: The Ultimate Bargain

Rifftrax just finished its most successful Kickstarter campaign, despite only scheduling two of their four shows planned for this year.
It wound up earning nearly 621 thousand dollars thanks to more then eleven thousand backers, more than twice than what it got last year. That was due to two very wise moves.

First, fans found out there would be a big MST3K reunion June 28th.featuring most of the old staff, including the Mads (Trace Beaulieu and Frank Coniff) and Mary Jo Pehl and Bridget Nelson (who are doing well by riffing shorts about suburbia). The excitement grew when original host Joel Hodgson and future host Jonah Ray announced they'd appear.

Then, Mike Nelson came up with a brilliant idea: offer free Rifftrax shorts depending on how many individual backers the campaign attracts. This helped keep up interest while he and the staff try to confirm the rights to two more movies. As a result, all backers will get ten free shorts, even those who donated a dollar. If a backer already has a short he bought individually, he'll get a credit for another one.
Later, that offer applied to planned riffs for several movies and even first episodes for popular shows. This meant, for just one dollar, a backer would get

*ten educational shorts
*mp3 riffs for the first episodes of Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and Daredevil
*mp3 riffs for Star Wars:  The Force Awakens, Gravity (with Mary Jo and Bridget), Jurassic World, and the original Road House (the first major Rifftrax release).

That's what more than 1700 people will be enjoying, then realize they're going to have to buy those DVDs and maybe subscribe to Netflix to see the TV shows to enjoy the riffs. In a way, that boosts America's economy in so many ways.
The second biggest group (more than 1600) was those who donated 100 bucks. They get all of the above, and other stuff including two t-shirts, the MST reunion DVD and a coloring book. Not bad. Some of them will also have to get those DVDs, too.

The Periscope event, mainly Mike, Kevin and Bill talking about stuff, did reveal two interesting things. First, the app should be updated in the next two weeks that will allow people to download all the mp3 riffs they own. Hopefully that will include hearing the riffs during the opening credits to the Star Wars movies, too. Second, Kevin says he'd like the crew to take on The Godfather. That would be the biggest classic ever, easily toppling Jaws and Casablanca,
Some  very wise fan decided to save the Periscope event, and it's located here. 

It's actually interesting the crew will be doing more mp3 riffs this year. It looks like they're getting fans to use the new app by providing more titles. It's certain they'll get a lot more business once the app is improved, and when they offer the Star Wars and Gravity movies to everyone.

Now, all that's left is the waiting for those sweet shorts and mp3's, and the first Rifftrax Live show, Time Chasers, coming on May 5th.
And, we have a trailer...

The Farce Will Awaken, Thanks to Rifftrax

At this time, thousands of Star Wars fans will be watching The Force Awakens on their DVDs, iPads or even their phones.
In just a few months, though, others will be seeing the movie in another way, through the Rifftrax app.

Yesterday, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett revealed during the last week of the Kickstarter campaign that if they raised at least 335 thousand dollars, they would provide an mp3 of their "opinions" about The Force Awakens. Some fans feared they'd go back to their insults about the prequels, but it's more likely they'll point out how similar it is to A New Hope (aka the first one). They'll also talk about C-3PO's red arm, Kylo Ren's unmasked face, and a couple of Alec Guinness moments.

Several hours after they made the announcement, Rifftrax broke through that goal, resulting in this:

Actually, this really makes sense. Rifftrax made sure fans saw riffed versions of every Harry Potter movie, and already knocked on the previous six Star Wars movies. A few already suggested TFA should be mocked, although now more people would like to see Batman v. Superman on Rifftrax's hit list.

By the way, Sphero, who makes mini-versions of the BB-8, announced that you can update the toy so that it can respond to what's happening to the movie while you watch. Now, if it can make Tom Servos and Crows that can do the same thing, or link the BB-8 to the Rifftrax app and hear it riff on the movie, then you have something to brag about.

As of 9 AM Pacific time, April 5th, the campaign has earned nearly 340 thousand dollars, much more than last year, mainly thanks to offering free shorts while they're trying to confirm two more movies for this year. If they hit 350 thousand, they'll take on the first episode of Game of Thrones. This is Daenerys' reaction to that likelihood:

(UPDATE: as of 4/6, they broke 400 thousand dollars. Sorry, Khaleesi)
Once again, no one is safe from Rifftrax. Then again, if anyone remembers the plot to that episode, it's bound to inspire some really interesting riffs (especially the term "Lannistering").
(MORE UPDATING:  More stretch goals have allowed the campaign to break 600 thousand dollars, and backers will also see riffs on the first episodes of The Walking Dead and Netflix's Daredevil, along with Gravity, Jurassic World, and the original Road House. Does this please Khaleesi?)

The MST reunion, by the way, is set for June 28th at hundreds of theaters nationwide.

For more info, go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rifftrax/rifftrax-live-2016-mst3k-reunion-time-chasers-live

Rifftrax Hits Kickstarter Goal, But What's Next?

After a little more than four days, Rifftrax has raised 225 thousand dollars in this year's Kickstarter drive. That means we will have the live riff of Time Chasers and the big MST3K reunion with the Mads (Trace Beaulieu and TV's Frank Coniff) and the Ladies' Riffing Tag Team champs, Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl. All that's left for the fans is begging Joel Hodgson to drop by, along with the new MST3K cast.

Also , there's now the prospect of "stretch goals" which helped Joel raise more than six million dollars for the MST revival. Of course, the extra cash will pay for two more Rifftrax shows. The only question is...what movies should be featured?

In the Kickstarter postings, I suggested two movies, Sharknado 3 and This Island Earth. I thought Mike, Kevin and Bill would have the intestinal fortitude to take on another Sharknado, but they decided they didn't. Too bad, since I had some riffs. The other movie seemed like a great choice, since it would be in honor of the 20th anniversary of the MST3K movie that should have been better if not for the studio and focus groups screwing it up. Actually, the Rifftrax guys actually responded to my request, but said it would be tough to get. Maybe Universal didn't like how the movie was riffed, maybe? Well, they ruined the movie, so Mike should get another shot at it. Besides, he would have gotten to use that Bootsy Collins riff.
Some fans bitter about that could suggest Barb Wire with Pamela Anderson doing her best Rick Blaine impression, but it's possible that could also be out of the reach of Rifftrax. It would be sweet revenge, of course,.

So, if not those movies, what then?
For argument's sake, let's pencil in I Believe in Santa Claus as the December showing, It would be interesting to see the guys take on Santa trying to save a kid's kidnapped parents in "Just Africa", with the help of a good fairy trying to be Celine Dion.
That leaves the October show, which usually means a cheesy horror movie except last year we got Miami Connection.
I was thinking maybe it should consider World Without End, which was riffed during the first live show Joel and the bots did in 1992.

 I also thought about The Day The World Ended, which was used in "MST3K: the Home Game", where people suggested riffs in a chat room (also known as Twitter's grandpa). However, that's a Roger Corman picture, and if we can't get It Conquered The World on DVD, I doubt the crew will be able to riff it live, If it could, we probably won't get the digital download three months later.
If they hope to get a movie that was made by a real studio, but not very well, how about The Happening with Mark Walhberg and Zooey Deschanel. It's been a go-to riff for lots of other Rifftrax movies and shows.



Now, there's the chance making this movie a live show could be more unlikely than getting Terror From the Year 5000 in a future MST3K DVD set. I just hope someting like this will be part of this year's live shows.
At least we have three and a half weeks to speculate and raise more money for this year's Rifftrax shows. We can also use that time to get Joel to come to the reunion. That would make it complete. Adding Felicia Day, Jonah Ray and Patton Oswalt, of course, would be the passing of the torch and make it the greatest live show ever. Fingers crossed!

Rifftrax Kickstarter 2016: Forresters, Nuveena and Time Chasers Live

This is a tough choice for the average American:  how should you spend your upcoming tax refund?
Support a candidate of your choice?
Buy Girl Scout Cookies?
Set a ten dollar bill on fire, which would be the same experience of Batman v Superman, Dawn of Justice without going to see it?

Well, take that ten dollar bill and whatever you set aside from Samoas or Thin Mints or Marco Rubio and give to Rifftrax's Kickstarter campaign today.

What would be the best reason to do so?
The second show on June 28th will feature many alumni from Mystery Science Theater 3000, including the Mads, Trace Beaulieu and TV's Frank Coniff, and Rifftrax's Real Housewives of Riffing, Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl. It all takes place at the State Theater in Minneapolis, which was the site of a couple of MST3K conventions back in the Comedy Central days.

The gang from the new MST3K (also brought to you by Kickstarter) have been invited, and maybe another familiar face will arrive (coughJOELcough). Besides, if there's ever a time for Kinga Forrester to show up and create the worst-case-scenario for a non-holiday family reunion, this is it. The Rifftrax troika of Mike, Kevin and Bill would welcome such a moment, as do we all.
The reunion apparently will be similar to the last Sketchfest show Rifftrax offered, where they lobbed riffs at terrible educational shorts. The difference is it'll be broadcast live in lots of theaters nationwide, then the public can get its copy by next fall.

Before that, they'll take on an old MST chestnut, Time Chasers, about a couple from Vermont who turn their airplane into a time machine. They don't wind up in a world where Bernie Sanders is president, however. That movie will be shown on May 5th, also in theaters.

The goal this time is 225 thousand dollars, which to some fans seemed a bit high. However, it's raised 167 thousand bucks in the first day, which means this is also going to succeed. The Time Chasers print is in HD, and the producer, David Giancola, is on board with the show. More shows will be scheduled after the first goal is hit.  Maybe we'll get a live version of I Believe in Santa Claus, an example of how France can also made lousy holiday movies.
Come to think of it, there IS a third Sharknado movie, right? Yeah, it's an excuse to see if they come up with riffs that are better than mine, and they definitely will. (UPDATE: it's now a moot point because they've decided not to riff that movie)
More goodies may be available, too, like maybe new mp3 riffs on certain blockbusters (Hello, Gods of Egypt).

Of course, there are bonuses for contributors. It includes downloads of Time Chasers and the MST3K show, t-shirts, autographed stuff, the chance to write a riff, and even get your own jingle thanks to Kevin.

For more info, head to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rifftrax/rifftrax-live-2016-mst3k-reunion-time-chasers-live/description.

Why the MST3K Revival Campaign Succeeded

It's been a few days since Joel Hodgson's dream of bringing back Mystery Science Theater 3000 came true with the Kickstarter project collecting more than six point three million dollars, enough for 14 episodes including a new Christmas show (which I'd like to suggest The Christmas That Almost Wasn't, where Santa could get evicted from the North Pole for not paying the rent--and no, I'm not kidding).

When Joel said he hoped to earn five and a half million dollars for a season of 12 episodes, people weren't sure if it could be done. After all, that's Veronica Mars and Reading Rainbow territory. Besides, we have Rifftrax, and it's showing old MST3K episodes. Is there really the need for a new batch of cheesy movies to be mocked by some guy and two snarky robots?

YOU BET!

It took several reasons to make this project a big success, starting with Joel. He gave regular updates of how much was raised, and also gave us lots of incentives to hit the ultimate goal. He even gave us extra time for a couple of challenges.

Most importantly, he had this:  

This clearly shows why he set the goal, and where it will go. After all, this is a show that will be made with his own hands and our cash. It's got to be done right...and it takes a lot of cheap toys to make the walls.

Second, we must remember that MST3K never went away. It just took on new forms. We have Rifftrax, made by Mike, Kevin and Bill (the Syfy trio), then Cinematic Titanic with Joel, Trace, Mary Jo, TV's Frank  and J. Elvis (aka Dr. Forrester's original assistant). There's also Incognito Cinema Warriors, which is still trying to finish its second season but is getting a lot of attention thanks to riffing video games on YouTube. Josh Way, who has his YT channel, has also kept the tradition going. There may not be bots, but the riffing continued strong

Third, Joel has chosen his cast well. There's Jonah Ray as the new SOL captain, Jonah Heston, with Hampton Yount and Baron Vaughn as Crow and Servo. People were kind of hoping the alumna would be invited, and they have, but Joel wanted a new crew for a new century.
That's why he chose Internet goddess and best-selling author Felicia Day and comedian and former Pixar voice Patton Oswalt as Kinga Forrester and TV's Son of TV's Frank (named Frank, we guess). Some people thought this was "too Hollywood", along with the chance Neil Patrick Harris and Jerry Seinfeld may sneak in. Uh, things have changed since 1989. Movie mocking is more popular than even, even with people we've heard of. Besides, Neil has been a fan for years.

Fourth, Joel's decision to show old shows online has also paid off. Aside from the annual Turkey Day shown on shoutfactory.tv, he had double features in the last week of the campaign. Then there was the telethon, which wasn't smooth but was very entertaining, especially for this:

...and of course, the final minutes where they reached $6.3 million:



Finally, there's the decision to keep the "add-on rewards" store open. This will make sure the project gets some extra change, and people who didn't get a chance to contribute can get t-shirts, DVDs and more. It's certain people with yellow jump suits can have a chance to get those patches.
The site for the rewards, by the way, is here.

Production is set to start in the next few weeks, but fans are hoping that "next Sunday A.D." will be coming very soon. Til then, we'll keep circulating the tapes, URL and downloads

Meet the New Mad of MST3K, Dr. Codex!

Yes, the rumors are true, and getting five and a half million dollars for a new season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 just got a lot eaiser.

Internet goddess and NYT best-seller Felicia Day will be the new nemesis for Jonah Ray and Crow and Servo 2.0. While many of us in the Whedonverse already know the greatness that is Felicia, apparently Joel wasn't quite familiar with her, He knew her from The Guild and Dr. Horrible, but never met her.
Then, as he recalled in his latest update:

(About) 6 or 8 weeks ago at the Salt Lake ComicCon. I got a message from my booking agent, saying "Did you know Felicia Day really wants to meet you?" Interesting. So we met in the green room that afternoon, and she was funny and sweet. She's kind of a goof, but there's also this manic side to her that will let her do "crazy"

Felicia also said in Facebook that she was a big fan of the show with her brother. Anyway, Joel asked via Twitter if she'd be interested in the reboot, and she, well, seemed to be interested....A LOT!
We're still not sure how Kinga (Felicia's role) is Clayton Forrester's daughter unless this is something from before the experiments began. Apparently, according to the latest video, Kinga hopes the show will help her take over whatever she wants to take over. Bad movies won't force people to beg for mercy as long as Sharknado and Transformer movies will be made. Just as long as she's not someone Jonah (Ray) dated, it'll be fine.

The latest update also gives info about the new voices for Crow and Tom Servo, who'll be played respectively by Hampton Yount and Baron Vaughn. Joel said he wanted them not to sound like the previous versions of the bots but provide their own take. This is what Joel was talking about when he had hoped the show would go through four or five versions if it stayed on the air. Fans would choose their own "golden age" while respecting what we have now. That's why I had the alternate history a while back.

So, fans are hoping to hit the halfway point by Turkey Day aka Thanksgiving. With Felicia joining, that should be a cinch. She should get fans from Buffy, Dollhouse, The Guild and Dr. Horrible (especially that, since Neil Patick Harris is also a MSTie). Let's hope for the best this week.
Of course, the Kickstarter site for #BringBackMST3K is
at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mst3k/bringbackmst3k

Update: here's the video from YouTube, and yeah, Felicia has left Charlie and Codex far, far behind.

In A Not-Too-Alternative Future, What If MST3K Still Existed?

As the revival of Mystery Science Theater 3000 revival  is poised to hit its first goal of $2 Million, let's take a look at what he said during his second update on Kickstarter:

If MST3K hadn't gotten canceled fifteen years ago, it’s possible we could have had 4 or 5 hosts by now, and it would be just like Doctor Who: even if you had "your Doctor," you'd still be able to appreciate the different flavors that each new Host or Mad or robot added to the show. It's part of what makes a show like Doctor Who or SNL last. I’m a Tom Baker fan myself, and no one is funnier than Dan Aykroyd. (To me.)

When I first left MST3K and Mike took over as host, some of you said you were done watching – not because he was bad, but because he was different. Then, once the shock wore off, a lot of you realized he brought something new and great to the job. Many of you even liked his episodes better! And when Kevin took over as Tom Servo, there was hate mail, but for many of you he became the definitive Servo! I could go on.

So yeah, we've been through this before, and I get it. Different can be scary, especially if you really loved the old seasons. But just think: if you had never given Mike or Kevin or Bill or Frank or Mary Jo a chance in their roles, you'd have almost 100 fewer episodes of MST3K to enjoy today. I'm not asking you to like the next cast better than the last one, but I hope you'll give them a chance, and see what they can do.

Then, when their time is up, I hope you'll give the next cast a chance too.

So, let’s speculate how (and maybe when)  there would have been changes of the guard at MST if it stayed on the air on SyFy.

It’s safe to say they’d never run out of bad films. We can assume real gems like Hideous Sun Demon, The Bermuda Triangle, Supersonic Man, ROTOR, Braniac, Rock and Roll Nightmare, Birdemic,  and Death Promise would have been experiments on the show.

First, how long would Mike Nelson stay on the Satellite of Love? Let’s say he stays until 2004, or about ten years aboard the ship. The Nanites are still busy maintaining the ship and keeping it up-to-date.

On the final episode of season 15, where they take on The Day The World Ended, Pearl tries to kill Mike because she’s got nothing better to do. Bobo and the Observer try to stop her, but she tries to kill them. So, the Observer uses his brain power that’s boosted thanks to his brain soaking in Red Bull. He zaps Mike to safety, or actually next to Nuveena. They spend the rest of their lives in that Designs for Dreaming short. It also blows up Observer's brain, so he's just a chalky-looking alien.  Pearl, though, is zapped into the Satellite of Love, which means she has to endure the bad movies Bobo and Observer give her.

MARY JO PEHL:  2004-2008

The picture is from the "Quest of the Delta Knights" episode.
During Pearl’s time, she’s angry at this new situation, and tries to find ways to take control of the SOL. Naturally, she’s very hostile towards Crow and Servo, but this changes in time, and they all try to plot against Bobo and Observer, It also looks like Bobo is the dominant mad scientist, while Observer slowly regains his intellect but not all of his powers.
This continues until she starts to feel strange. The bots claim she’s having conversations with her son Clayton, but only she is there. It turns out she absorbed Clayton when he was a star baby, and now Pearl starts looking like her son. At one point, Trace Beaulieu cameos as Pearl. Eventually, she has an extra head that looks like her son, and they actually riff in a segment in the season 19 finale. The two-headed Forrester, though, is able to take control of the SOL and land it. They and the bots chase after Bobo and Observer, and that’s the end.

Or is it? 

COLE AND JANET:  2008-2011

A couple, played by Rifftrax vets Cole Stratton and Janet Varney, go inside the SOL and accidentally launch it into space. Bobo and Observer get back, but don’t mention what happened to Pearl or the bots. However, Servo and Crow suddenly show up in the third episode, thinking Cole and Janet need a little help in the riffing (or the bots feel threatened). Bobo and Observer show the lousy movies because, mainly, it’s all they know. They do give Cole and Janet satellite TV and a modest salary in exchange for doing the experiments, and they readily agree because it sure beats getting a job. They also happen to be fans of movie mocking. There’s also romance, which really worries the bots because they’re afraid they may have to babysit eventually. 

There is a 20^th anniversary show, where they re-riff the first episode, The Crawling Eye. We find out Pearl got rid of the second head, and it’s being used for scientific experiments and displayed a la Futurama. As for her, a shadowy group keep her contained, fearing what she’ll do next. Actually, she’s back to her old self, but the group just likes to lock people away. The staff includes a guy who looks suspiciously like Dr. Ehrhardt, who says he never liked Pearl. The 20th season also includes cameos from Joel, and even Mike and Bridget, who’s had enough of their “Design for Dreaming”. They do mention they created something new called Rifftrax. The bots say it’ll never work…without them. Then Mike introduces the bots to Kevin and Bill. 

They continue until 2011 when that shadowy group is revealed as CORPS, which includes a soldier named Rikk.  It takes over and ends the experiment. Cole and Janet decide (or are forcefully encouraged) to join CORPS, while Bobo and the Observer are taken somewhere.  As for Crow and Servo, they’re turned off, and placed on a shelf. However, unknown hands take them, and the person says, “Don’t worry, I’ll take you to Joel. He’ll know what to do.” This is signaled as SyFy’s decision to close MST for good, but a massive social media campaign changes its mind, sort of.

RIKK WOLF:  2012-2015

They try a new version called “Cinematic Titanic” in 2012, but the pilot doesn’t work. So, since SyFy only has the rights to the title of the show, it tries something completely different: it changes the premise to a soldier trapped in a zombie invasion, and finding an abandoned movie theater. Yep, it’s Incognito Cinema Warriors with Rikk Wolf of CORPS, Johnny Cylon and Topsybot 5000. SyFy figures changing the show and adding an edge would create new interest. After all, if Comedy Central could continue The Man Show without  Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel, then MST3K with new people would be the same thing, right?

Well, yes and no. The MST fans give Rikk and his bots a fair chance, but after two and a half years, and lots of cast changes and premise changes (especially who would be their nemesis), the show ends with the zombies breaking through. Some of them look familiar, like Joel, Mike, TV's Frank, the bots….and Pearl. However, they just wanted to go inside and see the movie.  Rikk, Cylon and Topsybot sneak out, but the theater is suddenly blown to pieces by a rogue CORPS squadron. Rikk joins them, and the show ends the way it began.

Suddenly a shadowy figure says, “For the past two and a half years, you had been watching a show that pretended to be Mystery Science Theater 3000. Mark my words, there will come a day where the true experiment will return. I am the new Dr. Forrester, and I will be your master, driving you insane through bad movies. It will work this time. I will not fail…ah, who am I kidding? Sharknado and that movie about a Werewolf Whale prove you can take anything. Some of you even made bad movies so you could mock them. Still, you want the real thing, and I will give it to you. Just be patient. I just need the right subject…and those bots.”

Then another shadowy figure appears, with a big box.
The screen goes black, but a hashtag appears:  #BringBacktheRealMST3K. 

So, that's how MST3K would have survived if there were plenty of TV executives who get it. Now, other fans would have had different ideas on who would have hosted after Mike Nelson, but I based my choices on Rifftrax and ICWXP. You're welcome to suggest who'd be better. 

Oh, and Joel has confirmed that Jonah Ray will likely be the next captain of the Satellite of Love now that three episodes are guaranteed. Apparently they met at the Nerdist podcast, and they talked about MST3K. Apparently Jonah won the job after he did an impression of Joel pretending to be him, and getting to know each other. Anyway, his TV name will be "Jonah Heston", and theoretically, this is what he'll be doing next year:

Hopefully,  he'll be part of the Turkey Day marathon next week. 

Help Bring Back MST3K, Thanks to Kickstarter!

Well, if it worked for Veronica Mars and Reading Rainbow...

Earlier today, Joel Hodgson announced that he's now got all the t's crossed and such and can start a Kickstarter campaign to revive the first great cable TV show that didn't include sports highlights or Pat Buchanan complaining, Mystery Science Theater 3000!!!

In his Kickstarter page, he explains why now is the time to revive this classic show. The obvious reason is we miss the show, and so does Joel. That's why we had Cinematic Titanic and Incognito Cinema Warriors XP, and have Rifftrax (now with selected MST3K episodes). The legal tangles have been straightened out, and the project lives.

The plan is to raise at least two million dollars for three episodes, but if five and a half million dollars are raised, we'll have 12 episodes, or the same length of the first season.
There's lots of rewards, of course, named after classic phrases from the show, like "We've Got Movie Sign", "Poster-a-Go-Go", "Mr. Blu-Natural", and "The Big McLargeHuge". Specifically, people can get a free download of the first episode or the whole season, shirts, coffee cups, a producer's credit (for those in the one percent, and not necessarily in income) and even seeing the show in a theater,

So, if you think you can take over the world through bad movies, despite the fact Sharknado didn't make humanity burn itself down (and neither did Jem and the Holograms aka Two and Out), just give cash to the return of MST3K. You can always claim you're responsible.
The real hope is that a cable outlet or Netflix/Amazon Prime picks up the show. A lot has changed in 15 years, and it just might happen.

For more info, head to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mst3k/bringbackmst3k

UPDATE: Joel Hodgson had an "Ask Me Anything" event on Reddit, and revealed some interesting things:

The new episodes will likely center on movies made in the 1970's and 80's but later releases are possible

They've already chosen a new host, who will be revealed soon

The new show will be "quaint", compared to, say, Guardians of the Galaxy

His choice for a "Desert Isle Flick" would be A Hard's Day Night

The show will be filmed in Los Angeles, although the talent and staff will be from several places around the country.

The new targets, er, movies will be excellent prints. Too bad the script and acting won't be.

He compares the show to Doctor Who, in that it has a chance to reboot and reinvent itself. That's why the new episodes will include (we're not sure how) Dr. Forrester's offspring. Maybe cloned or something, but that's what he'll be. The old MST continuity will be part of the new show, just like Doctor Who, actually,. Oh, and Joel's favorite Doctor is Tom Baker.

It's also possible the old crew, from Joel to Trace and Mike, could make cameos in the new episodes. Again, nothing is certain.

He also compares the show to going to a haunted house on the edge of town with your funny friends. It works best if you don't know what's in there."

The next DVD set is coming December first.

Can You Support The Crappening? Rifftrax Hopes You Can

Rifftrax has announced its 2015 series, As you can see, it includes two familiar titles, a long-lost martial arts movie, and something that doesn't surprise Sharknado fans at all.

The series will be funded by a Kickstarter campaign. Mike Nelson wants his fans to help raise $75,000 in the next month to pay for the theatrical rights plus production costs to make this happen. The goal was reached after seven hours, but he and his crew hope to raise more to produce a high-quality show. Besides, they're movies that are asking for it
It's also offering some cool rewards. For ten bucks, you can get two new shorts plus a spot on the "thank-you page". For 20, you can get the VOD copy of the Christmas show, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny, in February of next year. For 45 bucks, you get Santa plus the October showing of Miami Connection. You can also get special T-shirts, a chance to write a riff for the show, and more.

So, what will make up "The Crappening"? Here's Mike with a video preview:



First off is the notorious Tommy Wiseau movie, The Room on May 6th. It's about a banker who loses his girlfriend to another man. How that story is sort of told is why people have been attracted to this movie. It's already a popular riff at the website, and it's the first time it's being shown live with, er, appropriate commentary.

On July 9th, it's round two for Rifftrax vs. Sharknado. As those who bought the new Rifftrax live show on Sharknado know, it includes a scene from Sharknado 2:  The Second One where sharks attack people at a Mets game...in the snow. Also, the fans use baseball bats to strike back. Sharknado 2 is just like the first only it's in New York, and also has Vivica A. Fox, Mark McGrath, Kari Wuhrer from Anaconda and MTV, Judd Hirsch, snd John Cena as a fireman. There will be a third one, where the sharks apparently decide on a two-pronged attack.

The third movie, coming on October first, is Miami Connection, which could be considered Fists of Fury: Electric Boogaloo. Y.K. Kim, a taekwondo expert, produced and starred in the story of a guy who heads a rock band. His group also trains in taekwondo. They try to fight some local thugs who are selling cocaine, and help their leader reunite with his dad. Kim was hoping his movie would be a hit, when it was released in 1988, but it wasn't. One reviewer from Slant magazine thought it would be perfect for MST3K. The movie was recently re-distributed by Drafthouse Films, and got a second chance at getting noticed by movie fans. Still, here's some clips:



The final movie is a familiar holiday treat for Rifftrax fans, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny. This will be shown December 3rd. Santa is stranded somewhere in Florida, and hopes to get his sleigh off the ground with any help available, even if it's a guy in a gorilla suit. He stops to tell the kids the story of Thumbelina, trying to show you shouldn't give up. He's later rescued by an Ice Cream Bunny with a fire engine and a creepy laugh  This version has been riffed before, but the crew found another version with Jack and the Beanstalk. There's no clips on YouTube, but here's something from IMDB. The fact that there's a second version should draw in a lot of interest. It's like finding a sequel to Manos.

Even if the events are now paid for, the Rifftrax crew will come up with stretch goals to offer more rewards. Again, if you'd like to add more bells and whistles to "Rifftrax 2015: The Crappening", visit the Kickstarter page to donate.

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.