Regular reader Jenny Erdahl sent in some photos.
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DragonCon ReportsAt the MST3K/Cinematic Titanic panel at DragonCon it appears they showed a portion of the “Green Slime” pilot/pitch tape during the panel. They also showed the Comedy Channel pitch tape, which was included on the “MST3K Scrapbook” tape that was sold by Best Brains.
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I know that for the “pilot” Joel didn’t do the whole movie – but what I wouldn’t give for that to be an extra on a future DVD release.
Maybe CT could have a go at a redo!
I was there for the panel. It was mostly rehashing old stuff in terms of questions asked.
Joel took a while to arrive after Frank and Trace arrived. Nature had “detained” him for the moment. When he did arrive though, he paused in front of the projection screen shrunk down a little bit, and his silhouette on the screen looked just like that of Joel’s on the show. Truly an awesome entrance for MiSTies.
A few people asked about the differences between making MST3k and Cinematic Titanic, to which they responded that everyone works on their riffs separately and then they pool them all and assign lines. Joel said they are working on setting up some sort of Virtual Writer’s Room where they can write in a more collaborative form.
The screening of the Pilot was a great moment. It consisted of the Host Segments, where in one of them Joel explained that he had built the Satellite and was orbiting earth. We also saw a few theater scenes. I think the first riff ever in was when Joel walks into the theater and comments that “The Green Slime” was made in the same year as “2001 A Space Odyssey.”
Afterwards, they talked about it a little more, and commented that there was some story about a plant virus on the satellite and all these things. They even remarked that Silent Running had been one of their inspirations for the setting of the show.
The sales reel was also screened, and the real evolution of the show showed through as we saw different scenes with Crow, Servo, and Joel throughout KTMA’s season.
Afterwards there was a signing, and they sold photos and copies of the three episodes of Cinematic Titanic to people.
I asked Joel if they had any plans on doing “Blood Hook.” He seemed very non-committal about it, but interested at the possibility.
I know there was a screening of CT’s “Wasp Woman” Friday night, but I was unable to attend because the line was incredibly long and the room was packed for the screening.
In the MST3K: Scrapbook, they showed host segments from Green Slime, and saw one or two riffs from the movie, I believe. Was there more than this?
The old VHS of “The Green Slime” was put out by MGM. If they have the rights, it’s not likely Cinematic Titanic could get the rights. I don’t know off hand how different it is to get the rights for clips from a movie, though.
How much Green Slime didja get to see, Roland? Did they mention if what was shown was all there was? Wish I coulda been there, but I live so far away. Glad you had fun!
I don’t remember too many riffs from the theater. I think the theater segments mostly consisted of Joel sitting there idly acting as a “companion” for the viewer as they watched the movie. This may be the same as the Scrapbook, but I’d have to see it to be completely sure.
The whole thing was only a few minutes long at best. There were few theater scenes, and mostly, the video consisted of Host Segments.
My memory of the whole thing is a bit fuzzy because of a lack of sleep and the sheer excitement at seeing and meeting Joel, Trace, and Frank for the first time.
I, too, can confirm that Joel screened the KTMA pitch and the Comedy Channel pitch reel. Both looked to be in fantastic shape and are probably some of the best looking KTMA era clips this side of the MST3K Scrapbook. In the pre-screening of Wasp Woman Q&A, Joel mentioned that he had found them lying about, transfered them to DVD and would be showing them at the morning panel.
The first was the Green Slime . . . well, prototype is being generous. It started out with extremely long titles for the show (no theme song yet) to which Frank or Joel commented that “It took people a lot longer to read back then.” A very young and scruffy haired Joel set up the premise of the show with him beaming a signal to Earth. He is on the Satellite of Love, an orbiting station of his own design. And soon he asks the viewer to join him in the Mystery Science Theatre. He will take the long way and the viewer gets treated to the first door sequence, which is a series of regular door or door-like object opening to another. I don’t recall the full sequence but it included a wooden door, a locker room door, a safe, and a breaker box cover. Once in the theater, Joel made the above comment about the movie being made the same year as 2001 and after a few minutes of watching rocket ships blast off, leaves.
Once he is back in the command area, he is joined by Crow and Beeper. Crow is of course voiced and operated by Trace, while Beeper is voiced and operated by Josh. Crow looked very much like his later KTMA run. Beeper looked very much like a prototype Tom Servo, with the basic body, but a ping-pong ball for an eye in a clear box-like head. Crow acted as an interpretor for Beeper as apparently Joel could not understand him. After some banter and a demonstration of the chiropractic helmet invention, Joel and Crow go back into the theater (Beeper is absent) and it looks very much like Crow is trying to make some time with Joel, giving him the old yawn-stretch arm around the shoulder routine. Someone in the film makes the comment of “switching the rockets to the number two position” to which Joel quips “speaking of the number two position” before heading out of the theater again. Joel commented that this was the very first riff, but then also called for the dvd to stop. I’m not sure if there was more.
The Comedy Channel pitch reel was a compilation of skits and movie clips from the KTMA season. They even included some of the phone calls that they received from the answering machine they had set up during the KTMA run to garner viewer feedback. I can’t tell you what episodes the clips were from as I have not seen all of the KTMA material, but they did include: Joel, Crow and Gypsy playing football, Crow cutting Joel’s Hair (with scary-crow-scissor-wielding action), Joel adjusting Servo’s voice modulator through a a series of characters (crow was obviously deactivated for the sketch, but looked really creepy in the background), and a military cadence ending with Joel running through the door sequence. The movie clips were from City on Fire, SST Death Flight (I think), and Phase IV.
Oh, and it is totally confirmed that Trace throws like a girl, unable to get candy to people past the 5th row. Frank was probably the pitcher for the Deep 13 softball team.
Lotsa Fun, was surprised
whoops, forgot to finish that thought.
was surprised to see the original footage in such great looking condition. Joel said he did the transfer himself and I would not be surprised if these were included as extras on the 20th anniversary set or for a future release.
The three of them also hung out at their table in the Hall of Fame after the Q and A signing, taking pictures and selling their pics and dvds…was nice that they weren’t charging to take pics like most of the rest of the “famous” people there.
I do an improvised movie mockery show in Atlanta every friday night called Cineprov! and was shocked and thrilled when Joel told me he loved the name and logo and has visited our web site. Knowing Joel is aware of my little show rocked my world! Cineprov.com for any Atlantans who wanna come to a show!
At the NeedCoffee.com film fest last night, they showed Joel’s animation test for his JollyFilter/Rotoscoping project. It was really amazing.
GREEEEN SQQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!
I wish they would do something close enough to where I live so I could go to one of them without going broke. Sounds like fun.
Still hoping that one or more of the CT, Rifftrax, mst3k guys will show up for the Chiller Theater con in New Jersey OCT 24-26!
C’MON! Give some of your fans on the East Coast a thrill and it’s right around the time of the 20th Anniversay DVD release! JOIN US!
What a great weekend in Atlanta. If anyone visited the Wasp Woman show, I was the one who got Trace to rub the Schwartz Bros. ‘bot part on his body during the question and answer session.
They all signed it later. Yippeeeee!!!
I was at Dragon Con this weekend too. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to see the Cinematic Titanic panel, I did catch up with them at their Walk of Fame booth. They signed by copy of “The Amazing Colossal Episode Guide. Trace remarked on how pristine it looked after all these years.
It was great that they were not charging to take photos. I took one with Joel and I’m doing my best not to look star-struck. I failed.
However, I wasn’t as bad as the guy who built action figures of Forrester, Frank, and Joel and gave them to the actors. Trace was so impressed he took down the guy’s email address.
Some things I thought I’d mention, having just gotten back:
At the Wasp Woman screening, I asked if they would ever do a movie for CT that had already been done for MST3K, and they said they certainly wouldn’t rule it out–they felt that a different writing crew would come up with a different take on a movie.
At the morning panel the next day, Joel mentioned some of the backstory behind the Mads and Deep 13 that I, personally, had never heard before (apologies if I misremember any of it, others there can supplement my memories):
Apparently, Gizmonics Institute is a “neutral” science lab, building technology without any real practical considerations. Joel and Dr. F both worked there, but Dr. F (and Dr. Earhardt) were kicked out for wanting to use their science for evil, and went literally underground to create Deep 13. From there, they decided to get revenge on Joel (their former subordinate) by shooting him into space and forcing him to watch bad movies.
I remember reading that backstory somewhere, but I can’t remember where. I thought it was on this site somewhere.
Whoops.
I need to make a correction on my late night ramblings above. Trace does not throw like a girl,. He, in point of fact, throws worse than a girl as he requested the assistance of one during his candy tossing endevour. He claimed his lack of throwing power stemmed from an old puppeteering injury.
Again, both panels were good, not too many crazy questions, and Joel’s surprise media was a real treat.
“He claimed his lack of throwing power stemmed from an old puppeteering injury.”
I’m not surprised. Crow looks like a biter.
I was there! It was a great moment. (By the way, I was the one that asked about the differences writing Cinematic Titanic and MST3K… and the “addendum” to which Joel responded “what’s an addendum?” about if they said their own lines.)
Great panel, amazing to finally see these guys. I was right up front, but sadly there was a pole between me and the screen. Still, I managed to video the pilot and the clip-reel they showed Comedy Channel.
The “this was filmed the same year as 2001” was more a commentary-type line (MST3K was originally imagined as a commentary show with occasional riffing. Joel may have invented the commentary track!) I think the first actual riff was the ‘number 2 manuever’ or something. At that point they stopped the pilot, you could tell they were kind of embarrassed by it and were like “It kind of goes on like that”. Great that they showed it! And I loved how riffing is so natural to them that they started riffing on their own pilot! (“Fonts were slower back then”)
Oh, I also asked Joel when he signed if he would ever consider doing a rifftrax with Mike, and he said that Mike contacted him about it the day after he announced Cinematic Titanic, and implied that that was too late. I understand and appreciate that Joel wants to focus on his own riff-project, but it’s just a little disappointing that the two will never riff together.
Friday, at the screening of Wasp Woman, I heard no mention of Erhardt’s birthday, but Saturday, the panel was asked the question, “did you ever find out what a Sampo is?” The answer was “No”.
The videos of the segments are available at http://www.youtube.com/ChimairaGT
there are some other clips of the actual discussion available from other users
I was at both panels myself, sorry to take so long to reply but internet was hard to come by for me at the con, and I didn’t bring a computer.
On Gizmonic Institute, Joel said that the place practiced a kind of “naive science.” The invention exchanges were part of its culture, where scientists meeting each other would show their pet projects to each other. In Joel and the Mad’s cases, they were typically half-baked as inventions, since Joel was a janitor and the Mads were outcasts and not the best scientists.
That clip from the pilot is great. That first host segment featuring just Joel hasn’t seen the light of day for 20 years.
So glad somebody put that up. Monumental.
I did mention in my original report about Gizmonics Institute is a “neutral” place but msampo must of cut it out. :( Also I mention about Jollyfilter. I took some nice pictures of other people dressed up as Joel. (Becka and Andy were two people I remeber.) and one guy dress up like Dr F. But I’m glad 3 of my many, many pictures made up. :) I guess I do have to edit.
If you were at dragon con and want trade photos or fun storys. Let me know:) Jenny E
Kismetgirl88,
I dressed up as Joel and was at the first panel… if you took my picture there I’d love to have it! I was the Joel who was “hit by a sex ray,” LOL. I had red, curly hair and black glasses. Anyways, I don’t know how to get in touch with you, but maybe you’ll read this :)
-Becky Crotwell
alienbleep@yahoo.com