Well, I have “laugh stomach” and that’s always a good sign.
First of all, BIG NEWS at the beginning of the show, a Christmas RiffTrax Live Dec. 5, featuring, get this, “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”! Can there BE a THIRD set of jokes to be made about this movie? The RiffTrax guys clearly think so, and I applaud what strikes me as a pretty bold choice.
As for the show itself, they got things rolling with the Norman short and people were already primed by the time they started the movie. As I like to do, I recently watched the previous “three riffers” edition and I would guess that about 80 percent of the jokes were new, and there were more overall. I thought they did a great job.
My theater near Scranton was about a third to a quarter full but they seemed to be enjoying it.
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First off, I like to apologize to anyone else at the Randall 16 showing in Batavia,IL. I was the guy that went “YEAH!!” during the clone remark. Hopefully everyone’s eardrums are fine.
I agree that this was probably one of the lesser shows they’ve done. The quiet moments during the movie both at the broadcast site and the theater I was in were at little annoying at times. Although the Norman short was fun.
There were less re-riffs than I was expecting for NOLTD from both the Rifftrax or Mike only commentary versions which was a plus.
Ours was more full than Sampo’s here in Lawrenceville. Probably 2/3 to 3/4 full, but not the packed house we had for Starship Troopers. Hope they release this live show soon!
The Cary, NC venue was about 2/3rds full. I bought my tickets as soon as they went on sale because Starship Troopers sold out here. (I didn’t want to be shutout again). A great time was had by all. I loved the Valley Lodge reference!
Great crowd as always for Rifftrax at the Westield, NJ “Rialto”. I finally got my fiance to come to one of these. Then I had a thought…all the single folks there should have hooked up!
Anyway, as noted earlier in these posts, only complaint is that the audience in Nashville was too low in the mix this time, whereas it was so high for Starship Troopers that one missed some of the riffs. Can’t wait for Santa!
it seems that the regal theater in Anchorage, Ak fills earlier and earlier with each show. I got there at 7:30 and barely found a seat in the upper level for my wife and I (I found one easier and later with the starship troopers show). I guess it will be 7:15 for the xmas show
About a 60% capacity crowd in Topeka at the Regal Hollywood Whatever Theaters. We sat away from people since I have a cold, but I could hear quite a few people coughing even though they were sitting in the middle of the main audience, so enjoy your viruses everyone! The feed went out briefly a couple of times, once coming back just in time for the words “crazy train!” and the Nashville audience laughing, which in itself was kind of funny. There was a lot of laughter in our audience — and a big shout-out to the 12-year-old boy a few rows behind us who could NOT have been happier. But there were a lot of people getting up and down, too, and there was quite a bit of reaction to the film itself. I think people were getting so sucked into NotLD that sometimes the riffs went unheard.
Anyone else catch Bill mouthing along with the dialogue in the movie?
Also, Kevin, if you’re reading this: Your hair is fabulous.
About that December performance: I would like Mike, Kevin, and Bill to tell the audience, “Cinematic Titanic also riffed ‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’ which is a hilarious riff that we recommend y’all check out.” I’m not saying one group ought to advertise the other. I just think it would be quite awkward and disingenuous to not acknowledge CT’s riff at all.
Not sure if I will go; Droppo make me shudder.
Checking in late from Monaca, PA… Our theater was the fullest it’s ever been at a Rifftrax event, about 80% full. This movie has a special place in our hearts since it was shot locally.
I agree with several other comments that there were some long spaces in the movie with no riffs, so it wasn’t as hilarious as, say, Manos. But it was still an enjoyable evening, and we were glad to see Norman back.
I do think they missed a good opportunity during the scene where the flannel-clad posse with guns is zombie-hunting. I was half-expecting something like Giant Spider Invasion, but instead of Packers-wooo, maybe a Steelers-wooo… just a thought.
And on a final note: I hadn’t seen this movie in quite a while, and it’s still highly disturbing even after all these decades.
Funny story. I was in the new brunswick, NJ theater. I have a friend who works across the street as a bartender. He wanted to see the show but had to work on Thursday. Anyway, he was working when a guy walks into the bar, sits down, orders a drink and asks him if he ever heard of a show called mystery science theater. My friend says yes and then informs him that they are still performing. The guy looks at him like he’s crazy. My friend then shows him the rifftrax website and tells him about the live show going on in 15 minutes. The guys jumps up and bolts out the door so he can buy a ticket. The guy had a look on his face like a child on Christmas he was so happy. Guess he was in the theater with me and I had no idea. It’s funny how there are fans out there that have no idea about Ct or Rifftrax.
I went to the Long Beach, CA showing at it was 90% full. Great audience, laughs all the way through. I seriously think only one joke didn’t get a good laugh, and it was just a throwaway line. Biggest laughs were the Obama joke, I’m a black man in a horror movie, rombies and beating off the zombies. Kudos the the guys for a Zaphod Beeblebrox refference! One thing, one of the first zombies looked a lot like Rob Pattinson and I was so hoping a Twilight riff was coming! Had a great time and will definitely go to the Santa Claus Conquers the Martians one. I can’t believe anyone would think that vein has run dry, that movie is so good/bad it can be riffed endlessly!
#49 – Well if you can mine the same Mike hate going on 20 years plus then Mike can riff on the same movies from his MST3k days over and over again. Deal?
# 61 – well said! Also, Mike was the head writer on MST for almost it’s entire run, so I bet he has the same ‘awareness’ as he is ascribing to Joel. (Joel vs Mike, gotta love a 20 year-old flamewar!)
It doesn’t matter what movie the guys at Rifftrax are doing Live. They are making me laugh and I love them for it. I will be there December 5th. Thanks to Mike, Kevin, and Bill and everyone at Rifftrax!
At least Mike,Bill and Kevin continue to put out new product on a regular basis (some good, some not) while once again Joel is going to abandon his fan base.
Wait, Mike was headwriter when MST3K did MANOS. I believe also when they earlier did SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS. Doesn’t that make those films his “own” in a way?
I don’t get people saying he has no right to give them another go. He was there.
I think I *will* see it, if only to see if it’s possible to come up with a new, funny way to diss the insufferable Droppo. Hope there’s a short, too. :)
Ddi anyone catch the url for the digital goodies after the show? I just realized I never went to the Rifftrax site after the show, and have forgotten the url since it’s been so long….