But before I do, I just want to extend my thanks to the Titans for years of great performances. Thanks for everything.
Paul’s report:
Dave “Gruber” Allen started the pre-show warm up acts with a shadow puppet show. An attempt at singing lip-sync to some Dan Fogelberg version of “Auld Lang Syne” with Mary Jo was intentionally cut short.
A video plugging Trace’s “Silly Rhymes” book was played.
Mary Jo read a work-in-progress play of hers with Josh and Gruber.
Josh performed a song he wrote for the Burbank Airport PA system while Trace and Mary Jo interrupted the flow with typical airport PA announcements.
Frank did some stand-up. He announced that he will be attending a number of fan conventions in the future.
Joel did a Q&A with the audience. When asked what he’ll be doing in the future, he noted his voice work on Cartoon Network (he does the voice of Mayor Bill Dewey on a CN series called “Steven Universe”).
Then “The Wasp Woman” started. New topical references and jokes were made, such as the Wasp Woman’s dead body at the end now being newly-elected New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s problem now.
An intermission followed. When the show resumed, a new video by Trace titled “Frank” was played. It featured Frank as a Frankenstein-like monster brought back to life. The Titans were in the video, and even Bill Corbett made an appearance.
Then “The Doll Squad” started. Current and topical jokes and references were made about George Zimmerman and the Healthcare.gov website problems.
After the 2nd feature ended, the Titans and Dave Allen gave a toast on stage, bidding farewell to their 5-year tour. This was at about 12:10AM.
A meet and greet with fans to get autographs followed, with a very long line and wait.
Happy New Year!
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I wasn’t able to attend, either, but I also would like to thank the Titans for their excellent work on Cinematic Titanic. I am honored to have every CT release in my collection, alongside the very best episodes of MST3K. Best of luck to all of them in their future projects!
I got to the show, though it was kind of a long drive for me.
The theater was just about full, from what I could tell. I saw at least one Crow and Tom Servo, along with several people in green lab coats.
Gruber’s warm-up went fine, along with a couple of bits I hadn’t seen before, one based on a very sad Carpenter’s song, another with Mary Jo reinterpreting Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Auld Lang Syne”. Mary Jo, aided by Gruber & Josh, put on some scenes from her play about “man’s inhumanity to man” (at the check-out counter). Frank did his stand-up, including one last performance of “Convoluted Man”, while Josh did his routine on Burbank Airport, which I hadn’t seen before. Gruber then did a big intro for Joel, who then took some questions from the audience. Both the intro and the questions included a couple of digs at Mike and Jim, but Joel gracefully sidestepped them.
The riffing was great. “The Wasp Woman” live riff was much better than the previous studio DVD. And Joel was right, “Doll Squad” was a much worse movie. After the intermission, before the second feature, they presented Trace’s film, “The Frank”, which got a great response. And the night finished with the cast getting a standing ovation, while they toasted the audience.
I didn’t stick around for the autograph session. It was late, I was tired, and I didn’t want to sound like a complete idiot, like I did after the Milwaukee show. All in all, it was a great evening and I’m glad I was able to get there. And I hope you’re feeling better, Sampo.
Now, let’s all start waiting for the reunion.
The review is spot on. It’s my third time seeing the live performance and the cinematic titans never dissapoint. So happy I was apart of this historic night.
I hope some have pictures to share from last nights show. I’m very glad we got to see these fine, funny people as much as we did.
The last two shows in Ma. were great and I will always remember these cool, funny people that we were able to see live and watch on DVD.
We also have all the MST stuff on DVD that has helped me deal with so many hard, sad times over the years.
My only regret is I didn’t get to see Josh the last two shows here.I wanted to make a small BEATLES collage for him that would fit in his suitcase
to thank him for being there at the start, I really feel he is a cool talented guy, as they all are but he only had a short time with the show.
I wish I could have gone to their shows but events and locations conspired against me.
I can only hope that they will eventually release the remainder of their catalog for us to enjoy.
I never got to see them either even though I had planned it last year. :(
Well…now on to MST3K The Movie 2!! They made 5 or 6 The God’s Must be Crazies, so they can make another MST3K movie!
Thanks for so many great shows Cinematic Titanic! Best of luck in all your future endeavours.
Saying my prayers every night that they release Doll Squad on DVD.
Every night. Did you hear me, Titans. EVERY NIGHT.
I had to leave after The Wasp Woman, but their performance last night was much funnier than their DVD version.
I’m going to miss those guys. :idk:
That sounds like soooo much fun! Congrats to those who went to the show. Joel, Frank, Josh, Trace, and Mary Jo clearly gave their fans a fabulous farewell. Thanks for being awesome, CT, and if you guys write more books, put out more DVDs, and stuff like dat dere, this particular couch potato will cheerfully buy. Best wishes!
Just like that, gone. It is my singular hope that one or more of the ex-CTs joins the Rifftrax crew for guest riffs on anything and everything.
That was me with my Crow. Very popular last night. Took about 50 photos with fans. I was able to get all 5 Titans’ autographs on the puppet, and Trace granted my request and drew a Crow T. Robot doodle on him as well. So funny, so sad, but a great way to say goodbye, thank you, and good luck for the future.
Went to the show last night. The theater was indeed full. I was lucky enough to get tickets in the second to last row two months ago, but there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. The highlights of the opening were definitely J. Elvis’ song, and Joel’s reaction to the “hostile” crowd. Both times I’ve seen CT, Joel came out and said he had nothing prepared, but I loved the Q&A. How history would have changed if Joel hadn’t kept true to himself and starred in some awful sitcom.
As for the films, I felt that the riffing was better on “The Doll Squad,” but that movie is so bad that as a whole experience I enjoyed “The Wasp Woman” more. I had absolutely no clue what was going on in the second movie, and the director’s choice to put 15 minutes of exposition at the 80 minute mark was just brutal. A lot of people started getting up and standing in line for the meet and greet, which I didn’t stick around for. The theater lobby was simply too small.
All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and it truly is sad that it has to come to an end, but there is a part of me that doesn’t believe that this is truly the end. Cinematic Titanic? Yes, over. But I still think Joel has something else up his sleeve…
Does anyone know will they release all the “un-released” shows? Have they commented at all about this?
#14: Yes, we have commented on this. Many many mannnnnnnnnnny times.
#15: And the answer?????
I was there! Enjoyed the shows immensely, so bittersweet to see it end. And I did stay to the end AND I know I blabbered like an idiot but it was just my effort to say thanks. And Castleton Snob, that was an awesome Crow and Servo. A lot of love went into them it is obvious. The movies? As stated, Wasp Woman was done much better than the DVD and The Doll Squad – who thought that would be a good movie? It made Angel’s Revenge look like Citizen Kane! Impossible to sit through w/o the Riffing. Cinematic Titanic – we enjoyed you while we had you.
Blabbered like an idiot at the signing table, that is. We got through the line at 1:00 am and I am sure there was another 1/2 hour’s worth of people in line. And thanks to Gruber who walked the waiting line to entertain the fans patiently waiting in line to get something signed.
Excellent show, although The Doll Squad was kind of painful :)
I got to hang out with my friend from high school (who introduced me to MST3K) and his friend from college (who introduced him to MST3K) and that made the whole thing even better.
I was going to stay for the meet-and-greet afterwards and maybe have Joel sign my “Trout Mask Revisited” poster from Bucks County Community College, but I was sleepy and the line was very long … oh well.
Farewell, Cinematic Titans. You were enjoyed!
I hope the best for them all, all here on the good earth.
@ 14-16, please let me know if you ever find any of the MANNNNNNY comments about DVD releases. I’ve been watching here and the official CT site and never seen anything about it.
Got tickets for the Keswick show as a Christmas gift. Probably one of the best things I’ve ever received.
One of the things I really noticed was what masterful comedians the entire CT crew are. They easily rival anything Second City, the Groundlings, SNL, etc., can do. Mary Jo Pehl, in particular, just radiates talent. I’d love to see CT continue as maybe a sketch outfit, or a YouTube channel, or something.
I’m still amazed at the amount of young people who are MST3K fans. Kinda feels nice that even in my decrepitude, there’s people out there who share my sense of humor.
Overall, it was a great show. The soundtrack for Doll Squad was pretty atrocious. It made following some of the riffs difficult, and it seemed like the PA definitely went up a few decibels during the movie. As Frank joked, they can always fix it in the next show. :)
The only real bummer for me (outside of CT retiring) was the jackass in the row behind me starting up the Joel/Mike flamewar during Joel’s Q&A session. After all these decades, I still do not understand why people get so worked up over this. It was a really ****ty thing to do. Joel, though, handled it with aplomb and class.
That aside, it was a great experience and I was glad I got to take part in it. If any of the CT crew read this, thanks again for a wonderful time and best of luck in the future.
Happy New Year, and as always, please; look out for snakes.
“Yes, we have commented on this. Many many mannnnnnnnnnny times.” ‘Just not in a place that is conveniently found online, or on one of our two updates to the website in the last year, or here where your question would be answered, or in a way that is not sarcastic to one of our remaining fans, or anything i’m going to talk about when i can get in a little zing instead. After all, i’m a comedian, not a salesperson!’
It was a great run. But, like all good things- it came to an end. I was lucky enough to see the Titans in February 2010 at Royal Oak Music Theater. I took my sons, who grew up with MST- and, they were nearly as thrilled as I was. Frank talked the most to us, but, all were so nice. Joel (it was his birthday) was somewhat dark and mysterious :)- but he smiled and signed autographs and answered questions. I look forward to the next chapter- whether it is Joel’s traveling show, Rifftrax, or, something yet undetermined, the not too (and farther) distant future looks bright for MSTIES.
Let’s all be thankful for all the folks at CT gave us, by not asking for more.After all the show (MST) had its run then it stopped and got started again.
Mike and Kevin, and Bill gave us four FILM CREW DVDS,then came back with a huge catalog of RIFF TRAX that’s still growing. We’ve had 12 DVDS from
CT let’s be happy with that and see what’s next. I think the Many,many mannnnnnny times Mary Jo is talking about is from the time they announced
this was the end they got all kinds of ARE YOU GONNA? DO YOU PLAN TO? CAN WE EXPECT? Done is done,over is over, they all have other things they plan/want to do. I was glad to have been able to go to the live shows and meet these fine folks, I only wish the RIFF TRAX guys would tour so I could meet and thank them for all the cool stuff they’ve done over the years.
A Shout Factory CT box set with one or two bonus unreleased shows.
It would be foolish to not put one together.
It’s what Shout does, defying the download trend.
Of course it’s easier to just let CT slowly fade away to downloads after the available ten DVDs are exhausted.
It would be more difficult to market and create a milestone box set collection with much ballyhoo.
But you don’t do it because it’s easy.
You do it because it’s HARD.
And because it will sell.
Yes. CT is done and done. But so is MST3K and its sets keep selling more and more units. My God, if Shout can release television fodder like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on DVD, then they can put a spectacular CT box set together.
Enough of my yakking. I’m going to go watch Bonanza on Hulu. It’s that episode where Hop Sing’s pony tail is severed and he feels deep deep shame.
#15: I know right? It’s so ridiculous that all of these fans (me included) want to spend their hard-earned money on your merchandise. What a bunch of weirdoes!!!!
#25: I resigned myself to the fact that the RT guys will never do a live appearance outside of Tennessee or San Diego so I finally gave in and drove down to Tennessee to see them. If you have the means, the time, and can actually manage to get a ticket before they sell out in two minutes, I highly recommend it. It was definitely worth it and they were incredibly cool to their fans and came out and talked with us before the show and signed autographs, took pictures etc. and actually answered some questions I had.
#27: You’re right. Sorry.
The show on Monday was great! This was my first time seeing CT live and, no, I was not disappointed. The riffs were great, the performers were on their A-games, and it was a perfect way to end the year. Thanks, CT, for making us laugh at love… again.
“Cinematic Titanic? Yes, over. But I still think Joel has something else up his sleeve…”
@ 13
He is a good magician, so I agree with you completely!
If I had had the opportunity to meet Joel at a show and there was a Q&A, I would have asked him if he ever had the opportunity to meet the great T. A. Waters…. at which point, all the others in attendance would be like, “what/who the hell?”
Joel would probably floor me by saying something like, “Yeah, we talked about some mentalist effects… He really was indeed a cool secret agent guy turned magician.”
hahahaha
I wasn’t able to make it to Philly…
But I’ve had a long history of happy memories. Both MST3K Conventio-cons, 1994 and 1996; the MST ALIVE! show at the Uptown Theater in 1992; the Treasure Island Casino benefit show in Red Rock, Minnesota in 1997 for local Minneapolis comedian Scott Hansen – Joel was one of many performers at that show, and his performance was chock full of classic Gizmonic devices…
My just recently former girlfriend of the last 15 years and I met through MST. We went to the Cinematic Titanic launch party in Minneapolis 5 years ago. Saw many CT shows around the country. My personal “farewell” gathering, if you will, was late last year, at the MST3K 25th Anniversary Tribute program at the Chicago Museum of Broadcasting. Coming full circle, I had Joel, Trace and Frank sign my MST3K Collectible Lunch Box which I purchased back in the day.
Please forgive my long winded trip through memory lane…it’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years of MST, and equally hard to realize CT has closed shop…the Launch Party seems as if it was just a few months ago, in my nostalgic mind. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
One other small post script: shows how much time has passed, how far we’ve come in the 5 years of Cinematic Titanic. When the venture started, it was binders with written scripts; at the end, if I’m observing correctly, the Titans used Ipads/notepads. Time flies.
I thought they always used iPads? Or at least, once they existed…