Me? I gotta go with “Citizen Kane.” Stilted dialog, scenery chewing…um, sleds. It’s got it all!
What’s your pick?
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Weekend Discussion Thread: Other ‘Good’ Movies RiffTrax Should RiffRiffTrax’s “The Wizard of Oz” riff is out (and I thought it was hilarious). They previously did “Caasablanca” and several other movies considred “good.” What other movies considered “good” do you think might work for riffing?
121 Replies to “Weekend Discussion Thread: Other ‘Good’ Movies RiffTrax Should Riff”Commenting at Satellite News
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Riffuany!
I think for some people, watching a good movie involves a level of connection that’s different than watching a riffed movie. I talk over movies that I find too silly to get into or that my friends and I can’t really connect with, even movies that are not necessarily bad; they’re just not really good. Anybody can riff any movie out there, but there are movies I like too much to watch riffed. All I can think about when I hear that someone’s riffed Casablanca or Jaws or whatever is that, the next time I sit down to watch it, I’m going to keep hearing those riffs when I’m trying to enjoy it. Someone else compared it to people talking at the theater, and I think we know that’s not always an enjoyable experience.
That said, I love RiffTrax. I have just about all the shorts and VODs, and when they do movies that are flawed (the more flawed the better, I say) I really enjoy them, watch them several times. I also liked the Carnival of Souls and Night of the Living Dead riffs more than I expected to. I liked the Star Wars prequel riffs a fair amount. I loved The Matrix riff, didn’t get into the Lord of the Rings riff. Some have already made it clear here that many people prefer seeing movies riffed when they dislike them. That doesn’t mean someone else can’t enjoy a riff of a movie I like. It’s just not for me. I am glad to hear that I’m not alone in that.
In the case of long movies like “Gone With The Wind”, “Cleopatra” or “The Ten Commandments” (just to name a few): who says they have to riff the whole movie? Quite a few of the films riffed on MST3K were edited – good grief, the MST3K movie was shorter than the original “This Island Earth”*!
Just leave out those parts of the movie that don’t lend themselves as readily to riffing. (It might be more time and work to write, but anything worth doing etc.etc.) In the case of GWTW, edit out the grimmer parts (like that long pullaway shot in the train yard that slowly reveals row upon row upon row of dead and wounded soldiers).
Also, I’d love to see someone take on that scene in “Ten Commandments” where Moses and (his brother Aaron? I forget exactly who) discuss the strange burning bush near the top of the mountain that they can apparently see with the naked eye after which Moses spends what seems like days of ROCK CLIMBING!! to get to it.
*”…can be YOURS if ‘The Price Is Right’!” Always hear that in my head whenever I see or hear that title.
“War of the Worlds”- Forrester, Forrester, Dr. Clayton Forrester.
When I heard Rifftrax was doing “Jaws,” I got very nervous because I LOVE that movie. I pretty much wore the VHS copy out when I was a kid.
However, when I actually watched it I was beyond pleased–the riff was a send up, not a battering (like the Star Wars prequels, deservedly so BTW). After watching it so many times, it was just funny to see them hone in on things about which I’d never really thought too deeply. For instance, I laugh hysterically at the line, “…this sets the stage for the most dramatic barrel retrieval scene yet!”
Same thing with “The Dark Knight,” which I’m sure some may not agree with as a “great film” but the point is I think anything is riffable with the right approach. It serves to enhance the experience and play with everything you love about it.
I don’t see reason for all the hate on RiffTrax doing good movies. They’ve already made fun of several of my favorite movies, I just keep a sense of humor about it and don’t take it too seriously. For a long time, The Matrix was my favorite movie(it’s still up there on my list) and they’ve done it, it was one of the first films they released a commentary on. During the riffing, they say that its not a bad movie, not as bad as the sequels. I really liked the LOTR movies, original trilogy of Star Wars, Jaws, Fifth Element, and they’ve made fun of all of them, and I’ve enjoyed them.
That said, some of the movies I’d like to see them do: Sound of Music. Big overblown musical, as mentioned by others. African Queen. Another good oscar winner, with a terrible Canadian accent by Bogart and another “Not even trying” English accent by Katherine Hepburn. White Christmas would be another good movie for them to try their hand at.
Here’s a challenge. Any Zucker brothers films like Kentucky Fried Movie, Top Secret!, or Airplane!.
Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” is ripe for riffing.
None. I only like riffing on bad films.
What about the Exorcist? It’s already hilarious, if you watch it with the lights on, of course.
DRACULA would perhaps be a perfect target. On the plus side, it’s got ol’ Bela giving his iconic demented performance (I love how he almost sings “Tomorrow morning”), a ton of dead air, and it’s been called, perhaps a bit cruelly, one of the most influential bad movies of all time. (Yeah, ouch.) On the minus side, after a terrific start, it descends into virtually a filmed version of the stage play, with people endlessly describing stuff that happened off-camera.
#59 Correction. Stop motion model animation. Note to self: Don’t go online first thing in the morning! Sorry about that!
It seems when they riff good movies they are just mostly snark than real riffing. Or they pad out the riffing with singing or other nonriffs because there are parts of good films that are not really lending to riffing. Sort of the opposite of movies too bad to be riffed.
“Tree of Life”. Rifftrax vs. Terrence Malick… and go!
I think Riffing the host segments from MST3K the movie would be an awesome extra / easter egg on a shorts DVD or something.
The Seventh Seal could use some lightning up. Man, All the bill and ted jokes available make me mstie eyed.
#111
Dracula has been done, and pretty well by the Hor-Riff-Ic Productions duo available through the Rifftrax site.
“The Longest Day” or “Patton.”
Some good choices already. Carousel I particularly support, because none of the songs were catchy and that’s a real killer for musicals. On that note, An American in Paris and Gigi – and while I’m thinking of 50s Best Picture winners, Around the World in 80 Days, which at over 3 hours would be a chore but oh man is it deserved. The cameo parade makes their job pretty easy though.
Of course, those are movies I watched and didn’t like. On that note, so many 60s movies have aged very badly, or weren’t good in the first place. Nobody remember Darling, and since I had to stop watching after half an hour because it was putting me to sleep, I doubt it would do the job. How about The Graduate, though? Or… Doctor Dolittle (not that it was well-regarded at the time, but TONS of material there). I like Yellow Submarine, but it’s amenable to a riff. Funny Girl – I don’t know why so many 60s musicals are occurring to me, but this one has the ripe target of Barbra Streisand.
Go back further, to the 30s. Cavalcade isn’t remembered except as one of those many Best Picture winners that are now forgotten. It’s kind of a British Forrest Gump for the period though. The Great Ziegfeld deserves it. The Good Earth – why it’s looked upon so favorably is a mystery after I finally watched it, but like any movie with Caucasians playing non-Caucasian roles, it’s a ripe target.
Dead Poets Society, perhaps? Driving Miss Daisy? Since I hate Poltergeist seeing Mike, Bill and Kevin take it on would cause great joy, but it’s one of the few horror movies with mass liking.
On the horror beat – Village of the Damned. Sure the remake is awful, but even the original isn’t that great, though well-regarded. I should probably mention I’ve never seen The Blair Witch Project, but the potential is there. Or, heck, go with Scream.
one word…….Goldfinger, if for no other reason than at the end where Goldfinger is sucked out of the airplane window as if they were on a spaceship in orbit.
Jaws would be another fine movie with just enough cheese to be riffable.
Terminator would also be a good choice, fitting too as they have all ready done T3 and Terminator Salvation.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a riffable good movie.
I could see them riffing Christine, again a good film but lots of space for quality riffs.
How about Rambo: Fist Blood?
I would be up for watching them riff the Christoper Reeves Superman movies, lots of material and it’s a safe bet that a lot of folks all ready own them.
@ 119 *Jaws2
For me Rifftrax has already done one of my most beloved movies…though I may be alone on this one. The original 1978 Halloween. And honestly I cant look at this film the same way after RT’s take on it…bringing all the flaws to the light of day.
I was kind of hesitant to view this Rifftrax knowing it would probably alter my feelings about this film forever It’s kind of like having two best friends who simply cant stand each other…and being forced to take sides. In the end I’m glad I bought it. Always fun to get someone else’s view on a classic film.