MST3K News Roundup: 08/14/11
Chris 'Sampo' Cornell
on�MST3K and its former cast members sooner, visit
http://www.mst3kinfo.com.
PLEASE NOTE: Satellite News is not financially supported by Best
Brains�or any other entity. It is a labor of love, paid for out of our
own�pockets. If you value this site, we would be delighted if you showed
it�by making an occasional donation of any amount.
Visit�http://www.mst3kinfo.com and find the "Support Us" box on the
right�side of the main page. Thanks.
Shout!Factory's latest release is "Volume 21: Gamera Vs. MST3K"
featuring all five Gamera episodes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQwEuVoVNiI
Order it here:
http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-4189090-10768631?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shou
tfactorystore.com%2Fprod.aspx%3Fpfid%3D5257460&cjsku=826663125726
Ian Jane of Rockshockpop.com was the first to offer a really detailed,
extensive review of the upcoming �Gamera Vs. MST3K� set.
http://www.rockshockpop.com/forums/content.php?1684-MST3K-Vs.-Gamera-Myst
ery-Science-Theater-3000-Vol.-XXI
Our pal Bruce Westbrook has a review�
http://farsider.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/dvd-review-mst3k-vs-gamera-vol-x
xi-no-shell-of-past-glories/
Over at DVDVerdict, Judge Erich Asperschlager calls it �tons of fun��
http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/mst3kxxi.php
Kevin Pytle at wtf-film.com calls the set�s arrival��one of the more
phenomenal home video developments of the year.�
Noel Murray of The AV Club says �These Gamera shows hold up.�
http://www.avclub.com/articles/mst3k-vs-gamera,59531/
�They find a way to keep the laughs coming� says an unsigned
Popculturereport.info review.
http://popculturereport.info/pop-culture/dvd-review-mst3k-vs-gamera-myste
ry-science-theater-3000-vol-xxi/
�This is a stellar set� says James McCormick at Criterioncast.com.
http://criterioncast.com/2011/08/02/james-reviews-mst3k-vs-gamera-mystery
-science-theater-3000-vol-xxi-dvd-review/
John Sinnot at DVD Talk says �These episodes are some of the best TV
ever.�
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/49801/mst3k-vs-gamera-mystery-science-thea
ter-3000-vol-xxi/
An unsigned review at geeksofdoom.com says this set �emerges as the best
collection of the show Shout! has issued to date.�
http://geeksofdoom.com/2011/08/03/dvd-review-mst3k-vs-gamera-mystery-scie
nce-theater-3000-vol-xxi/
Rod Lott at the Oklahoma Gazette calls it �another great set from Shout!
Factory.�
http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-12610-mst3k-vs-gamera-mystery-s
cience-theater-3000-volume-xxi.html
R.L. Shaffer at dvd.ign.com says the set is �well worth a spin.�
http://dvd.ign.com/articles/118/1182593p1.html
An unsigned review at Schlockmania.com calls it: �a winner for MST3K
fanatics and kaiju eiga enthusiasts alike.�
http://www.schlockmania.com/ds-mst3k-vs-gamera/
The set came in as number 6 on Entertainment Weekly�s �must list.�
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20310286_20515530,00.html#20996617
Andrea Speed at cxpulp.com (?) calls it �a stellar set.�
http://www.cxpulp.com/content.php?1825-Mystery-Science-Theater-3000-XXI-M
ST3K-VS-Gamera
New: Nick Lyons at DVDCorner calls it �a fantastic DVD set that is a
must own.�
http://dvdcorner.net/2011/08/07/mst3k-vs-gamera-xxi-dvd-review/
Oh, and while we�re on the subject of reviews, Nick Lyons at DVD Corner
has a review of the �Hamlet� re-release�and he likes it!
http://dvdcorner.net/2011/07/18/mystery-science-theater-3000-hamlet-dvd-r
eview/
Shout! Factory has re-released episodes 320- THE UNEARTHLY (with shorts:
POSTURE PALS and APPRECIATING OUR PARENTS) and episode 619- RED ZONE
CUBA (with short: SPEECH: PLATFORM POSTURE AND APPEARANCE�) as single
DVDs. You can order them now from the Shout! web store, priced at $14.99
each. They�ll be mailed out for the official street date of Tuesday,
Aug. 16.
Order them here
http://www.shoutfactorystore.com/prod.aspx?pfid=5257465and here.
http://www.shoutfactorystore.com/prod.aspx?pfid=5257464
The first review of Shout!Factory's upcoming "Manos: The Hands of Fate"
re-release is from Ian Jane at RockShockPop.com, who says �Fans of MST3K
or Manos alike should consider this an essential purchase.
http://www.rockshockpop.com/forums/content.php?1723-Mystery-Science-Theat
er-3000-Manos-The-Hands-Of-Fate-(2-Disc-Special-Edition)
By the way, I just got a note from Jordan Fields of Shout, who says: �I
think there�s an assumption from your readers that our �Manos� release
is a Shout Select title (which I understand since it�s a re-release).
It�s not. It�ll be in stores.�
The next RiffTrax Live will be Wednesday, Aug. 17.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wax2LMLqdps Get tickets here:
http://bit.ly/p3o0vP
Here's a little look at the last five years of RiffTrax:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpsq7_sNER0
The pre-show media coverage of RiffTrax Live is starting�
Lance Conzett of The Nashville Scene quotes Mike in this piece.
http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/the-mst3k-mystique-lives-on-in-ri
fftrax-your-psychic-defense-against-lousy-movies/Content?oid=2600113
NewHampshire.com has an item
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20110811/NEWHAMPSHIRE/110819980 that
is pretty much a re-write of the Fathom press release.
http://www.rifftrax.com/files/live/jack/press/release/RiffTrax_JackReleas
e_FINAL_071811.pdf
And, coming up at San Francisco Sketchfest: RiffTrax Presents �Night of
the Shorts II: Electric Riffaloo� with Kevin, Bill and guest riffers
Chris Hardwick, Andy Richter, Adam Savage, Cole Stratton and Janet
Varney Saturday, Aug. 20, at 8:30 p.m. at The Castro Theatre in San
Francisco. UPDATE: Bob Odenkirk has been added to the show. Get tickets
here.
http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionDa
ta&eventId=3793695
RiffTrax has come to Hulu with five features
http://www.hulu.com/rifftrax-features and ten shorts.
http://www.hulu.com/rifftrax-shorts Enjoy!
Dan Brooks of Flightpath.com did an interview with Mike.
http://www.flightpath.com/insights/index.php/2011/07/interview-mike-nelso
n-of-rifftrax-and-mystery-science-theater-3000/
Over at Reddit.com, Bill Corbett
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/j6zmm/iama_writer_and_performer_at_
rifftraxcom_and/ and Mike Nelson
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/g96eq/iama_writer_and_actor_founder
_of_rifftraxcom/ did "Iama" interviews.
At Comic-Con in San Diego last month, comedian Chris Hardwicke had the
RiffTrax guys as guests on a live version of his "Nerdist" podcast.
http://www.nerdist.com/2011/08/nerdist-podcast-111-live-from-sdcc-with-ri
fftrax-pereira-friedlander/ Beware: VERY adult language.
The Blu-Ray versions of the live �Reefer Madness� and �House on Haunted
Hill� live shows are now available at the RiffTrax site. They seem to be
�temporarily out of stock� on Amazon.
http://www.rifftrax.com/riffs/bluray
Also new: In addition, Nick Lyons has reviewed �Shorts To-Go� and �Old
Tyme Shorts Roundup.�
http://dvdcorner.net/2011/08/02/rifftrax-shorts-to-go-and-rifftrax-old-ty
me-shorts-roundup-dvd-reviews/
RiffTrax Features:
Galaxy Invader http://www.rifftrax.com/ondemand/galaxy-invader
Incidentally, Several alert commenters have pointed out that this is the
movie we see clips of in the Film Ventures Int�l credit sequences for
episode 303-POD PEOPLE. And, as I noted earlier, this was directed by
Don Dohler, whose �Alien Factor� was given a thorough roughing up by
Cinematic Titanic.
RiffTrax shorts:
At Your Fingertips Grasses
http://www.rifftrax.com/shorts/at-your-fingertips-grasses
A Your Fingertips Boxes
http://www.rifftrax.com/shorts/at-your-fingertips-boxes
Borrowed Power http://www.rifftrax.com/shorts/borrowed-power
Eggs to Market http://www.rifftrax.com/shorts/eggs-market
Cinematic Titanic
Here�s a rundown of the Cinematic Titanic tour schedule as it stands now:
9/15-17 Minneapolis. Parkway Theatre. The cast will record two new live
DVDs � �War of the Insects� and �Rattlers� � during a three-night stand.
ON SALE http://theparkwaytheater.com/calendar.php?id=414&cmd=view
9/24 New York City. Best Buy Theater. �East Meets Watts.� ON SALE
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2B0046C3CEE335F3?brand=aeglive
10/15 Elgin, IL. ECC Arts Center. Two shows: �Frankstein And The Castle
of Freaks� and �Blood of The Vampires.� ON SALE
https://tickets.elgin.edu/TheatreManager/1/TMindex.html
10/27 Washington, DC. Lisner Auditorium. �Rattlers.� Tickets on sale
soon.
11/3 Reno, NV. Nightingale Concert Hall, UN, Reno. �Rattlers.� Tickets
on sale 9/1.
11/4 Davis, CA. Mondavi Arts Center, UC. �Doomsday Machine.� ON SALE
http://www.mondaviarts.org/events/event.cfm?event_id=1010&season=2011
11/5 Santa Rosa, CA. Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. �Rattlers.� ON
SALE http://wellsfargocenterarts.org/tickets/calendar/view.aspx?id=533
11/6 Santa Barbara, CA. Arlington Theatre. �Doomsday Machine.� ON SALE
https://artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu/Details.aspx?PerfNum=2239
11/12 Green Bay, WI. Meyer Theatre. Two shows: �Rattlers� and �Tiki
Island.� Tickets on sale soon.
12/30 Philadelphia. Keswick Theater. Two shows. �Astral Factor�
(premiere) and �Frankenstein�s Castle of Freaks.� ON SALE
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2B0046BBD10C35B7?brand=keswick
2012
1/20 York, PA. Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center. �Rattlers.� ON
SALE http://www.strandcapitol.org/currentseason/calendar/view.asp?id=4188
1/21 Wilmington, DE. Grand Opera House. �Doomsday Machine.� ON SALE
http://www.thegrandwilmington.org/Productions/11-12/Cinematic-Titanic
2/3 Hartford, CT. Belding Theater. Two shows: �War Of The Insects� and
�Doomsday Machine.� ON SALE http://www.bushnell.org/index.cgi/51786
2/4/ Schenectady, NY. Proctor�s Theatre. �Astral Factor.� ON SALE
http://www.proctors.org/events/cinematic-titanic
2/25 Royal Oaks/Detroit, MI. Royal Oaks Music Theater. Two shows:
�Astral Factor� and �Doomsday Machine.� Tickets on sale soon.
3/16 Durham, NC. Carolina Theatre of Durham. �Rattlers.� ON SALE
http://www.carolinatheatre.org/events/cinematic-titanic
3/17 Greenville, SC. Peace Center for the Performing Arts. �Astral
Factor.� Tickets on sale soon.
3/30 Newark, NJ. Victoria Theatre. �Blood Of The Vampires.� ON SALE
http://www.njpac.org/all_events.asp?viewcode=0&startDate=2012-3-30&Date=2
012-3-30
3/31 Newark, NJ. Victoria Theatre. Two shows: �Doomsday Machine� and
�Astral Factor.� ON SALE
http://www.njpac.org/all_events.asp?viewcode=0&startDate=2012-3-30&Date=2
012-3-30
4/27 Milwaukee, WI. Pabst Theater. �Doomsday Machine.� Tickets on sale
soon.
4/28 Milwaukee, WI. Pabst Theater. �Astral Factor.� Tickets on sale soon.
Canadians are generally less familiar with MST3K, which shouldn�t be
surprising, since the show never played on TV there. But via the
intertubes and the DVDs, a fan base is building north of the border.
Case in point: I submit for your approval one Adam Clarke who recently
penned an article in �The Scope,� an arts and entertainment magazine in
St. John�s. On the Joel/Mike issue Adam clearly lands solidly in the
Joel camp (not that there�s anything wrong with that) but, in a show of
a typically Canadian sense of fair play, he includes many fun Mike
moments in the extensive lists of videos that accompany his piece.
Enjoy!
http://thescope.ca/onscreen/what-is-mystery-science-theatre-3000-you-ask
Frank was recently featured on comedian Paul Gilmartin�s �Mental Illness
Happy Hour. It is a very confessional interview in which Frank talks,
well, frankly, about depression, substance abuse and much ore. Warning:
Some of the language and topics are probably not appropriate for kids.
http://mentalpod.com/Frank-Conniff-podcast
BALDWIN HILLS, Calif. � Charles Aaron �Bubba� Smith, the No. 1 overall
pick in the 1967 NFL draft who later found fame as an actor, was found
dead at his home here on Wednesday, Aug. 3. He was 66. The cause of
death was not immediately apparent but a police spokesman said the death
does not appear to be suspicious.
Longtime MSTies will remember his performance as Moses in the movie in
episode K15- SUPERDOME.
Read an obituary here.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/08/former-nfl
-star-bubba-smith-dead-at-66/1
OSAKA � Sakyo Komatsu, one of Japan�s most popular science fiction
writers, died in a hospital here Tuesday, July 26, from pneumonia. He
was 80.
MSTies will recognize him as one of the writers of the movie shown in
episode 306- TIME OF THE APES. His most famous work, however, was
�Nippon Chinbotsu� (�Japan Sinks�), a novel about the seismic
destruction of the Japanese archipelago, published in 1973. His other
stories, many of which have been turned into films, include �ESPY,�
�Virus,� �Sayonara, Jupiter� and �Tokyo Blackout." See a full obituary
here: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110729a8.html