MST3K News Roundup: 12/18/11

[Chris 'Sampo' Cornell]

These updates are posted about once a month. To get the latest news
on MST3K and its former cast members sooner, visit
http://www.mst3kinfo.com.

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The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Volume 23, will contain:
* episode 210- KING DINOSAUR (with short: X MARKS THE SPOT)
* episode 323- THE CASTLE OF FU-MANCHU
* episode 608- CODE NAME: DIAMOND HEAD (with short: A DAY AT THE FAIR)
and
* episode 611- LAST OF THE WILD HORSES
Extras:
New Introduction By Frank Conniff
The Incredible Mr. Lippert (a Ballyhoo Production)
Vintage MST3K Promos
Life After MST3K: Kevin Murphy (this is the first installment of a new
series)
Code Name: Quinn Martin
DARKSTAR: Robots Donąt Need SAG Cards
Original Trailers
4 Exclusive Mini-Posters By Artist Steve Vance
If you want to pre-order it at Amazon, we would appreciate it if you
would use this link;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JN87CU/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=satellitenews&c
amp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B006JN87CU&adid=1R8CR4XMZZYWHF
AGHPFH&

Vol. 22 has been released. If you have not purchased it yet, please use
this link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005M5OS74/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=s
atellitenews&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B005M5
OS74
€ DVDTalk.com has a review of Vol. 22.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/52292/mystery-science-theater-3000-volume-
xxii
€ And at DVDCorner.net has a review of the recent łThe Touch Of Satan˛
Shout DVD.
http://dvdcorner.net/2011/11/06/mystery-science-theater-3000-the-touch-of
-satan-dvd-review/


RiffTrax releases:
Feature films
€ Transformers 3 http://www.rifftrax.com/rifftrax/transformers-dark-moon
Video on demand titles
çBuffalo Rider http://www.rifftrax.com/vod/buffalo-rider
Shorts
€ Corky the Crow http://www.rifftrax.com/shorts/corky-crow

Coming up next: "The Magic Christmas Tree."

Bill and Kevin will once again be a part of the SF SketchFest comedy
festival in San Francisco. They will kick off the festival Thursday,
Jan. 19, with łRiffTrax Presents: Night of the Shorts III: The Search
for Schlock˛ along with guest riffers David Cross, John Hodgman,
Bruce McCulloch, Paul F. Tompkins, Cole Stratton and Janet Varney. Itąs
at 8 p.m. at The Castro Theatre and tickets are $30. The next night.
Friday, Jan. 20, thereąll be a performance of CineMadness with Bill and
Joseph Scrimshaw, with Kevin as a special guest. It will be 10:30 p.m.
at The Eureka Theatre and tickets will be $20. More info here:
http://sfsketchfest.com/

€ Makezine.com has a nuts-and-bolts heavy interview with Mike.
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/11/diy-rifftrax-make-interviews-mst
3ks-mike-nelson.html

Erhardt reviews the new RiffPlayer software
RiffTrax recently asked me to review a beta version of their new
RiffPlayer software and I enthusiastically said łsure, okay.˛
http://www.rifftrax.com/riffplayer
Full disclosure: In addition to the RiffPlayer, RiffTrax provided me
with a commercial copy of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse DVD and associated
RiffTrax MP3 and sync files. But Iąll try to not hold that against them.
RiffTrax recommends that the RiffPlayer be installed on Windows systems
running WinXP and above (DirectX is recommended) or Mac systems running
Snow Leopard (10.6) and above, and have an Intel CPU. I was able to test
the RiffPlayer on a laptop system running WinXP and a desktop system
running Windows 7. Sorry, I donąt have a Mac. Letąs not get into that
whole Kirk/Picard thing.
Installing the RiffPlayer is a breeze, and playing a DVD is a simple
matter. You simply start the RiffPlayer, load the DVD, then use the
RiffPlayer to select the associated RiffTrax MP3 file. The RiffPlayer
scans the DVD for a few seconds, then youąre off and running.
When you look at the RiffPlayer itself, you might notice immediately
that there are two separate volume control sliders; one for the DVD and
one for the riffs. This comes in handy. On one of my test systems, the
riffs were playing noticeably louder than the DVD. A simple lowering of
the riff volume and raising of the DVD volume solved the problem. On my
other test system, I experienced the opposite problem. The riff volume
was low, and I had to raise it. Once I got the volume levels set,
everything was good.
The new RiffPlayer almost entirely eliminates the need to sync up the
RiffTrax to the DVD. But during my viewing of Eclipse my laptop
experienced a momentary glitch, causing the tracks to be out of sync. At
first I didnąt know what to do, but when I looked closer at the
RiffPlayer I noticed an icon labelled łResync.˛ Sure enough, when I
clicked on it the RiffPlayer quickly scanned the DVD again and the two
tracks went right back into perfect sync and I never experienced the
problem again.
After Eclipse ended, I wondered if the player would work with previously
released RiffTrax titles. The answer is yes and no. If the RiffTrax
download included a sync file, everything worked great. In tests without
the sync file, I received an error saying that the file couldnąt be
found. RiffTrax has helpfully created new sync files for many of its
older titles, and it has also created a list of DVDs that currently work
with the player. You can find more info on the RiffPlayer page.
For those of you who have been daunted in the past by having to manually
sync RiffTrax files to DVDs, you canąt do any better than the
RiffPlayer. Itąs the best way yet to get the full RiffTrax experience at
home, short of having Mike, Kevin and Bill standing in your living room
to riff the DVD for you.


Cinematic Titanic has released their next DVD, łWar of the Insects."
Hereąs the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSwq06TWZQc

Get it here! https://cinematictitanic.twinvision.com/products/

The łImpaler General,˛
http://impalergeneral.blogspot.com/2011/12/cinematic-titanic-returnsfinal
lyon-dvd.html Nick Lyons at DVD Corner
http://dvdcorner.net/2011/12/10/cinematic-titanic-live-war-of-the-insects
-dvd-review/ and łAmazing Braino˛ of AtomicMonsters.com
http://www.atomicmonsters.com/waroftheinsects.htm all love it.

Dan Tabor of Geekadelphia.com interviews Joel.
http://geekadelphia.com/2011/12/15/a-chat-with-joel-hodgson-of-cinematic-
titanic-and-mst3k-interview/

Here's the tour schedule as it stands right now:
€ 12/30: Philadelphia area.­Keswick Theater. Two shows. łAstral Factor˛
(premiere) and łFrankensteinąs Castle of Freaks. 8 p.m. ł$39.50-$58.50.
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2B0046BBD10C35B7?brand=keswick
2012
€ 1/20: York, PA­Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center. łRattlers.˛ 7:30
p.m. $30-$40.
http://www.strandcapitol.org/currentseason/calendar/view.asp?id=4188
€ 1/21: Wilmington, DE­Grand Opera House. łDoomsday Machine.˛ 8 p.m.
$32-$41.
http://www.thegrandwilmington.org/Productions/11-12/Cinematic-Titanic
€ 2/2: Hartford, CT­Belding Theater at the Bushnell Center for the
Performing Arts. Two shows: łWar Of The Insects˛ (7 p.m.) and łDoomsday
Machine˛ (9:30 p.m.) $35. http://www.bushnell.org/index.cgi/51786
€ 2/4: Schenectady, NY­Proctorąs Theatre. łAstral Factor.˛ 8 p.m.
$32.75. http://www.proctors.org/events/cinematic-titanic
€ 2/25: Royal Oaks/Detroit, MI­Royal Oaks Music Theater. Two shows:
łAstral Factor˛ and łDoomsday Machine.˛
http://www.royaloakmusictheatre.com/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=d
etails&id=112%3Acinematic-titanic-featuring-the-original-cast-of-mystery-
science-theater-3000&Itemid=27
€ 3/16: Durham, NC­Carolina Theatre of Durham. łAudience choice.˛ 8 p.m.
$35. http://www.carolinatheatre.org/events/cinematic-titanic
€ 3/17: Greenville, SC­Peace Center for the Performing Arts. łAstral
Factor.˛ 8 p.m. $30-$40. http://www.peacecenter.org/shows/2011/cine
€ 3/30: Newark, NJ­Victoria Theatre. łBlood Of The Vampires.˛ 8 p.m.
http://www.njpac.org/all_events.asp?viewcode=0&startDate=2012-3-30&Date=2
012-3-30
€ 3/31: Newark, NJ­Victoria Theatre. Two shows: łDoomsday Machine˛ (3
p.m.) and łAstral Factor˛ (8 p.m.). $39.50.
http://www.njpac.org/all_events.asp?viewcode=0&startDate=2012-3-30&Date=2
012-3-30
€ 4/27: Milwaukee, WI­Pabst Theater. łDoomsday Machine.˛ Tickets on sale
soon.
€ 4/28: Milwaukee, WI­Pabst Theater. łAstral Factor.˛ Tickets on sale
soon.

Pommelhorse Productions presents An Evening With Mary Jo Pehl and Trace
Beaulieu at the Wilde Roast Cafe Parlor Room, on December 21st from
6:30-7:30p.m.
Wilde Roast Cafe | 65 Main St SE | Minneapolis, MN 55414 Admission is
free | Cash bar
Pommelhorse proudly presents łMystery Science Theater 3000? alums Mary
Jo Pehl & Trace Beaulieu, both currently on tour with Cinematic Titanic
‹ the live stage version of łMystery Science Theater 3000?, for an
evening of conversation and commiseration. Both Mary Jo and Trace will
be reading from their recently published books, łEmployee of the Month
and Other Big Deals˛ and łSilly Rhymes for Belligerent Children.˛
łEmployee of the Month and Other Big Deals˛ is Pehląs compilation of
stories and essays, and Beaulieuąs łSilly Rhymes for Belligerent
Children˛ is a beautifully illustrated book of darkly hilarious poetry.
Beaulieu and Pehl will conclude the readings with a Q&A. Books will be
available for purchase and signing

By the way, a new documentary dropped this month about exploitation
films shot in the Philippines, and łBrides Of Blood˛ (aka łDanger On
Tiki Island˛) is one of the films mentioned. Itąs actually part of a
trilogy of films, except all three movies seem to have the exact same
plot. The movie is called łMachete Maidens Unleashed˛
http://www.amazon.com/Machete-Maidens-Unleashed-Carmen-Argenziano/dp/B004
XZ99W8 and itąs available everywhere people get media, these days. Itąs
a delight top to bottom. It also features a lot of womenąs tops and
bottoms, so it is decidedly NSFW.
Frank Conniff made two guest appearance on a web show called łSpace
Hospital.˛ Hereąs part 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ7ZoWaZnHU and
hereąs part two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTd0DtFjSKQ.


€ CNN.comąs łGeek Out˛ blog has a story about the Turkey Day tradition.
http://geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/24/turkey-day-an-mst3k-tradition/
A slightly harsh headline in Salt Lake Cityąs City Weekly, for a piece
by Bryan Young about people who talk in movie theaters.
http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/article-15053-mst3k-must-die.html

This fellow has embarked on a quest to restore a very special movie, and
is blogging about it. http://www.manosinhd.com/

Weąve received another update from Robert Munch, who is working on
łManos: The Search for Valley Lodge,˛ the Manos sequel, which begins
filming in El Paso next week. Take it away, Rupert!
-----------------
Hi fellow Mysties! Hereąs an update for you on the łManos˛ universe:
The factually inept Canadian short film łHotel Torgo˛ is a film
documenting łManos: The Hands of Fate˛ (1966). The premise of the film
was that Bernie Rosenblum (who played łteenager in car˛) was the lone
surviving cast member of the łcursed, worst movie ever made,˛ and that
the others met mysterious, untimely (and sometimes grizzly) deaths.
Untrue! Simply not the case (sorry my crazy Canuck friends). In fact,
besides Bernie, I have found and recruited The Master, himself: Tom
Neyman, Jackey Raye Neyman-Jones (Debbie), and nowŠ. wait for itŠŠ
Diane Mahree, who played łMaggie˛, the beautiful young wife of Michael
(Hal Warren). Long thought to have died in a fiery car crash in the
ą80s, Diane is alive and well. As if that isnąt cool enough (which it
is), it just so happens that her story is nothing short of incredible!
Shortly after łManos,˛ Diane was discovered by Eileen Ford/Wilhelmina
Models and in 1968 launched a 20+ year career as a supermodel (as Diane
Rystadt). She worked with all the greatest designers, photographers, and
magazines in the worldŠgracing the covers Vogue and Bazaar, etc. She
dined with kings, dated royalty (and rock ną roller Cat Stevens) and
hung out with all the celebrities of the time. She was friends with
Bridgette Bardot, Rod Stewart and had infamous encounters with Mick
Jagger/Jeri Hall, and even Salvador Dali (who put a curse on her!!!).
She would later go on to help organize the roots of what would later
become The Telluride Film Festival, and helped design some of the great
ski slopes in Aspen, Colo. (yes, she was an avid snow bunny).
It wasnąt until she heard of my sequel (and the fact that I was trying
to do something special, and not just a crappy, self-aware goof) that
she contacted me via 3rd party. She agreed to read my script. She really
loved it, and after much debate łdecided to go for one last ride on the
merry-go-round˛ and join our cast. She is a lovely, modern-day
renaissance gem of a woman, and we are ecstatic to have her on board. We
hope you all dig it too!
In other łManos: The Search for Valley Lodge˛ News:
CAST:
Ryan łBig Deal˛ Jimmo, current MFC Light Heavyweight Champion (winner of
16 consecutive fights) and recently signed to a UFC contract, stars as
łJoe Miller.˛
Joe Neal Warren (son of Hal Warren) will be playing łMichael˛Š the role
his father played.
Erik Peterson (łTorgosPizza˛ of Rifftrax) is playing łCarl˛.
Bryan Jennings III (son of The Sheriff in the original łManos˛ film) is
playing łThe Sheriff˛ in our film.
Also, in case you didnąt know, other stars (earlier announced) include:
Former WWE Superstar Gene (łitąs not mu fault˛) Snisky, Playboy
Playmate/WWE Diva Maria Kanellis and of course, from the original film,
Tom Neyman, and Jackey Raye Neyman Jones.
CREW:
Tim Martin (Make-Up F/X Wiz) who has worked on the Spiderman, X-Men,
Superman, Fantastic Four, AVP, and Hellboy franchises (to name a few),
is our creature/make-up designer!
Jay Lee (director/writer/producer of cult film łZombie Strippers˛) is
our Director of Photography!
We are very saddened to inform everyone that Bernie Rosenblum recently
suffered a stroke and will be unable to star in our film. We offer our
deepest sympathies to Bernie and his family, and will pray for his full
recovery.
We also wanted to formally announce that Andy Cope and Eric Hueber of
Alonestar films, filmmakers of the awesome film: łRainbowąs End˛ are
making their next film, a documentary on our sequel, tentatively called
łMaking Manos 2, The Sequel of Fate.˛ They have been following us and
recording our exploits as they happen. Crazy!
And, finally, we want to share with you our newly designed website!
http://www.torgolives.com/ The łofficial˛ and authoritative source for
all things łManos˛. Enjoy!
Cheers!
Rupert Talbot Munch Sr. / Torgo
----------------------

VAN NUYS, CA­Actor Bill McKinney, perhaps best remembered the mountain
man who assaulted Ned Beattyąs character in 1972?s łDeliverance,˛ died
here Dec. 1 of cancer of the esophagus. McKinney also starred in several
Clint Eastwood films, 1982?s łFirst Blood˛ and 1999?s łThe Green Mile.˛
He was 80.
MSTies will remember his performances as Sheriff Kyle in the movie in
episode 322- MASTER NINJA I and Chief Wilson in the movie in episode
1008- FINAL JUSTICE. They will likely also remember his good-natured
comments in a bonus feature of łMystery Science Theater 3000 Collection:
Vol XX.˛
He also made appearances on various TV shows, including łThe Monkees,˛
łI Dream of Jeannie,˛ łColombo,˛ łStarsky and Hutch,˛ łHunter,˛ łMurder
She Wrote,˛ łWalker, Texas Ranger˛ and łBaywatch.˛ łHe is survived by
son Clinton, along with several ex-wives,˛ according to a statement.

West Hills, CA.­Tom Kennedy, a creative executive who was best known in
the film industry as a successful writer, producer and director of
hundreds of movie trailers, died Dec. 7 here at the West Hills Hospital
& Medical Center. He was 63.
MSTies will remember the one feature film he directed, łTime Walker,˛ a
re-edited version of which appeared in episode 405- BEING FROM ANOTHER
PLANET. A full obit is here.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tom-kennedy-veteran-creative-advert
ising-272134

Teaneck, N.J. ‹ Susan Gordon, the daughter of director Bert I. Gordon
who at the age of 10 began a successful acting career that continued for
nearly a decade, died here of cancer Dec. 11, according to an
announcement on her Web site. http://susangordon.info/home.html She was
62. MSTies will recall she played suspicious little Sandy Hubbard in the
movie in episode 414- TORMENTED. She was also interviewed for the
"Tormented Reunion" extra feature on the Vol. 11 DVD set.