In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology and the Culture of Riffing
Language: English
Pages: 277
ISBN: 0786445327
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
The award-winning television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999) has been described as "the smartest, funniest show in America," and forever changed the way we watch movies. The series featured a human host and a pair of robotic puppets who, while being subjected to some of the worst films ever made, provided ongoing hilarious and insightful commentary in a style popularly known as "riffing." These essays represent the first full-length scholarly analysis of Mystery Science Theater 3000--MST3K--which blossomed from humble beginnings as a Minnesota public-access television show into a cultural phenomenon on two major cable networks. The book includes interviews with series creator Joel Hodgson and cast members Kevin Murphy and Trace Beaulieu.
Cinema Before Cinema: The Origins of Scientific Cinematography
Hearing the Movies: Music and Sound in Film History
Forgotten Horrors Vol. 2: Beyond the Horror Ban
Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound (4th Edition)
teach outdated social modes and gender roles, 16. The Endearing Educational Shorts (KEELER) 159 or long-since debunked scientific theories, these films remain fascinating, as time capsules of a moment in time. As well, these films in the classroom meant a break from the usual teacher lectures. And they remain fun, which explains why they were chosen for Mystery Science Theater 3000. What follows is a short textual analysis of three educational films featured on the program over the years. What
business as well as their crumbling marriage. Their efforts to create a happily married life are thwarted by angry ex-employee Frankie and his girlfriend Suzy, who also happens to be Harry’s jilted lover. Things are further complicated by the arrival of Harry’s old war buddy Joe Moss, who winds up falling in love with Beth. Frankie and Suzy plot revenge against Harry, pouring acid onto his parachute prior to a major group jump. The acid eats holes in his parachute, causing Harry to plummet to his
still exist for those seeking reference explanations. On MST3K: The Discussion Board the thread “Esoteric References VI” (Blurryeye) has been active since 2007, and now encompasses 64 pages of posts, having been viewed 45,000 times. Usenet and web-based discussion forums offer an easy path to collaborative participation; anyone with an account can contribute information. However, as an unordered and unindexed stream of posts, they work less well as a reference source. Since it is easier to repost
them on the RiffTrax website. iRiffs are the ultimate outgrowth of convergence cultures in that they allow audience members to participate in (and profit from) the production of new texts and the creation of new readings of old texts, as some of them are simply new takes on the films that MST3K and RiffTrax have already riffed. The Final Sacrifice: The Consequences of a Convergence Culture Despite the enthusiasm that this description inspires, it is important to keep in mind that a fan who
but also for the texts being riffed, creating new audiences for films as diverse as Gamera, This Island Earth, and Hobgoblins. Mystery Science Theater 3000 was also unique among television shows of its time due to its emphasis on fan participation and interactivity. Fan participation came in two forms: official and unofficial. There were several official channels of fan participation, the most prominent being the MST3K Information Club, the direct method for producer interaction with members.
