I just finished watching The Oozing Skull, the first DVD from Cinematic Titanic, and by and large I really liked it.
I think it would be tough for this first outing not to feel a little uneven — or to have built up expectations so high that it doesn’t disappoint on some level. Mystery Science Theater 3000 has come to occupy such an exalted position in the memories of its fans, that almost any of the similar projects to come after it — and there have been a lot of those lately, haven’t there? — can’t help but pale in comparison. But, more often than not, I thought that the CT crew succeeded in what has to be job number one: making with the funny.
Over at Anvil & Sprocket, John bemoans the lack of spontaneity in the presentation and, even more so, the lack of host segments to tie the film together:
The host segments also gave the players the opportunity to connect with the audience, often speaking directly to the camera. That gave us a sense of character which is very much lacking in Cinematic Titanic unless you’re already very familiar with the players. But in the context of CT we have no reason to like these people-shapes or care about their commentary. Cinematic Titanic uses the “shadowrama†technique in an entertaining fashion, but the show is desperately lacking in personality. Sparse. Cold. Impersonal. And I just don’t see how that gets fixed without bringing the lights up now and again.
I see where he’s coming from with that, but I worry that maybe he’s unfairly punishing CT because it’s trying to do something different. It isn’t MST3K — for both creative and budget reasons, I’m sure — and I’d prefer to judge it on its own merits than on what I miss about the old show.
Keep in mind, the original show could be pretty hit or miss sometimes, too. By and large, I thought this was a solid and funny first endeavor, and I look forward to more.
I think the riff-less MST3K.com is the only new venture from the old crew that truly fails on any major level.
I completely agree with John’s complaint (echoed elsewhere) about EZ Take’s no-frills packaging, however. That end of it leaves a lot to be desired. Word is that CT is looking to make this and future movies available via download (either instead of, or addition to, the DVDs), and it’s only an issue over copyright that prevented them from doing so this time. Given that there are no bonus features on the disc whatsover — and that it’s a minor miracle it arrived in the mail unscratched — download may be the preferable option. Especially if it helps bring the price down a few dollars. Seriously, for sixteen bucks plus shipping, I don’t expect a lot, but a paper sleeve at least would have been nice.
As for the movie itself…well, it was pretty uniformly dreadful. Although I was amused to see Angelo Rossitto, who had a long if not exactly distinguished career, and who some people might remember better as the Master in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
I thought the short guy looked familiar.
I think I could understand the “different artistic vision” if I could understand what they were adding (besides two more voices). It’s not like they deviated from the MST3K style all that much — they just subtracted some things and made the shadows ornate.
I’ll watch the next view episodes and see if they improve on what they have, but they’re going to have to address the warmth and audience distance issues if they want to rise above self-conscious performance-art.
yeah, I just thought it was awful.
Once racist joke in the very beginning. That sick Stephen Hawking joke.
That stupid, un-funny bit with ‘famous trumpeter throws up’? What the HELL was that?
And then I turned it off and threw it away.