So, there's this...

[raltga]

maybe i'm the only one, but i am kind of against this. i think it's fine that mike, bill and kevin want to riff this; they can do what they please. that said, unless joel is involved i don't think i'll be buying this. to take one of the most beloved and classic joel episodes and re-riff it is really close to what i would consider crossing the line. i would have the same feeling if cinematic titanic were to reriff a classic mike episode like werewolf/final sacrifice/etc. i was even kind of concerned when cinematic titanic reriffed santa claus conquers the martians because it is a place we've been before, and i'll be honest and say it is my least favorite cinematic titanic release. i of course know and understand that mike was head writer for manos, and certainly many of the classic jokes in that episode were written by him and/or kevin (pretty sure bill wasn't a part of the show at that time, not that it matters, it's not like bill can't write great riffs: he can); however, in the hearts and minds of many msties (myself included) manos is one of the great joel episodes.

say what you will about good intentions, and certainly there is room for both rifftrax and cinematic titanic (i know i buy as many of each of their releases that i can afford, and i've been to every live event/show both have done in the bay area), but i feel as though this is dipping a toe into a competitive tone that didn't really exist before. i really don't want that to happen. i really don't want to pick sides. i think the joel vs mike "debate" is silly and pointless, but this kind of thing is really going against the nice "we aren't competitors" atmosphere that has surrounded the current state of mst3k fandom. maybe it speaks to the fact that this is sort of a DMZ in which even this kind of thing is considered a breach of good faith. maybe i am taking all this to seriously (wouldn't be the first time).

sorry if this runs contrary to what the rest of the rifftrax community thinks, but i had to express what i feel is kind of a betrayal of the really positive atmosphere that exists right now in the movie riffing world. you're welcome to flame me at your leisure; have fun.

[daltysmilth]

I think you're reading way too much into it.  I don't think Mike, Kevin, and Bill are doing this with the intention of "crossing lines" or trying to be competitive.  I think for Mike and Kevin it's probably just thinking "Hey, we had fun when we did this before, and the fans liked it then too" and for Bill, it represents a chance to finally take a crack at the film.  In a sense they are competing, but with themselves.  The competition being "Can we be as funny, if not funnier, than we were the first time we did this?".

And since you mention it, I'd LOVE for CT to do a Mike-era movie.   

[raltga]

i'm not trying to discern their intent in doing this; i'm only expressing how it comes off to me. one thing i do know for sure is rifftrax doesn't do what they do "for fun." they do it to make money, so the whole idea that they are doing this to "have fun" doesn't really hold water for me, sorry.

you're probably right on many other counts though. they are most certainly not doing this to be directly competitive with cinematic titanic.  and i am also probably reading too much into it (though i tend to really dislike that phrase as it only serves to kind of discourage critical thought).

again this is just my opinion, but rifftrax doing manos just seems TO ME as their first mistake. i'm sure it will be funny, and i'm also doubly sure it will be one of their best selling riffs to date. and in that sense i'm sure rifftrax (and legend films) won't see it as a mistake.

as for your last point; i would rather both parties riff new films; going over old material, even if it isn't with competitive intentions, just seems sort of uninspired at best and lazy at worst.

[Pak-Man]

It's also worth noting that even though it was Joel up on stage there, Mike had long since taken over as head writer, so it was his episode too, and Kevin actually was up on stage, and helping in the writing room as I understand it. It's easy to forget with their faux-improv natures that Rifftrax and MST3K were (and still are) collaberative. There's a chance for a second pass with new jokes, and the new HD master gives them an excuse to take it on.
Also while I'm sure it will sell better than most obscure movies, it's probably not going to touch the sales of a Harry Potter or a Twilight Rifftrax. Rifftrax has indicated before that while Rifftrax for obscure movies do OK, they make the big money on the big movies and the download-to-burn flicks. Any time they do something like this, it's just throwing the die-hard fans a bone.

[daltysmilth]

Also I never said they were doing it purely for fun.  Just that that was probably part of the reason they're doing it.  Like Pak pointed out, these kinds of riffs don't tend to sell quite as well as the bigger/newer movies, so whether it would be enjoyable to do would have to be at least somewhat of a consideration. 

[Trekker4747]

 

one thing i do know for sure is rifftrax doesn't do what they do "for fun." they do it to make money,

You're right.  I forgot that they worked for free while doing MST3K.

[doggans]

one thing i do know for sure is rifftrax doesn't do what they do "for fun." they do it to make money,

And it's IMPOSSIBLE to have multiple motivations for doing something.

[Watchman]

Now, I'm not saying it's impossible that the next (and future) Fathom event would be Manos, but no hint was even given that it would be

So... if Manos ends up being a VOD...  what if they decided to go 'meta' and riffed the Raquel Welch film 'Fathom' for the next Fathom event?

Unfathomable!

Hey, that's my joke!

You know, I bet a new person says it for each Fathom event. I wonder how many people made the joke before I did (it was either regarding the last Rifftrax Live or Reefer Madness, I forget which). Only 1 person responded with an LOL when I did it.

I'm glad the Karma's down. We can feel safer making puns without being smited by fathomless legions.

[Smith Dr John Smith]

Yeah now all the people making puns have to fear is me.  If one more person makes a pun I will have to PUNish them.

[daltysmilth]

Spoken like a true PUNdit.

[TheUnabeefer]

Unfathomable!!! Oh man I am funny and awesome.

[Watchman]

Did people make puns about rhinos before MST3K became distributed by Shout Factory?

Or how about Rifftrax's parent company Legend Films? Legend Films profiting off I Am Legend Rifftrax = a doubly LEGENDARY Paypal transaction. (lame lame lame)

I Spam Legend?

[ShadowDog]

This won't be the same without the hilarious heartfelt apologies from the Mads for inflicting this movie on Joel and robots, but I'm still excited about it.

[Compound]

Also I never said they were doing it purely for fun.  Just that that was probably part of the reason they're doing it.  Like Pak pointed out, these kinds of riffs don't tend to sell quite as well as the bigger/newer movies, so whether it would be enjoyable to do would have to be at least somewhat of a consideration.

Have to correct you there, D.

They've said that riffs of older stuff, like Karate Kid 3, haven't sold as well as they'd like, but the VOD stuff tends to sell very well. As a point, Ghosthouse and Buffalo Rider are in last week's top 10 sellers, and I remember seeing Abraxis up there a couple of weeks ago. I suspect a hypothetical Manos riff would be a VOD as well, since it's public domain.

[RoninFox]

Unfathomable!!! Oh man I am funny and awesome.

You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means.