Riffing a Good Movie...

[Hank]

The history of riffing movies has been that these are bad movies that deserve ridicule. You can't ignore the whole MST3K pretext here. Rifftrax is clearly an outgrowth from MST3K. So, I would hope that MN is not riffing movies that he actually believes are good. That would strike me as simply malevolent. You don't make fun of something you really value and enjoy. It would be like making fun of your wife just to be making fun of her. That's mean.

I often make fun of my wife, but then I do her up proper and all is forgiven.


Actually, MST3K has historically done movies that were also easy to get. That's why they can do a little less obscure movies for Rifftrax (no royalties = less overhead). That's why they used Night of the Living Dead. The copyright was invalidated for some strange reason (I forget).

Remember, this isn't the first time that the "greats" have been riffed. They used to do those Oscar specials (remember "I'm Leonardo DiCaprio" from Good Will Hunting?) They even did a little snippet of Boron in one of their Summer Movie Blockbuster specials.

[Petey Wheatstraw]

I would hope that MN is not riffing movies that he actually believes are good. That would strike me as simply malevolent. You don't make fun of something you really value and enjoy. It would be like making fun of your wife just to be making fun of her. That's mean.

Mike mentioned in a radio interview that he'd like to do the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy sometime. In the same interview, he also said that these movies were three of the few recent movies that he thought were really good. I, of course, disagree with this, but I'm in the minority. I'd love to hear Mike (and a guest or two) riff all three of 'em.

[SaucyRossy]

Yeah I have no problem with Mike riffing good movies or movies I like.....bring it on!

[davo]

i have no problem with a movie like x men: a movie i really like,but at the same time can admit there are some flaws ( the storm/toad line being THE classic example here).

but if they did something truly excellent or classic like citizen kane i don't think i could stomach it. 

[torgosPizza]

i have no problem with a movie like x men: a movie i really like,but at the same time can admit there are some flaws ( the storm/toad line being THE classic example here).

but if they did something truly excellent or classic like citizen kane i don't think i could stomach it. 

What happens when a good movie gets riffed by a lightning bolt of Mike's witticisms?

Same thing as every. Other. Movie.

</paraphrase>

[Pak-Man]

Nicely played. :^)

[davo]

i have no problem with a movie like x men: a movie i really like,but at the same time can admit there are some flaws ( the storm/toad line being THE classic example here).

but if they did something truly excellent or classic like citizen kane i don't think i could stomach it. 

What happens when a good movie gets riffed by a lightning bolt of Mike's witticisms?

Same thing as every. Other. Movie.

</paraphrase>

nice 

[Gooseboy]

I would never say never.  I think any movie is riffable and I think it's ridiculous to say a movie shouldn't be riffed just because it might be considered a "classic".  As long as the movie takes itself seriously, it's a prime target for comedy.  There are probably some exceptions.  For example, it might be impossible to riff during specific scenes in movies like Schindler's List or The Accused without coming across as disturbingly unfunny.  And riffing on a movie that's a hilarious comedy might just be redundant.

Someone mentioned that they wouldn't want to listen to a riff track during a favorite film for fear (alliteration) the riffs would be permanently burned into their memory every time they tried to watch the movie again.  That's probably a legitimate concern.  I know I'll never be able to see The Matrix without thinking "cirque du so long suckers!" 

[BathTub]

That reaction I think is completely fair I think. I mean in most instances once I have heard a Weird Al parody of song it's hard not to think about it when I hear the original.

[Pak-Man]

Yeah, but Weird Al songs are only a few minutes long, can be listened to repeatedly, and are musical. I haven't had any problems with a Rifftrax being stuck in my head (Although some scenes will always bring back the MEMORY of a Rifftrax and make me snicker at the wrong moments, but then Conan On the Aisle has had the same effect on me and it's not really a bad thing. :^))

[BathTub]

I don't think anyone is suggesting memorizing an entire rifftrax,... though if they want to try, good luck with that!

[Joey the Lemur]

I don't think anyone is suggesting memorizing an entire rifftrax,... though if they want to try, good luck with that!

Oh, it's possible.  After all, countless people like myself have memorized an entire script of riffed lines for Rocky Horror Picture Show.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to do that for X-Men though.

[Darkwalker]

I like when they riff a movie i enjoy, Lord of the Rings, Spiderman, Star Wars, hell, even Harry Potter. In fact typing this has given me some ideas for suggest-a-trax.