New VOD Feature Out Today! (8/7/12)

[bta]

I like Mike over Joel, but Picard over Kirk...is that weird?  Am I a weird-o?

[TheUnabeefer]

I really like Gamera over Godzilla... and Gidget is far better than Tammy.

[mairsil]

Yeah, what he said above is the case with me as well.  I prefer newer, less MST3Kesque movie riffs. 

I mean, I'm an indie filmmaker who sells content directly to customers so I totally understand letting market forces determine what you produce.  That's just good business.  Obviously this current business model is working for you guys or you wouldn't be sticking with it.  I just know as a consumer, I'm waiting for the next MP3 riff before I break out my wallet again.  So far I've been waiting since ... what was it, Feb?

Obviously you aren't indicative of the majority of customers though.

But is that really the case, or is it just speculation? From a business perspective, if the VoD's make 10% more than the mp3 riffs, it makes sense to go that way, even though you are selling fewer of them. You also have to consider the willingness of someone to take the time to make an account and log their opinion (I've been putting it off for months myself), which most people will not do; they will simply go elsewhere for their entertainment.

[Edward J Grug III]

Yeah, what he said above is the case with me as well.  I prefer newer, less MST3Kesque movie riffs. 

I mean, I'm an indie filmmaker who sells content directly to customers so I totally understand letting market forces determine what you produce.  That's just good business.  Obviously this current business model is working for you guys or you wouldn't be sticking with it.  I just know as a consumer, I'm waiting for the next MP3 riff before I break out my wallet again.  So far I've been waiting since ... what was it, Feb?

Obviously you aren't indicative of the majority of customers though.

But is that really the case, or is it just speculation? From a business perspective, if the VoD's make 10% more than the mp3 riffs, it makes sense to go that way, even though you are selling fewer of them. You also have to consider the willingness of someone to take the time to make an account and log their opinion (I've been putting it off for months myself), which most people will not do; they will simply go elsewhere for their entertainment.

I am 100% certain they are basing it on sales and not forum posts.

And that isn't to say that the MP3s don't sell, but obviously on certain titles are doing well enough - ie the biggest of blockbusters, which is why we're getting Harry Potter, Twilight & Marvel Heroes and not as diverse a selection as we used to get.

People are obviously voting with their wallets.

Personally, of the above mentioned titles, the Twilight movies are the only ones that work for me, but luckily the VODs are my favourite and the Rifftrax Presents titles are fantastic too. Ideally RTP would be more regular, but obviously they don't do well enough to justify it either.

[TheUnabeefer]

I have to say that it's been a year and a half since Karate Kid 3 riff (the riff they base all their "people don't like riffs for this sort of movie" thing on) and there have been only 8 non-VOD riffs:

- Star Trek III: The Wrath of Khan
- X-Men: The Last Stand
- Thor
- Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince
- Transformers: Dark of The Moon
- Captain America: the First Avenger
- Rise of The Planet of The Apes
- Twilight: Breaking Dawn I

Personally, I am sick of comic book movies (in general), Twilight got old by the 3rd riff (although I will still buy the riffs for the complete set), sweet jeans I just hate Transformers, Star Trek in general has been run into the ground... but they could have at least done II instead, and the Harry Potter riffs have been consistently great but still getting kind of old.

The only one of those I was actually excited about and jumped on getting was the Rise of The Planet of The Apes.  Why? Well, aside from actually loving the movie itself, the selection of the movie as a riff stood out as different than all the rest of the other 7 over the past 17 months.  It was something different, which to me means variety... and the lack of that variety anymore is all I really can honestly complain about.

Aside from that, all the 9 VOD riffs since the last MP3 riff have still been top-notch and enjoyable...

[Danecho1967]

The phrase on the Rifftrax site is "Your favorite movies, made funny."  That is what excited me about Rifftrax when I found it two years ago.  MST3K was great, and still one of the best shows ever on TV, but it had its day, IMHO. VODs are a return to that style of movie riffing, and I totally understand if some people prefer it, and I even understand if that's what the guys prefer to do.

I'm a big time capitalist, but, if the money is the reason the guys have moved to "only VODs and movies we know will sell", I find that unfortunate.  I get it.  I do.  But I still find it unfortunate.

Also, if the samples are any indication, I'm not willing to put down $10 a pop for these things, given my current economic status.  Now, if they decided to riff "Speed", I already know I'd enjoy the Rifftrax.  Some poorly dubbed Spanish language movie from the public domain just doesn't illicit an immediate "I gotta have that" from me.

[goflyblind]

wrath of khan is star trek II, beef.

[TheUnabeefer]

wrath of khan is star trek II, beef.

Okay I got that backwards due to the throbbing migraine.  Reverse the III and II and you got my point.  Search For Spock is III not II, you're right.

[losingmydignity]

More profitable, yes. Less labor-intensive, not at all - about the same, actually. Even with the player, people just don't want to sync video - it seems as simple as that. Apologies for the consistent release of product in convenient formats.

I have to chime in here, because my wife and I love the riffs but have been very disappointed these past few months. Yes, the VoD's are easier to use and harken back the olden days of MST3K, but they aren't what many of us want. Quite frankly, they aren't nearly as enjoyable for us because of two things:

1) The combined soundtracks make it difficult to hear the actual movie. With an mp3, we can adjust the individual volume levels to best fit our setup. This is a subtle thing that I think a LOT of people forget about that takes away a lot of enjoyment. For the really poorly sound engineered movies, we turn on the subtitles. None of the VoD's have this (even if just for the movie) and it is a major problem in my opinion.
2) It is much, MUCH more enjoyable when we know the material. With a "blockbuster" or "popular" movie, there is a chance that we have seen it and know what to expect plot-wise. In other words, we can watch the movie for the riff and not have to pay much attention to the plot. The same goes for characters, actors, directors etc. With these one-off VoD's, I can pretty much guarantee that we haven't seen it (nor could we with some of them it seems), which makes it very difficult to enjoy sometimes.

Before anyone points me to the iRiffs or the RiffTrax Presents, it just isn't the same. Sure, the jokes may be funny, but it how they are delivered and who delivers them that matters as well.

1) Get some good Bose speakers....or a hearing aid.

2) You pay attention to the plots? Oh, yeah, Thor was so convoluted I had to watch it at least three times before I was prepared for the riff. And Twilight! I didn't want to miss a second of its twists and turns.

; )

[mairsil]

I have better than Bose speakers, but there is only so much that you can do when there is a 10+ dB difference between the VoD movie and the riff voiceover.

[ShadowDog]

Yeah, what he said above is the case with me as well.  I prefer newer, less MST3Kesque movie riffs. 

I mean, I'm an indie filmmaker who sells content directly to customers so I totally understand letting market forces determine what you produce.  That's just good business.  Obviously this current business model is working for you guys or you wouldn't be sticking with it.  I just know as a consumer, I'm waiting for the next MP3 riff before I break out my wallet again.  So far I've been waiting since ... what was it, Feb?

Obviously you aren't indicative of the majority of customers though.

Yeah, that's what I meant by "Obviously this current business model is working for you guys or you wouldn't be sticking with it. "

[losingmydignity]

I like Mike over Joel, but Picard over Kirk...is that weird?  Am I a weird-o?

No, but it does make your butt look big.

I'd hate to shoot a butt like that!

[RVR II]

I like Mike over Joel, but Picard over Kirk...is that weird?  Am I a weird-o?

You're just a spicy flake

[Bob]

Was in Chicago working all week and just home now and downloading this bad boy.

The VODs have been great and the promo for this one was great, so I cannot wait!

And Piobman has more dvd covers to create, yeahhhh!

[TheUnabeefer]

Was in Chicago working all week and just home now and downloading this bad boy.

The VODs have been great and the promo for this one was great, so I cannot wait!

And Piobman has more dvd covers to create, yeahhhh!

I was in Chicago working all week too!!!

...oh yeah, I live here. Forget I said anything.