Mystery Science Theater 3000: C/D, S/D.

So much is explained, really:

The Final Sacrifice arose as the project of a film student named Tjardus Greidanus, who was enrolled in the aspiring filmmaker program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. The film was completed with a budget of approximately $1500, and using cameras borrowed from the school. The actors signed on to the project with the understanding that they would be paid if the movie succeeded. Though the movie was eventually sold, the actors did not receive payment for their work. Christian Malcolm, who starred as Troy, was a fellow student of Greidanus and co-wrote the screenplay.

Bruce Mitchell (who played Rowsdower) later commented, “I don’t have any regrets making the movie because I find, as an actor, anything you do is a learning experience.”

Mitchell and Malcolm were accidentally credited in each other's roles in the end credits. By the time the mistake was realized, it was too late to fix.

Since making the film, Greidanus has gained success as a director of making-of documentaries, including several for the films of Michael Mann. Malcolm has continued working on stage and screen, and Mitchell continues to work as a stage actor and musician.

A few years ago a friend of mine and I were working on a "Lovecraftian horror" movie script that he planned to direct (I was gonna act, co-produce and do the music) for about the same amount ($1500). We got as far as holding casting auditions for it, but the script kept changing and was never finished properly. Both being stubborn bastards, my friend & I debated every plot point, character motivation and title idea until it dawned on us that the story, as it was emerging, basically amounted to a remake of The Final Sacrifice. That was rather disquieting.

Then due to some unrelated circumstances my friend ended up having to move into a new apartment and spend the money he had saved for the film. So the movie was never made ;_;

Your RiffTrax showcase never panned out

one of these days said friend and i are gonna sit down and record an iriff for johnny mnemonic. we have some material written down already.

Pernell Roberts heads to that San Francisco International in the sky.

"Where the grade B actors roar!"

I hope someone was good enough to pull up alongside him in a prop plane to let him know, "You're gonna die. Down there."

"...my lunch, my way."

Just remember, Eric, that you will miss your neo-Renaissance lifestyle...and your windbreaker.

"Do we have to go now?"

"YOU have to go now!"

(Top 5 episode for sure, obv.)

"I think better over here."

"Oh it's a made for TV hippie."

"...by MENNEN!"

And of course, insert Tab A into B movie.

"Here's your script. You'll be playing Black Woman On Plane."

And one of those that doesn't translate to print, Crow's evil laugh for Tab upon sneaking away in the elevator.

Sublimely ugly film all around, the fashions, haircuts, color scheme and all the horrifying lumpy/hangdog men. Yech.

Screwed up boy almost escapes it:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mVZ__QdOGQY/RieW-8xikrI/AAAAAAAAA8s/kITqjHNP3Y4/s200/614Intern1.jpg

Ground control, my face is large and troublesome. (Paraphrasing that one. It's been awhile.)

I'd be lying if I didn't admit I wish I had his neo-Rennaissance bangs.

YouTube saves us all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2BeYAnOMGA

(And the rest is on there too.)

"...that's why the Savior is a tramp!"

Beautiful still on that vid, really.

Trying desperately to remember if they made any knowing swipes at Tab's sexuality a la "This is Tommy Kirk reeeeeally acting."

xpost -- Hahaha

Nah I don't remember that with Tab in this one. Maybe a Polyester ref, though?

Haha, maybe. All I can remember now is "Tab Hunter. Huntin down people who don't pay their tabs." "Tab? I'd like to run a Tab ... all over my BODY!"

“Yeah, the way, they hit that runway and go vrooooom.”
“You know a lot about planes!”

O_O

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI8omyZbfeE&feature=player_embedded

Oh dear.

after all these years, i only just now saw wild world of batman ... just, WOW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux8PUdCzTFM

Batwoman, surely. :-D

"Their five year mission: to be hot hot HOT"

yup, batWOMAN

and it's something else, even without the MST3K treatment ...

Yeah, agreed -- I did like it when Rhino did the occasional inclusion of the movies straight up without the riffing, just for the extra footage and to see how they made so many utterly useless movies actually watchable by increasing the pace by default. (The Skydivers being a classic example.)

END! END! END!

I grew up watching this when we got cable around 1995 or so, so I only knew the Mike Nelson Comedy Central years. F-ing CLASSIC in every way. Recently after discovering the Rifftrax I started seeking out old episodes to watch. Right now I'm working through season 3, which has Joel, and I had never seen before. To be honest the riffs aren't quite as fast-paced as I would've hoped. The movies I've seen so far (Cave Dwellers, Pod People) are so god-awfully bad it makes up for it when that's the case.

Joel does the interacting-with-movie via his silhouette more than Mike. I'm loving the skits more than I thought I would...Joel is a real funny guy and has a nice Intelligent Stoner look to him that kinda suits the show.

Pretty much sums up how I feel about the Joel vs. Mike thing. Mike's episodes were generally better written with faster riffs inside the theater, but almost too slick. Joel was a much more likable host, but some of those really early episodes are way draggy.

yeah, I can get with this. and I grew up watching the mike eps too.

just re-watched WURRWULF last weekend. was dying at the werewolf driving a car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsFGo5sHrwA

I do prefer the joel skits in general. the mike ones could sometimes get a little too... corny?

Yeah, I'm watching the Pod People one right now. At the second skit break they setup a wall of keyboards and started making fun of New Age music and minimalism, and played a couple minutes of "bay area" ambient jams! The next break was simply them jumping around in Pee Wee-inspired hysterics, with really silly synth music playing. Brilliant and hilarious!

Jesus demonoid has the complete collection as a 142 GB download!!

I really loved it when Joel would act all butthurt over the 'Bots not playing along during skits. Or the few times he came off as scary discipline parent.

There was a nice meanspirited nastiness to some of those earlier skits (the Orville Redenbacher one, for instance) that was just missing in the era of Mike.

"GOVERNMENT cheese!"

Was rocking First Spaceship to Venus the other night. The "Thanks, LEN!" riff makes me laugh way too much. (But the guy really does look like a Len. There could be nobody more Len than him.)

I really liked Joel.. he was so sullen. Quit watching not long after Mike took over.

man i'm excited to see the beatniks again

I always liked that the bots more or less had the upper hand over Mike. And they did have some classic host bits, like the one where Crow goes back in time to tell Mike not to take the job at Deep 13, changing the future and leaving them with Mike's abusive brother Eddie.

I am one of those weird people that likes Joel and Mike.

I think most folks like em both! just that people usually have a pretty strong preference. but they're both cool.