Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ask MST3k Creator Joel Hodgson

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the because-you-can dept.

As turkey day approaches, we have the chance to ask Joel Hodgson whatever you can think of. If you've lived without electricity since the 80s, you might not be aware that he was the creator and original host of what may be the funniest show in history - Mystery Science Theater 3000, as well as the upcoming Cinematic Titanic. I've still got my fan club membership card even after nearly 2 decades. Standard Slashdot interview rules apply: ask your questions here, and we'll pass a bunch of the highest scoring ones for Joel to answer.

33 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. Rifftrax & The Film Crew by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What do you think about the other efforts led by Mike Nelson like Rifftrax & The Film Crew? Is there a reason that you, Pearl, TV's Frank & Dr. Forester have split from Mike, Brain Guy & Tom Servo? I'm overjoyed that there are multiple efforts but why?

    --
    My work here is dung.
  2. Box Set Frustrations by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My frustrations abound with my attempts to collect the Licensed DVDs of your MST3K material. Currently I have no method of acquiring the tenth box set ($250 on eBay?!) and Rhino has some insane pricing scheme which amounts to $10-$15 a disc. Why did Best Brains Inc. go with Rhino? Why after all that effort to make this material free online (at one time I think there was a dedicated server) are they so expensive and hard to get a hold of? Will Rhino go after me if I continue to own and share tapes and files of MST3K? The mantra always was to keep on circulating the tapes--and with the advent of bittorrent, that's never been easier--but now that they are one by one becoming licensed by Rhino, is that legal?

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Box Set Frustrations by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It has nothing to do with Joel or Best Brains for a majority of the episodes. It's all about the expiration of the rights for the original movies. Now I can never understand why someone who owns the rights to a total stinkturd of a movie, which most (but not all!) MST3K movies were would choose to leave their work to congeal in obscurity when they could sell thousands more copies of it, but IP is all about control you know.

      Robert Fiveson, the director of "Parts: The Clonus Horror" which appeared in MST3K Volume 12 Set was smart about it appeared in an interview clip on the DVD. He said he'd originally realized that while MST3K would certainly mock his movie, which despite its low budget and cheesy production was actually a decent movie, so decent it was totally ripped off to create the recent "The Island" directed by Michael Bay. Fiveson went on to say that he received tremendous support from the MST3K fanbase when he pursued a lawsuit against the makers of "The Island", which ended in a settlement, IIRC. Fiveson said he's very glad to have been associated with the show.

      All that said, however, there are still a large number of unreleased episodes of the show based on movies whose copyrights have lapsed or are otherwise in the public domain, and here's hoping Jim Mallon and everyone else in a position to do so will work with Rhino to continue these quality releases of the best TV show ever.

      Expensive or not, I'm more than happy to support Best Brains and everyone who made this wonderful treasure of TV. Yes, that means I'd bought them all on VHS originally, but I think all those have subsequently been re-released by Rhino, and sadly, the rights have expired again on some movies meaning they can no longer sell Volumes 1 and 10 (I think those are the two).

      Push the button, Frank!

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
  3. How did MST3k come about? by TJ_Phazerhacki · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Did the idea for the show come from a single inspiration, or was it a process?

    --
    Physics is nothing like religion. If it was, we'd have an easier time trying to raise money!
  4. Sci-Fi Channel Years by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I had heard rumors that Sci-Fi was the end of MST3K. I know people that have argued whether it was quality or requirements of a story arc in Sci-Fi's contract that caused the show's viewership to fall, why do you think the show eventually went off the air? What was your opinion of it at the end? What was the biggest mistake MST3K made?

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Sci-Fi Channel Years by theMerovingian · · Score: 3, Interesting


      I had heard rumors that Sci-Fi was the end of MST3K.

      Sci-Fi is where shows go to die. I have never seen a concept so promising completely fail to deliver in all respects, but the Sci-Fi channel is the penultimate failure of cable television. I love science fiction as much as anyone, but I intentionally and actively avoid that channel because the vast majority of the stuff they air is total crap.

      Allowing your show to be put on Sci-Fi channel is the death knell of your intellectual property (prime example-- Highlander: The Source).

      --
      "If you think you have things under control, you're not going fast enough." --Mario Andretti
    2. Re:Sci-Fi Channel Years by Joe+Tie. · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Don't forget sliders. Fairly good show that seemed to almost instantly turn to crap when it hit sci-fi.

      --
      Everything will be taken away from you.
  5. Why'd you stop? by damn_registrars · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Really, there's no shortage of bad movies still being made that deserve the MST3K treatment. Did you just get tired of mocking bad movies?

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
    1. Re:Why'd you stop? by hewdew · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I've always heard rumors that you were just "done" and wanted to move on and do other things. of course there were rumors that there were tensions on the set between you and...? somebody. i always guessed that it was you and mike. maybe because of a bit of a power struggle? you being the creator and host, but mike as "head writer". i obviously didnt know the specifics of the creation process, but i could see that causing some problems on a set. i still dont think ive heard you really speak of mike or kevin murphy or any of the other non-cinematic titanic contributors. so i guess my question is...hows your relationship with those guys?

  6. Public Domain by eldavojohn · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What is your opinion on public domain laws? As someone who creates content but also relies on making derivative works of other content, do you support it? What do you think is a desirable length for something to become public domain?

    --
    My work here is dung.
  7. Hollywood Trends by eldavojohn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What trends have you seen in new movies that you feel are positive? Is there anything about movies today that you utterly detest? Do you ever notice similarities between new movies today and the MST3K movies? What are your feelings about today's movies? I've always wondered if you are capable of watching a movie today without making hilarious jokes in your head, is watching film a major part of your life?

    --
    My work here is dung.
  8. New Content by mugnyte · · Score: 4, Interesting


      We've all laughed at the choice of just inane productions you guys have lambasted over the years. However, there's new choices for great commentary being made every day (skipping personal suggestions). What sort of licensing issues do you guys run up against for acquiring certain content? Is there a "sweet spot" for movies to be in for it to be worth fighting for? How do you choose?

  9. How's it feel when people quote decades-old jokes? by Tetsujin · · Score: 2, Interesting

    MST3K is still popular with its fans after all this time: people still watch the show, mimic it, repeat the jokes, build robots, etc. What I'd like to know is, how does that feel? Is it fun to think that people enjoyed something you did enough to stick with it after so long, or is it just strange to think that people fixate on it?

    --
    Bow-ties are cool.
  10. Cherokee D by LWATCDR · · Score: 3, Interesting

    So who which writer was the model rocket fan? I loved the reference to teh Cherokee D in Marroned.
    Also if you could could give the MS3K treatment to any move which movie would it be?
    My vote would go to the original Star Trek movie.

    --
    See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  11. How much improv? by xPsi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Obviously, a huge amount of energy went into writing a typical MST3K show so that it recreated the feel of a bunch of sharp-witted pals staying up late at night over beers and pizza making fun of a bad movie. Nevertheless, it seems like as a group of talented comedian/actors, after watching so many campy movies with such vast bounties of ripe, low hanging fruit, it would be just too tempting to blurt out something amusing that deviated from the script. How many of the remarks made during a typical MST3K show (i.e. during the featured movies) would you say were improvised and how many were scripted?

    --
    i\hbar\dot{\psi}=\hat{H}\psi
    1. Re:How much improv? by Dachannien · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I've read (probably on Wikipedia) that the first season was largely ad-libbed, but they started scripting things a lot more heavily after that, which was one reason why Josh Weinstein (now apparently J. Elvis, to the WGA) left the show.

      Still, there are moments I could swear were ad-libs, especially during the Joel years, where Joel or one of the bots would say something and earn a surprised-sounding laugh from the others.

  12. why by trybywrench · · Score: 3, Interesting

    why did you go?

    --
    I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
  13. Permission and Sets by Avatar8 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Do you have to get permission from the target movie's owning company to use/abuse it?
    Has this caused limitations of content for your treatment?
    What movie(s) did you really want to review but were denied for some reason?


    One of my favorite parts of the show was the creative use of inexpensive materials for the set (except that Millenium Falcon on the door might be worth something now). Will your current project use the same creativity, or will it be more funded and "polished?"

  14. Dear Joel, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What makes *you* laugh?

  15. The first by ChromeAeonium · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Did you guys ever find the first couple of episodes, and how did you lose them anyway?

  16. What do you do in your own off-time? by KC7GR · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm a little surprised no one else has asked this yet.

    We all know what a great job you did with MST3K, what the show was about, etc. HOWEVER -- I'm more curious about you! ;-) What do you do when you're not lampooning bad movies? What do you do in the way of hobbies or relaxation? Favorite books? Heck, for that matter, what do you LIKE to see in terms of movies or animation?

    And, perhaps most interestingly, are there any particular movies that you wouldn't dare lampoon?

    Inquiring knows want to mind!

    --

    Bruce Lane, KC7GR,

    Blue Feather Technologies

  17. Earlier-than-documented influences? by sh00z · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Joel,

    All of the on-line biographies of you gloss over your "formative years" and seem to concentrate on your prop comedy stand-up work in the Twin Cities as being the impetus for MST3K. However, having grown up in the Green Bay area myself, I can't help but think that some of MST3K (especially its connection to irresistibly awful movies) was inspired in part by WLUK's TJ and the ANT show. Can you comment or elaborate on whether you enjoyed this show as a teenager?

    1. Re:Earlier-than-documented influences? by epee1221 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      While we're taking questions from the Green Bay area, what did you write on the theater wall at Ashwaubenon High School? (It has since been boarded over)

      --
      "The use-mention distinction" is not "enforced here."
  18. Hey Joel by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While you were at MST3K, was there ever a mis-interpreted gag that caused an uproar with some of the fans? Maybe something that sounded unintentionally naughty? Just curious. I remember all those nice letters that were read at the end of each show. Made me wonder if you ever got nastygrams.

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  19. Other Stuff by Toonol · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Can you fill us in on your projects and work after MST3K? Also, it seems everybody focuses on a show that you left many years ago... does that irritate you or gratify you?

  20. Pissed off any target? by sammyo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Has any actor/writer/director been legitimately peeved by your often acrid, yet so very accurate commentary?

  21. Zippy TV show? by Vegan+Pagan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Bill Griffith, the creator of Zippy the Pinhead, often complained that Hollywood wouldn't let him make a Zippy movie the way he wanted. But when I saw MST3K, especially the host segments, I thought cable TV would be the best place for Zippy because MST3K had a similar style of humor and was thriving in the cable world. Did Bill Griffith ever tell you what he thought of MST3K, or if he wanted Zippy to follow a similar model?

  22. Turds and Treasures by themushroom · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Dear Joel... I'd imagine that the show was a lot of fun at times, especially in the gag-writing. But as the laws of averages goes, not every movie that comes down the pike is as ripe for jokes as others. They can't all be gems, which became more obvious after you left the show (I mean it seems there were more "blah" movies to work with, not a statement about the MST3k actors). Some you can just look at and come up with a hundred things to say, others are just kind of "meh" and you have to work harder to come up with something others would find funny to say about. What tricks did you employ to get through the mediocre films, beside musical numbers at intermissions or talking about something unrelated to what was happening onscreen at the time? Bigger question, what films did you have the hardest time riffing on because of so-so content?

    --
    Laughter is the Spackle of the Soul.
  23. Hassled by actors/directors? by scottbot · · Score: 2, Interesting

    First off, thanks for a great show... Were you ever hassled by any of the actors/directors who may have seen their movies on an episode of MST3K? You must have met a few of them at some point, I wonder how they handled it.

  24. Live tours? by austinpoet · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hi Joel,

    Always liked you more than Mike.

    Live action facsimiles of MST3K have been popping up (most notably, at least for Austin, Mr. Sinus Theater (which had to change its name)) lately, and with technology improving, have you considered doing a live action tour? Perhaps with a Jazz band opening act? or TMBG?

  25. keep circulating the tapes by deathwombat · · Score: 0, Interesting

    is this standing order still valid in todays world of dvds/blurays/hddvds and illegal/legal downloads?

    --
    Accept any challenge, No matter the odds.
  26. Could you make it today? by bigbigbison · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It seems that cable channels are becoming just as timid as network stations (who of course own nearly all of them). Could MST3K get on the air today?

    --
    http://www.popularculturegaming.com -- my blog about the culture of videogame players
  27. What's "Mystery Science Theater 3000"? by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) · · Score: 1, Interesting

    All I know about it is some jokes about it I've seen on websites like slashdot.

    --
    Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.