Cinematic Titanic: Progress or Rip-off of MST3K?

Which do you prefer?

MST3K	41.4%	[ 12 ]
Cinematic Titanic	20.7%	[ 6 ]
doing your own heckling	37.9%	[ 11 ]
Total Votes:			[ 29 ]

[Said Head]

Okay, I'm a huge fan of Mystery Science Theatre 3000; it's my favorite show of all-time with little competition, and the fact that I also live in MN makes it even cooler to me.

But a while ago I came across Cinematic Titanic, another series like MST3K created by and starring the original cast of their first show.

I watched some and I really didn't like it; the format is the same: watch old b-material and heckle it. It doesn't have nearly the same amount of charm I think as MST3K, and the commentary in my opinion just didn't have that great quality; I honestly felt that their first show wasn't all that funny until Michael Nelson became the host, and he isn't on CT.

Basically with CT you get a bunch of people (too many in my opinion) heckling and such, but no cute robots or little back story.

So, if anyone out there knows what I'm talking about, please discuss which one you prefer, or just discuss, please, thank you, everyone, thanks.

[Miss Doronjo]

I liked the original MST3K, especially with Joel, but honestly, I couldn't stand it once Pearl showed up. Since Pearl is in CT, it makes it unfunny to me. ^_^;

I find Rifftrax to continue the original funny vein of MST3K, myself, even though that's with Mike Nelson.

[ninnypoo001]

Definitely the original MST3K; I've been a fan 20 years this year! I think both Mike and Joel did great work, and yeah, I think things really started going downhill when Pearl was introduced; it's like the show's libido totally died. Cinematic Titanic kinda shocked me at first, but then I found out that this was their reunion tour from last year--kinda like MST3K in concert without the fun storyline and robots. It was actually done live in concert stadiums across America! I guess they just wanted to feature the actual talent behind the puppets and other colorful characters. But yeah! It was essentially MST3K live in concert and I missed it! xp BTW, thanks for starting this thread! This really does need to be discussed. Hope more of us post soon! smile

[euphoriafish]

If I may resurrect an old thread...

Wow, I really don't want to vote on your poll because I CAN'T CHOOSE between MST3K and Cinematic Titanic! I beg to disagree with your suggestion that Cinematic Titanic is a "rip-off of MST3K"-- it's a continuation by the original team who created MST3K. And it stands up to the level of quality of Season 3 or 4 Mystery Science Theater episodes.


MST3K:

Pluses:
* the robots
* Godzilla and Gamera movies
* ten years worth of movies total

Minuses:
*It got cancelled.

Cinematic Titanic:

Pluses:
* New riffing on movies! Straight to DVD or digital download means no fooling with taping the show off cable, no worries about my rotting VHS collection that I must slowly replace.
* LIVE TOUR with LIVE RIFFING! I went to the Chicago shows this month, saw three hilariously weird movies, and met the Titans (Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, Mary Jo Pehl, Frank Conniff, and J. Elvis Weinstein).

Minuses:
*Less backstory (which is still being worked out, I think)
* Gotta travel to a major city to see them live
* DVD releases are not as often as we would like. (They're going back to the studio next month though to record the next one.)

I guess what I'm trying to say is, MST3K was wonderful and is still my favorite show. Cinematic Titanic lacks the robots but at it's heart is more of the same, with new episodes. But the truly wonderful part is the experience of watching the movies live with the Titans as though all 300 or so of us the audience and them the comedians... are friends for the duration of the movie and the meet and greet after the show. What's NOT to love about all that? biggrin

I'd also like to add that Cinematic Titanic has gotten way better since The Oozing Skull, which was the only available episode at the time this forum thread began. My favorites thus far are Doomsday Machine, The Wasp Woman, and the ones I saw live a few weeks ago (particularly The Danger of Tiki Island). It's just getting better and better.

Check it out if you're curious: http://cinematictitanic.com The show has come a long way this year alone, and it's still growing...

[Morigai]

Personally, I've always been more of a Joel fan than a Mike fan.

However, if you're more into Mike, you should be scoping out RiffTrax instead of Cinematic Titanic, since that's Mike's MST3K variant.

RiffTrax also does the occasional simulcast theatrical event. There's one coming up on Oct 8th - check out Fathom for the details.

[Metronome]

Said Head

I honestly felt that their first show wasn't all that funny until Michael Nelson became the host,

How ******** dare you.

[euphoriafish]

Morigai

Personally, I've always been more of a Joel fan than a Mike fan.

However, if you're more into Mike, you should be scoping out RiffTrax instead of Cinematic Titanic, since that's Mike's MST3K variant.

RiffTrax also does the occasional simulcast theatrical event. There's one coming up on Oct 8th - check out Fathom for the details.

I was therrrrrre, maaaaan! They've done exactly one simulcast theater event to date. The October 8th event is a re-broadcast of the live event back in August. They riffed Plan 9 From Outer Space, and I was in the live audience that was recorded at the Belcourt Theater in Nashville, TN. Got to meet them after the show and everything biggrin

Rifftrax is great for being more prolific and techno-savvy than the CinTan team, but I'm a Joel fan from way back and still believe most of the creativity follows him. Also, J. Elvis Weinstein is someone many MSTies aren't familiar with, as he only played Tom Servo during season one of MST3K. But he seriously brings the funny to Cinematic Titanic. He delivers most of the music riffs on the DVDs, and I still get a kick out of watching him dance like MC Hammer at the beginning of Doomsday Machine.

[FinfoxAelia]

Thread revival for I just can't keep my trap shut about it.

I like both Joel and Mike.
They were both very enjoyable hosts in my honest opinion.

And well...I liked Pearl.
Don't get me wrong, she was nowhere near as memorable as Dr. Forrester.
BUT.
Given the circumstances, I'm glad it was Mary Jo Pehl that replaced Trace Beaulieu and not some new guy.
After all, you have to remember that Pearl's first appearance was in season 6 and Mary Jo Pehl was 'Magic Voice' before that.

[Novachi]

Well, I don't really see Cinematic Titanic as a rip off seeing as its by the original creator of MST3k but you do have a point. It's not as funny but it's still has its charm and similarities. However I don't think their goal is to have it exactly the same as MST3k either. What I think Cinematic Titanic is for a more mature crowd and less of a whole family thing.

And really, I prefer RiffTrax which has Mike Nelson and the voices of the Robots, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy. And instead of old movies they riff mostly newer films (such as Twilight, Avatar,
Paranormal Activity). Personally I think it's even funnier than MST3k at times though maybe that's just me.

[Matt Pniewski]

Cinematic Titanic is far funnier than Rifftrax..... Joel and Trace are better than Mike and Bill any day. Frank Coniff and Mary Jo Pehl are much better riffers than they are cohosts..... Sure, Rifftrax has Kevin Murphy, who was the best out of all of them.... But him Bill and Mike can't add up to the comic Genuis of the Cinematic Titanic Team.


The problem with The Rifftraxx/later MST3k crew is they set up random jokes that actually have nothing to do with the move, or relate to one random aspect of what is on screen. They are supposed to be riffing the movie....