by Jerm Pollet had a successful multi-year run making fun of movies before a live audience in Austin, Texas, and now that he's spending more time in New York City, he has recruited and launched a new group of comedians here called Raspberry Brothers. This is their debut weekend at the Chelsea Cinemas, with midnight mockings of Dirty Dancing on Fridays and Saturdays through May 2, with future films to follow. Of course, the Raspberry Brothers aren't the first nor the last to take a cult movie (good but usually horrible) and riff their own commentaries about it onscreen for the delight of others.
They all owe something to Mystery Science Theater 3000, or MST3K (some might also argue for a very specific situation involving Rocky Horror Picture Show). In fact, Joel Hodgson and the original crew may be off the air, but they have resumed their activities, now under the name Cinematic Titanic. And you can see them on a live tour, with upcoming weekend dates in Atlanta, Phoenix, Portland (Ore.), Dallas and Philadelphia.
When they're in Atlanta, they'll run into the folks of Cineprov who perform on Fridays at the Relapse Theatre. In Springfield, Mo., a group has the moxie to name themselves Moxie Skinny Theater 3000. Over in Kansas City, CounterClockwise Comedy roasts movies. Riff Raff Theater in Iowa City has worked with MST3K's Mike Nelson on RiffTrax, and takes user submissions before putting on the show. And Jet City Improv is in its 10th year of producing Twisted Flicks in Seattle (one of my friends was in their original cast). If I'm missing any other local productions, I'm sure you'll let me know.
In the meantime, here is the most recent video from Cinematic Titanic. "It reminds me of watching Carlos Mencia!" Enjoy:
My feature film is also in this category; I took the sound from the awful 1960 horror film Atom Age Vampire and animated to it, with a running onscreen commentary. And it’s screening at 92YTribeca on May 13 at 8PM!
i was in the packed theater saturday night… i like what they’re doing and will bring a group to see them next month