The cast of Rifftrax took to the stage of the Aero Theater in swanky Santa Monica for two well-attended shows Sunday night, deconstructing what some call the Citizen Kane of bad movies, Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space.
Created by Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Michael J. Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy, Rifftrax presents riotous commentary tracks on a variety of rickety films from today and yesterday. The team performs live shows with movies providing easy pickings (like Plan 9) to entertain their MST3K-starved fans.
This particular show was a special offering of the American Cinematheque sponsored by The San Francisco Sketchfest (an annual Bay Area sketch and stand-up comedy festival). The Rifftrax live show is a regular feature of the annual Sketchfest. So, what better way to promote the festival to a comedy-savvy Los Angeles audience than with a riffing session amongst the high-rising palm trees and low-lying homeless people of Santa Monica.
After giving away special door prizes (unwanted DVDs and VHS tapes from their own home collections), Nelson, Murphy and Corbett sat down to enjoy Wood's disaster-piece.
Plan 9 begs to be mocked, and the Rifftrax gags were well-worn and reliable -- spot on in tone as they easily recaptured the irreverent fun of MST3K's golden age. A recurring tendency for Wood's hapless actors to gesture casually, yet dangerously, with handguns proved a rich chuckle mine all night long.
What made the Rifftrax performance different from any stand-up or sketch show is the clear, genuine affection between the fans and performers. The three guys on stage and the hundreds in the seats appreciate each other, sharing a love of bad movies. That makes their mockery a communal experience. The entire scene made for a unique mix of both kumbaya kinship and snotty mockery -- just in time for many of us to head home for more of the same come Thanksgiving.
Images courtesy Legend Films, Rifftrax
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