Customer Reviews

RiffTrax: Carnival of Souls - from the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000!

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Carnival of Souls" is one of my favorite low-budget "cult classics"...so much so, I even own the Criterion edition. So I couldn't pass up the chance to get Mike, Kevin, and Bill's take on it.

The movie itself actually looks pretty good in this transfer and can be watched without the commentary. Add the commentary, of course, for the laughs. Things start out slow and I'm not terribly impressed, but the jokes get better as they go along, particularly Kevin's running "Password" gag in the department store scene.

If you're a fan of Carnival of Souls as well as a fan of MST3K, this one's a must have.

"Carnival of Souls" is a very low-budget, black and white movie. The problem with Riffing this movie is that the movie itself has very little dialogue. The guys had to work harder to fill in that much dead space and often they just didn't say anything. To be fair, there are a few hilarious comments, but just not enough humorous quips to keep it going. The movie has some good spooky, original moments. There are many things that aren't explained. We never know why the dumb woman keeps going to the Carnival, unless we're to make assumptions of what it's supposed to represent. The ending is no shock to anyone unless they missed the first 15 minutes.

Okay, so it's not playing throughout the FULL 78 minutes, but there is just enough organ music in the film to make you want to head down to your local church and chainsaw their organ and drag the organist out into the street and beat them with a stick. This is one of the better RiffTrax DVDs that I've come across. Good gags and less dead space (no pun intended) than some of the other RiffTrax out there.

I have watched MST since middle school. This is as good as it gets, to me. Minus the host segments and silhouettes, this is the best, the quintessential movie despoiling experience. Besmirch, impugn, ridicule, making the best of the dregs, no doubt. The movie is actually almost bearable, which queerly seems to be true of my favorite MST eps. (Cave Dwellers and Pod People, oh, just happenstancely interspersed by that Gamera, franchise!) The main character is awash (he!) in pulchritudinous, which always helps. Just look at Carrie Underwood record sales if you doubt it... and I hear Shania Twain is making a come-back. You know we always give more credence to the pretty people, when hacks they may be. Just watch our star's eyebrows with diligence, yes? If I had been warden of what flicks were picked for the old MST show, this would have featured first season. (and good thing it didn't because nothing was riper than this! Untamed Youth, this is your rival) I've been watching it repeatedly since it arrived, and still laugh at the same jokes! Sandwich makin's. The greasy co-boarder. The creepy cameos by our director, Herk. I might even fight to contend it contains the single greatest riff in movie-dom. Okay, so it's minisculey blue. We know that these... heck I sat through all the Film Crew vids and appreciatively tittered (rue, sad that is, about Rue McClanahan, but felt more fondness for Hollywood After Dark because it probably wasn't fitting for family cable fare) post MST deeds are maybe hit-or-miss, but I am edified at the ambition. Those other shows were so-so but still worth the money. When I hear Mike Nelson, in the voice of Tom Waits, commenting on the excessiveness of organ music in this flick, I wet 'em. That is the abolute best on offer.

Take it, bank it, this is the epitome of riffs.