FLASHPOINT ACADEMY DEAN PAULA FROEHLE MENTIONED IN TRIBUNE ARTICLE FOR WIN IN BEST OF MIDWEST SHORT FILM CATEGORY FOR TRAIN TOWN

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LOCAL CINEMA

SCREEN SCENE: 'MST3K' founder back with new tack on proven yak
By Robert K. Elder

Tribune staff reporter
December 12, 2008

Joel is back. This time, without the 'bots.

Joel Hodgson, creator of "Mystery Science Theater 3000," spent years as character Joel Robinson, heckling movies with wisecracking robots Crow and Tom Servo, skewering Z-grade films such as "Attack of the Eye Creatures." But halfway through the cult TV show's decade-long run, Hodgson exited the show.

Next week, Hodgson and the show's cast bring "Cinematic Titanic," a new live version of the movie-riffing template, to the Lakeshore Theatre. (New versions of the show, minus the live audience, also are being released on DVD.) Below, Hodgson talks about his new venture, leaving "MST3K" and possibly returning to cable television.

Q You've made talking back to the screen an art. But do people heckle you during live shows?

A In St. Louis, we played our biggest event. They took a hockey arena and split it in half. The acoustics were awful. Supposedly, there was a drunk guy there yelling out stuff, but I didn't hear him. But that's what I'd do.

No, I'm kidding.

But people don't really do that. If they go to all the trouble to come to the show and pay, they pretty much want to see what we're up to.

Q But what is the wraparound story for "Cinematic Titanic"? Who are these figures, and why are they heckling movies?

A We're slowly unfolding it, and I'm trying to stay one ahead of everybody, just trying to reveal what's going on. Each disc, we kind of reveal more of where they are and what they are doing. I don't want to completely give it away. Basically, they are doing it to save movies.

Q Why isn't this project "Mystery Science Theater 4000"?

A We had talked about it. [Producer] Jim Mallon and I got together and talked about working together again, and it just kind of fell apart. But doing "Mystery Science Theater" again would kind of feel like doing "After M*A*S*H." And so, instead, to get the same impact and the same feeling, I thought we should take another run at it.

Q Did the fact that your former colleagues put their toes into the water with similar projects, "RiffTrax" and the "Film Crew," make you want to get back into it?

A I knew about it, but I didn't really see it until after we started and I felt obliged to look at it, just to make sure I wasn't going to do anything they did. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. It's kind of like: They didn't do it the way I would have done it.

I think I had the impulse to do it again before "Rifftrax" or "Film Crew." It's the most fun I've ever had in show business, and I felt really frustrated that I didn't get to get in on all of it. I really regret what happened with "Mystery Science Theater." I felt like I got cheated out of five good years of doing something I loved. If anything, that's what motivated me.

Q In previous interviews, you said that you left the show over clashes with Mallon. ... Was that the extent of it? Creative differences?

A I ran the creative side, and he ran the production. I think the day he came in and said, "I want to direct the movie," he kind of walked into my domain. There weren't creative differences because he wasn't even supposed to be in the creative realm. He had directed a feature before, so I think that's what he was thinking. And I said, "You know, if you do that, I don't think I want to be part of it."

Q If a cable station came to you and said, "Listen, we like what you do and we want you to do it for us and we're not going to give you notes"—would you consider doing "Cinematic Titanic" for television?

A Absolutely. But if you look at it in terms of what we did with "Mystery Science Theater," we didn't even pitch it to a network until we had done 22 shows. And so, by those standards, it'll be another two or three years until we're kind of at the same level. Of course, we're a lot more cagey now. It could happen any time, if the right deal came along.

"Cinematic Titanic" comes to the Lakeshore Theater, 3175 N. Broadway, for a show Thursday and two shows per night Friday and Saturday. Former "MST3K" cast members performing include Hodgson (Joel Robinson), Trace Beaulieu (Crow, Dr. Forrester), J. Elvis Weinstein (Tom Servo, Dr. Erhardt), Frank Conniff (TV's Frank) and Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester). Tickets: $35, $40. For more information, visit lakeshoretheater.com or cinematictitanic.com.

Tom Gustafson at the Music Box: Chicago's Tom Gustafson will visit Chicago on Saturday for a screening of his film "Were the World Mine" at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. Gustafson, along with cast and crew from the film, will introduce the film and conduct a Q&A session after it. Tickets: $9.25. More information at musicbox theatre.com.

Experimental Animation: White Light Cinema presents a rare screening of acclaimed experimental animator Lewis Klahr's "Picture Books for Adults" (1983-85, showing in Super-8 mm) and his breakthrough film "The Pharaoh's Belt" (1994). The program, introduced by University of Chicago professor Tom Gunning, begins at 8 p.m. Wednesday at The Nightingale, 1084 N. Milwaukee Ave. Admission: $7-$10, sliding scale. For more information, visit whitelight cinema.com.

Peter Sis at Facets: Filmmaker and children's book writer Peter Sis will screen his short animated films—"The Heads, Players" and "We All Have Tales: Rumpelstiltskin"—at noon Sunday, followed by a discussion moderated by Chicago author Chase Levey Collins. Copies of Sis' children's book "The Wall" will be available for signing. Hosted by Facets Cinematheque, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave. Tickets: $9, $5 children. More information: www.facets .org.

Glenn Beck's 'Sweater': Conservative cable commentator Glenn Beck shows his sensitive side with a "living play" of his recent book, "The Christmas Sweater," about "heartache, tragedy and the true meaning of Christmas," according to a release. A live broadcast of the show beams into Chicago theaters at 7 p.m. Wednesday, with a taped encore at 7 p.m. Thursday. For tickets and a list of local theaters, visit FathomEvents.com.

Best of the Midwest: Winners from last week's Best of the Midwest Awards, presented by the Midwest Independent Film Festival, included three awards for writer/director Steve Conrad's comedy "The Promotion." It won best feature, director and actor, for John C. Reilly. Virginia Madsen took home the Best Actress Award for "Diminished Capacity." Best Short Film went to "Train Town," directed by Keith Bearden and produced by Flashpoint Academy's Paula Froehle.

For a complete list of winners, visit midwestfilm .org.