SpaceGypsies

Cineprov Carries on the Tradition of MST3K

Jennifer's Body: Somewhere on the hot/crazy scale is awful.

Recently two SpaceGypsies had a chance to take in a local Atlanta impov tradition,  Cineprov.  Cineprov carries on the practice of RIFFING, most famously practiced by the folks at Mystery Science Theater 3000.  Riffing, for those who aren’t aware, is the practice of watching a movie while making fun of it.  We all do it, but the best riffers do it in public.

With nearly a dozen seasoned riffers, Cineprov rotates the pain through the riffers.  This improv troupe was founded by Larry Johnson. They have found a patient and accepting location at the Relapse Theater, close to the Georgia Tech campus. The evening we tramped down Larry was joined by Pat and Don.  The movie for the evening? “Jennifer’s Body.”  The movie was chosen by Pat specifically for the Jennifer and Nity (pronounced Needy) kissing. Pat was able to choose because it was his birthday.

Did I mention that unlike MST3K, Cineprov is not family friendly? No? Okay…it is not family friendly. Not at all.  It is a dirty, dirty, hilarious evening of mockery.

So…we have a movie that is nearly soft-core porn, three men covering a variety of adult ages, and beer…lots of beer.  Did I mention the bar? Much like Watching MST3K at home, Cineprov comes with a full bar in the basement.  Also … during the show the wait staff from the basement come up to take orders.  The staff also give out popcorn and cookies for most show, but for Pat’s birthday we had cupcakes.  Cupcakes and Fat Tires.  Not a bad snack.

There is not a lot of point in reviewing the movie…it was awful and was skewered.  Basically, I will watch anything with Amanda Seyfried…but this movie really bends that rule.  (Note: I am a dude and therefore I have never seen “Mama Mia.” That doesn’t count.) But, it was a great night for me and my traveling companion, who continued to discuss both the comedy and the flaws in “Jennifer’s Body” at Glady Knight’s Chicken ‘N’ Waffles.

If you missed “Jennifer’s Body” at Cineprov, do not panic…they ridicule films every Friday night.  On the agenda for the next few months are William Castle’s “House on Haunted Hill,” “Days of Thunder,” and “300.”  They are also showing “The Room,” though I find it difficult to believe this is even worth the effort…but I am intrigued.  I am also sad I will not be able to see “House on Haunted Hill”…which Rifftrax Live recently riffed.

Call for reservations (and check out the details on their website).

Star Wars – Once  Month

I have saved the geekiest point of Cineprov for the end! On the first Saturday of every month from January through June Cineprov will be riffing on Star Wars Episodes I – IV.  It is too late to enjoy The Phantom Menace…in fact, I think it’s been too late to enjoy the Phantom Menace since 1999.  But, that aside…Attack of the Clones will be shown on February 4, 2012.  I will be there for that show, by the grace of God.

SpaceGypsy traveling keeps me on the road…

For more information see:

http://cineprov.com/

http://www.facebook.com/Cineprov

Relapse Theatre
380 14th Street NW
Atlanta, Ga 30318
404-246-3805
Every Friday! First Saturday Each Month! Doors and Bar at 7:00 PM Show Starts at 8:00 PM
cineprov@gmail.com

Dad’s Garage is an established benchmark in Atlanta’s comedy landscape.  Unique for a comedy venue, it is the only place in the country which provides both world-class improvisation and actual theatrical plays.  This week, Dad’s Garage premiered its geekiest play ever, The Super Villain Monologues.  And yes, it is pretty much what it sounds like, twenty-one individual monologues covering the sad, the magnificent, the hopeful and the perverse of the super villain world.

Super Villain Monologues, (“SVM”),  features the small, but experienced cast of Lucky Yates, Christian Danley and Allison Hastings.  Directed by Kevin Gilese and Jason VonHinezmeyer, it brings to the stage the works of several outstanding Atlanta comedy writers: Austin Grossman, Graham Wagner and Mike Balazo (writing as a team), Linnea Frye, and Kurt Smeaton join Yates, Danley, and Gilese.

Artist, Travis Overstreet produced a number of oversized placards in the manor of  vaudeville.  These cards were often used as props in the skits, but also allowed the audience to know the name of each skit so as to set the mood and scene. The cards were a great device that unified all twenty-one sketches, in which villain after villain come to the stage to explain their hilarious side of the hero-villain equation.

Allison Hasting brought out the evil in the fairer sex. The Murderess threatens to kill the world with her secret weapon: murder.  Medusa tries to find comfort in therapy. Eve explains she was the first villain because she chose disobedience simply to get out of the boring garden.  Hastings also had the audience in stitches with a reading of “The Taking Tree,” the over-sized book of revenge against the human race by an irate oak.

Anyone who has been to Dad’s Garage is aware of the improv genius of Christian Danley and Lucky Yates.  Taking turns creating characters, these two performers brought to life a myriad of characters, some of whom were puppets.  From Killbot 500 (500 equals the number of millions he has killed), to the Moon (willing to destroy earth just to check out Brooklyn’s hipster scene), the Black Knight (White Knights be like this, but Black Knights be like that), Rockman (declaring for gay marriage because there are no rock-women), to the Evil Unicorn and The Hamburglar, puppets dominate much of the evening.

There is comedy gold in Danley’s performances. I was nearly apoplectic at his take on the supervillian who turns into not one bear, not even two bears, not even a dozen…but100 bears.  It’s enough, he says, that you will not only “poop your pants, but go home through your wardrobe and poop all of your pants.”  He brings a light and humorous ability to puppet character The Overmind. And nothing could have prepared the audience for his turn in the sketch, “The Baby.” What happens? I can’t tell…it’s that good… (or awful).

Despite the horror that is “The Baby,” and the hundreds of other laughs during the play, the stage in the end belongs to Lucky Yates’ Doctor Impossible character.  “When you are truly different, you know it.” Dr. Impossible explains  in four monologues that serve as a framing piece for the play. Yates brings this character through his life and shares the heart of someone with an IQ of over 300 who has never been able to find a life and struggles with the implications of his own actions and identity by asking the question: “What do you do if your heart is the wrong kind?”

It is a sobering and meaningful moment that reflects what the entire performance was trying to get.  None of us are perfect, all of us are flawed.  What is the dividing line between flawed hero, and sympathetic villain? What separates you and I from those who go horribly, horribly astray? It is a question each of us must answer.  After we are done laughing.

I told you earlier this year I was planning to write a comparison piece as a first time attendee to both Comic-Con and Dragon*Con. The biggest thing I have to say: they’re both freakishly awesome, but extremely different.

At Comic-Con, you wait in line to see celebrities from far away.

I think the main difference is people’s purpose for attending. Both have loyal fans and followers who have attended their respective event for years, even decades. I felt the purpose of Comic-Con was to see your favorite celebrities in action, secure autograph opportunities, and take part in a little bit of stardom. It’s like a geek’s portal into Hollywood. If you read my article about Comic-Con, you know how exciting this was for me, and all the amazing stars I got to see in person. But because it’s a portal into Hollywood, there’s a substantial “industry” presence. There are a lot of non-geeks in attendance, who are looking to network and otherwise advance their careers. Of course I saw this at Dragon*Con as well, but from

what I could tell, most of the industry people were geeks too. I found that the attendees at that convention were all geeky, rather than the distinct nerd/non-nerd distinction I saw at Comic-Con. Dragon*Con is really a convention run by fans for fans. The purpose of Dragon*Con seemed to be fun in all capacities, from meeting fellow geeks to taking part in interesting panels, not solely the thrill of meeting a favorite celebrity.

Because of the differences in purpose, the dynamic at each convention varies greatly, as do the actual activities. At Comic-Con, I waited in line. A lot. And I got used to it. Hanging around doing nothing is just part of the experience. After waiting in line, every panel is very similar to every other panel, with the subject matter and guests simply changed. At Dragon*Con, however, if someone is doing nothing, it was because that’s what they feel like doing. Waiting in line comprised a surprisingly small percentage of my time. What panels I did attend were all very different; some were led by celebrities in a question/answer format, others were moderated by fans who wanted to discuss their ideas and theories about a particular subject.

At Dragon*Con, you get drunk and have lightsaber battles with your mom. In costume.

When there wasn’t a panel I wanted to attend, there was a lot more opportunity for meeting geeks than I experienced at Comic-Con. The presence of several bars in close proximity to one another probably helped a lot. Alcohol has a major presence at Dragon*Con.  While I’m sure there are big parties and other events at Comic-Con, they aren’t really a part of the daytime festivities.  At Dragon*Con, people are drinking all day long. And they’re sleeping in the very same hotel where they’re doing their drinking, so why not?

One of my favorite aspects of conventions is seeing other people’s costumes and showing off my own. While there were a few great costumes at Comic-Con, I must say I was underwhelmed. I guess I figured the biggest convention in the world = the best cosplay in the world, but I was wrong. There were more cosplayers at Dragon*Con, and they were significantly better costumers than most of those I saw at Comic-Con. If you costume, or if you want to costume, Dragon*Con is your destination.

We're not geeks. I don't know what you're talking about.

I suppose I’d say Comic-Con is business event, and Dragon*Con is a party. Both were intensely enjoyable in their own way and had a plethora of activities. You definitely have to make choices though – there simply isn’t enough time to do everything. Having been to both events now, I know better what to expect for next year and can definitely manage my time better. Both were amazing, and I’ll definitely be attending Dragon*Con every year for the foreseeable future. If I get another opportunity to make the trip out to California for Comic-Con, consider it done!

If I had to choose a favorite, though, I’d probably say it was Dragon*Con. But that’s ONLY because the socializing and costuming aspects of conventions are the most attractive to me.  Both definitely had strongsuits, and areas in which they out did the other. And both will certainly appeal more strongly to different types of people. But all in all, they were both amazing experiences and I’m extremely lucky to have been able to attend them this year.

Dragon*Con 2011 featured three of our very favorite Sanctuarians, Amanda Tapping, Robin Dunne and Christopher Heyerdahl. Check out their hilarious hijinks from the Friday Sanctuary panel.