In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology and the Culture of Riffing

by Robert G. Weiner (Editor), Shelley E. Barba (Editor)

Overview

The award-winning television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999) has been described as "the smartest, funniest show in America," and forever changed the way we watch movies. The series featured a human host and a pair of robotic puppets who, while being subjected to some of the worst films ever made, provided ongoing hilarious and insightful commentary in a style popularly known as "riffing." These essays represent the first full-length scholarly analysis of Mystery Science Theater 3000--MST3K--which blossomed from humble beginnings as a Minnesota public-access television show into a cultural phenomenon on two major cable networks. The book includes interviews with series creator Joel Hodgson and cast members Kevin Murphy and Trace Beaulieu.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786485727
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	01/10/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	277
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Robert G. Weiner is the popular culture librarian at Texas Tech University. His work has been published in the Journal of Popular Culture, Public Library Quarterly, Journal of American Culture, International Journal of Comic Art and Popular Music and Society, and is the author/editor/coeditor of numerous books related to popular culture. Shelley E. Barba is an associate librarian at Texas Tech University. She has published in such journals as College & Research Libraries, The Reference Librarian, and Texas Library Journal. She lives in Lubbock, Texas.
Robert G. Weiner is the popular culture librarian at Texas Tech University. His work has been published in the Journal of Popular Culture, Public Library Quarterly, Journal of American Culture, International Journal of Comic Art and Popular Music and Society and is the author/editor/coeditor of numerous books related to popular culture.
Shelley E. Barba is an associate librarian at Texas Tech University. She has published in such journals as College & Research Libraries, The Reference Librarian, and Texas Library Journal. She lives in Lubbock, Texas.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface
 1. Beginning
 2. An Independent Actress
 3. Two for the Seesaw and The Miracle Worker
 4. Mel Brooks
 5. Mother Courage and Her Children
 6. The Graduate
 7. Max Brooks
 8. Fatso
 9. Agnes of God
10. Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound
11. Keeping the Faith
12. The End
Appendix: Stage, Film and Television Performances
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

The first full-length scholarly analysis of MST3K...a thoroughly engaging work”—Journal of Adaptation in Film & Performance; “the first scholarly book that has been written about the...series...highly recommend[ed]”—Journal of American Literature; “the first scholarly book that has been written about the television series...highly recommends”—Journal of American Culture.

From the Publisher

"the first scholarly book that has been written about the television series...highly recommends"

Journal of American Culture

the first scholarly book that has been written about the...series...highly recommend[ed]

Journal of American Literature

The first full-length scholarly analysis of MST3K...a thoroughly engaging work

Journal of Adaptation in Film & Performance