Talking with Tim

As a person who could be sent into near convulsions from laughing at the old Mystery Science Theater 3000 shows, a few months ago when I heard about Cinematic Titanic (which features the creator and original MST3K cast executing what they characterize as “Movie Riffing 2.0″) I looked into it with some skepticism. But almost immediately after playing a Cinematic Titanic teaser at YouTube I was laughing uncontrollably just like old times. I was recently fortunate enough to interview one of the crew, Mary Jo Pehl. This interview was conducted prior to the August 7 release of Cinematic Titanic’s riffing of The Wasp Woman.

Before diving into the interview, here’s the official take on Cinematic Titanic: “Cinematic Titanic is a feature length movie riffing show and is an artist owned and operated venture created by Joel Hodgson, the creator of the Peabody award-winning Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Cinematic Titanic features the original cast and writers of MST3K, which is Hodgson (Joel Robinson), Trace Beaulieu (Crow), and J. Elvis Weinstein (Tom Servo). Filling out the ensemble is Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester) and Frank Conniff (TV’s Frank). Cinematic Titanic’s focus is to riff on the movies we love, which are ‘the unfathomable’, ‘the horribly great’, and the just plain ‘cheesy’ movies from the past.”

And now for the official word on Pehl: “Writer, actor, raconteur, bon vivant and former Mystery Science Theater 3000 writer, Mary Jo Pehl’s work ranges from television to theater, national radio to regional magazines. Her hilarious and thoughtful takes on life have delighted audiences in print and stage.” My thanks to Pehl for her time.

Tim O’Shea: For a collaborative comedic effort like Cinematic Titanic how hard was it for you to get back into the rhythm and dynamics that had been polished during MST3K? Or is it like riding a bike, and everything just fell back into place?

Mary Jo Pehl: It was kind of surprising how easily we fell back into it. I hadn’t realized that it was in my blood! Not only that, I had recently worked with a couple of guys here in Austin who do an homage to MST3K called Master Pancake Theater. They invited me to riff live with them, so I got a little experience actually riffing live on the films and not just writing the jokes. It was good training to actually being in front of the movie.

O’Shea: Do you think your personal Pehl specific brand of comedy with Cinematic Titanic flourishes in response to a certain genre of bad movie, or are you open to all forms of camp?

Pehl: I’m an observer of all kinds of camp – but that’s not the same as endorsing all sorts of camp! Many things I just ask, “But why?” I definitely think my humor has been shaped and refined by responding to and mocking movies for such a big chunk of my life. I also think there are aspects of my humor and writer’s voice that doesn’t have an outlet with Cinematic Titanic, which is great too.

O’Shea: It’s kind of hypocritical of me to ask this, given that I already mentioned MST3K, but are you flattered, annoyed or indifferent when people compare/contrast Cinematic Titanic and MST3K?

Pehl: I think I’m mostly interested on an intellectual level. This is kind of a DIY project, an artist owned and operated endeavor, so I’m always curious to know what is and isn’t working. Comparisons to MST3K are inevitable and usually flattering. There are, of course, the misinformed or insulting observations which are annoying, I suppose. When anyone starts a new project or endeavor that is meant for public consumption, of course you’re going to get haters and hopefully, ‘likers.’

O’Shea: As a person who participates in both RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic projects, would you say that the two groups approach the movies in a different or similar manner?

Pehl: For starters, RiffTrax is using current, big budget movies (with the exception of their shorts project). CT is staying with the older, patently bad, low budget, schlocky movie. (Which isn’t to say there isn’t some crossover there!) A big budget movie can be a stinker, and some of the low budget stuff actually has some redeemable aspects.

O’Shea: How much revision occurs in a typical Cinematic Titanic production?

Pehl: Lots. Lots and lots. We’re still refining our writing process but in every case, there is no “final” script. Even after we’ve taped the show, we’re changing, editing, refining up until the last ADR [additional dialogue recording] opportunity.

O’Shea: From your perspective, what does the multi-tier silhouette (versus the standard single row format) add to the comedy mix?

Pehl: We get to use our whole bodies and express jokes or viewpoints more physically. We are not locked into place by puppets that are being operated by humans on the floor of the studio and therefore can only move a few inches right or left! Case in point: in Doomsday Machine, Josh [Weinstein] does a hilarious little MC Hammer “salute”, doing the dance riff from Hammer Time.

O’Shea: How often do you have to stop filming because someone in the cast can’t stop laughing at a line?

Pehl: There have been a couple of instances where I daresay its been obvious the actor has particularly enjoyed a particular line. But I think it’s only happened once when a person, for instance, ME, couldn’t get a line out. It’s in an upcoming movie so I don’t want to give it away but I kept choking with giggles every time the line came up. I finally had to attempt it in an ADR, and still could barely deliver it.

O’Shea: Is there ever a time when one of the other performers takes a comedy angle that prompts someone to express concern that it crosses a line? Or are you all so in sync that it never gets close to that?

Pehl: Oh, sure. We’re constantly reviewing lines in the first place and sometimes someone will just say they don’t like the line, either it’s just not funny or it crosses someone’s sensibilities. Every joke, every line is open for discussion and it seems to me that everyone is working toward bettering the script and not necessarily protecting their egos.

O’Shea: How has your comedic writing style grown or been otherwise impacted by your NPR work and other non-Cinematic Titanic efforts?

Pehl: I think my writer’s “voice” has become stronger, which comes with writing constantly and, ahem, growing older. I also wasn’t locked into writing 3 or 4 second riffs that fit in between movie dialogue or was dependent on a visual image! I’ve had the opportunity to learn how to develop ideas and themes in my essays.

O’Shea: Any chance you might write a follow-up to 2004’s I Lived With My Parents and Other Tales of Terror?

Pehl: Perhaps. And I don’t know if that’s a GOOD thing! Actually, I am working on rewriting/redoing a version of that glorified pamphlet. I’m a little abashed about the end result of that project. We must never speak of it again.

O’Shea: Is there anything you’d like to discuss that I neglected to ask?

Pehl: You forgot to ask when my birthday is and what I’d like. Oh, I’m so glad you asked! February 27. Target gift cards and Godiva chocolate will do nicely, thank you very much.

Tags: Cinematic Titanic, interview, Mary Jo Pehl

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 at 12:43 am and is filed under Film, comedy, pop culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.