The Rifftrax train continues to mirthfully chug right along, and now they're bringing their video content to bigger screens. Previously available as video-on-demand titles or download files, Rifftrax video offerings are now seeing the first wave of titles to be released on DVD. The effort started with their first collection of shorts, which has now been expanded to an additional volume. The two volumes collect a wide assortment of the entries from their web site, as well as a few extras.

For those who might not be as familiar with the shorts, here's some background. Back in their previous incarnation as the hosts for Mystery Science Theater 3000, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy (Tom Servo) and Bill Corbett (Crow, during the Sci-Fi Channel years) would often find themselves watching short, mostly educational films before their feature movie would begin. These "shorts" helped pad broadcast times when dealing with shorter films, and also hearkened back to the golden age of drive-ins when cartoons, newsreels or other shorter material would be shown before and in between features.

The shorts riffed here are now mostly or all in the public domain. And they're also particularly awful, veiled propaganda films from their sponsored companies. In other words, a winning combination to receive the heckling that only the Rifftrax guys can dish out.

The Shorts - Volume One

Buying Food - It's not as easy as you think.
It Must Be The Neighbors - A street-ful of neighbors don't want to admit that their yards are filthy, until their kids finally shame them into being responsible adults.
Patriotism - Bob Crane shows a group of kids what patriotism is all about (...), which incidentally involves just about anything you care to think up.
Down And Out - The world's clumsiest, most inobservant man demonstrates why he should never be hired for any job, anywhere.
Skipper Learns A Lesson - A belligerent, racist dog eventually learns to suppress his hate long enough to play with the other dogs.
The Trouble With Women - Women, Sheesh! I mean, really, what's their deal?
Right Or Wrong - A delinquent little brat finally gets hauled off to the slammer for not actually doing that much.
Drugs Are Like That - You know when you're watching two kids babble on incoherently about nothing? Drugs are like that.
Shake Hands With Danger - Regardless of the title, this film actually doesn't want you to shake hands with danger.

Article Author: David R Perry

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