Plot

Cinematic Titanic - Episode 2

From the creator and original cast of Mystery Science Theater 3000

American spies discover the Chinese have built a weapon capable of destroying planet Earth, a "doomsday machine" if you will, and plan to use it within a matter of days. Immediately, Project Astra, a manned U.S. space mission to Venus, is taken over by the military and half of its all-male crew is replaced by women just hours before launch. The reason for this becomes apparent when, shortly after Astra leaves Earth's orbit, said planet is completely destroyed (in a cataclysm of stock footage)! Will the crew of the Astra make it safely to Venus? Will the human race survive?

Reviews:
"Top 10" -Rolling Stone Magazine
"Consistently and unfailingly funny" -Tom Shales

Note: Click here to download the Hi-Res DVD case artwork.

You can download the original (non Cinematic Titanic) at:
The Doomsday Machine

Related Links

• Cinematic Titanic
• Wikipedia
• Wired

Customer Comments

• Reviewer: anonymous on 19-Jun-2008

  New and improved! CT has done it again, and they addressed many of the issues
  fans brought up in their last outing, The Oozing Skull. There is now a framing premise.
  You actually get introduced to the riffers. Heck, there's even chapters now to the DVD.
  And the riffs? As sharp and funny as before, perhaps even better.

• Reviewer: r22 on 20-Jun-2008

  Thought I'd give these guys a second chance after being disappointed with Oozing Skull. Didn't laugh once. At least I still have Rifftrax.

• Reviewer: CTFanboy on 20-Jun-2008

  Very funny! Please keep the new riffs coming, Joel.

• Reviewer: Will G. on 20-Jun-2008

  Just what I'd expect from the old MST3K crew. If you're into that kind of stuff, then this is a "must-have" for your collection.

• Reviewer: anonymous on 21-Jun-2008

  Oh, the hilarity!
  Joel and the rest rip up a movie with none other than Casey Kasem in the cast which makes it worth more than the price of admnission for this one!
  Just buy it! You know you want too!

• Reviewer: Reviewer: r22 is a douche! on 21-Jun-2008

  They haven't quite got into the groove just yet, but damn if this show isn't hilarious! Cinematic Titanic has heart and soul and a lot of potential. I would recommend any naysayers to simply view any season one episode of MST3k; still incredible but you can see the greatness emerging over the course of each episode. Joel is the best!

• Reviewer: Joike on 22-Jun-2008

  I think this effort shows who the true creative genius was on the MST3k team. This is another poor unfunny effort by Joel and co. Rifftrax and Mike Nelson's projects have all been a lot funnier than this. People just don't like to admit that Mike is a hell of a lot funnier than Joel.

• Reviewer: anonymous on 22-Jun-2008

  Hilarious! The magic they do with some of the stupidest scenes ("It's like watching someone watching Manos") made me laugh again and again. This film is almost good in places, but just keeps self-destructing, and the guys are there to pick up the pieces. Keep 'em coming!

• Reviewer: KP on 23-Jun-2008

  very funny! can't wait for the next one!

• Reviewer: horsefeathers on 23-Jun-2008

  Technically, this dvd should have received four stars, but for two reasons: (1) The movie itself has a terrible ending, and (2) the riffing ends dejectedly. I admit that I'm no fan of films that revolve around the nuclear annihilation of earth ("Martian Chronicles", "Damnation Alley".) "Doomsday Machine" makes matters worse by backing itself into a narrative dead-end, where all but three of the crew can expect to die, and the survivors would have to fend for themselves on Venus (so they're as good as dead.) The director ends up pilfering footage from another movie (hence the two directors credited), employs a deus ex machina to save two of the crew, and kills off the three most-likely survivors offscreen. It ended so awfully, I wanted to scream at the TV, and I'd hoped the C.T. team would too. Instead, it ends with a dejected remark from Mary Jo, and everybody just walks off without comment. The C.T. crew should really come up with a post-movie host segment so they can vent or do something comical, like they did at the end of each MST3K episode. To end on such a horribly down note makes me less likely to buy another episode. Sure there's laughs along the way, but there's no kicker at the end for a really big satisfying ending. I hope the CT crew have a chance to implement something like this in time for their 3rd release.

• Reviewer: anonymous on 24-Jun-2008

  Sadly, "Doomsday Machine" did not quite live up as I had hoped it would to "The Oozing Scull." It quickly became rather flat and lifeless, and I didn't laugh the way I should have.
  Here's hoping the next one is better.

• Reviewer: Clinton Kirk on 26-Jun-2008

  A great outing, with a better framework establishing the premise of the series. Let's hope for many more episodes.

• Reviewer: anonymous on 05-Jul-2008

  The flow felt much better in this second CT outing. Great jokes and a much more comfortable feel. I hope for more episodes soon.

• Reviewer: Sundog on 20-Jul-2008

  This review is aimed at old-school MSTies like myself who are wondering if they will be delighted or disappointed with Cinematic Titanic in general and this film in particular.
  
  Just so you know where I'm coming from - no trolling intended, but I love all the Joel episodes, some of my favorites being from the first season with Josh, whose Tom Servo I actually prefer over Kevin Murphy's, which I found rather sophomoric. I'm not a fan of the Mike era, for whatever reason, let's just leave it at that.
  
  If you can identify, let me tell you that you have a real treat in store. This is the MST riffing crew we'd all put together if we could choose our favorites. PLUS Mary Jo!
  
  Oooh, what a burn!
  
  No, seriously, Mary Jo is VERY funny, which I was not ready for, having been viscerally repulsed by Mother Forrester and her evil spawn. She very definitely holds her own here, which pleases me; I was very worried she'd ruin it.
  
  And she is in fast company indeed. If you are wondering what it is like to hear Josh AND Frank AND Trace AND Joel riffing together, let me tell you, it is as fun a trip as you think it might be. You CAN go home again, to a family reunion that is a better ensemble than any crew so far.
  
  Some of the reviews I've read just make me smile. Yes, the pace is a little more relaxed, there isn't a joke every 5 seconds, more like every ten. But that's just part of the whole feel... Joel is back in control, and the production has his slow-down, wait-for-it style, which was always one of the things I loved about the first few seasons.
  
  It's almost as though some might have an agenda... but we needn't go there. Unless you're really, really picky, if you are a Joel-era fan, you are going to treasure these movies and bug them for more.
  
  

• Reviewer: Shlump on 25-Jul-2008

  The crew seemed more relaxed this time (compared to The Oozing Skull release) and as a result the riffs were delivered better. Also, there didn't seem to be as many "time-filler" jokes.
  
  It was good enough that I re-watched The Oozing Skull and think I was a bit harsh giving it two stars; three would have been more appropriate.
  
  Anyway, if you're trying to choose between the two, I'd go with Doomsday Machine.

• Reviewer: Attor on 27-Jul-2008

  One of the worst movies of all time, funny on an epic scale. These guys are still funny as all hell. Buy it, DO IT NOW.

• Reviewer: Ennui on 30-Jul-2008

  Easily as funny as MST3K ever was; you will not be disappointed.

• Reviewer: Suzanne on 04-Aug-2008

  I enjoyed this and hope to see more from this group soon. To me, this was considerably better than the previous DVD, and I just like hearing from them. Joel and J. Elvis were strong in this outing. More from them!

• Reviewer: anonymous on 07-Aug-2008

  Freakin' hilarious! The movie is TERRIBLE but the riffing is top notch!

• Reviewer: anonymous on 11-Aug-2008

  Joel and the others haven't lost their touch. Nobody can ridicule a movie quite like they can

• Reviewer: Evenstar on 25-Aug-2008

  If not for the CT crew, this movie would be horrible. The ending is dreadful but they interject a steady stream of comedy into it which is QUITE entertaining. Can't wait to see more of their work!

• Reviewer: anonymous on 09-Sep-2008

  Tried and true method of Making fun of movies ( That replace people when they run out of money)
  If your a fan of the original you will love this even more.

• Reviewer: Vruskophile on 11-Sep-2008

  What a terrible disappointment.
  
  I own every MST3k released and a lot that haven't been released. I've seen each one multiple times and can say without reserve that MST3k is my favorite TV show of all time by a wide margin, whether early season or later season shows. Since the demise of our beloved SOL I've picked up much of what the alumni have produced, including all of The Film Crew DVDs and a good number of Rifftrax. Cinematic Titanic seemed like a slam dunk.
  
  Tragically, the riffing is uninspired, shallow, and flatly delivered. MST3k riffing had several levels: Comments about the movie, tangential pop culture comments triggered by the movie, 'alternative storyline' comments by which they would sieze on characteristics of movie characters and build up an altered personality for the target throughout the movie, and riffs about what a character was thinking during dead spots or when the camera was just pointed at a non-speaking actor. These levels of nuance shone. In this movie, though, most comments are simply about the movie.
  
  If I were to rate this against my MST3k collection, this would be one of my bottom-tier films, not likely to see much, if any, additional play-time.
  
  For those looking for alternatives, I found the shows from The Film Crew to be on par with middle-of-the-road MST3k episodes. Superior to CT, but not true classics. The best new material available, in my view, is coming from Rifftrax.
  
  I wish CT well and will try another episode, hoping that this stinker is an aberration.

• Reviewer: anonymous on 02-Nov-2008

  Very good riffing on a very bad movie. I can't give this one
  five stars just because the movie itself is so unbearable at
  the end that it kind of ruins the experience as a whole. Also, the movie's rape motif is just unsettling. Still, the CT crew did the absolute best they could with this pile of garbage, and they sort of make up for the terrible ending with one of the best lines I've ever heard in any movie riffing ever.

• Reviewer: anonymous on 07-Nov-2008

  Hilarious! Comparisons to MST3K are inevitable with a project
  like this, of course, and in my opinion this stacks up well to the best MST episodes. It has the same merciless, razor-sharp wit that MST3K had at its best.
  

• Reviewer: anonymous on 24-Mar-2009

  Absolute genius! Cinematic Titanic's take on the cheesy "Doomsday Machine" is a comedic adventure filled with laughs, riffs, and originality. Keep rockin' the riffs!

• Reviewer: anonymous on 26-Apr-2009

  Although the movie is among the worst I have ever seen, it's perfect fare for the CT crew. Great riffs, and as always seeing these guys together again, makes it a great DVD.

• Reviewer: anonymous on 11-Jul-2009

  The old MST3K gang, Kasey Kasem, a cheesy movie...what more could you ask for? The completely indecipherable ending was truly laughable in it's own right, but the CT gang at least made it tolerable. Definitely one of the funniest CT eps so far!

• Reviewer: anonymous on 01-Aug-2009

  A dog of a movie. The riffing was ok.

Additional Information

• Country: United States
• Language: English
• Format: NTSC
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3 (standard TV)
• Color: Color
• Sound: Dolby Digital