If you enjoy the absolute WORST movies that have been featured on Mystery Science Theatre 3000, then you may want to consider seeing "The Haunting"... that is, if you can find a way to see it without spending money. From start to finish, "The Haunting" was one of the worst movies I have seen, including those on MST3K. There was no suspense at all, as the movie repeatedly told you everything that was going on. Nothing was scary, since when something potentially scary occured, you could see it coming from a mile away. And when someone was killed, it was generally very funny, not scary. Furthermore, the director had some bizarre obsession with constantly showing closeups of Owen Wilson. That, combined with the laughable acting and extremely obnoxious character Mr. Wilson played, had me screaming for his character's death the instant he appeared in the movie. This was a very poorly written and a very poorly directed movie. I admit the CG effects were neat to look at, but that doesn't make a movie. Neither does casting Qui-Gon. Indeed, I think that is the only reason Liam Neeson appeared in the movie... in attempt to milk success from Star Wars. Had the movie pursued what appeared to be a potential relationship between Catherine Zeta-Jones and Lili Taylor, it may have been watchable. But alas, the focus was on a convoluted, nonsensical... something... that may remind one of a plot. I give this piece of dung 1/10th star (and the CG was what give it that).
Reviews
2 Reviews
The Dana Carvey Show
(1996)
A show too funny to have on the air.
26 June 1999
Throughout time ever since the early 1970s, there have been numerous incredibly funny sketch comedy shows. Shows like Monty Python's Flying Circus, Kids in the Hall, SCTV, and Saturday Night Live were the pinnacle of comedy. Out of those shows that were mentioned above, only one of them is still on the air, and that is a sad state of affairs. Then, in 1996, a new show came out from former SNL favorite Dana Carvey. This was a wake up call from other, completely not funny shows that were on at the time. This show could have been a revitalization of comedy that was a change from a sitcom starring Jerry Seinfeld. Things didn't quite go as planned.
At first, the show was supported by many major corporations due to Dana Carvey's credentials. The first show changed that. It featured sketches that were incredibly funny, but they were a bit offensive. From this, numerous sponsors backed down from the show.
In the second episode, they toned down the sketches a little bit, but still people were still not satisfied with how funny the show was. I guess too many people felt threatened by this show. Having a show that is actually funny to be on primetime was too much of a shock after hit shows like Mad About You and Friends.
The third episode was pretty much the same style of humour, still incredibly funny, too funny to be on TV. By this time, people who liked shows that were not funny were too taken aback by this that they said "This has to stop!"
Why am I talking about each episode individually? Because that's it! That's as long as the show lasted! That's it! Throughout this decade they have tried to take funny shows off the air, and while they didn't succeed with Mystery Science Theater 3000, and they won't succeed again this time, they did succeed with the Dana Carvey show. This could have been the sketch comedy show of the future, but no, people would rather watch an unintelligibly unfunny show like Mad TV.
-Z. Merritt
At first, the show was supported by many major corporations due to Dana Carvey's credentials. The first show changed that. It featured sketches that were incredibly funny, but they were a bit offensive. From this, numerous sponsors backed down from the show.
In the second episode, they toned down the sketches a little bit, but still people were still not satisfied with how funny the show was. I guess too many people felt threatened by this show. Having a show that is actually funny to be on primetime was too much of a shock after hit shows like Mad About You and Friends.
The third episode was pretty much the same style of humour, still incredibly funny, too funny to be on TV. By this time, people who liked shows that were not funny were too taken aback by this that they said "This has to stop!"
Why am I talking about each episode individually? Because that's it! That's as long as the show lasted! That's it! Throughout this decade they have tried to take funny shows off the air, and while they didn't succeed with Mystery Science Theater 3000, and they won't succeed again this time, they did succeed with the Dana Carvey show. This could have been the sketch comedy show of the future, but no, people would rather watch an unintelligibly unfunny show like Mad TV.
-Z. Merritt
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