\n"; echo $styleSheet; ?>
Home > Copyfight


Copyfight
June 30, 2004
Amazing Grace - the MST3K DefinitionEmail This EntryPrint This Entry
Posted by Ernest Miller

If regular readers haven't guessed by now, I'm a huge fan of annotations. It is my humble opinion that one of the great annotative projects of all time was Mystery Science Theater 3000 (aka MST3K).

MST3K was (alas, it is now only available on DVD) a wonderfully creative television show (there was also a movie, MST3K - The Movie) with a relatively simple conceit - three characters (a human and two intelligent robots) are mentally tortured (for reasons beyond the bounds of this post) by being forced to watch bad B-grade science fiction movies from the 50s and 60s (MST3K FAQ - The Basics). However, rather than meekly submitting to the torture of terrible acting, atrocious plot lines and cheesy special effects, the three characters retain their "sanity" by providing a running comedic commentary to the movie, while their silhouettes (we see them as seated in a theater) are superimposed on the bottom of the movie image. In general, the commentary is witty, funny and much more entertaining than the original movie production.

Anyway, I came across this cool copyright-related quote from MST3K on 'Botspeak, an MST3K glossary/dictionary:

"Amazing Grace" spiritual song beloved by small-town residents in movies on account of its being royalty-free


Category: IP Use

COMMENTS
Kop on July 1, 2004 03:14 PM writes...

We've got movie sign!!!!

Permalink to Comment


TRACKBACKS
TrackBack URL: http://www.corante.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/3320
Why Amazing Grace from Chromatic Musings
Coupled with this from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, there's a good reason as to why Amazing Grace is played in movies a lot. Amazing Grace - spiritual song beloved by small-town residents in movies on account of its being royalty-free [Episode... [Read More]

Tracked on June 30, 2004 05:35 PM




POST A COMMENT
Name:

Email:

URL:

Comments:

Remember personal info?



EMAIL THIS ENTRY TO A FRIEND
Email this entry to:

Your email address:

Message (optional):




RELATED ENTRIES