The digital Renaissance Man of Eastern Iowa [Chris Hanel] has finally decided to leave the midwest for the potential glory  on the East Coast (Orange County, no doubt). Chris’s departure weighs heavy upon the many friends he’s made here in Iowa City. Noboy wants to see Chris and Kori leave, but we fully support their decision. A man’s gotta do, what you gotta do. Here’s a man with talent: Exceptional Artist, Video Effects Editor, Coordinatior, Writer, Director, Actor, Improv Comedy Aficionado.

In the three years since he’s been back in Iowa, we’ve been able to put-forth an audience/fan script-submitted MST3K-Style Movie Heckling experience with Riff Raff Theater. When Chris had the time, he’d jump in to a Comics In Action gig… like the one at Coe Collage…

Of coure, this was not the ONLY time he’d worked with Comics In Action.

Then again, there is the multitude of movie we skewered under the guise of Riff Raff Theater. Here’s a clip.

You will be sorely missed, Mr. Hanel. Stay in touch. We’ll always have your back.

RRT Elektra Poster

Since Chris Hanel has stepped-down from the MAJOR role he played in the creation of Riff Raff Theater, I have taken over as the “Poster Guy” and have been having a rather fun time putting this all together.

On September 11 (it’s a Friday), Riff Raff Theater will be mocking the quite rotten movie: Elektra. Let me know what you think of the poster. Hopefully, I have placed “All that is Riff Raff Theater” into this thing. Let me know what you think.

Honest. Be brutal. It’s a learning experience.

Critically panned by EVERY movie critic in the Western Spiral Arm of the Milkyway Galaxy, Riff Raff Theater skewers the movie that caused James Cameron to halt co-development with Ridley Scott on a 5th Alien movie…you guessed it: Alien vs. Predator!

The ONLY decent aspect of this movie is the continuity revolving around Lance Henriksen (you know…the cyborg in “Aliens”). Even if they could have convinced Sigourney Weaver and Bill Paxton to commit to this disastrous concept, they couldn’t save this horrible flick. Which begs the question: Why did it become one of the more successful films in the franchise? God only knows…and he ain’t tellin’.

Watch the mayhem and hilarity ensue this Friday, May 8th at the Englert in Iowa City at 8:00PM.

You know that I’ll be there. What are YOU doing this Friday? I thought so.

[Show as slideshow]

Comedy is my past-time. It’s one of the things I do. It’s just…me. So, when I learn about upcoming comedy events in the Cultural Corridor (that’s the space intersecting Cedar Rapids and Iowa City for you laymen), I like to give a shout-out to those responsible.

• Riff Raff Theater presents: Die Hard – OK. Shame on you for those that have not heard of this group of hilarious people. This time at The Englert Theatre, they’ll be lampooning the movie that setup Bruce Willis as the ‘go-to’ movie action hero on November 19th at 8pm. The movie is good, but SOOOOO bad is so many ways. Here’s what Riff Raff Theater is all about from there own lips:

Have you seen Riff Raff Theater? Laugh along with Chris, Todd and Danuuc in a production that’s been hailed as “funny stuff” by Mike Nelson, host of Mystery Science Theater 3000. The critically acclaimed cinematic roast sets its sights on the Bruce Willis action classic, Die Hard. Presented by M.C. Ginsberg.

• Comics In Action – Sometime in November, they are putting together a gig of humongous proportions. Look for something during the 2nd full week of November. I don’t know what. I’m just sayin’.

My friends at Riff Raff Theater are at it again. This time, they’ll be lampooning arguably one of Will Smith’s worst movies (outside of Wild, Wild West) that is causing Isaac Asimov to spin rapidly in his grave: i, Robot. Believe me. You’ll wish James Cromwell (that’ll do, pig) had a more prominent role in this flick.

Sponsored by M. C. Ginsberg and hosted in Iowa City on Friday, August 15th at the Englert Theatre at 8PM.

I’ve sat back at a couple rehearsals for the upcoming show and I swear to god: This show will ROCK!

My good friends, Chris, Dave and Todd will performing this Friday night (June 27) at 8pm at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City. This time, Riff Raff Theater will tackle the movie that drove Sean Connery into retirement: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This is the movie that had so much potential that even critics unaware of its legacy couldn’t come up with enough accolades to give this film a more than a ‘mediocre’ rating. Now I love Sean Connery, especially since he is THE best James Bond so far. Not only that, he gave the movie, Highlander, the much needed boost it desperately deserved.

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Even though they are working hard on ‘League of Extraordinary Gentlemen‘, the comedy group, Riff Raff Theater, has now announced they will trash (what could have been awesome) the theatrical slaughtering of Isaac Asimov’s ‘I, Robot‘ series.

For those of you who may want to write and submit jokes for this movie, head on over to Riff Raff Theater and check out their to-do list.

If you would like to learn more about the original series (of which my son, Jared,  has read them all), check out the link here.