Shout Factory Secures Rights for MST3K Distribution - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 01-24-2008, 12:20 AM

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LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Call it "cult meets cult." Shout! Factory, the independent DVD supplier with an affinity for cult movies and TV shows, has secured worldwide home entertainment and digital download rights to the cult TV series "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

The multiyear deal gives Shout! Factory exclusive physical and electronic distribution rights to all "Mystery Science Theater 3000" branded properties -- including a vast library of original episodes that have never before been issued on DVD or available for digital download.

Garson Foos, president of Shout! Factory, said "Mystery Science Theater 3000" lines up perfectly with his company, which has released such eclectic offerings as 1960s TV series "My Favorite Martian," the controversial documentary "Kurt Cobain: About A Son" and the direct-to-video "The Film Crew," a "Mystery Science Theater" spinoff.

The original "Mystery Science Theater" TV series was released on home video by Rhino Home Video, whose principals -- including Garson Foos and his brother, Richard -- later went on to found Shout! Factory after Rhino was sold to Time Warner.

"Mystery Science Theater 3000" was created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains. After a year on KTMA TV in Minneapolis, it went national in 1989 on the Comedy Channel (later Comedy Central), where it ran for seven seasons. The show's final three seasons were on Sci Fi Channel.

The series attracted a huge cult following and won a Peabody Award in 1994 as well as two Emmy Award nominations, both for writing. The star of the show is a hapless man trapped by mad scientists on a satellite in outer space. He's forced to watch old B movies and, to keep sane, provides a running commentary of each film with his two robot sidekicks, lovingly knocking one another's flaws and cracking jokes.

The series lasted 11 seasons and includes 198 episodes, all of which are ultimately bound for both DVD and digital distribution through Shout! Factory.

"We're huge fans of 'Mystery Science Theater 3000,"' Garson Foos said. The show's creative team, he said, "understood the beauty of the B movie and were able to take these undervalued treasures and enhance them possibly far beyond their original luster."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

01-24-2008, 12:20 AM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,452	Shout Factory Secures Rights for MST3K Distribution Link LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Call it "cult meets cult." Shout! Factory, the independent DVD supplier with an affinity for cult movies and TV shows, has secured worldwide home entertainment and digital download rights to the cult TV series "Mystery Science Theater 3000." The multiyear deal gives Shout! Factory exclusive physical and electronic distribution rights to all "Mystery Science Theater 3000" branded properties -- including a vast library of original episodes that have never before been issued on DVD or available for digital download. Garson Foos, president of Shout! Factory, said "Mystery Science Theater 3000" lines up perfectly with his company, which has released such eclectic offerings as 1960s TV series "My Favorite Martian," the controversial documentary "Kurt Cobain: About A Son" and the direct-to-video "The Film Crew," a "Mystery Science Theater" spinoff. The original "Mystery Science Theater" TV series was released on home video by Rhino Home Video, whose principals -- including Garson Foos and his brother, Richard -- later went on to found Shout! Factory after Rhino was sold to Time Warner. "Mystery Science Theater 3000" was created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains. After a year on KTMA TV in Minneapolis, it went national in 1989 on the Comedy Channel (later Comedy Central), where it ran for seven seasons. The show's final three seasons were on Sci Fi Channel. The series attracted a huge cult following and won a Peabody Award in 1994 as well as two Emmy Award nominations, both for writing. The star of the show is a hapless man trapped by mad scientists on a satellite in outer space. He's forced to watch old B movies and, to keep sane, provides a running commentary of each film with his two robot sidekicks, lovingly knocking one another's flaws and cracking jokes. The series lasted 11 seasons and includes 198 episodes, all of which are ultimately bound for both DVD and digital distribution through Shout! Factory. "We're huge fans of 'Mystery Science Theater 3000,"' Garson Foos said. The show's creative team, he said, "understood the beauty of the B movie and were able to take these undervalued treasures and enhance them possibly far beyond their original luster." Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
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