Genre: Comedy/Science Fiction.
Studio:
Unknown.
Production Company:
Visual Story Tools.
Project Phase: Dead.
Who's Was In It:
Frank Conniff.
Who's Was Making It:
Joel Hodgson.
Premise: In the future, people have overused the avaliable electricity to the point it 'just broke'. Yes - you read that right.
Release Date: It was originally slated to go on a Q1/Q2 1997 city tour distribution circuit.
Comments: The new show from the same guy who brought you Mystery Science Theatre 3000! A thirteen-minute short film exists that shows Hodgson's 'Static-A-Matic' film process; it debuted at the 1996 Dallas Video Festival. Hodgson wanted the film to attract investors and attention for a full-length film.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
October 3, 1996... CA is sent an email giving notice that Joel Hodgson, the creator of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, has just completed pre-production on a feature film called Statical Planets. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in October, the scooper writes. "The film is expected to be released in an art-house-and-university-tour manner rather than a 'theaters everywhere' blitz. The film itself will most likely be some kind of postmodern take on traditional 'B' science fiction films (just like ID4!), featuring the lovingly-handcrafted look and feel so dear to fans of Joel's work. Frank Conniff from MST3K (TV's Frank) will be in the new movie, which is being produced by Hodgson himself rather than by MST3K makers Best Brains." [Project annoucement and scoop info submitted anonymously.]
We'd love to get confirmation on this project. Any takers out there?
November 5, 1996... Confirmed! Joel Hodgson's web site, (located at 'http://www.gizmonics.com'), showcases the film in all its glory. Joel has made some downloadable 'virtual trading cards' from the movie in Adobe .PDF format, and you can also request for the show to make its way to your home town. [Scoops sent in by 'thud', 'truck' and others.]
December 17, 1996... A reader by the name of Josh Smith tells us that he spotted a sneak preview of the project during the airing of Joel Hodgson's last project, TV Wheel ,on Comedy Central. Although all the viewer could see was a simple starfield backdrop, Hodgson commented that the movie will incorporate some sort of "audience participation". Devices dubbed 'Static-A-Matics' will administer a shock to the audience members in the theater (some of you out there might remember a similar idea used for the old black-and-white horror B-movie The Tingler.) However, how far along Hodgson may be with the project is up in the air. [Scoop information supplied by Josh Smith.]
December 26, 1996... Some more info forwarded by 'Someone In the Know'. The budget is set at about $100,000, which comes out of Joel's own personal pockets. Frank Conniff appears as a character who is cloned and starts popping up all over the planet; Josh Weinstein (Dr. Earhardt from first-season MST3K) has a small part. The person also adds that Joel Hodgson will be on both sides of the camera. The project was originally slated to begin production in April '96 but was delayed until October; a Q1/Q2 '97 release tour is being hoped for. [Scoop information provided anonymously.]
July 6, 1997... The project has been shelved. Hodgson said that it was simply too expensive for him to continue developing it. [Scoops mailed in by 'yugo' and anonymously; special thanks to Andrew Laska and 'theo'.]
The Tag Line: "Epic space adventure that everyone can enjoy." - Joel Hodgson
Official Web Site: www.gizmonics.com/sp/sp.
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