Interview: Bill Corbett, Mike Nelson, and Kevin Murphy of Rifftrax Talk Jack Frost
Jonathan Barkan
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Back in 1997, a direct-to-video Christmas-themed horror film by the name of Jack Frost hit shelves. If you haven’t seen it, please know that it’s one of those “so bad it’s good” titles. Packed with terrible one-liners, absurd kills, and questionable production, it’s a film that has brought me a ton of laughs over the years. Turns out I’m not alone as the boys over at Rifftrax have released one of their hilarious commentary tracks today for Michael Cooney’s absurd title!
To celebrate this holiday gift, I caught up with Bill Corbett, Mike Nelson, and Kevin Murphy to discuss Jack Frost, the blend of holidays and horror, and more!
Give it a read below.
DC: Guys, it’s not really fair to mock Jack Frost. The movie is already so outrageous that it doesn’t need that much more help to be ridiculous! Why make it suffer any more?
Bill Corbett: My friend, I fear you have not met us, and you know not of our works.
Mike Nelson: I guess it’s that the movie has skated on its fine reputation for so long: it’s obviously great, so let’s have fun even in the context of it being better than anything ever created by humankind.
Kevin Murphy: Au contraire, it’s totally fair to mock any winter movie that uses NOTHING BUT FAKE SNOW. In fact it is our sacred duty!
DC: Why go with this one instead of the Michael Keaton film? Let’s be honest here and admit that both are ripe for parody.
KM: Ah yes, the delightful family movie in which a child is haunted by his dead father in the form of a snowman who by the way looks like Larry Miller. I’d love to do it.
BC: I do not see the need for honesty here. I mean you seem nice enough, but we don’t have that kind of relationship yet.
MN: Neither deserve any mockery. Our riff of it is a solemn tribute. Nothing but love and respect.
DC: What is it about horror that makes it so perfect for riffing?
MN: Nothing. We simply hang laurel wreaths around its neck.
BC: A combination of earnestness, special effects (sometimes cheesy ones), and the fact that there’s often some type of toxic goo.
KM: Because it’s the only genre that generally sucks even more than the superhero genre.
DC: Holiday-themed horror films seem like a great medium to bounce jokes off of because you’ve got the absurdity of horror but also the universal feelings that come with the holidays. Which aspect do you think is easier to poke fun at?
MN: The holiday horror themed movie list is a little thin but this by far our favorite.
KM: The moment when a family learns what it means to be a family, and to laugh and love, again. …No wait, that’s the Hallmark Channel holiday movies.
BC: I think anything that works as funny in the moment, works. There are a lot of point-of-view changeups in our riffs. We’re often making fun of a movie if it’s dumb enough, but sometimes we’re just being absurd in the moment, or even making jokes at our own expense. So both dopey horror stuff or over-earnest Christmas stuff work great for jokes if the setup is juicy enough.
DC: What brings you the most holiday cheer?
MN: Figgy pudding. Followed closely by tea and breakfast. I won’t go until I get some, so for the love of god just bring me some figgy pudding and/or tea and breakfast!!!
KM: My local liquor store, because they deliver.
BC: When you finally find out if the groundhog sees it shadow or not. Just the MOST fun!
…You didn’t specify which holiday, I assume this is the one you meant?
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