Monstervision Memories

[Titan]

Now I know a lot of you remember this. It was on late night on TNT back in the day before all the changes. I remember staying up late Friday nights just to watch it. Joe Bob Briggs made the movies quite enjoyable and was able to tell you things about them you never knew. If there was something on TV that I miss it is this right here.

What are some of your memories?

[The Tall Man]

Man, I loved Joe Bob but I have to be honest with you: Monstervision was crap by the time he came around. He was an awesome host, but the selection of movies had become horrible by then.

Back in the days of the early 90s when Monstervision rocked, they would have monster movies on ALL night long starting at prime time 7 p.m. Like one weekend, it'd be all Hammer Draculas, another weekend was all Godzilla, another weekend was all Japanese monster movies (different from Godzilla), another weekend would be all Harryhausen and so on and so forth. And if THAT wasn't enough, on Friday nights, TNT would have 100% Weird, which was a whole night of offbeat movies. It was just awesome.

It's too bad that Joe Bob didn't host on TNT back in those days (I believe he was still on The Movie Channel by then).

T.M.

[DavidDunn]

Oh yes, I remember MonsterVision. I remember one night they showed Deadly Friend, Creepshow, Jaws 3-D, and Critters. I was instantly hooked. When Space Ghost Coast To Coast went off at midnight, I was right there on TNT. My mom hated it, but whaddaya do? She knew that I'd sneak up and watch it anyway, so she just told me not to stay up too late and left me alone. Man, those were the days. But aside from MonsterVision, I was also very fond of USA's Up All Night with Rhonda Shear on Friday and Gilbert Gottfried on Saturday. They were always famous to me for showing the Friday films, which is where I partly owe my start with Jason, along with Troma films and a few softcore porn gems. Man, TV fucking sucks now compared to those days. I wish that it could be 1994 forever.

[Darth Sinister]

Yes, Joe Bob Briggs was still doing "The Drive-In Theater" on TMC, in 91. The reason "Monstervision" went to shit was due to execs at TNT wanting to become more "highbrow." If you know the story of WCW's fall, you can see how it fell elsewhere. It also probably had to do with TNT no longer renewing the rights to air those films.

One benefit though was that Briggs would show "Friday The 13th" films from time to time. And provided commentary between commercials. This in the age where the internet was beginning to take off and long before we knew what we know now, this was the only good resource for trivia.

[kramerfan]

I really love this show.Oh i wish it would come back.Also USA Up Allnight ,USA Satuday Nightmares,Commander USA.

[Lance Lives]

I just wish Joe Bob could get a show on any channel. Give him a night a week on Starz or even on that new Chiller channel, he'd still kill it.

[Darth Sinister]

Unfortunately, no one wants to hire hosts for these types of shows. Not just Joe Bob or Rhonda Sheer and what they would show, but other hosts. Like Robert Osborne. He doesn't do as much as he used to. Hell, I haven't watched Turner Classic Movies in a while. So I don't know if he still hosts segements on there.

[The Tall Man]

Osborne still hosts just about everything on TCM.

T.M.

[CosmoBubba]

I just wish Joe Bob could get a show on any channel. Give him a night a week on Starz or even on that new Chiller channel, he'd still kill it.

Chiller would be the perfect place for a show like MonsterVision. It'd at least be something they could air between their zillion reruns of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Night Gallery, Tales From The Crypt, and American Gothic.

But yeah, I loved MonsterVision. My favorite memory of the show has to be the dusk-till-dawn marathon of Friday The 13th movies they aired one Halloween, where the skits during the commercial breaks all revolved around Ted Turner killing the crew one by one. I thought it was cool because I'd sent Joe Bob a fan letter a few months before, in which I'd mentioned a marathon of Friday The 13th movies would be a cool idea. I got a letter back that said:

Dear Matt,

A Friday The Thirteenth marathon would be a dandy selection for "MonsterVision." Sad to say, though, the high sheriffs don't always do what I tell 'em. I'll talk to the crack TNT programming department and we'll see what slithers down the wall, okay?

Keep watching this summer, because the TNT High Sheriffs actually bought me some halfway decent movies. (Heck, I'm exaggerating.)

Hang in there,
Joe Bob

I'm sure a production assistant or someone like that wrote that letter, but still, I thought it was neat that they did in fact run that marathon a few months after I got that letter.

[Lance Lives]

Jesus I miss old TNT.

[nottidelterrore]

A huge part of my teenage years. I miss Joe Bob's presense on television.

I remember watching Night of the Living Dead '90 & Return of the Living Dead Part 2 on there about 10 years ago.

I wish Joe Bob could get a show like this on AMC or something. Every Friday & Saturday night would do.

[driftingsun]

I came in on the tail end of Monstervision's Golden Age, just when Joe Bob was really warming up, so yeah, I was suitably pissed-off at TNT for ruining a great thing. I loved it when Joe Bob would catch some little detail that might not be really noticed and put a new perspective on it with some little quip or rant, as only Joe Bob could do. He seemed to have an uncanny ability to put words to the exact thoughts that ran through my head when watching some B-grade flick. Also when he would rattle off the kill-count (three axes to the head, chainsaw-to-the-groin-fu, forty pints of fake blood, five exploding cars.......2.5 stars...)

[Jigsaw]

I remember MonsterVision and I loved it so much. I still miss it :( There's no Horror host nor afiacionado like Joe Bob Briggs, he's unrivaled.

[Sean [The Wildcard]]

WOW....a very integral part of my child hood. I remember staying up late at night, and my Mom actually got me hooked into watching Monstervision. Of course, she would get tired, and go to bed, telling me to turn it off and all. But once she left the room, I would instantly turn it back on.

...I want my 'Drive in Totals' back.:cry:

I miss the old TNT...alot.



Nw1Yqof5Zqk

[The Dream Master]

I remember when he hosted the F13 marathon. When they came back from a commercial during Part 2, he said "now it's time for the infamous campfire scene with Paul the dork." I had it on tape for the longest time.

Like others, I didn't get into Monstervision until Joe Bob was there. We weren't able to get cable out here and we got satellite tv sometime around '94.

[Titan]

To this day late at night on weekend I wish this was still on. I have a hard time finding anything worth watching and when Monstervision was on I knew no matter what they were showing I was going to be entertained.

[The Tall Man]

Titan, even Howling 7?!?!??! Joe Bob (& I) barely made it through that one. And he had beer!

T.M.

[andrew8798]

on youtube someone uploaded Joe Bob's Friday the 13th Halloween segments that air in 98

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTTA-cRKhjk (Part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW_cpvB2I4Q (Part 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CaIN7H7Lds (Part 3)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-eGYgthOEk (Part 4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD0URr0BZAg (Part 5)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7zT2Isd7gY (Part 6)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqUJzFYzs1g (Part 7)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so7a57GmcLA (Part 8)

[zombie extra 3]

MonsterVision with Joe Bob Briggs is one of the things I miss the most of all, along with Mystery Science Theater 3000.

[Titan]

I started an old thread a few years back on the old forum when they took Monstervision off the air. Some of you might remember cause it's when TNT when to the whole "We got drama" thing and I was upset because every station shows drama and I compared it to saying something like "well I have a toilet and not many people don't have those". I know thats not the exact quote but I still remember the thread I had.

Anyways I know a lot of you remember Monstervision with Joe Bob Briggs and would love to hear some of your memories from the good days of TNT late. Also if you would like I would love to hear some of the memories you might have of the USA Up All Night that they use to have.

I just remember when I was much younger and I was watching Montervision every Halloween they would have the Halloween marathon and every commercial break Joe Bob would come on and tell a little about the films and tell how many deaths, breasts that we won't see, etc... to us and thought at the time it was entertaining.

What is your memories of Monstervision or USA Up All Night?

[Jus-X]

Heck yes I remember this show! One night they showed like 5 Godzilla's in a row, that was great. The host gave trivia in between commercials and movies... it was from him I learned for the first time [on a F13 marathon] that Tommy Jarvis' was supposed to be spunoff into the killer for part 6. And learned that part 1 was made to make profit off of the Hallween fans...

[SlasherFreak]

TNT's Monster Vision and USA's Up All Night were memories I will always fondly look upon. My older brother, with whom I shared a room, was at an age where he would stay out with his friends the whole weekend, and even though he been showing me horror movies on VHS without commercials and all the gore and tits in them since I was like 5, 6 years old, I discovered quite a few films on MV & UAN. It was glorious, my brother would be gone and I finally had a chance to watch what I chose on TV and he was young and stupid, therefore he would leave me a few cigarettes and a little bit of liquor, and I was like 11 and 12, haha (when I hit 14, he would leave me some weed on the weekends when he vanished....good times, haha).

[zach82]

I agree, old school TNT and USA were the bomb... anyone remember Duckman? ;)

Whatever happened to Joe Bob Briggs anyway? I haven't really seen anything from him since the demise of MonsterVision.

[DavidDunn]

Hell yeah remember Duckman! Silk Stalkings, Up All Night, Saturday Nightmares with The Hitchhiker, and all of the horror and sleazy movies you could ask for on top of Cartoon Express. And look at USA now... it saddens me. But, at least USA Up All Night went out for me with a bang. I remember that Jason Takes Manhattan, Uncle Buck, and Buried Alive was the last one I caught before it met its network murder in 1998. Great lineup, there.

[Jason_Legend]

I liked this show, but appreciate it even more in retrospect.

[Bill 1981]

Best memory of MonsterVision: Motel Hell.

[jasonsfury]

Wow, I just posted about Joe Bob on the Friday the13th blog. This was truly great and I too wish they would bring this type of show back. I think fans really appreciate them.

[Brett H.]

I read on another forum about USA Up All Night, which people seem to cherish the same way they do Monstervision. I heard the term thrown around for years and went to Wikipedia for a list of movies they played. I mean, it's pretty easy to get an outline of how the show might have been by the flicks they played. I figured I'd count them as I went through just for shits and I was up to 21 and the letter C before I quit counting. It was quite obvious USA Up All Night was awesome. :X I wish I could see some old Up All Night and Monstervision eps.

[The Tall Man]

The roaster of movies that "Up All Night" aired was a good selection, but the host segments were weak as hell. Nothing to write home about in the least.

T.M., Esq.

[BluTsbunny]

I miss this show so much! It's what really got me interested in Horror.

I remember watching it when I was about 11 or 12 years old on Friday nights, bundled up on the couch alone with all the lights off. Eating popcorn or snackcakes and drinking pepsi.

I'd usually get scared and scream loud enough to wake my parents at least once a week. I remember getting really freaked out when they showed the Exorcist.

Come back Joe Bob! We miss you!!!!

[Jus-X]

I think we should sign a petition to have Monstervision to be put back on TV.

[The Tall Man]

Justyn, it'd do NO good. TNT doesn't give a shit anymore. They're all about "DRAMA" now.

T.M., Esq.

[Jus-X]

Yeah I know. Just wishful thinking.

[Titan]

I wish the Chiller Channel would pick up the old ones and show them. That would be awesome!

[kramerfan]

Id love this to come back.A shame a station like Spike TV couldnt give Joe Bob his own show again.

[Jason_Legend]

I like his short reviews. I remember really laughing at his reviews for Ninja III: The Domination and Lock Up.

[kiss_armyman1]

Joe Bob Briggs was awesome! Most of the movies sucked he made it worth watching them!