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Cinemassacre's Monster Madness Returns with Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Around the World! (31 Episodes)
- Thread starter TheGamingNewsGuy
- Start date
Not a great look, but also not terribly surprising either. Over the last year or so, I've gotten the impression that James has gotten in a bit over his head with his production schedule. I don't know if there's any intentional malfeasance at play here, but the fact that it happened at all is pretty bad.
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Justin Silverman has commented on the plagiarism.
So the options here are either blatant plagiarism or the worst, most nonsensical record keeping I've ever heard of
Having been on the receiving end of plagiarism before and reading that pisspoor excuse that makes zero sense, he can fuck right off into a fire and never come back. I've been ambivalent about him for awhile and this is my last straw.
Honestly i can't say i'm surprised. I was a fan of AVGN and his movie stuff years ago but it was just sad to see in the last couple of years (5ish maybe?) how stale, boring and slapdash his content has become. I understand he has less time because of family but it's one thing to have less time and another to run your brand into the ground by just going through the motions and producing flat uninspired and apparently now plagiarised content.
Its a shame really because the AVGN and Monster Madness of old were always fun and often insightful to watch but now it's replaced with boring, stale, going through the motion content and cringe new stuff like the podcast and rex viper.
One of my friends said it best: James has transformed from a highly motivated and inspired amateur content creator to an unmotivated, uninspired pro.
Its a shame really because the AVGN and Monster Madness of old were always fun and often insightful to watch but now it's replaced with boring, stale, going through the motion content and cringe new stuff like the podcast and rex viper.
One of my friends said it best: James has transformed from a highly motivated and inspired amateur content creator to an unmotivated, uninspired pro.
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I'll raise you: How do you "accidentally" plagiarize anything? Like "Whoops i didn't expect to get caught..." ? That explanation from Justin is the stupidest shit i have ever read.
I've researched a lot in the last few weeks because I'm doing a whole AVGN marathon and I've found out he doesn't anymore for AVGN. There was a point around episode 115 where stuff slowly started to change because James slowly started to loose all his passion after his failure of a movie and these Screenwave guys started to take completely over more and more. I'd recommend this video about the topic, it's not perfect but it gives a good summary about everything.
While he still had a lot of good episodes after his Wishlist Christmas, many consider that as a good end point and his later Earthbound episode to be the very last good one where he still gave a shit. Somewhere around the Earthbound episode his reviews start to be completely steril with him doing nothing but reading the script in front of the camera and not even playing the games anymore, he literally just is "an actor" at that point.
Also, this is a very good posting:
First off:
No joke, first movie I played for October was 28 Days Later cause it was on the front page for HBO MAX so what a creepy coincidence he reviewed it first, lol.
Second:
Really disappointed the script was plagiarized. I thought something was off about the way he talked about the movie.....
No joke, first movie I played for October was 28 Days Later cause it was on the front page for HBO MAX so what a creepy coincidence he reviewed it first, lol.
Second:
Really disappointed the script was plagiarized. I thought something was off about the way he talked about the movie.....
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Nice find. This lines up almost perfectly with my feeling to his output over the past years. Now at least i have an idea why this has happened.
I thought it was strange he didn't mention they changed the movie's ending... I felt the review was incomplete.
Just knowing this isn't a passion project from James anymore removes most of the magic from the videos for me.
Anyway, I guess it will soon become painfully obvious if the other episodes were plagiarized too...
Just knowing this isn't a passion project from James anymore removes most of the magic from the videos for me.
Anyway, I guess it will soon become painfully obvious if the other episodes were plagiarized too...
I've researched a lot in the last few weeks because I'm doing a whole AVGN marathon and I've found out he doesn't anymore for AVGN. There was a point around episode 115 where stuff slowly started to change because James slowly started to loose all his passion after his failure of a movie and these Screenwave guys started to take completely over more and more. I'd recommend this video about the topic, it's not perfect but it gives a good summary about everything.
While he still had a lot of good episodes after his Wishlist Christmas, many consider that as a good end point and his later Earthbound episode to be the very last good one where he still gave a shit. Somewhere around the Earthbound episode his reviews start to be completely steril with him doing nothing but reading the script in front of the camera and not even playing the games anymore, he literally just is "an actor" at that point.
Also, this is a very good posting:
Big Rigs review was one of his very best, though.
The family excuse is a lame one imo everyone has family's and priority's plus there daily 8 hour job
He has a team that helps produce episodes so imo it's just lazy and might aswell give it up but he won't it's his bread and butter
Fair enough but to shit on movie studios who do the same thing like "ghostbusters" for example is laughable
I mean, he's been in his twilight years for a long time. It's very easy to see that he's taken on this Benjamin Franklin role where he's propped up and has a seat at the table because he's James but it's everyone else around him that keeps it going because he doesn't "care" anymore.
Do i think he cares? Yes. But I also think he is done but like many YouTubers this is how they function and video creation has been factored into their budgeting at such a foundational level that he literally cannot stop. We're going to run into this a lot more in the future where content creators are releasing soulless stuff just to keep the ball rolling. I mean, even look at people like Arlo who most certainly seem to be juggling a lot of private family issues (living with "roommates" aka his family) while trying to keep some routine that is emotionally draining. James has 2 young kids, a house, bills, a team he has to pay, and this obligation to his friends. It must be draining as shit.
Do i think he cares? Yes. But I also think he is done but like many YouTubers this is how they function and video creation has been factored into their budgeting at such a foundational level that he literally cannot stop. We're going to run into this a lot more in the future where content creators are releasing soulless stuff just to keep the ball rolling. I mean, even look at people like Arlo who most certainly seem to be juggling a lot of private family issues (living with "roommates" aka his family) while trying to keep some routine that is emotionally draining. James has 2 young kids, a house, bills, a team he has to pay, and this obligation to his friends. It must be draining as shit.
To some extent, I think this is something that is probably generally true in entertainment, be it music, or film, or TV, where you enter the business out of some passion and stay in it to pay the bills, with the same routine becoming more and more of a drain on you.
Though it seems especially hard for Youtubers, when they can't even diversity the possible roles they are allowed to do. Everyone want to see the AVGN, no interest in other roles or shows, only ever AVGN.
The video has been taken down. At the very least, they've been proactive (even if it's not as fast people liked).
I'm gonna invoke Hanlon's Razor here. This is the first time in 15 years something like this happened with Cinemassacre, I doubt it was intentional.
That being said, James needs to take a much more proactive role in production. Whatever he's doing now is clearly not enough if that slipped through the cracks. Screenwave has been the subject of heavy criticism for years, and I understand he's a parent but at the same time, this is his job. He really needs to step up.
Also, he needs to work on his organizational skills.
I'm gonna invoke Hanlon's Razor here. This is the first time in 15 years something like this happened with Cinemassacre, I doubt it was intentional.
That being said, James needs to take a much more proactive role in production. Whatever he's doing now is clearly not enough if that slipped through the cracks. Screenwave has been the subject of heavy criticism for years, and I understand he's a parent but at the same time, this is his job. He really needs to step up.
Also, he needs to work on his organizational skills.
I think we all saw how that when AVGN became about games he never played as a kid or had no nostalgia for, he was kind of just going through the motions. The horror movie reviews were always his passion project, so to see him farm out scripts and plagiarize just to get "content" out there is just sad.
I too noticed it right away that it didn't sound like previous MM/James videos.
Fuck James, he didnt pay Bootsy or Kyle Justin for their work, fusses at constructive criticism and calls his fans assholes about it, cries about having kids and working (LMAO) and plagarizes, not to mention the slobwave writing of his avgns, and they play the games. Not to mention his laughable (and fire hazard) setup.
The guys' been wolf in sheeps clothing for too long.
The guys' been wolf in sheeps clothing for too long.
Keep in mind that that Cinemassacre Truth subreddit is a literal hate site, not really the best place to be quoting. Those people are vile human beings.
I do think AVGN stuff has gone downhill but the guy also is older with kids and a family, it's probably not his passion anymore but he has mouths to feed and he needs to do what he needs to do to keep it as something he can keep putting out. I don't think all the newer episodes have been bad but most are at least uninspired, and a lot of people still seem to enjoy them regardless.
We should be happy the guy is in a position where he can be a father and a husband and still have an income because there is a lot of people out there who can't do that, that is what anyone should want for the other people in our society. I miss out on a lot with my family because I have to work so much to provide a better life than what I had growing up, James built an entire business by himself through years of hard work and dedication, if he wants to be a father first it would be an awful thing to rake him over the coals for that.
I do think AVGN stuff has gone downhill but the guy also is older with kids and a family, it's probably not his passion anymore but he has mouths to feed and he needs to do what he needs to do to keep it as something he can keep putting out. I don't think all the newer episodes have been bad but most are at least uninspired, and a lot of people still seem to enjoy them regardless.
I don't get this mindset, the goal for everyone should be to work less and spend more time with your family, then James makes his family a priority and people whine about it because they aren't getting their free youtube content, it's super entitled. For all any of us know he maybe spends more than 40 hours a week on his content. The guy has been doing this like 15 years at this point, he's a grown man and doesn't owe anyone shit, if this is the way he wants to make content and he's okay with the declining views that's his call, it's not like he's complaining about people not watching his videos.
We should be happy the guy is in a position where he can be a father and a husband and still have an income because there is a lot of people out there who can't do that, that is what anyone should want for the other people in our society. I miss out on a lot with my family because I have to work so much to provide a better life than what I had growing up, James built an entire business by himself through years of hard work and dedication, if he wants to be a father first it would be an awful thing to rake him over the coals for that.
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Yeah and like how does someone even stop? Knowing there are bills to be paid, how would a "retired" youtuber enter into the workforce when they are 40+ and all they have on their resume is that they made niche content for over a decade? I guess James as an example could get a job somewhere in film production but it's not going to pay well because it's not like he's trained in much beyond making his own content.
There was a youtube person way back called Spoony that was pretty big for a time, if what the internet says is true he's apparently had his house repossessed and is either homeless or living with his parents again or something with no job and hasn't made videos in years. Not every story will be like that of course but that's another situation where it's like, what is going to go on your resume?
I didn't realize James didn't even have a hand on writing the scripts he reads. It makes it seem completely pointless to even bother. I shouldn't be surprised since the 28 days later review sounded so impersonal and unlike him, and now we all know why and how lol.
Sucks about the plagiarism but it truly sounds like a mistake/miscommunication/bad organization issue moreso than on purpose. I've watched James videos for years now if you can tell he is a genuine, good and hardworking dude and this isn't the norm. I'm glad they appear to be taking this seriously, I'm still excited for the rest of the episodes!
Also, while he does scale back on his nerd videos and just does them often off the couch, he does mix in more intricate videos like the one shot video and the fear and loathing video. Obviously those videos take way longer so he has to mix and match.
Anyway bummer news for sure but I'm hopeful it's the only misstep out of all this and the rest is smooth sailing. I'm sure James will comment on the situation at some point as well.
Also, while he does scale back on his nerd videos and just does them often off the couch, he does mix in more intricate videos like the one shot video and the fear and loathing video. Obviously those videos take way longer so he has to mix and match.
Anyway bummer news for sure but I'm hopeful it's the only misstep out of all this and the rest is smooth sailing. I'm sure James will comment on the situation at some point as well.
Oh I'm all for it and more power to do what makes him truly happy but he made a video just a few weeks back criticising people that didn't like his new videos which I don't think he should do really he puts the the content out there and didn't like this aspect of the particular criticism he was receiving because other wise why even bother mentioning it
I mean, what is the point of a movie review from James if James doesn't even review it? I think they should at least put a small credits sequence listing all contributors at the end of every video. These ghost writers are never listed anywhere and you're given the impression that James does everything by himself, which is clearly not the case anymore.
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The thing with Spoony (and every YouTuber really) is different though. Spoony basically flamed out after drama and the pressure of trying to meet expectations.
Rolfe reminds me of FreddieW, who I just discovered quit YouTube entirely to work in film production. It's where Rolfe had probably hoped to go at one point, but whether it was not wanting to move or not wanting to take that next step, he kind of got stuck doing YouTube basically for the foreseeable future.
It's weird because the content is evergreen, but the audience is not. I get trying to step back and let the 'brand' do the talking, because there's only so many things he can do now in the retro space and outside of the MM series, I'm not sure people go to him for his movie reviews/commentary.
The funny thing is that there are still some episodes where he - or at least his crew - wants to try. Like that one-take episode. But those are far and few between.
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The Host (South Korea, 2006) - Episode 2
Cinemassacre's Monster Madness is a yearly series of horror movie reviews produced by Cinemassacre Productions and airing around the month of October. This series is hosted by James Rolfe. This is episode 2 of Monster Madness "Around the World!"
cinemassacre.com
Yeah, be careful with what you get from Cinemassacre Truth. Always take with a grain of salt.
That did sound more in line with his usual style.
The Host (South Korea, 2006) - Episode 2
Cinemassacre's Monster Madness is a yearly series of horror movie reviews produced by Cinemassacre Productions and airing around the month of October. This series is hosted by James Rolfe. This is episode 2 of Monster Madness "Around the World!"
That did sound more in line with his usual style.
Well that's shitty about the plagiarising, but after watching that Downfall of Cinemassacre it isn't surprising.
I was a big fan of AVGN and Monster Madness, I even worked on the AVGN movie for VFX, and I think Bootsey actually reached out to me.
The scenes I worked on didn't get used or they were edited by someone else, which sucks, but maybe they weren't up to the VFX managers taste. The thing that really pissed me off though was when they did a premiere of the movie at PAX and said anyone that worked on the movie in the Seattle area would get a ticket, but never sent me one.
I was really looking forward to Monster Madness, but since it isn't James creating this content I'll just go back to forgetting about Cinemassacre.
I was a big fan of AVGN and Monster Madness, I even worked on the AVGN movie for VFX, and I think Bootsey actually reached out to me.
The scenes I worked on didn't get used or they were edited by someone else, which sucks, but maybe they weren't up to the VFX managers taste. The thing that really pissed me off though was when they did a premiere of the movie at PAX and said anyone that worked on the movie in the Seattle area would get a ticket, but never sent me one.
I was really looking forward to Monster Madness, but since it isn't James creating this content I'll just go back to forgetting about Cinemassacre.
User Warned: Body shaming.
Screenwave Media is fucking garbage and Justin Silverman is an oversized shitheap. James has gotten so lazy, he has to rely on them to write his scripts for him, what the hell is he doing himself nowadays?
Did he? I must have missed that, what did he say? I saw one that poked fun at people who complained about him changing his shirt
Yeah I agree, it does feel like they aren't super forthcoming that James doesn't really write much anymore unless you are reading Screenwave twitter or the subreddit. People are watching these to hear James' opinion, not the opinions of an uncredited intern at a digital media company.
Shouldn't make fun of the guy for his weight but I kind of feel like Justin cares more about Cinemassacre than James does sometimes, it feels like he's at least trying to keep the train on the tracks and keep James interested or otherwise being of a lot of assistance.
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You have no idea what James does outside of the cinemassacre stuff yet you call him lazy :fp:
I know that was nasty of me, but after hearing all the shit that group does to scam people and the thing that happened with Bob, it's sad seeing them plagerise stuff and making it seem like it's coming out of James's mouth.
In that video linked above, James barely has any words to say other than saying "mmhmm" in videos with other people and the fact he is so busy with other stuff. Granted, I don't know what that stuff is, probably family, but it just seems like he doesn't give a shit anymore.
EDIT: Also it looks like his next video "Bad Taste" was also plagiarized
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This is disheartening to see.
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There's another plagiarized one for "Bad Taste" according to the subreddit...
I just had a quick look and the quotes definitely match.
I just had a quick look and the quotes definitely match.
The host review also plagiarized the Wikipedia article on Korean horror.
Fucking pathetic
Here is the transcript of the review
pastebin.com
In the first paragraph:
on the wiki article
en.wikipedia.org
and that's the first paragraph.
Anyone with the time wants to comb through that script above can be my guest.
Fucking pathetic
Here is the transcript of the review
Today we’re sailing along the Han River into South Korea. Korean horror has been - Pastebin.com
Pastebin.com is the number one paste tool since 2002. Pastebin is a website where you can store text online for a set period of time.
In the first paragraph:
on the wiki article
Korean horror - Wikipedia
and that's the first paragraph.
Anyone with the time wants to comb through that script above can be my guest.
Well this is super disappointing. I've lost any interest in watching these videos now. At this point they should cancel the whole thing. :\
EDIT: Just wanted to add that is even more disappointing coming off of the really good AVGN Commodore 64 episode, too.
EDIT: Just wanted to add that is even more disappointing coming off of the really good AVGN Commodore 64 episode, too.
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This is insane. I dropped off from James' content quite a while ago, but to announce this big return and then not have him even be writing the scripts is wild. Time to scrap it.
I
I watched Downfall of Cine just now and I get the impression that James wants out. The author of the video is looking at the "5:40" thing all wrong. That sounds like someone who put a hard stop time on something the regularly takes too much of his time and something he hates doing. So about these plagiarized MMs... Does he still work under screenwave?
I watched Downfall of Cine just now and I get the impression that James wants out. The author of the video is looking at the "5:40" thing all wrong. That sounds like someone who put a hard stop time on something the regularly takes too much of his time and something he hates doing. So about these plagiarized MMs... Does he still work under screenwave?
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