All the answers to your many questions about this website can be found here.
What's the point of this site?
The Agony Booth is primarily devoted to posting recaps of
movies and TV episodes. These are not "reviews". Movies and TV episodes are thoroughly analyzed
and dissected in excruciating detail to show what they do right and what they do wrong.
But most important of all, the point of this site is to have fun mocking any and all kinds
of movies and shows.
Who started this site, and why?
This site was started by me (Albert) in April of 2002. I was inspired by several other sites that were doing the same thing,
most notably Jabootu's Bad Movie Dimension and Television Without Pity. There
are lots of other sites that post recaps, many of which are listed on
the Wikipedia entry for "recapping".
I'd like to think this site is inspired by them all, in one way or another.
Your reviews are funny, but they're too long!
Why don't you make them shorter?
If you really have to ask this question, this is not the site for you.
Move along now, nothing for you to see here.
Why would anyone read this stuff when it takes less time
to watch the movie/TV show?
See the answer to the question above.
In some places, your recaps are referred to as "reviews". What's up with that?
A few years ago, we decided for the sake of clarity that
all articles consisting of a lengthy scene-by-scene analysis of a movie or TV show
shall be referred to as "recaps". This is to distinguish them from "reviews" which
simply give you a brief overview of the plot followed by the writer's overall opinion. Unfortunately, this
site has a body of work going back years that refers to recaps as "reviews". If you see
"review" being used, most likely it's an older recap.
Where does the name "agony booth" come from?
It's from an episode of the original Star Trek called
"Mirror, Mirror". That's the one where Kirk and the crew cross over to a parallel
Enterprise where Spock has a beard, and everyone carries knives. When officers
break the rules, they're forced to spend time in the "agony booth", a small chamber
that induces horrific pain.
This site's original focus was on recapping the worst movies
ever made, so a reference to a device that causes intense pain seemed like a natural fit.
In the years since the site was founded, we've expanded into recapping movies and
TV shows that are so-bad-they're-good, or just plain good. Alas, we're pretty much stuck with the name.
(In the Star Trek episode, an "agonizer", a smaller, portable version of the agony booth,
is used for lesser offenses. The Agonizer section of this site features recaps and articles
that are generally shorter than the insanely lengthy recaps this site has become known for.)
More information on "agony booths" can be found at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek Wiki.
Are you going to recap [insert movie/TV show]? I can't believe you guys haven't gotten to that one!
Unfortunately, each recap you see on this site is the result of weeks, if not months
of hard work. There simply aren't enough hours in the day to write about every movie or TV show that you
think is worthy of a recap. And odds are that the movie or TV show you have in mind isn't good recap
material, anyway. You can suggest something if you want, but the
odds of us recapping your suggestion are pretty much nil.
I really want to write for your site. Do you take reader submissions?
No. The Agony Booth no longer accepts reader submissions.
Here's why.
I'm an indie filmmaker. Can I send a screener for you to review?
You are more than welcome to send us a screener. However, please keep in
mind that this is a site devoted to recaps. Our readership usually responds to conventional (i.e., short)
reviews with, at best, bored indifference. If you're okay with that, feel free to send your movie in.
Contact us for a mailing address.
Where can I get a copy of [insert movie/TV show recapped on this site]?
Check the first page of the recap.
The poster image should have a link to buy the movie from Amazon. If there's
no "click to buy" link, the movie is probably not available from any mainstream online retailer,
which means you're on your own. We do not sell or trade movies. Almost all of the rare and hard-to-find movies
featured on this site were found on eBay. Sorry, we have no inside track
on acquiring rare movies.
Why does it take so long to update your site?
We post no recaps before it's time. These recaps are the result of
hours and hours of really hard work. If they were written and posted quickly, they would suck.
And you don't want this site to suck, do you?
When is the next recap going to be posted?
There's no set schedule for updates.
Asking when the next recap will be posted won't cause it
to be posted any faster. If this site isn't updated often for you, you're free to start
your own website where you post 20,000+ word articles that are both funny and entertaining.
Oh, and you have to do it for free. Not so easy, is it?
How can I contact you?
Use the handy Agony
Booth Contact Form. That's kind of what it's there for.
