RiffTrax Shorts Season 1 Episode 3 Patriotism

In RiffTrax Shorts season 1 episode 3, entitled "Patriotism," fans of the RiffTrax crew are in for a treat as the team takes on a series of vintage short films that all revolve around the theme of patriotism. The episode contains four different short films, each one showcasing a different aspect of American patriotism and national pride from the 1930s and 40s.

The first short film, entitled "Aim for Health," is a genuine oddity. The film encourages viewers to put their patriotism into action by aiming for better health habits. This is achieved through a bizarre and seemingly unrelated series of exercises using everyday objects like brooms and towels. The RiffTrax crew naturally has a field day with this one, riffing on everything from the peculiar exercise movements to the awfully cheesy narration.

Next up is "The Flag: A story Inspired by the Tradition of Betsy Ross," a short film that tells the story of the creation of the first American flag. While the subject matter is certainly more historical than the previous short, the crew still manages to wring plenty of laughs out of the melodramatic narration and hokey acting. The RiffTrax guys seem particularly amused by the earnest reenactments of 18th century life that cover everything from blacksmithing to candle-making.

Moving on, the third short film is "Frontier Days: A Tribute to the Hardworking American Pioneers," which pays tribute to the early pioneers who helped settle the American West. The film features a lot of footage of pioneers going about their daily lives, working in fields and tending to their animals. The RiffTrax crew jumps on the opportunity to poke fun at the film's extensive use of stock footage and talk about what they imagine life was like for the pioneers but not before giving them a well-deserved round of applause.

Last but not least is "American Industry," a propaganda piece that highlights the impressive technological advancements of American industry in the early 1940s. While the film is certainly informative in a historical sense, the RiffTrax crew seems to take more interest in some of the more ridiculous claims made by the film about American ingenuity and productivity. They trade good-natured barbs about whether "America can manufacture anything" and the virtues of working harder than other nations.

Throughout the episode, the RiffTrax crew are their usual selves, making clever and often hilarious quips about everything from the awkwardly dated fashions to the over-the-top patriotic rhetoric. As always, their banter ranges from silly to cynical and everything in between, making "Patriotism" a must-watch for fans of the series. Be prepared to laugh for 90 minutes and enjoy the latest offering from the RiffTrax team.