RiffTrax Year: 2018
Riffers: Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett
Susan has been having trouble lately. She has been misreading signs, overlooking details, and can't seem to see the chalkboard in class. Her teacher suggests that she gets her eyes checked and, sure enough, Susan needs glasses! After getting her new glasses she can see everything much clearer, and finds life is much cooler with 20/20!
This short is actually kind of well made in ways I didn't expect. It's done completely pantomime and it relates its story quite clearly even while striking out one of film's communication techniques. That earns Glasses for Susan some sort of kudos, because it portrays itself visually, while other shorts like this would be content to just lecture. The fact that it portrays easy to relate to scenarios is a clever way of helping children or their families maybe recognize some of the signs of poor vision.
The one drawback is that if a child has poor vision, they might not be able to even see the short to identify what the short is trying to tell them visually. Oops.
Despite the short being fairly competent and cute, the riff is a fairly consistent ribbing. The main draw to riffing a pantomime short is that they can project any kind of voice onto it and it will normally stick. With Glasses for Susan they have no problem doing so, as most of the characters are so simple that practically anything can work as dialogue for them, like Susan getting her eyes tested and wondering if with perfect vision that 70's fashion will look less garish and hideous. More expressive moments in the pantomime also come under fire, like the clueless look on Susan's teacher's face or some weird chicken like dance Susan's friend performs. Glasses for Susan is a charming delight, but that doesn't mean it can't be hilarious.
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