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MST3K Appreciation Thread

post #1 of 51
11/18/09 at 9:27pm
Thread Starter 
I searched for a thread.

After not watching this show since Saturday morning in the 90's, I added Manos to my Netflix queue. I was really wondering if this would be one of those shows I loved as a kid, but I'd be embarrassed to learn that it was awful while grown up (I'm looking at you Power Rangers). I'm 23 now, and all the witty references went way over my head as a kid, but I still loved the show because "lol they make fun of bad movies".

The concept spells out failure, since riffing is pretty much the most annoying thing that goes on at a movie theater. But the riffing is just so witty and well-thought out. There's several episodes on Netflix instant right now (including Future War and Zombie Nightmare) and my queue is now pretty much filled with MST3K.

There wasn't a noticable dip in quality when Joel left and Mike came aboard, but when Trace Beaulieu left and Pearl came on, the in-between segments really took a dive. The movie riffing was still sharp as ever though.

Favorite episode thus far is The Touch of Satan. "While we're on our way, there's a really nice Director of Photography credit I wanna show you!" And anything involving walnuts. I love how Mike/Joel and the Bots will find one thing and cling to it the rest of the film.

Also, I prefer Mike over Joel, really because I feel like I relate more to him. That's not to say Joel isn't great, though.
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post #2 of 51
11/18/09 at 9:52pm
This eventually devolved into an appreciation thread, and had some good discussion.

To sum up: If you first got hooked on MST3K with Joel, you are most likely a Joel guy, but if you came in late, you were a Mike guy. Pearl blows. Trace was fantastic and the show really went downhill when he left.

And to celebrate, I return my avatar to the Mitchell-like goodness it shows.
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post #3 of 51
11/18/09 at 10:08pm
I'm a Mike guy but I think Mitchell might be my favorite episode. That or Werewolf. If Werewolf had Joe Don Baker it wouldn't even be close.

There's something about the show that makes it work that I don't think they've been able to capture with Riff Trax. Maybe it's the characters or maybe it's that you're "in the theater" with Mike/Joel, Tom Servo, and Crow instead of just watching a commentary, but the show was just dynamite its whole run while rifftrax is pretty uninspiring.
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post #4 of 51
11/18/09 at 10:18pm
I have to disagree that it went THAT down hill when Trace left. The Sci Fi seasons are still fun. Plus Mike and the guys still do good work on Riff Trax. Speaking of which anyone else going to the Riff Trax live Christmas special?
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post #5 of 51
11/18/09 at 10:19pm
MST3K is to RiffTrax as The Beatles is to Wings.

And the films were fine after Trace left, but the lack of a good villain for Mike and the bots to play against really hurt. Pearl was just awful. I hoped they would stick with Dr. Bobo as the mad, but no such luck.
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post #6 of 51
11/18/09 at 10:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Yavor View Post
Speaking of which anyone else going to the Riff Trax live Christmas special?
I went to the "Plan 9" Rifftrax live and I enjoyed sharing the experience, but towards the end the movie itself was funnier than the commentary, so I think I'll pass.
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post #7 of 51
11/18/09 at 10:37pm
I plan to catch the Christmas show. Weird Al's gonna be on it! I enjoyed the Plan 9 show a whole lot, minus the JCo musical stuff.
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post #8 of 51
11/18/09 at 11:27pm
The big difference between MST and Riff Trax is the writing staff went from like 8-9 people down to 2-3, and you really notice it.

But i'm a big MST nerd since around 1995...even built my own Servo in high school, which should give you an idea of my social standing back then.

Waiting for Cinemantic Titanic to come around NYC so i can catch Joel & Company live!
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post #9 of 51
11/18/09 at 11:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
And the films were fine after Trace left, but the lack of a good villain for Mike and the bots to play against really hurt. Pearl was just awful. I hoped they would stick with Dr. Bobo as the mad, but no such luck.
Couldn't agree more. Bill Corbett, though not as funny as Trace, did a more than suitable job as Crow. I haven't checked out any of the RiffTrax yet, but I'm sure I'll try it out soon. I didn't know about the Christmas shorts special until now. Just purchased my tickets.
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post #10 of 51
2/3/10 at 1:33pm
Thread Starter 
Way late in posting this, but the live Christmas special with Weird Al was fantastic. I plan to go see more of these in the future.

A couple episodes are now on Hulu, including Giant Gila Monster and Secret Agent Super Dragon. It pains me that The Puma Man and The Incredible Melting Man have yet to be given a proper DVD release.
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post #11 of 51
2/3/10 at 1:55pm
I vividly remember being nine years old and flipping through channels until I found a bizarre Japanese Planet of the Apes film with silhouettes slinging barbs at it, and I was hooked ever since.

I've always found some of my favorite episodes arn't actually Sci/Fi fare, but dramas and re-packadged pilots turned into TV-Movies. Master Ninja (I and II), Angel's Revenge, and one of my favorite movie titles of all time I Accuse My Parents!.

Also, the Matrix is just a ripoff of 'Overdrawn at the Memory Bank.'
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post #12 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:03pm
I grew up on the SciFi channel episodes, so those will always be closest to my heart, but I love every facet of the show. I think the riffing was often better in the Mike episodes, or at least snarkier which I enjoyed, but Joel's interactions with the Mads were way better. When Pearl came on, I would just always find something to do until the movie came back on. Often just terrible.
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post #13 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:05pm
A Mike guy myself. That probably comes from me first seeing it on Sci-Fi as a kid (Didn't have Comedy Central) and the movie. Dig Joel a lot too. But if I had to pick, it's always Nelson.

As for episodes, Giant Spider Invasion and Parts hold a special place in my heart. "The new Alan Hale action-figure! He sits down! He snacks! He sits down again! He farts! He drives! He comes with his own lunch!"
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post #14 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:06pm
Space Mutiny is by far the best episode. By far.

"Slab Bulkhead!"
"Gristle McThornbody!"
"Punch Rockgroin!"
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post #15 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:12pm
Disappointed we didn't get a Summer Blockbuster Review show for '99.
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post #16 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matches_Malone View Post
Space Mutiny is by far the best episode. By far.

"Slab Bulkhead!"
"Gristle McThornbody!"
"Punch Rockgroin!"
Oh man, completely agree. "Now reaching top speeds of 3!"

You know a movie is worthy of the show when the guys just can't help but laugh. Reb Brown's girly shriek when he jumps out to shoot during the fight with the bad guy with a cane is amazing.
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post #17 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Coombs View Post
Oh man, completely agree. "Now reaching top speeds of 3!"

You know a movie is worthy of the show when the guys just can't help but laugh. Reb Brown's girly shriek when he jumps out to shoot during the fight with the bad guy with a cane is amazing.
"GET TO THE ENGINE ROOM!!!!!"

"I'll check on my com-PU-ter...?"

This episode is just full of win. "Doctor Lady!"

The diatribe on rails is great too.
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post #18 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Ritter View Post
A couple episodes are now on Hulu, including Giant Gila Monster and Secret Agent Super Dragon.
There's quite a few on Netflix Watch Instantly as well. I watched Swamp Diamonds over the weekend, and it made me really miss Joel and TV's Frank.
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post #19 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:37pm
I also miss Turkey Day. If you were in the Information Club, you'd get a schedule of which films would be shown and when, so I'd have my VCR set to record pretty much the whole day. One year I actually left dinner early at a friend's house to go home and switch tapes, then went back and finished eating. Of course, they had the marathon on at their house, so they totally understood.
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post #20 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:45pm
Whenever I think of TV's Frank, I think of the little song he did "If Chauffeurs Ruled the World" and the goodbye song, "Let me be Frank about Frank!" He's smiling down on us from henchman heaven with Torgo.

I think Conniff leaving the show made more of an overall impact than when Trace did or Joel did. During his tenure, Frank was responsible for watching all of the possible films for them to savage. He mentioned in the episode guide that Manos was hardly the worst thing to pass his desk and would frequently battle with bizzare copywrite holders to get the films to air.

The selection of films on Sci-Fi episodes feels like someone at the network gave them a list that said "Here's what we own. Watch only these. Stay in the genre. Focus on the host segements more than nessessary."
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post #21 of 51
2/3/10 at 2:59pm
It's very weird. I prefer the Mike episodes of MST3K but I really like Cinematic Titanic way more than RiffTrax.

Not that I hate any of it but I definitely have preferences.
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post #22 of 51
2/3/10 at 3:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cigam Retah View Post
The selection of films on Sci-Fi episodes feels like someone at the network gave them a list that said "Here's what we own. Watch only these. Stay in the genre. Focus on the host segements more than nessessary."
That's pretty much exactly what happened. SciFi told them the biker films and horror films were out because they were a sci-fi network, and pretty much limited them to their catalog of old Universal sci-fi movies.
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post #23 of 51
2/3/10 at 3:06pm
Didn't Sci-Fi relinquish that policy in the last season?
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post #24 of 51
2/3/10 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FilmNerdJamie View Post
Didn't Sci-Fi relinquish that policy in the last season?
Pretty sure this stopped happening about halfway through the first SciFi season. They mixed things up quite a bit.

One ep from that run that always amazed me was Quest of the Delta Knights. It has what might be the most bizarre casting choice ever with fucking Richard Kind as a medieval wizard/scientist. If the movie weren't already ridiculous it would have been kinda jarring.

Still use that movie in everyday conversation with a few friends, though:

"It'll be a nice day if it doesn't rain..."
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post #25 of 51
2/3/10 at 3:13pm
Looking at an episode guide, it looks like they were allowed to do horror films as well as sci-fi. But it does look like the reins were loosened in the final season.
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post #26 of 51
2/3/10 at 3:16pm
Jack Frost is another great li'l gem from the Sci-Fi run.
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post #27 of 51
2/3/10 at 3:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matches_Malone View Post
Space Mutiny is by far the best episode. By far.

"Slab Bulkhead!"
"Gristle McThornbody!"
"Punch Rockgroin!"
"Big McLargehuge!"
"Steve Squatthrust!"
"Roll Fizzlebeef!"

My favorite episode changes pretty much weekly, but Manos and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians are essential viewing. I love the frequent callbacks to Manos and Torgo sprinkled through the show. I'd say the best short is What To Do on a Date. "It's the story of Jeff, Kay, AND A HUMAN EAR!"

I wish there was a way to put this into syndication. The show seems ripe for something Adult Swim would put on after midnight.

"Paul, you is a wuhrwolf!"
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post #28 of 51
2/3/10 at 4:02pm
I never get tired of Mr. B Natural. I've watched it so many times and it still cracks me up.
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post #29 of 51
2/3/10 at 4:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Ritter View Post
"Paul, you is a wuhrwolf!"
I make sure to use "Thaht's ahbsolutely fahscinating" at every opportunity, making sure to say it in a completely flat and deadpan manner.
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post #30 of 51
2/3/10 at 4:28pm
Thread Starter 
"So begins his evil plot to rid the world of security guards by turning them into werewolves and having them die in car wrecks."
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post #31 of 51
2/3/10 at 6:01pm
Couple of weeks ago, had some friends over and watched my favorite episode - The Touch of Satan.

"This is where the fish lives!"

"Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it." "Hah, do it again!" "Stop it."
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post #32 of 51
2/3/10 at 6:46pm
"You're trying to play God!"

"Tag your God!"
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post #33 of 51
2/5/10 at 11:45am
Thread Starter 
Can anyone else not stand Josh Weinstein as Tom Servo/Dr. Erhardt? He's not funny at all. I watched an earlier episode last night and had to switch to a later one ten minutes in. Maybe I just need to give it another chance, but this guy doesn't hold a candle to Kevin Murphy and TV's Frank.
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post #34 of 51
2/5/10 at 12:00pm
No, he's terrible.
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post #35 of 51
2/5/10 at 12:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cigam Retah View Post
The selection of films on Sci-Fi episodes feels like someone at the network gave them a list that said "Here's what we own. Watch only these. Stay in the genre. Focus on the host segements more than nessessary."
Which is tragically hilarious considering all they show now is wrestling, ghost plumbers and repeats of that dreadful LOST.

As with some folks here, I prefer Mike. Something about his delivery just works for me a little better than Joel's. And again, as with others, it's not really a make or break thing.

To this day the absolute most relentlessly hilarious one for myself is THE SHE-CREATURE. With the film hovering just above the capable line and the guys in rapid-fire form, it's a gas from beginning to end.

I still have a special place in my heart for the Observers' song "When I Held Your Brains In My Arms".
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post #36 of 51
2/5/10 at 12:20pm
Thread Starter 
Weinstein is part of the reason I haven't given Cinematic Titanic a chance, along with Mary Jo Pehl. The difference between the two is that I don't find Pearl particularly funny, whereas Weinstein seems to suck the funny out of everyone else.
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post #37 of 51
2/5/10 at 12:25pm
Favorite is still 'Space Travelers' ('Marooned' under a different name). The constant riffing on David Janssen just kills.

Gimme another scotch!
They're doomed, we may as well all hit the bar and get sloshed.
Fine, let's try and rescue them after happy hour.

It was also pretty cool to watch this show when it just started out on local TV.
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post #38 of 51
2/5/10 at 12:27pm
Kevin Murphy (his voice, delivery, humor, etc.) is so simpatico with Tom Servo that it's weird to imagine he didn't originate the role.
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post #39 of 51
2/5/10 at 12:32pm
I actually applied for an internship over at Best Brains when Joel was still on the show. I got to meet Joel, Mike (he was simply the head writer at the time) and Kevin Murphy. Kevin was a particularly cool guy; the personality that he presented to me WAS Tom Servo.
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post #40 of 51
2/5/10 at 12:55pm
Thread Starter 
Damn, would that have been a good gig. It really shows in the episodes that they had a lot of fun doing the show. Murphy was easily the funniest part of the Rifftrax Christmas special, playing the role of creep/pervert/bastard really well.
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post #41 of 51
2/5/10 at 1:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Judas Booth View Post
I actually applied for an internship over at Best Brains when Joel was still on the show. I got to meet Joel, Mike (he was simply the head writer at the time) and Kevin Murphy. Kevin was a particularly cool guy; the personality that he presented to me WAS Tom Servo.
Yousounuvabitch. To be at MST3K was my dream job at age 12.
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post #42 of 51
2/5/10 at 1:40pm
We used to do our own MST parties. We'd rent a bad movie from Blockbuster, set up a video camera in the back of the room, and record while we all riffed on it. It usually devolved into a drunken chorus of "This movie sucks!", but we had fun with it.
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post #43 of 51
2/5/10 at 2:00pm
Thread Starter 
I recall my friends and I riffing during crappy movies teachers would show in class to kill time during middle school. Take that, The Diary of Anne Frank.
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post #44 of 51
2/5/10 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
We used to do our own MST parties. We'd rent a bad movie from Blockbuster, set up a video camera in the back of the room, and record while we all riffed on it. It usually devolved into a drunken chorus of "This movie sucks!", but we had fun with it.
Hrrm..... yeah, I'd watch those.
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post #45 of 51
2/6/10 at 12:21am
I actually like both Joel and Mike...they have very different styles, but I enjoy both. A bit like Dr Who: I like the "classic' Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, but like David Tennant as well.

The late 80's and the 90's saw this interested wave of "Childish yet adult" shows and movie. That's when we saw a revival of Brady Bunch fandom (God help us all), PeeWee's playhouse etc and MST3K fits into that.

Favorite episodes

Mitchell

Manos

Godzilla vs Megalon

LaserBlast ("are you ready for some foootball?!")

And TV's Frank was awesome!
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post #46 of 51
3/26/10 at 10:19pm
Figured i'd bring this thread back. They have released quite a few new Episodes in Netflix Instant and i've been going on a MST3K binge from it. They are mostly Joel episodes,i always liked Mike better but they are still damn funny. I think my favorite episode was The Devil Fish, They had a field day with all the italian actors trying to act like americans.
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post #47 of 51
3/26/10 at 11:50pm
Speaking of MST3k, read my review!
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post #48 of 51
5/5/10 at 1:04pm
Thread Starter 
Made for public access or not, I'm now convinced there is no movie out there worse than Overdrawn At The Memory Bank. There is literally nothing about this movie that makes any sense at all. Manos has more coherent moments than this incoherent pile of shit. And they even got Raul Julia!

"My nuts!"
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post #49 of 51
7/12/10 at 2:57am
Thread Starter 
http://www.fathomevents.com/comedy/e...eeferlive.aspx

So there.
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post #50 of 51
7/12/10 at 4:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Ritter View Post
Made for public access or not, I'm now convinced there is no movie out there worse than Overdrawn At The Memory Bank. There is literally nothing about this movie that makes any sense at all. Manos has more coherent moments than this incoherent pile of shit. And they even got Raul Julia!

"My nuts!"
Did you see the Mexican epic known as SANTA CLAUS? That movie will give you night terrors.

I mean, look at this reindeer:



Now imagine it looking right into the camera, with those lifeless red eyes, and LAUGHING AT YOUR SOUL. Not even Mike and company could lighten the dark shroud this movie will cast over your life.
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