The Big Picture: Mystery Science Theater 3000

[Waffle_Man]

Hey look, there's an oven in the living room!

 

[dragomort]

I used to have VHS tapes of most of those you listed and a few that I can't remember now, I do remember a Russian film they did that involved a bear. I used to tape those episodes, but those tapes are long gone, and I wish I could watch them. Google and Netflix is really the only two places that I'm aware of that I can still watch those anymore. Makes me sad.

Also,
When
you want
the flavor of bacon
in a dip

I can sense danger!


Yeah, the last I watched on VHS they were getting pretty beat up, although I think most of my short volumes and poopie tape ones are still in good enough condition.....albeit without a VCR to watch them in

I know I tracked down from the archive project all of them that are out there, but all it takes is a couple dmca notices and lots of it will be cut off from anyone in the future. I suppose that's the case with anything really, but it doesn't stop it from being depressing.

It was truly a wondrous program for anyone that got their sense of humor and it holds up surprisingly well. I could easily kill a LOT of time looking at clips even now on youtube....as I have been today at work

I keep thinking of The Day the Earth Froze for the movie you're speaking of, but I'm pretty sure that it was actually Jack Frost.

 

[Marmooset]

This brings up bad memories of a relationship ended over an incredibly stupid show. You have made me sad today, Bob. Very sad, indeed.

That can't be the only reason.

She had a sense of humor. He didn't.
I might be able to come up with a more valid reason for a breakup - but it'd take some effort.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I used to have VHS tapes of most of those you listed and a few that I can't remember now, I do remember a Russian film they did that involved a bear. I used to tape those episodes, but those tapes are long gone, and I wish I could watch them. Google and Netflix is really the only two places that I'm aware of that I can still watch those anymore. Makes me sad.

Also,
When
you want
the flavor of bacon
in a dip

I can sense danger!


Yeah, the last I watched on VHS they were getting pretty beat up, although I think most of my short volumes and poopie tape ones are still in good enough condition.....albeit without a VCR to watch them in

I know I tracked down from the archive project all of them that are out there, but all it takes is a couple dmca notices and lots of it will be cut off from anyone in the future. I suppose that's the case with anything really, but it doesn't stop it from being depressing.

It was truly a wondrous program for anyone that got their sense of humor and it holds up surprisingly well. I could easily kill a LOT of time looking at clips even now on youtube....as I have been today at work

I keep thinking of The Day the Earth Froze for the movie you're speaking of, but I'm pretty sure that it was actually Jack Frost.

help! I'm falling at a 60 degree angle breaking all the laws of physics!

I think it is Jack Frost, now that I think about it. I've tried tracking them down too and it is sad that they cut off a lot of the good bits. And the really older ones are especially hard to find.

I know I've lost a day looking at clips and watching episodes, and right now I'm watching "best of..." clips, I wish they aired that show again...

 

[ace_of_something]

I still have the final episode on VHS somewhere. It was Diabolik or some such thing basically a crappy spy movie.

I reference that show all the time on this site. Rarely, if ever, does anyone seem to pick up on it.

 

[Sylocat]

I checked out some of the RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic stuff. It made me want to grab the cast, shake them and yell, "You're all just making half-assed MST3K! Why don't you just get back together and make the real thing again?!"

I really want to start some kind of mass fan movement to get everything going that way. I'm not sure if they would want to go on that route or even if they can, but they're all gravitating around it sans-puppets and complete casts anyhow and the fan support is definitely still there.

I think my VHS tapes (both bought and recorded from comedy central/scifi) of that show would still qualify as a prized possession or memory that I keep around, but for the tech savvy they were all put out there (save the first and second KTMA eps that were never re-aired) one way or another under a digital archival project inspired by their 'keep circulating the tapes' message at the end of each broadcast. My cds of the show were sadly stolen Yes, I am that huge a dork....

I am curious how it looks to those that didn't experience it during that time it was on the air, but I suppose it's just as varied as it was then, just for different reasons. Their attitude behind it was golden and still remains so from all I've seen, I'm just happy other people got half as much enjoyment out of them as I have and truly hope they continue on a path where we get to see them more.

I suppose I'll list my favorites and all to the pile as well-

Earth vs The Spider -- for teaching me blocking techniques
Pod People --- Trumpy's magic!
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians --- Pills for dinner? What are we, Judy Garland?
Master Ninja 1-2 -- for the theme song
Attack of the the Eye Creatures ---is that a typo?! the breakdown at the end is possibly the greatest thing ever
Manos: The Hands of Fate -- You couldn't ask for a better movie by a fertilizer salesman
I Accuse My Parents --- possibly for the 'chicken of tomorrow' short that ran before it
Mitchell -- Chase scene with turn signals in use = awesome and Baker's interviews upon it hitting made it all the better
Danger!!! Death Ray - for peaceful purposes...
Red Zone Cuba -- Guard....water....sick man
Samson vs The Vampire Women -- If you don't laugh hysterically when the main character enters, you have no sense of humor
Deathstalker and The Warriors from Hell -- Trucks Artist? Cool, could you paint my van?
The Incredible Melting Man-- I'm Doctor Ted Nelson!
Parts: The Clonus Horror -- Mainly as it was remade without credit recently
Riding with Death -- Truckers have such cute names for sex
The Creeping Terror -- He's making his own gravy!
Prince of Space --Ha...heh...heh...heh
Space Mutiny-- the buff names you could quote all day and more
Thepumaman -- Puma Man may have been good, but luckily Thepumaman gets added super-powers of innate knowledge of home wiring and flight.... just like a Puma!
Hobgoblins -- Someone's rubbing puppets on us!!!
The Final Sacrifice --- Rowsdower!

Some of these are easier to new viewers than others, especially due to pacing differences and humor involved and all. New viewers I'd go with something fast paced and not overly referential. I think Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is about perfect for new viewers in my experience and I've also had luck with The Puma Man and The Incredible Melting Man off the above list. Starting off with some of them before you've acquired the taste for it would likely be brutal.

Also great: Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (Raul Julia, R.I.P.), Jack Frost, Final Justice, and I Was a Teenage Werewolf.

(also, little nit-geek moment here: The short in front of I Accuse My Parents was the "Truck Farming" short, not the Chicken of Tomorrow short)

 

[Dansrage]

I was worried Bob was going to bash MST3K, in which case i would have had to hunt him down and kill him, luckily he likes it as much as i do.
You get to live another week, Bob.

I highly recommend Rifftrax (they made Twilight very enjoyable) and if you're curious, a lot of the better known MST3K episodes can be found on Youtube, they have a few 30 minute short movies on there, like 1950s PSAs which are seriously side-splitting.

 

[dragomort]

You have a great list here. So many good ones. The bit during the middle of the Trumpy episode is EPIC. I used to be friends with this girl and to greet each other we'd by like "McLeod!" "CHIEF!" her husband hated that he didn't know what the deal was. But he hated me in general that was just one more thing not to like lol. Also Melting man, a good pick for new viewers "I'm the ugliest clown in the circus!". "ZAP Rowsdower"...

lol, me and one of my friends from college do the goodnight part of it when we talk some of the time. 'G'night Chief!' 'Goodnight, McLeod.' Those were the 3 movies I've had the best experience with when introducing people to the series at any rate, but it's not for everyone I suppose. I just know that the group that gets it is generally my kind of group

 

[dragomort]

Also great: Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (Raul Julia, R.I.P.), Jack Frost, Final Justice, and I Was a Teenage Werewolf.

(also, little nit-geek moment here: The short in front of I Accuse My Parents was the "Truck Farming" short, not the Chicken of Tomorrow short)

Wow, I lumped those two shorts together I guess. It's been too long! They were both great ones at least! Good catch and good extras. I had to cut my list short for obvious reasons, might have been easier to list the ones I didn't enjoy....

 

[shogunblade]

Believe it or not, this show actually scared me as a kid. Yes, I was actually afraid of this show. It was the silhouettes that scared me, otherwise, in my grown up self, I find it to be a funny but niche show. That doesn't mean I don't respect it; if I could get paid to riff on bad movies, I would.

A great commentary Bob, I always enjoy your shows, so it's all good.

 

[Marowit]

I remember MSK3000 was on at like Sunday morning at 10 or something outlandish like that. So my Dad set up the VCR and recorded them every Sunday, and we'd generally watch them that night after the Simpsons and X-files...ahhh Nostalgia

Also, whenever I see an episode come on via Netflix (there are quite a few on Netflix) my girlfriend and I scream, 'ahhhh it's Joel, he's the worst,' and then find one with Mike...though I might try and give Joel a try 'cause we're quickly running out of un-watched episodes.

Anyway, I loved the background of the one of my favorite shows you filled me in on this week...not to mention finally finding out what Gypsy and Cambot did (though I always had a sneaking suspicion Cambot was suppose to be the camera we watched it through).

cheers

 

[ReiverCorrupter]

Bob kinda won be back over with this, I LOVED MST3K, but I'm so young that I only really saw it when it was on its last legs on SciFi.

I also completely concur with Bob's criticism of their spelling, 'SyFy' my ASS! Really? Are you REALLY trying to expand your viewership to the illiterate community SciFi channel? You're a channel about SCIENCE FICTION! Aren't you worried about alienating most of your target audience? No? Okay then, sorry to bother you, just go back to making your utterly horrendous 'SyFy' original movies about giant killer radioactive reptiles with C list actors and people who only do it ironically. Honestly, you should just hand the entire network over to be run by Bruce Campell, he'll cut out your lame 'Ghost Chasers' reality shows and make you awesome again.

 

[dmcc85]

who is "the button" and what is "frank"¿?

 

[MrCrowTRobot]

Watch out for snakes.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

I've been watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 through whatever venues possible for the past week or so, based on a friend's recommendation. I started with the movie, and I've been hooked since. This video comes out in a period where I'm halfway through Zombie Nightmare.

So, um, for what it's worth, this episode is relevant to my interests indeed, Bob.

 

[ewhac]

who is "the button" and what is "frank"¿?

Oh, now you're just taunting.

"Frank" is Frank Conniff, a/k/a TV's Frank, assistant-slash-flunky to Dr. Clayton Forrester (Trace Beaulieu). At the end of each episode, Dr. Forrester would order, "Push the button, Frank." Frank punched an unspecified button on the console, which would kill the video link to the Satellite of Love and end the episode.

 

[ewhac]

Watch out for snakes.

"Your movie tonight, Ee-gah, has Richard Kiel and... not much else."

Also great: Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (Raul Julia, R.I.P.)

"This is how much pure cocaine you would need to enjoy this movie."

Jack Frost

"We spit on your doorstep! PTUI!!"

 

[K_Dub]

Never really heard of this show. Definitely gonna give it a look.

 

[Darks63]

Due to the whole too expensive to release in full thing, its one of the few series where its almost justifiable to just torrent the whole thing.