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Post by mst3krom on Mar 2, 2008 10:46:07 GMT -5
I think the title of the thread sums it up nicely.
But, seriously, I thought it was time for me to get in the reviewing business. I seen every episode of our beloved show except for most of the KTMA season.
But, instead, of doing the reviews in chronological order, I've decided to pick a group of 6 episodes, related in some way or another and review them. I'll be doing this as time permits, however, if things go smooth, you'll be getting a set, probably two in a week.
So,let's begin with our first set, the short, but sweet Season 7:
701 - Night of the Blood Beast 702 - Brute Man 703 - Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell 704 - Incredible Melting Man 705 - Escape 2000 706 - Laserblast
701 - [glow=red,5,300][shadow=red,left,300]Night of the Blood Beast[/shadow][/glow] with short: [glow=blue,5,300][shadow=blue,left,300]Once upon a Honeymoon[/shadow][/glow]
Thoughts on short:
Frankly, I have no idea what the hell this is supposed to be about. Every short featured on MST3K since the end of Season 2 (except the serials from Season 4) had some kind of informational subject. This one is supposed to be about telephones, but in a vague way, I guess. Instead it turns into some kind of weird musical.
How weird you ask? Well, here's the low-down: a couple can't go on their honeymoon, because the husband, who works in the music business, has been called on short notice to come up with a melody. So Heaven sends a dorky angel with glasses to sprinkle some magic powder on them.
Yep, it's that kind of weird.
Thoughts on movie:
Ah, the '50s sci-fi movies. Red scares, alien invaders, flying saucers, monsters big and small, all of these representative for that glorious age. I'm a big fan of these kind of movies, and I couldn't help noticing that this movie clearly resembles one of my favorite sci-fi movies, Thing from Another World. Just remove all of the enjoyability, bring in a plethora of boring scenes, get a stupid-looking monster costume (I admit, the monster from TFAW may not have been that great, but I'll take it over this one any day of the week), change a few minor details and you've got Night of the Blood Beast.
A Corman film, though not directed by the Roger Corman, it still feels like one. However, it's still pretty tame and can provide a few laughs of its own (the Blood Beast costume, for example, where did they get that thing?).
Note: Even though this movie resembles Thing from Another World, the idea of the astronaut's body being used as a breeding ground for the alien's offsprings sounds a lot like Alien. However, in Alien only one of those little buggers was inside the hosts, so it more likely resembles Aliens vs Predator: Requiem in which quite a few chestbursters could get inside you (if you wonder, yes, I am an Alien/Predator fan and, yes, that was a stupid idea).
Thoughts on episode:
This is the kind of episode I enjoy seeing on MST3K: a dopey '50s sci-fi/alien/monster movie coupled with a wacky and weird short. The riffing starts out great in the short, as gang tackle every goofy thing with pin-point accuracy, and keeps going strong through-out the movie. Both the short and the movie are assaulted by the gang's sexual innuendos and inspire some of the biggest laughs ever. Safe to say that this is one heck of an funny episode, and makes a great introductory episode to new fans: not too many obscure references and a lot of situation riffs. This one's a winner in my book.
As for the host segments, I've only seen the Turkey Day host segments and they're pretty decent. However, they don't last too long and so, they're overshadowed by the hilarious short and feature. Though Jack Perkins hitting on Mr. B Natural was a gas.
Great short, great feature, decent host segments... I think we all know the results.
Favorite riff from short: "Wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which piles up first." - Mike Favorite riff from movie: "Well, we had to snap in two like a frozen dog to get him out of the space capsule, but..." - Crow Favorite host segment: Segment 2, "Stuffing vs. Potatoes" was pretty cute, though, really, what was the deal with Mike at the end?
Grade: ***** out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 2, 2008 13:03:32 GMT -5
702 - [glow=green,5,300][shadow=green,left,300]Brute Man[/shadow][/glow] with short: [glow=orange,5,300][shadow=orange,left,300]Chicken of Tomorrow[/shadow][/glow] Thoughts on short:In short (pardon the bad pun), this one is about chicken raising. 20 full minutes of listening to a narrator explain every process it takes to get your cholesterol-filled delicious chicken meals. BORING! Thoughts on movie:Today's experiment is a '40s horror movie called Brute Man. This is one of the most bearable movies featured on MST3K, but even saying that is going a little bit too far. I didn't like this film in the least. Sure it's pretty dated, but even for those kind of standards it's pretty bad. The only character I felt sympathy for was the Brute Man himself. Rondo Hatton is pretty good as the Creeper/Brute Man/ Hal Moffitt, though it's a shame that only because of his looks he was picked for the part. Everyone else is pretty much, well.... bad. The police are a couple of smart-alike, smug jerks (I really wanted the Creeper to get their hands on them). Also Moffitt's college buddy is a big fat jerk since he's the reason Hal ended up that way (well, partly since Hal's own stupidity played a part as well). Even the blind girl who cares about Hal ends up being a snitch when she finds out his true identity. Even so, the movie had a pretty good premise, but, unfortunately, it stretches a bit too long and the ending is as anti-climatic as it gets. Note: This movie was not produced by PRC, as the credits suggest. It was made in reality by Universal Pictures (the Universal International of today). Rumor has it that, after Rondo Hatton's death, they were so ashamed by the movie's exploitation of Rondo's illness (which led to his death) that they sold the rights to PRC. Shame on you, Universal! Thoughts on episode:Despite the nature of the main feature, this episode is pretty good all around. The short is decent enough and the guys throw in a couple of good jokes here and there to keep it from getting stale. The work on the movie is even better. The first host segment is comedy gold. There's a lot to be had here, especially the angry grocer part. He really gave Mike the giggles. But after that host segments the riffing dies down a bit to the end. You could only joke so much on the endless scenes of creeping. The host segments are pretty forgettable. They deal mostly with Servo buying an apartment and Pearl going on a date. Also Servo turns into an egg and Crow sings a spin-off to the Tom Dooly song in a rather lame sketch. Even though the episode features an average short and passable host segments, the work on the feature, especially the first part raises the bar a bit. Favorite riff from short: "Lick your eggs, or have a friend lick them." - Crow Favorite riff from movie: "Chiropractor on rampage!" - Servo Favorite host segment: Segment 1, when Crow has to babysit the others. "You shall live." - Crow to Gypsy Grade: **** out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 2, 2008 14:58:36 GMT -5
703 - [glow=purple,5,300][shadow=purple,left,300]Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell[/shadow][/glow] Thoughts on movie:Apparently this is one of those '80s sword and sorcery flick that were based on the success of 'Conan the Barbarian'. And a sequel to boot! I often wondered why the Brains picked this one, but from frame one in the movie it's obvious: this movie was tailor-made for MST3K. The acting is pretty bad, no surprise there, but, geez, the leading guy is such an over-acting smug bastard that I wondered who the hell thought of this guy as the hero. The others aren't better. The leading actress has no idea what expressing emotion is, since she's always with this blank expression on her face. Also the villain competes with the hero for the over-acting award. Really, you have to listen to this guy to realize how corny he sounds. Well, the acting I pretty much anticipated, but the whole movie stumbles over itself and makes no sense in the end. The wizard manages to escape the bad guys by teleporting, but he teleports right in the villain's hideout! Plus, the editing is so bad (in some sequences you can hear a factory in the background) that in some shots the actors just stay on camera doing nothing. And, last but not least, this movie comes up with some of the worst sword fighting EVER! It's bad enough you can tell that the sword are made of cardboard, but you get this hilarious sequences where they hold their swords and just stand there, probably wanting to give the impression that they're in a deadly lock. Oh, yeah! Now here's a good slice of cheese right here... Thoughts on episode:It's a good thing then because M&tB are here with the knife to slice it up and serve it royally. I have to be frank here. This episode is one big belly laugh from start to finish. And it's no wonder why, you get a stupid fantasy flick, you get classic riffing. There's so much to talk about, but I'm going to leave it at this and let you enjoy the episode on your own. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. The host segments, on the other hand, are a different story. It starts out hilariously with Crow's new look (Crow has hair on his back??!! EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!), but veers down when the Mads segments step in. Annoying or mildly amusing, you decide. Then they perk up with Mike and the Bots having a Ren-Fest. Even Gypsy gets a great line in there. Sadly again they veer down when Crow reads a unconventional bed time story to Pearl, but the Lord of the Rings spoof ending is worth it. Mild host segments, but killer work in the theater. You have no excuse to miss out on this one. A classic in my opinion! Favorite riff from movie: "Guess what I've been doing?" - Servo Favorite host segment: The Intro, funny and yet disturbing at the same time. Grade: ***** out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 2, 2008 16:53:25 GMT -5
704 - [glow=orange,5,300][shadow=orange,left,300]The Incredible Melting Man[/shadow][/glow] Thoughts on movie:First thing's first: this movie reminded me of another '50s classic: The Incredible Shrinking Man. Except for one big noticeable difference: TISM at least had an interesting story, as for TIMM, well, let's face it, it's just a pre-slasher era gory movie. Despite having well-known Rick Baker in the make-up department, the movie effects are just too disgusting to watch. Not to mention, early in the movie a guy's head is lopped, falls on a waterfall in slow motion and breaks on the rocks below with almost too realistic effects. Just a warning so you know what you're getting yourselves into. But on the lighter side, watching the characters in this movie is a hoot. Especially Dr. Ted Nelson's non-acting. Atchka, indeed! Also another word of warning: also early in the film there's another disturbing scene of little children smoking. I really wanted to punch the director for that scene. The ending is pretty predictable as the Melting Man finally melts to a puddle and gets scooped up by a janitor. Oh, brother, who came up with this one? Thoughts on episode:I'm not a particular big fan of episodes who feature '70s movies. I often find them too dull and static to get any excellent riffing. Plus this movie is really depressing, right down there with Sidehackers. However, finally, I've found the exception to the rule. Incredible Melting Man still suffers those flaws, but, in full season 7, this one gets the best riffing it could get. From Dr. Ted Nelson and his crackers needs to a Bill Gates look-a-like who fishes in dirty puddles, from the general who loves turkey legs to a nurse who panics and breaks through a glass door. There is also one moment that stands above all them. I'm speaking about the scenes with the old couple. I don't know, maybe I was in the mood for a good laugh, maybe it was the goofy music, but I laughed like a maniac for a good 20 minutes. I had to pause the episode, because practically I couldn't stop laughing. For that scene alone the episode is worth watching. The host segments are surprisingly better this time. Finally, Crow's Earth vs. Soup script is going to be a movie. However things don't turn out the way he expected and in the end, the film gets released as a trailer. Solid work all around. Plus, Mike almost gets to say 'I was born on a pirate ship'. You need to watch to understand that. Great riffing and great host segments. Another winner from Season 7. Favorite riff from movie: "Oh, I think the fish can handle it." - Mike Favorite host segment: Segment 4, you gotta love Dr. F's pre-screening. "What kind of crackers would you like to see?" Grade: ****1/2 out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 3, 2008 5:59:07 GMT -5
705 - [glow=beige,5,300][shadow=beige,left,300]Escape 2000[/shadow][/glow]
Thoughts on movie:
If 'Conan the Barbarian' was responsible for the sword&sorcery movie bloom in the '80s, then 'Mad Max' was exactly the same to post-apocalyptic flicks. Sure, this italian knock-off is not a real post-apocalyptic movie, but it's got the same vibe: a lot of tough guys in goofy getups fight against one another.
What's bad you ask? Well, this movie makes no sense whatsoever. People are asked to leave the Bronx (over and over again), but some apparently don't want to and start attacking the dissinfestation (yeah, you heard that right) teams sent down to get rid of them.
You also get a couple of over-top performances from a guy named Toblerone (?!) and Henry Silva, who plays a contract hitman with violent mood swings. Oh, and there's a guy named Trash, who apparently is the hero, and a rat woman, and some other has-beens and nobodies about who I'm not in the mood to discuss.
To make a long story short, if you're an action movie fanatic (or a big fan of the, as Torgo brilliantly named it in of his reviews, Blowing Stuff Up genre), then, my friend, this movie's for you. Shooting, killing, explosions, incinerations, slow-motion deaths, all there just for you.
Thoughts on episode:
Another great episode from Season 7. What's there to say?
Right from the start M&tB make fun of the movie and its repetitious message: "Even though this is Italy, leave the Bronx!". Also they seem to be having a lot of fun with all of the ridiculous characters and situations the movie throws at them. I especially loved the stabs at the incompetent company squads. Why were they wearing those silver costumes and bike helmets, which, eventually, got fogged up? It's not like they were for protection, they weren't even fire-proof, for crying out loud! Although, it seems the guys loved it whenever Toblerone or, whatever his name is, was on screen. That guy was really chewing the scenery.
The host segments are pretty mediocre. They start out good with Crow's non-successful fund raising ("Goodbye, you cheap heartless bastards."), the SOL burning in flames and Clay putting Pearl in a home, literally. The second segment is basically a reworking of the first with the SOL again bursting in flames, as for the third, well, that one makes no sense to me. The fourth is nothing special, though having Pearl say she doesn't like children was really clever. In the final segment the gang reads the final letter displayed on the show and, in Deep 13, Toblerone takes Pearl on a date. Also Dr. F's last line really sums up the episode.
Great episode this one. Go ahead, dig in and go easy on the Toblerone.
Favorite riff from movie: "Is that true, do you suck?" - Mike Favorite host segment: The Intro, Crow fund raising scheme is a killer.
Grade: ****1/2 out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 3, 2008 15:50:58 GMT -5
I modified a little bit my 'Incredible Melting Man' review, just so you should know. Also here's my latest and final review from the 1st set. 706 - [glow=green,5,300][shadow=green,left,300]Laserblast[/shadow][/glow] Thoughts on movie:I have to say, in the movie's defense, that it had at least an interesting premise: guy finds a laser gun and takes revenge on those that made fun of him. Sounds fun, right? Well, this movie is anything but fun. Sure, the stop-motion aliens are great and Roddy MacDowell makes a cool cameo (believe it or not, this is the first time I've seen him without the ape make-up), even though they misspelled his name in the credits. But, just like most '70s movies featured on the show it's dry, boring, repetitive and, frankly, I didn't give a damn and I probably never will. Still the '70s did come up with some great stuff like Jaws, Halloween, Alien, Star Wars (a poster gets blown up in this movie), Blazzing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Alien, .... oh, wait, did I say that one again? My bad. ;D Thoughts on episode:Initially this was my least favorite episode in Season 7. It still is, but after the recent watching, somehow it improved. Maybe it was the dullness of the movie that got in the way, but this time around I felt the riffing was a little bit tighter and funnier than previous views. I guess in the end all it takes is a second viewing for an episode to grow on you. It worked before, but I never expected to work on this one. This is also the last episode filmed for the Comedy Channel. The host segments begin with Dr. Forrester cutting the Umbilicus to the Satellite of Love. What follows is a string of homages to some classic sci-fi moments (Monad Satellite, a field of star babies, Mike as Captain Janeway from Star Trek: Voyager, and, personally, I don't ever want to see Mike in drag). In the end Mike, Servo, Crow, Gypsy, Magic Voice and Cambot turn into pure energy and depart to the vastness at the edge of the universe. Back in Deep 13, Dr. F. undergoes a recreation of the last scenes from 2001 (I wonder what is worst movie ever made?), transforming into a star child and Pearl getting another chance to raise her son the right way. A good ending to a glorious era. Is this THE END? I'm afraid not. Even though we say goodbye to Trace, this one is an episode that's worth watching. Favorite riff from movie: "Don't you just curse evolution, Ted?" - Crow as one of the aliens Favorite host segment: Segment 5, even though 2001 is not my kind of movie, the recreation was pretty spot on. Grade: **** out of ***** Final grade on set: ****1/2 out of ***** Season 7 comes highly recommended for all MSTies, new and old. There's something in there for everyone. Next set: 519 - Outlaw 521 - Santa Claus 604 - Zombie Nightmare 605 - Colossus and the Headhunters 617 - Sword and the Dragon 624 - Samson vs. the Vampire Women Thank you all, for being patient enough to wait for my first set to done with. Still, while I'm preparing for my next set, I wouldn't mind a few comments, suggestions, gripes, criticisms, good or bad. I'm open to new ways of improving my reviews. Take care now, we'll be back real soon.
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Post by Diet Kolos on Mar 3, 2008 15:57:10 GMT -5
Good reviews. I enjoy hearing other people's thoughts on episodes.
Whoo! You're going to review Outlaw. I love that episode.
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 3, 2008 16:41:40 GMT -5
Good reviews. I enjoy hearing other people's thoughts on episodes. Whoo! You're going to review Outlaw. I love that episode. Thanks, it's good to get some feed-back after all that work. I'll be looking forward to your future reviews as well, especially War of the Colossal Beast. That's my favorite from Season 3.
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 4, 2008 9:20:23 GMT -5
519 - [glow=maroon,5,300][shadow=maroon,left,300]Outlaw[/shadow][/glow] Thoughts on movie:Despite the send-off title, this movie is surprisingly similar to "Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell". Not surprisingly, it's almost just as worst. The hero is a little more likable this time (his name is Cabot, just in case if, during the movie, you don't notice), though that probably won't matter since the rest of cast is really bad. I'm speaking especially of the hero's disgusting friend. Sleazy and annoying as hell, his scenes are a chore. Thankfully, he's pretty much absent during the movie. The only real talent in this movie is Jack Palance (Batman, Tango and Cash) who's playing some sort of wizard, and even he looks embarrassed in his role. The lame fighting is still there (you can tell the hero stabs the ground instead of the fallen bad guys), but, man, this movie just pelts you with over-exposed parts of the human body (mostly of the male actors, don't get that excited). I don't know about you, but there's something not right about a movie that shows you midget buffalo shots. Thoughts on episode:Just like Deathstalker this episode is a hoot from beginning to end. The riffing targets mostly the ineffectual characters and I have to say, when they hit their target, they hit it hard. I especially loved the riffs on Cabot's sidekick and Jack Palance. It's also a hoot to see the guys' reaction to a bad background piece in a particular scene in the movie. It just shows you how cheap and poorly thought-out this movie was and what a perfect target for riffing it makes. Also be sure to listen during the credits to the hilarious names M&tB come up with for detective shows. The host segments are a joy as well. The intro is cute and you gotta love Gypsy's response. The invention exchange is also neat as the Mads bring forth the first "real" time machine and M&tB dress up like Fabio (uhh, what was Crow doing behind Mike?! ). Segment 1 shows Mike's odd career in the theater. In segment 2 the gang sings the hilarious 'Tubular Boobular' song. Segment 3 has the gang reading from Jack Palance's biography, but eventually all is not what it seems. The final segment is a spin-off of the 'They didn't care' segment from 'Attack of the Eye Creatures', dealing this time with the buffalo shots spread around the movie. Also Dr.F and Frank do a hilarious dance number. Great riffing, great host segments, a brilliant episode in my book. Definitely a worthy companion piece with Deathstalker. You could also try the Cabot drinking game, but don't say I didn't warn you. Favorite riff from movie: "I hate it when they use a net to kill him, it takes forever." - Mike Favorite host segment: Segment 5, you try and watch it without laughing. Grade: ***** out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 4, 2008 13:10:09 GMT -5
521 - [glow=red,5,500][shadow=red,left,300]Santa Claus[/shadow][/glow] Thoughts on movie:So you think Christmas is weird? Wait till you get a load of this one. This mexican import changes completely Santa's origin. Now he lives in a castle in heaven and, instead, of reindeer and elves he has creepy mechanical laughing reindeer and international over-worked children helpers. Also he has a magic powder that puts people to sleep, a flower to turn himself invisible, he can spy on children's dreams, he is aided by Merlin the Wizard and his nemesis is the Devil. "The HELL?" you ask? Good, I thought it didn't make sense either. Honestly this is one of the weirdest movies ever featured on the show. The Russo-Finish productions aren't as 'huh?' inducing as this one. But in the end, you just gotta take it in and accept that Mexico is one goofy country. Thoughts on episode:The weirder they come, the better the episode gets. It's a real treat watching the guys trying to cope with whatever crack-pot idea the movie puts forward and most of the time the comments hit their mark ("A pentagram and reindeer laughing, you figure it out."). The host segments really capture the holiday season feeling. In the intro we find out that caroling and hot cocoa don't mix. In the next one the gang opens presents and everyone is happy except for Frank. The following introduces Mike and the Bots' new band, Santa Claws (worth seeing for Dr.F and Frank's expressions). Gypsy, Crow and Servo's surprise for Mike is really cute. The Holiday Greetings segment is very well done and very funny (worshiping a guy named Craig? Where did that come from? You'll have to pay attention in the episode.). At the end, M&tB have a snow day on the SOL, and in Deep 13 it's Santa vs. Satan. Overall, a great episode that's custom made for the holiday season. Could easily become a new Christmas tradition. Favorite riff from movie: "I have no idea what my emotions are supposed to be." - Crow as Santa Favorite host segment: Segment 2, Santa Klaws ROCKS! Grade: ****1/2 out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 4, 2008 15:25:06 GMT -5
604 - [glow=purple,5,300][shadow=purple,left,300]Zombie Nightmare[/shadow][/glow]
Thoughts on movie:
Confession time: I don't know how to say this, but the Friday the 13th series was my introduction to the horror genre. I know, I know, don't laugh. There was a time when I was a big fan of the franchise. That was until I discovered better and more well made horror movies and I realized what crap the series were.
What was the point of that shameful moment, you ask? Well, because the feature film is mostly a bad crossing between 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and 'Friday The 13th'. Just so you should who you're dealing with. Though the premise had potential (guy comes back from the dead for revenge), don't kid yourself, this doesn't go beyond the average slasher. And that's pretty bad.
The only actor that gets noticed is Adam West (Batman '66), practically because he's only one who actually tries to act. There isn't anything else to say about this one. Pure '80s trash cinema, avoid at all costs. Oh, I forgot to mention, Tia Carrere is in the movie, but her performance is simply that of 'slasher victim'.
Note: the guy who played the teen with the 'Farah Fawcett hair', Shawn Levy, later became a director. Some of his movies include 'Cheaper by the Dozen', 'Pink Panther', 'A Night at the Museum'.
Thoughts on episode:
I always wished I could get to see a representative of the slasher genre make it on the show. Unfortunately, that never happened, but rejoice, 'cause this is as close as it can get.
The gang takes on the movie's inept plot and characters and never let go for a second. And why should they, since the movie perfectly set itself for a good ribbing: a huge guy with exposed nipples, a half-sheep voodoo woman, a bad teen who throws pasta at his mom, a Penguin-voiced coroner, a wimpy detective sidekick, not to mention all the classic riffs on Adam West himself. It can't get any better than this!
The host segments are pretty short, but they offer a good laugh occasionally. The intro with Servo and Crow as bodyguards is a hoot, as is the following voodoo inspired host segment (love how Frank dances in the background). The next two segments are pretty easy to miss, but they're great nonetheless. The Batman sketch segment is great as well (Mike and Servo's expressions say it all). Finally, the gang read a few letters to Adam West and Frank turns Forrester into a zombie.
Great fun all-around. Wish all nightmares could be as wonderful as this one.
Favorite riff from movie: "Hello, 1-900-SPANK-ME?" - Crow as Adam West Favorite host segment: Segment 4, Crow gets the biggest laughs from me here.
Grade: ***** out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 5, 2008 13:22:21 GMT -5
I'm still waiting for some comments on my reviews. Come on, people, criticism, questions, anything? Hell, even a "Your reviews SUCK!" would feel good right about now. Well, anyway, enough whining. Back at it... 605 - [glow=yellow,5,300][shadow=yellow,left,300]Colossus and the Headhunters[/shadow][/glow] Thoughts on movie:One of the many Italian imported sword&sandal flicks to make on the show, this one doesn't feel any bit different from the Herc movies from season 4. Sure, there are lot of fighting scenes, but most of them are repetitive and uninteresting. What's the appeal if your hunky hero can easily dispatch his enemies by easily grabbing them in shoulder locks? And is it me or is every villain in these kind of movies a wimpy coward. Wasn't too hard figuring out who'd win in the end. So the action is pretty much non-existent, the movie itself is tedious to watch and in the end I felt a little empty inside. But, hey, could be worse... Thoughts on episode:I'm so glad that they kept doing these kind of movies, even through the Z-grade movie filled Season 6. A lot of observational riffs are made in this one, especially on our gut-sucking title character (My Cheese Steak, he, he... ) and his not that exciting deeds. The movie's really predictable and the guys never let it off the hook. How embarrassing it is for your villain not only to be weak and spineless, but to also be named Kermi (yes, a Muppets reference is inevitable). The host segments center around Dr. F's new invention, the ultimate pet, Nummy Muffin Cocoa Butter. I couldn't help but giggle through-out the host segments, since I too am a pet owner. I wonder how would it be like owning Nummy Muffin Cocoa Butter ( though I'd hate to clean up after it, man, none of my cats ever shedded like him!). This one's a pretty good episode and if you feel in the mood for italian cheese steak, pop it in. You may be pleasantly surprised. Favorite riff from movie: "Uh, what's following them??!" - Mike Favorite host segment: Segment 1, Frank song is really nice. Grade: ****1/2 out of *****
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Post by Diet Kolos on Mar 5, 2008 15:23:02 GMT -5
Lack of comments is annoying, no?
You seemed to like Collossus quite a bit more than I did. Boring episode, unremarkable movie. Yawn.
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 5, 2008 15:39:38 GMT -5
617 - [shadow=orange,left,300][glow=orange,5,300]Sword and the Dragon[/glow][/shadow]
Thoughts on the movie:
I really love it when this kind of movie makes its way on the show. I don't know, but every Russo-Finish experiment makes me giddy with excitement.
There's a lot to love about these kind of movies and a lot to hate. Well, since The Sword and the Dragon ended up here, most people would cling to the latter. And I normally I'd agree with them, the movie really shows its age and the effects, though top-notch at the time, would seem cheesy right now.
Yet somehow this movie manages to be refreshing, imaginative and a lot of fun, even if M&tB aren't along for the ride. It kind of reminds of some of my native folklore stories (though none of them would ever match a whiskery fat guy named Ilya Moromets fighting against an army of mongols and their dragon ... still a couple would come close).
Thoughts on episode:
If the movie's goofy enough to garner laughs on its own, you can bet that with Mike and the Bots in the ring, the only way it can get is better. Ugly wind demons, emotional finnish people, badly dubbed mongolian hordes, a bald villain with a really big hair-dress on, a pretty static dragon puppet, wacky magic scenes, what more could you want? I love this episode!
The host segments play along with the movie. In the intro Servo is the Dungeons&Dragons master, but nobody else cares. In Deep 13 we find out that the Mads don't have much of a personal life, however you gotta love Crow's satirical review. Let's see if I can get the name right: Super-calla-fragialistic-expialla-wacky. Well, I tried. I can't really say much about the "Joke by Ingmar Bergman", since I haven't seen any of his movies and, so I can't tell how close it is. The next one is kind of a spoof on the magical scenes from the movie, but it turns out to be too weird. The visit from Ilya Moromets, now the owner of a pancake house, is hilarious. Finally a review from Gypsy on Crow's play pleases everyone but Servo. And in Deep 13 things are ... well, pretty much the same.
A wonderful episode that I revisit time and time again. You should too if Russo-Finnish legends are right up your alley.
Favorite riff from movie: "Ah, the golden age of making stuff up." - Servo Favorite host segment: Segment 4, Ilya Moromets is a hoot.
Grade: ***** out of *****
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Post by mst3krom on Mar 5, 2008 15:55:30 GMT -5
Lack of comments is annoying, no? You seemed to like Collossus quite a bit more than I did. Boring episode, unremarkable movie. Yawn. Man, you really nailed it there. We, MST3K reviewers, are, sadly, a dying breed. Wish I was here back a few years ago. There was some real action back then. But, no backing out now, got to see this through to the end. What kind of a reviewer would I be if I didn't finish all of the episodes? As for Colossus, well, what can say, everyone has different tastes. I was just looking through your review thread and I noticed that you don't have much love for the Lippert experiments. Me, I like those better than the Season 2 biker trilogy. And, call me a rebel, but Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster is, in my opinion, funnier than Godzilla vs. Megalon.
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