Post by Torgo on May 17, 2013 0:53:14 GMT -5
This was actually about a week ago, but I thought I'd post about it anyway. After the documentaries on Jack Arnold and Universal on the last couple of sets, I became a bit more interested in picking up some old Universal monster/sci-fi flicks on DVD. I already have plenty from the 30s and 40s, but few from the 50s. I've had my eye on this for a while, which contains nine Universal flicks (and one Paramount), three of which were on MST (The Mole People, The Deadly Mantis, and The Leech Woman respectively). So I finally ponied up the dough and bought the damn thing and figured while I was on Amazon I'd pick up a few more individual releases, namely It Came From Outer Space and This Island Earth. It's interesting that for an MSTed movie Universal trusted This Island Earth for an individual release while most others are lumped together in five movie sets (even one as well regarded as the Incredible Shrinking Man), which does show that the film is somewhat desired.
I've been wanting see watch This Island Earth unriffed for quite a while, since the film was famously butchered to shorten the runtime of MST the Movie to a mere 70 minutes. I always felt for a movie that had so many ideas (such as alien colonization and even a climax where a planet explodes) not a hell of a lot happened in it. Our heroes just kind of cluelessly stumble around, get kidnapped, and stumble back home as if nothing happened. The cut featured in the Movie seemed to be just a hallow showcase of colorful special effects.
Did I like it better in its full form? I can honestly say a little bit. I can't claim it's one of the best films of its era (following it with It Came From Outer Space really put it to shame) but it's a better film than the cut used in the Movie would lead one to believe. One thing I had hoped would have been explained in it was just what the hell was up with that exchange between Ruth and Cal where she didn't remember him, which in the MST cut is dropped pretty fast. Luckily the film was definitely more competent than to leave such an odd plotline lying around and not long after it they explain it as Ruth trying to mislead Exeter and Brack off their trail. The rest of it are a lot of mood enhancement which bring it to a much less rushed pace. The scene where Cal and Ruth try and escape after Russell Johnson's character is killed feels a bit more intense due to less jarring cuts in the action, not to mention we get a better idea of the Zagon attack on Metaluna, which allows us to feel a little more interested in the plight of the Metalunans.
Although I'd still call it a hallow showcase of colorful special effects. It's just an enjoyable one trying to be smarter than it really is. Hell, the Mutant still comes out of nowhere and has nothing to do with anything.
But it's worth a look. I'm glad I watched it, both as an MST fan and a Universal fan. I'm getting to watch a few more of these movies outside the show and hoping they hold up on their own. As I type this I'm watching the Mole People, which unfortunately is just as dull what was featured on the series. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.
I've been wanting see watch This Island Earth unriffed for quite a while, since the film was famously butchered to shorten the runtime of MST the Movie to a mere 70 minutes. I always felt for a movie that had so many ideas (such as alien colonization and even a climax where a planet explodes) not a hell of a lot happened in it. Our heroes just kind of cluelessly stumble around, get kidnapped, and stumble back home as if nothing happened. The cut featured in the Movie seemed to be just a hallow showcase of colorful special effects.
Did I like it better in its full form? I can honestly say a little bit. I can't claim it's one of the best films of its era (following it with It Came From Outer Space really put it to shame) but it's a better film than the cut used in the Movie would lead one to believe. One thing I had hoped would have been explained in it was just what the hell was up with that exchange between Ruth and Cal where she didn't remember him, which in the MST cut is dropped pretty fast. Luckily the film was definitely more competent than to leave such an odd plotline lying around and not long after it they explain it as Ruth trying to mislead Exeter and Brack off their trail. The rest of it are a lot of mood enhancement which bring it to a much less rushed pace. The scene where Cal and Ruth try and escape after Russell Johnson's character is killed feels a bit more intense due to less jarring cuts in the action, not to mention we get a better idea of the Zagon attack on Metaluna, which allows us to feel a little more interested in the plight of the Metalunans.
Although I'd still call it a hallow showcase of colorful special effects. It's just an enjoyable one trying to be smarter than it really is. Hell, the Mutant still comes out of nowhere and has nothing to do with anything.
But it's worth a look. I'm glad I watched it, both as an MST fan and a Universal fan. I'm getting to watch a few more of these movies outside the show and hoping they hold up on their own. As I type this I'm watching the Mole People, which unfortunately is just as dull what was featured on the series. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.
