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Post by hike'em'up on Sept 4, 2020 12:04:08 GMT -5
Anyway, with the pandemic, I decided I'd watch as many MST3K movies as I could and keep a running list. I'm up to 12! ... I finally got to hear the "mantis in my pantis" line after seeing it referenced on here so many times! Be careful: once you get locked into a serious MST3K-watching habit, the tendency is to push it as far as you can Love 804 The Deadly Mantis, favorite line given as the Mantis approaches the military base from Crow, giving it the Grinch voice ... "I will destroy Christmas this year... I will"
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Post by jadenh on Nov 1, 2020 15:26:50 GMT -5
For the month of October, I had a little Halloween marathon of MST3K. The basic idea was to watch a spooky episode a day for all 31 days of the month. I had to take a couple break days because of school or because I just couldn't bring myself to watch one those days. However, I did still manage to watch 31 episodes. 24 of them were ones that I have never seen before. So, this was a great way for me to finally check out some new episodes. And I made sure to watch episodes from each era of the show, from KTMA all the way to the new seasons. I watched the episodes in production order purely because it's nice to see how to show grows and changes with each season. Anyway, here's my top 5 favorite and least favorite episodes from this month.
Favorites: Beginning of the End, The Screaming Skull, The Atomic Brain, The Brute Man, Bride of the Monster Least Favorites: Track of the Moon Beast, Deadly Mantis, It Conquered the World, Bloodlust, Ring of Terror
Keep in mind that when I was watching these, I was usually pretty tired. So, I imagine that after rewatching some of these least favorites, I'll think more highly of them. Track of the Moon Beast was genuinely not good though. Anyway, I would say that this whole marathon was pretty successful and I look forward to doing it again for next year. I just don't think I'll be watching 31 episodes again. Anyway, happy Halloween everyone and I'll see you guys on Turkey Day.
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Post by jadenh on Nov 30, 2020 19:14:08 GMT -5
For my hundredth episode of the show, I figured it would only make sense to go back and check out where it all started. Yes, I finally got around to watching Invaders from the Deep. And overall, it's not too bad. I'd say it's about the same quality as the second episode, Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars. I think during the first movie segment, the number of riffs is literally less than 10. However, it does get much more fast paced and enjoyable when Crow hops in the theatre. And there were some clever jokes here and there for sure. While the movie itself wasn't super interesting, I will say that the set design here is absolutely beautiful. They really nailed the underwater aesthetic here, even if the puppets themselves are a bit on the creepy side. I think Mysterons definitely had much better puppets overall. But still, I do think I slightly prefer Invaders from the Deep just for the fact that the movie is a bit more exciting to watch. And it has those great underwater sets. Overall, for the first ever MST3K episode, it ain't too bad.
Next time, I'll be checking out one of the shows most famous episodes. And I somehow haven't seen it before. Yeah, could you believe that this guy hasn't watched Mitchell before?
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Post by jadenh on Dec 7, 2020 4:10:19 GMT -5
Well, I finally sat down and watched Mitchell. And where do I even start with this one? I guess I'll start with the movie itself.
I'm gonna be honest. You could put a gun to my head and I still wouldn't be able to tell you what the plot of this movie was. Apparently, there some heroin scandal happening and Mitchell is the one who's supposed to save the day. However, he's as sleazy as a guy named Mitchell could be. Honestly, there are other movies on MST3K far worse than this one (Untamed Youth, Quest of the Delta Knights, Carnival Magic, and Atlantic Rim all come to mind), but Mitchell still ain't good. This is less of a story about Mitchell and more of the day to day antics of Mitchell. The plot here is nearly incomprehensible, and Mitchell himself is just... Mitchell. This movie really speaks for itself.
As for the episode itself, this one is almost a bust sadly. A lot of the riffing just comes down to saying "Mitchell!" over and over again, which really doesn't do much for me because it's literally just repeating someone's name. There are definitely some good jokes here, but this episode really didn't make me smile too much. It probably doesn't help that I had a lot of the jokes spoiled because the MST3K Twitch channel would keep playing clips of this film during the breaks. Maybe if I was completely new to this episode and didn't know of its status before watching, I might have enjoyed it more. But for Joel's final episode, this one stings a little bit.
Oh yeah, this is Joel's final episode, isn't it? This brings me to the host segments, which I gotta say are pretty fantastic. Even though I've had these host segments spoiled for me too, I was still getting decently invested into the plot. Yes, this is one of the rare episodes to actually tell a story, and does it really well. I also love how Gypsy gets the spotlight in this episode and completely overthinks the situation, while the others are completely oblivious to her plans. And this is the first episode to feature Mike Nelson as Mike, and his sense of humor still shines here even before he started riffing. I really have nothing to complain about with the host segments. They're brilliant and maybe some of the best in the entire series. So, do they round out the whole package to being good? I'm gonna say yes, but only barely. I can't say that I was ever bored with Mitchell, that's for sure. And again, there are a handful of decent jokes here. Even if this one was spoiled for me, I still get a kick out of the "Can I not have your autograph?" line. And the beer jokes, as easy as they are to make, are still pretty good. Especially when they involve finding cigarettes in said beer. Out of the two transitional episodes during season 5, I almost wanna say that The Brain that Wouldn't Die is better. They're both on about the same level, but I think Brain got me to smile a bit more than Mitchell. But either way, Mitchell is still a perfectly fine episode. It's just kinda disappointing, that's all.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2020 11:57:55 GMT -5
Give it a little while then take another look at it - I think you'll find the riffing is a lot more clever than it seems at first. One thing that keeps Mitchell out of competition for best episode (IMO) is that there's a lot going on: you've got the host segment story (which encompasses a lot), the emotions of Joel's departure, the riffing... and it doesn't help that the movie is somewhat engaging. As you said, it becomes nearly incomprehensible, but that's mostly because they cut at least 20 minutes for the episode. Next time you watch it, you'll probably be able to follow the movie a little easier, which should allow for the jokes to land better.
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Post by jadenh on Dec 7, 2020 12:40:15 GMT -5
I'll take your advice and give it a rewatch later. But for now, I have other episodes that I wanna get to. Next one I plan to watch is The Leech Woman.
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Post by crowschmo on Dec 7, 2020 13:27:13 GMT -5
I watched I Accuse My Parents during the Turkey Day marathon. It's been a while since I've watched a full episode since I know them all so well and wanted to put some time and distance between myself and them. I found it a nice surprise that I was able to laugh at love, again. Seriously, though, I haven't really LAUGHED-laughed out loud to an episode in a while, because, as I've said, I've seen them all so many times and know the jokes and what's going to happen, that I may smile and enjoy the ep, but not really laugh anymore. So I was glad that this actually got some genuine laughs out of me. This is one of my favorite episodes. I also watched The Day the Earth Froze and that drew a few chuckles from me, as well. (And it's another favorite). Since I've had good results, dare I watch my ultimate fave? I haven't watched it in so long. What do you think? Should I..torment myself and watch Tormented?
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Post by kooky on Feb 3, 2021 16:10:43 GMT -5
Reviving this thread to say that I just finished one of the original series' final episodes, #1011 - Horrors of Spider Island.
This is my third time seeing this episode all the way through and boy, is this one underrated. I think it's one of the all-time great MST3K episodes in the way that so many elements come together: the movie is one of those bizarre, Manos-esque bottom-of-the-barrel indies with a sleazy undertone, but not so much that things get too awkward. They really respond to the dumbest elements of the movie in the host segments as well: both the "dance audition" and "plane crash" in between segments are laugh out loud funny.
Also, I'm not the biggest fan of the whole Pearl/Bobo/Observer dynamic, but I like the performers who play them and this episode is an example of them all being on and funny. Watching Kevin push Mary Jo and Bill out of the way so he can do some terrible vaudeville dance is maybe the best Bobo moment since the Agent From HARM courtroom scene where he's a lawyer. Also the condom ending is an unusual turn for MST3K.
Anyway - huge fan of this episode and the weird movie it unearths.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Apr 11, 2021 4:59:07 GMT -5
Tried to watch something from season 12, just to see if my opinion changed (sometimes you have to live with a show or an ep, to form a fuller opinion of it), buuut after not laughing much I switched over to The Dead Talk Back - and my laughter picked up, it's not an upper-level ep for me, but it is good and steady - I also wanted to watch it after seeing Adam's video (so that was Lana Turner's body double, interesting).
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Post by jadenh on May 1, 2021 14:56:07 GMT -5
I'm currently getting through the rest of the KTMA season. Here are my thoughts on some episodes that I've recently watched.
Cosmic Princess - It's difficult to remember this one. It's two episodes of Space: 1999 smashed together into one movie, and it definitely felt that way in terms of its editing. There's also a girl that can transform into a monster. I guess maybe she's the so called "Cosmic Princess"? This one had some decent laughs, but it wasn't anything mindblowing. I can't even remember a host segment.
Humanoid Woman - This is another one that I have a hard time remembering. All I remember is that it's a really weird Russian movie, and that it has the original version of the Tom Servo blender sketch. Oh yeah, and it has like a weird robot servant character too, almost like that one robot from The Jetsons. It must have been an enjoyable episode, because I gave it a 7. However, this is definitely one I need to go back to.
Time of the Apes - Having the bots riff the movie by themselves turned out to be a successful experiment. They really keep a steady pace in their even without Joel, and there's some good lines too. It helps that I had already seen the season 3 version of this episode. So, I was already familiar with the movie. Despite being a KTMA episode, I think I can safely say that I enjoyed this and the season 3 version on a equal level. Both are pretty good.
The Million Eyes of Sumuru - The first half is pretty solid, but it gets really rough when Josh leaves for the second half. Josh is often what makes these KTMA episodes so great, because he works so well with improv. So, it was disappointing seeing him gone for the second half, and Joel and Crow really struggle to keep the rest of the episode entertaining. The movie itself is weird enough that it's entertaining on its own. It's basically an all female assassin group that wants to create a society of just women. Definitely some fetishy overtones in this one. Host segment wise, I do like the one with Joel jamming out on the guitar. The courtroom sketch is also pretty entertaining for how fast paced the jokes come at you. This episode could have been great, but it really needed Josh for the whole thing to keep it strong.
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Post by jadenh on May 3, 2021 15:26:50 GMT -5
Another KTMA down! This time, it's K12 - Fugitive Alien.
This is a solid episode, but it feels like it's missing something. Maybe this is because I have already seen the season 3 version. However, I do feel like even in comparison to other KTMAs, this one isn't as good. The movie did make a bit more sense the second time around. I understood that Ken is a fugitive because he killed his own parter, and that Rita is sent to assassinate him. However, once they go to whatever that middle-eastern looking place is, I completely fall out of it. The host segments here are also kinda stupid. The first mid movie segment is kinda funny just to see Crow dismantled in Gypsy's mouth. But other than that, they're kind of a waste. I almost feel like despite how great Josh is, this almost needs Trace to balance him out. While this episode can be a bit tough to watch, I can't deny that there were some good laughs here and there. So, I'll put it in the "good, but not great" category.
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Post by jadenh on May 6, 2021 6:43:59 GMT -5
K14 - Mighty Jack is done.
I've heard some people call this film painful before, but I really didn't think it was that bad. Was it boring? A little. Confusing? Not really if you follow along. And since the riffs are sparse here, it is much easier to follow the plot than it probably would be in the season 3 version. It's typical Japanese, which I have a soft spot for. So, I don't think the film here is really that bad. Despite not laughing as much here as I did in Fugitive Alien, I still feel like I enjoyed both episodes out the same. Since all three cast members are in the theatre this time, the riffing is much faster paced than it is in episodes like Fugitive Alien or especially Invaders from the Deep. And there are some solid jokes here and there. I admittedly can't remember the host segments that well, but I do kinda like the one where all three of the bots were welded together. Overall, a pretty solid KTMA episode. And with that, I'm finally done with the Japanese films for this season. Well, sorta. I don't think I'll ever see K03 for as long as I live. So, I'm considering them done.
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Post by jadenh on May 7, 2021 12:58:29 GMT -5
K15 - Superdome
Jeez, what a boring movie. I can't even remember what the plot was. I think there's a murderer going around trying to kill one of the football players or something? And then there's like some couple drama. There's absolutely no football, though. They could have not mentioned the Super Bowl at all and the movie would have been no different. Even Joel admits near the end of the film that there's not much funny about the film. I get that film selection was probably limited, but I would rather they didn't do this one than forcing themselves to sit through this snoozefest of a thriller. The riffing maybe got like a couple chuckles out of me, but that's about it. Granted, there's nothing really offensive about the riffing either. Usually, there's enough conversation happening to keep my attention, but even then I had to take a good couple breaks while watching this episode. Host segments are not that great either. However, I do like the "What a Wonderful World" montage. I can't really call this episode bad, since they really tried their best here and it's not completely unfunny. It's just that I would rather watch something else.
Speaking of something else, I took a little detour from my KTMA marathon and watched another season 7 episode, Deathstalker. And it was really funny! The second half was not as good as the first. That's kinda the standard for MST3K it seems. But I still got quite a few good laughs out of this one, and the movie is fairly watchable cheap fantasy schlock. What's not to enjoy?
Anyway, I only have two KTMAs left, and hopefully there won't be anymore duds like Superdome kinda was.
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Post by cavedweller on May 8, 2021 21:11:45 GMT -5
I just finished "Lord of The Deep" and I didn't laugh once. The riffs are missing their marks, and also not funny. I don't know what Joel was missing when he put the two last seasons together, but just not funny. Jonah needs acting classes, and none of the riffers have chemistry. Am I the only one seeing this?
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Post by cavedweller on May 8, 2021 21:14:05 GMT -5
Tried to watch something from season 12, just to see if my opinion changed (sometimes you have to live with a show or an ep, to form a fuller opinion of it), buuut after not laughing much I switched over to The Dead Talk Back - and my laughter picked up, it's not an upper-level ep for me, but it is good and steady - I also wanted to watch it after seeing Adam's video (so that was Lana Turner's body double, interesting). I am back to watching the last two seasons as well hoping my opinion would change, but it hasn't. Jokes are not funny, no chemistry, and Jonah needs acting lessons. I try to like it, but its just not funny.
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