In the Sci-Fi Archives of the MST3k Info Club site, Satellite News, they continue the basic episode summary format that was established in the Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, just in case anyone here has that book and is curious about the cast and crew’s take on the later movies. On a few occasions, the crew remark on the fact that the Sci-Fi people were pressuring them to insert story arcs (as it was felt that a greater sense of continuity would improve viewership), and the difficulty the writers had trying to meet those expectations.
Or, you could go immediately to Episode 816, click on the stinger, and exult in the galaxy-spanning evil that is Krankor.
(Oh, and the site also has Season Seven from Comedy Central archived, too. Cool, huh?)
My friend suggested that he might not want to ever do that in her presence again, as she might have difficulty being intimate with someone she mentally associated with Torgo/Manos.
I noticed that problem myself, going through the MST3K site with the link provided earlier. I distinctly remember Joel holding a hat up over the screen when the chick was bathing in the water tank. But then, I also remember that show as being Mystery Science Theater 2000 at the time, which title has been a source of controversy. Bad Brain on my part, perhaps.
That was City Limits, a forgettable post apocalyptic tale. Joel had to open an umbrella to cover the nude woman in the water tank. They were unable o edit it out because that scene was part of the opening credits.
Also, the show was never officially broadcast as Mystery Science Theater 2000. That was a title Joel came up with but changed to 3000 before the show ever went on the air.
I only ever saw this show the once in the UK, a take on This Island Earth, and the commentary only added to the inherent cheesiness of the original film. In fact, while trying to remember what the film title was, I hopped onto www.imdb.com and found the following user comment;
Damn it … y’all went and had an MST thread without me!
I don’t get how people just gave up watching the show after Joel left, or after Frank left, or after Trace left, or what have you. If one cast member’s absence made the show unenjoyable to watch, how did you sit through a two-hour episode beforehand?
I admit I’m biased. however; I think most of the changes the show underwent post-Joel were for the better. I enjoy watching Mike’s incredible comic versatility as host; I enjoy the sharper, punchier aspect that Bill Corbett brought to the writing; and I think Kevin’s Professor Bobo was hilarious. And Mary Jo as Pearl … well, the upper midwest never produced a more loveable would-be despot.
I’ve never seen the original Gamera movie, MSTed or not. I’ve seen the first sequel, and the first in a series of modern updates on the character, both un-MSTed.
In another thread, I wondered if it would be possible for the MST3K gang to do their magic on – oh, say Star Wars Attack of the Clones, a film they could never get the rights to use, and then release their commentary alone as a separate track? You would then play the original AoC DVD, and it would run behind Mike and the 'bots, giving you the entire MST3K experience.
As they would not be using any copyrighted material, this would seem to be legally plausible. Or am I out to lunch?
When the first season of South Park came out, the commentary tracks were released on a series of CDs. You could only get them from Comedy Central. You’d cue up the CD at the right time and they would line up to the episode.
So, yes, it is possible. The only problem would be the length of the movie exceeding the length of a CD. Perhaps it could be done in an MP3 format.
I don’t think there are any legal issues involved with that. There’s already quite a market for home-made DVD commentaries that apparently doesn’t cause trouble for anyone, so what you’re suggesting would fall into line with that. The main issue would be making it worth the Brains’ while financially, I think. We can dream …
I taped that one off ABC in L.A. when they were showing episodes in one-hour segments at midnight or something. I showed it to some old college buddies, and they just fell over. Again, the Home Ec short is gold.
