Sci-Fi Archives 
Visit our archives of the MST3K pages previously hosted by the Sci-Fi Channel's SCIFI.COM.Goodbye Sci-Fi Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett reflect on MST3K's final broadcast.
|
By Sampo, on September 2nd, 2010
Movie: (1982; original episodes 1976) A re-edit of two “Space: 1999″ episodes. The inhabitants of a space station encounter a hostile alien and his shapeshifting daughter. Later, her shapeshifting ability goes out of control and endangers the ship.
First shown: 1/22/89
Opening: It’s Superbowl Sunday! The Mads show off their “no-d” glasses.
Host segment 1: Crow gives Joel a haircut
Host segment 2: Crow suggests Servo can learn to fly. It doesn’t go well
Host segment 3: The Bots help Joel with his taxes, and find out more than they wanted to know
End: Joel, Crow and Gypsy play football, and Gypsy and Joel sing “We Are the Champions”
Joe’s notes: This episode originally aired on Superbowl Sunday 1989, which explains all the football stuff. Servo’s head comes off for the first time (that we know of) in this episode. This episode also marks the first time the show used a movie that was actually two TV shows loosely spliced together. The concept would later reappear on Comedy Central with the “Master Ninja” episodes and on The Sci-Fi Channel with the movie “Riding With Death.”
  (21 votes, average: 3.05 out of 5)
 Loading ...
• Segment 1 was re-done in episode 105- THE CORPSE VANISHES, and some of the football game during the end segment was featured in the MST3K Scrapbook Tape.
• Servo’s head extends again during the riffing.
• I love when Joel says something silly and Crow turns to him and calmly asks: “What color is the sky in your world, Joel?”
• During the transition period between episodes, Joel keeps saying “series” when he means “episode.”
• Servo just gets up and leaves at one point.
• About Servo’s head falling off: I think the first time it happens, after Crow has talked Tom Servo into base jumping off the desk, was on purpose. But when it falls off again later, that was an accident. It’s the kind of thing that would have caused them to yell “Cut!” later on.
• Servo is still steamin’ mad at Crow after segment 2. They two almost come to blows!
• Movie stuff: So, I didn’t watch this show as a kid. Was this sort of an attempt at a British “Star Trek”? Landau seems to be trying to do Shatner in a couple of places.
• Along the same line, maybe somebody here can tell me: Was “Star Trek” the first show to have laser guns that had a “stun” setting? ‘Cause these folks have them too…
• The episodes that were combined to make this “movie” were “The Metamorph” and “Space Warp.” The former was the debut episode of the show’s second season. The latter came 13 episodes later. Yet when the second half begins, alien Maya is still in sick bay. Was Maya in sick bay for 14 episodes?
• Can I just note that this movie is mostly really really boring, although it is occasionally punctuated by some actual action? (It nearly put me to sleep.)
• Fave riff: The reference to the “Dennis Hopper segment of the film.” Honorable mention: Joel sings a few bars of the Banana Splits theme song as our heroes climb into the ridiculous moon buggy.
By Erhardt, on September 2nd, 2010
DARKSTAR: The Interactive Movie will be available as an online download on November 5th via Strategy First and their partner sites. It will also be available at that time at darkstarstore.com in boxes as a physical copy and also on Amazon. The retail price will be $29.95. On February 14th 2011, COSMI Corporation will release physical copies in selected stores throughout the United States. An exact list of those stores will be made available later this fall.
You can see the new Dragon*Con trailer HERE.
Several blooper reels have also been posted on YouTube: Trace, Beez, Beez/Mary Jo/Frank/Joel/Josh
By Sampo, on September 2nd, 2010
BORN TODAY
1889: George H. Plympton, screenwriter for the season two serial THE PHANTOM CREEPS.
1905: Lionel Lindon, cinematographer for the movie in episode 113- THE BLACK SCORPION.
1917: Armando Trovajoli, score composer for the movie in episode 412- HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN.
1919: Bob Wehling, who played the searchlight guy Joe in episode 801- REVENGE OF THE CREATURE and who also was the screenwriter for the movie in episode 506- EEGAH.
1927: Francis Matthews, who did the voice of the title character on TV’s “Captain Scarlet”, episodes of which were shown in episode K02- REVENGE OF THE MYSTERONS.
1932: John Elias, the movie’s editor in episode 614- SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL.
1938: Jany Clair, who played Queen Agar in episode 410- HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN.
1943: Lisle Wilson, who played Dr. Loring in episode 704- THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN.
1964: Keanu Reeves, who was parodied by Mike Nelson in a host segment in episode 610- THE VIOLENT YEARS.
DIED TODAY
1964: Morris Ankrum (age 68), who played Gen. John Hanson in episode 517- BEGINNING OF THE END and scientist Dr. Ralph Fleming in episode 201- ROCKETSHIP X-M.
1973: Carl Dudley (age 62), producer of the short THE DAYS OF OUR YEARS shown in episode 623- THE AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN.
1974: Walter Strenge (age 76), cinematographer for the episodes of TV’s “Rocky Jones, Space Ranger,” shown in episode 413- MANHUNT IN SPACE.
1977: Maurice King (age 62), who produced the movie in episode 909- GORGO with his brothers Herman and Frank.
1982: Ada Vojtsik (age 77), who played Lemminkainen’s mother in the movie “Sampo” shown in episode 422- THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE.
1983: Nino Marchetti (age 74), who had a role in the movie in episode 408- HERCULES UNCHAINED.
1984: Sergei Martinson (age 85) a.k.a. SOVOL MARTINSON, who played the moneylender in the movie “Sadko” shown in episode 505- THE MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD. Martinson also played Mika in the movie “Ilya Muromets” shown in episode 617- THE SWORD AND THE DRAGON.
1993: Veronica Pataky (age 74), who played Sonya in the short ONCE UPON A HONEYMOON shown in episode 701- NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST.
EVENTS
1953: The movie shown in episode 109- PROJECT MOON BASE is reviewed in Variety.
1996: In Minneapolis, MST3K’S CONVENTIOCON EXPOFEST-A-RAMA 2: ELECTRIC BUGALOO ends.
1997: The 1ST ANNUAL MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER REVIEW special debuts.
This Date in MSTory is written and compiled by Steve Finley, Chris Cornell and Brian Henry. Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce This Date in MSTory items in any form without express written permission from the authors.
By Sampo, on September 1st, 2010
Tickets go on pre-sale Thursday and regular sale Friday for the Cinematic Titanic live show in St. Louis (see details below).
Also, the planned shows in Los Angeles this month have been canceled. If you bought tickets, you’ll be contacted about getting a refund.
Here’s a list of the upcoming Cinematic Titanic’s shows that have been announced:
• Saturday, Sept. 25: Two shows, 7 p.m. (“The Oozing Skull”) and 9:30 p.m. (“Samson and the Seven Miracles of the World”), at the Grove of Anaheim, 2200 E. Katella Ave. Looks like assigned seating. Tickets are $25 and $35.
• Friday, Oct. 15: One show (“War of the Insects”) at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St., NW, Washington, D.C. at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $35.
• Saturday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m. at the Edwards Auditorium on the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston Campus (about 30 miles south of Providence). Reserved seating. Tickets are $35; $15 with a valid University of Rhode Island ID. Get tickets on campus and at ticketmaster.com.
• Friday, Oct. 29: One show, 7:30 p.m. at the Wilbur Theater, 246 Tremont St., Boston. Looks like assigned seating. Tickets are $40.
• Saturday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:40), at the Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, in St. Charles, Mo. Tickets are $50, $40 and $35. Tickets officially go on sale Friday, Sept. 3, but pre-sale tickets start selling at 10 a.m. (Central time) Thursday. CLICK HERE and enter promo code: SNAKES.
• Saturday, Nov. 27 (that’s Thanksgiving weekend) two shows, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. at the Victoria Theater of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, One Center Street, Newark. Tickets are $33 and $36. Looks like general admission.
Also coming up:
Feb. 18-19, 2011, at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee,
April 15, 2011 at the Community Theatre in Morristown, N.J. and
April 16, 2011 a the McCarter Theater in Princeton, N.J. More info on these dates when we have them.
• Also, the Titans will also be attending Dragon*Con in Atlanta, Sept. 3-6.
Update: One other note–in their latest email the Titans offered this tantalizing tidbit:
“Those of you in the St. Louis area, KETC-TV will be showing our episode “Doomsday Machine” on weekends throughout September – along with pledge breaks featuring Joel and Frank. Check your local listings.”
We didn’t want to post about it until we knew more, and now we do. We spoke to folks at KETC today and they said the pledge drive will begin on or around Sept. 12 and the exact schedule they’re going to use isn’t set yet. They’ll let us know when it is and we’ll let you know. But it won’t be for another 10 days at least.
By Sampo, on September 1st, 2010
Curt Holman of Creative Loafing Atlanta brings us some observations by Mary Jo about being a con guest.
By Sampo, on August 31st, 2010
Or, the sad, lonely life of little Jimmy.
Download it here.
By Sampo, on August 31st, 2010
Here’s the official press release:
For Immediate Release
Shout! Factory to release
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIX
AS A LIMITED-EDITION 4-DVD BOX SET
PACKED WITH GYPSY FIGURINE, MINI-POSTERS,
AND FRESHLY SQUEEZED BONUS CONTENT
Featuring Never-Before-Released MST3K Episodes
Robot Monster, Bride of the Monster, Devil Doll and Devil Fish
IN STORES NATIONWIDE NOVEMBER 9, 2010 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY
You are cordially invited to celebrate the launch of this year’s holiday season with the rambunctious crew from the Satellite of Love, as Joel, Mike and their robot pals Gypsy, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot embark on a painfully joyful (and joyfully painful) voyage through the magnificent madness of the Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIX limited-edition 4-DVD box set (featuring the highly collectible Gypsy figurine) from Shout! Factory, in association with Best Brains, Inc. on November 9, 2010.
This side-splitting collection of MST3K features the show’s never-before-released episodes Robot Monster, Bride of the Monster, Devil Doll and Devil Fish. Those entrees come with a side of extras, including a new introduction by J. Elvis Weinstein, cult filmmaker Larry Blamire’s full-fledged geek-out on Robot Monster, new featurettes on Bride of the Monster and Devil Doll, MST3K: Origins and Beyond from CONvergence 2009, original movie trailers, and four exclusive MST3K mini-posters by artist Steve Vance. There might even be an Easter Egg…we’re just sayin’. This limited-edition 4-DVD box set also includes a figurine of Gypsy, the perfect companion to the Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo figurines included in previous year-end Mystery Science Theater 3000 DVD box sets, all of which have become collector’s items. A must-have for loyal fans and collectors, Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIX 4-DVD box set is priced to own at $69.97.
MST3K: ROBOT MONSTER
The sinister alien Ro-Man has decimated the Earth’s population, leaving only eight survivors, including a professor and the family of young space enthusiast Johnny.
Its status as “one of the worst films ever made” easily makes Robot Monster an instant hit with the crew of the Satellite of Love! Join Joel, Servo and Crow as they explore their own fears of Ro-Man — errr … Ro-Tom — surrealism and, of course, the awful greatness (and the great awfulness) that is Robot Monster!
Also includes the shorts Radar Men From The Moon: Chapters 4 & 5!
Bonus Features
Brand-new introduction by J. Elvis Weinstein
Larry Blamire Geeks Out
Original Robot Monster trailer
MST3K: BRIDE OF THE MONSTER
Horror cinema icons Bela Lugosi and Tor Johnson star in this unforgettable Ed Wood classic as the crazed Dr. Vornoff and his beastly assistant Lobo, who conduct heinous experiments on human victims in an effort to create a race of atomic super-beings that will conquer the world.
The film raises some intriguing questions: Do robots made of scrap parts aboard an orbiting satellite dream of electric sheep? Can Joel and the ’bots carry a tune? Who doesn’t love cold Tater Tots® and olive loaf? These and other, equally imperative, questions will be answered — and more — in this “very special episode” of Mystery Science Theater 3000 that pays tribute to one of Ed Wood’s best bad movies ever! After all, no Ed Wood film would truly be complete without the biting yet loving riffs of your faithful Satellite of Love crew!
Also includes the short Hired!, Part 1!
Bonus Features
Citizen Wood: Making ‘The Bride,’ Unmaking ‘The Legend.’
Inventing the “Invention Exchange”
Original Bride of The Monster trailer
MST3K: DEVIL DOLL
Well … hello Dolly!
Before a sold-out audience in London, “The Great Vorelli” performs with his ventriloquist dummy, Hugo. The doll walks on his own. It talks on his own. It even threatens the audience on his own. But is Hugo the real villain? Or could it be that his ventriloquist owner has lost his marbles?
While Pearl and Brain Guy show the Romans how to have a good time at the Lesser God Day celebration, Mike, Crow and Servo invite you to their own open-window frat party! Party it up with the S.O.L. crew, complete with special guests, devil dolls and their own British pub!
Bonus Features
The Puppet Master: Richard Gordon on Devil Doll
Original Devil Doll trailer
MST3K: DEVIL FISH
When Dr. Stella Dickens concludes the recent string of grisly deaths and demolished boats can’t be the result of any known marine creature, she sets out to capture the beast, a genetically created bio-weapon that must be kept secret . . . at any cost. One thing’s for sure, however: The fish are biting!
Beware the dolphins, after Mike and the crew of the Satellite of Love decide to mock their intelligence! Meanwhile, Pearl is forced to convince unexpected visitors that the castle’s actually a luxurious cruise liner! No one’s safe — least of all, Devil Fish — in this episode from Mystery Science Theater 3000’s ninth hysterical season!
Bonus Features
MST3K: Origins and Beyond at CONvergence 2009
Original Devil Fish trailer
By Sampo, on August 30th, 2010
Direct from Shout!, the extras for Vol. XIX will be…
• New introduction to Robot Monster by J. Elvis Weinstein
• Cult Filmmaker Larry Blamire Geeks Out on Robot Monster
• Citizen Wood: Making ‘The Bride,’ Unmaking ‘The Legend’
• Inventing the “Invention Exchange” with Joel Hodgson
• The Puppet Master: Richard Gordon on Devil Doll
• MST3K: Origins and Beyond at CONvergence 2009
• Original Theatrical Trailers
• Exclusive Mini-posters by artist Steve Vance
• Collectible Gypsy figurine
By Sampo, on August 30th, 2010
Trace, Frank, Bill, Joel, Kevin, Mary Jo and Josh will be at Dragon*Con Friday Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 5, in Atlanta. Here’s what they’ll be doing.
Please note: Being poor little church mice who cannot afford to travel to Atlanta, we will not be there. We will have open threads for reports! So, if you’re there, report! Also, send us photos, especially incriminating ones!
Friday 11:30 a.m. Kevin Murphy solo panel, A601-A602, Marriott.
This event has been cancelled.
Friday, 1 p.m. Bill Corbett solo panel, A601-A602, Marriott.
Friday 2:30 p.m. Trace Beaulieu’s Silly Rhymes for Belligerent Children, A601-A602, Marriott. Trace and our pal Len Peralta discuss their upcoming children’s book.
Friday 4 p.m. Darkstar : The Interactive Movie, Crystal Ballroom, Hilton. Trace will join the creators for this look at the long-awaited video game.
Friday 8:30 p.m. Cinematic Titanic, Regency VI-VII, Hyatt. Joel, Trace, Frank, Mary Jo and Josh will talk about CT, show a film, sign autographs, sell merchandise, it’s all good. FIVE AND HALF HOURS have been blocked off for this event!!
Saturday 11:30 a.m. Mystery Science Theater 3000, Regency VI-VII, Hyatt. Joel, Trace, Frank, Bill, Kevin, Mary Jo and Josh do a panel.
Saturday, 10 p.m. Nuts on the Road: The Quiz Show, International North-South, Hyatt. Trace, Frank, Bill, Joel, Kevin, Mary Jo and Josh will join the likes of Mythbusters’ Adam Savage, Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick of The Venture Brothers, Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and Widgett Walls of Needcoffee.com for a some kind of twisted game show. Few are expected to come out alive.
Sunday 10 a.m. Tom Servo vs Tom Servo, Capitol Ballroom, Sheraton. Josh and Kevin compare notes on being a gumball-headed robot.
Sunday 2:30 p.m. Mystery Science Theater 3000: Meet The Mads, Regency VI-VII, Hyatt. Trace, Frank, Bill, Kevin, Mary Jo and Josh discuss the ins and outs of showing bad movies to captive guys and their robots.
Sorry for leaving Frank off of this list by accident! And on his birthday!
Sunday 5:30 p.m. Rifftrax Live…sort of, International North, Hyatt Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy screen some classic shorts and answer your questions.
Sunday, 7 p.m. So You Wanna be a Screenwriter, Manila/Singapore/Hong Kong rooms, Hyatt. Frank will be among the experts on the panel looking at how-to and how-not-to
write for movies and TV.
By Sampo, on August 28th, 2010
Our pal and TIME Magazine’s resident MSTie Richard Corliss has a nice piece on RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic, including some fresh quotes from Joel and Kevin.
It’ll be interesting to see if this sparks a round of other media coverage.
In other media mentions, the terrific “Topless Robot” site recently did a list of its favorite MST3K guest stars.
|
|
