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Episode guide: 517- Beginning of the End

Movie: (1957) A swarm of giant grasshoppers, inadvertently created by a radioactive experiment, heads for Chicago.

First shown: 11/25/93
Opening: During a group sing, M&tB get a wrong number
Invention exchange: The Mads present the re-comfy bike, M&tB show off their new playing cards
Host segment 1: Mike calls the Mads and catches them off guard
Host segment 2: Crow unveils his latest screenplay: “Just Plain Peter: The U of M Years”
Host segment 3: Tom’s standup routine is heavy on grasshopper jokes
End: The bots post-card, Bert I. Gordon special effects, Mads are boxing
Stinger: “Alright, men. Into the woods!”
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (231 votes, average: 4.32 out of 5)

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• This one’s a bit of a change of pace, literally: Bert I. Gordon slows things down and grinds out the filler thoughout a drab, monster-free first half — but that just leaves plenty of room for the riffs. Once the grasshoppers and Peter Graves arrive, things really pick up. The host segments are fun, especially Crow’s newest screenplay.
References.
• Mary Jo is VERY good at playing those trailer trash gals. Maybe a little TOO good. That’s Paul yelling in the background.
• The playing cards bit, which I think even they realized was a little wifty, would be parodied in season six.
• Some grasshoppers were harmed in the making of this movie: According to reports, the grasshopper wranglers started with 200 of the little guys. During the filming, they began to cannibalize one another, and by the time the last shots were done, only a dozen were left.
• When we started doing the Mike episodes, somebody in the comments said it was the beginning of an era when the Mads became more effeminate, and yeah, I guess there was a bit of an upswing of that kind of comedy. Segment one is a good example.
• Rhino really screwed the pooch on the packaging for this one: Joel’s picture is on the package and he is touted as the star. On the menus, you can hear Arch Hall Jr. croon “Vicky.” Bleah.
• Tom begins to sing a few bars of George Michael’s “Faith” before Mike and Crow threaten him.
• Callbacks: What would Mitchell do? “…sing whenever I sing…” (Giant Gila Monster) Trumpy! (Pod People)
• In the theater somebody who is not Mike coughs. I think it’s Kevin.
• Cast and crew roundup: I’m not going to recite the whole Bert I. Gordon litany. Screenwriter Fred Freiberger was the producer for the “Space: 1999” episodes that appeared in “Cosmic Princess. Cinematographer Jack Marta also worked on “Earth Vs. The Spider” and “War of the Colossal Beast.” Editor Aaron Stell also worked on “The Giant Gila Monster” and “Killer Shrews.” Flora Gordon also helped with special effects on “Amazing Colossal Man,” “Earth Vs. The Spider,” “War of the Colossal Beast,” “Magic Sword” and “Village of the Giants. Special effects guy Dean Duncan Parkin was an actor in “War of the Colossal Beast. Production manager James Harris also worked on “Amazing Colossal Man.” Art director Walter Keller also worked on “Earth Vs. The Spider” and “War of the Colossal Beast.” Sound guy Dick Tyler Sr. also worked on “Radar Men from the Moon.” Our old pal score composer Albert Glasser did music for too many movies to name.
In front of the camera, I’m not going to recite the Peter Graves litany again. Morris Ankrum was also in “Rocketship XM.” James Seay was also in “Amazing Colossal Man.” Hank Patterson was also in “Amazing Colossal Man” and “Earth vs. the Spider. John Close was also in “The Slime People” and “The Deadly Mantis.” Rayford Barnes was in “Mitchell.” Don C. Harvey was also in “Revenge of the Creature.” Larry J. Blake was also in “Teen-Age Crime Wave.” Eileen Janssen was also in “The Space Children.” Patricia Dean was also in “The Girl in Lovers Lane.” Peggie Castle was also in “Invasion U.S.A.” Pierre Watkin was also in “Radar Secret Service.”
• CreditsWatch: Host segments directed by Kevin Murphy. This was Stephanie Hynes last episode as an intern. There’s a special item at the end: “Shot entirely in Minneapolis, home of the University of Minnesota.”
• Fave riff: “Look, we’ll move to the loop to Schaumburg!” Honorable mention: “Yeah, terrible. Martinis?”

162 Replies to “Episode guide: 517- Beginning of the End”

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  1. Cornjob says:

    I just read over the comments from 4 years ago, and I had commented on the Diane Arbus riff back then. I think it was my first post on these episode threads. The first I recently spotted anyway.

    I find the special effects in this film are often genuinely creepy, even if they are also obviously and laughably fake. A little suspension of disbelief can go a long way here.

       7 likes

  2. Cornjob says:

    My last post has “Your comment is awaiting moderation” under my name. Is this a new procedure or something?

       2 likes

  3. Stefanie says:

    This episode is okay, I guess. The only worthwhile thing about it was that I learned that Peter Graves went to the University of Minnesota. It’s good to know things like this.

       3 likes

  4. ck says:

    #103
    What? You didn’t know James Arness’ far more talented brother attended
    the UoM? I recall seeing a revival of Crow’s play about the early
    Peter Graves at London’s West End. Or was it The Mousetrap? Phantom
    of the Opera?

       2 likes

  5. Sitting Duck says:

    @ #86: Other than the name Jimmy being used (which isn’t exactly a rare name), I don’t see any connection to I Accuse My Parents.

    BTW who is this Vicky mentioned in HS1 (presumably some daytime trash host of the time)?

       0 likes

  6. Bombastic Biscuit Boy says:

    #105 I always thought it was a oblique reference to Ricki, that annoying host of that annoying talk show of the 90’s The Ricki Lake Show.
    On a related note, I really never thought of the Mads being “Gay” in the traditional sense of some kind of big statement, etc.; I just thought they supposed to be femmy, as opposed to the traditional “bad guy” behavior. It’s funny, but it’s been copied by every movie and TV show by now.

       3 likes

  7. Cubby says:

    Sitting Duck,
    Biscuit Boy is close, but Frank is referring to Vicki Lawrence, who had her own daytime talk show for many years in the 90s (maybe into the very early years of the 00s, but who cares).

       2 likes

  8. KidFlash25 says:

    This is the first episode I distinctly recall. (To be exact – I remember a specific riff: ‘Hey, look, he’s signing AAAHHHHH!’) I know I watched before Mike came onboard, but this is when I actively remembered to try to watch every week. Plus, being almost 15 at the time and raised on a steady diet of Mel Brooks and ZAZ movies, the schtick was clearly in my wheelhouse.

    Sadly, my parents ditched cable not long after, so any MST3K episode I could catch was a good one.

       4 likes

  9. Doug says:

    Ah, yes, the mountains of Illinois. They’re just as majestic as the mountains of Florida.

       5 likes

  10. MSTie says:

    Not one of my top ten, by any means, but still a fun entry in the “giant mutated bug” movies of the era. Could’ve used more grasshoppers in the early part of the movie. The ‘hoppers climbing on the postcards, er, I mean, the buildings of Chicago was a horrible but funny special effect.

    My favorite riff was probably when the troops or National Guardsmen were retreating from the ‘hopper horror: “One weekend a month, my ass!”

       5 likes

  11. itsspideyman says:

    #34

    I may have missed where someone posted it, but when they sing “How Will You Make it on your Own”, they’re singing the beginning of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. It started with Mary driving her car to the big city of Minneapolis to start working for WJM. It was about a happening lady and the life in the big city.

    Lot’s of tie-ins with the MST3K crowd, being from Minnesota and all. :)

       4 likes

  12. Strummergas says:

    An ok episode for me. 3 stars, but then again, there aren’t very many episodes that I would rate lower than 3 stars anyway. I usually really enjoy the B.I.G. flicks, but I found myself dozing off a few times in the middle of this one (it just might be because I spend most of the day before I watched this drunk!). Anyway, the Peter Graves segment is lots of fun, especially to someone who found the endless replaying of the closing speech of “It Conquered The World” to be a quite a funny gag. The femmy Mads thing on its own is pretty funny too, but I remember these type of jokes getting on my nerves the more they would trot them out (let’s see how I feel all these years later). Some decent riffing, mostly mentioned in prior posts, but very few home runs. I liked it better than some of the earlier Mike episodes though. I don’t recall ever seeing next week’s experiment, so that alone should keep me awake through the whole thing!

       0 likes

  13. ImaPotato says:

    This one crawls in the middle after the deaf guy bites it, but some good riffs, some decent ones and the Host segments are good not great overall

    INTRO

    Loved the yellow rose of TX song and the incessant (child support?) call was pretty good – B

    INVENTION EXCHANGE

    Like the recomfy bike, but how evil is it? Mike’s is interesting but more clever than funny with the “Todd” card. I relate to that being in the political circle and seeing those type of sycophants. Frank’s look and “On the left” yell makes this funny – B

    HOST SEGMENT ONE
    Spying on the MADS, “My baby rides the morning train…” and Mike pushing up Crow’s chin. Ok, but not great – C

    HOST SEGMENT TWO
    Peter Graves to U of M falls flat for me but I love Trace’s Graves impression. Tom’s ‘pin beak’ line gets a chuckle out of me – D

    HOST SEGMENT 3
    Rehashed (homage) in the show Community this was ok – C

    END
    Very weird with the MADS overcompensating after girly time – D

    FAVORITE RIFFS

    “Can I get Dramamine for these opening credits?”
    “Want some 7up and crackers?”
    “No”
    “Lukewarm Pork?”
    “Ugggh”
    “Sorry,sorry”

    Loved the long car sequence, “Radio is tuned to the marching band station”
    “I’ll take the long road, this IS a Bert I. Gordon film afterall”
    “Hey, take a PICTURE, you have a CAMERA!”
    “We’re not afraid of big ole bugs,Army guys like great big hugs”
    “One weekend a month, my ass!”
    “The Cubs DON’T win the pennant”

    and my #1
    Mike in perfect morning traffic radio voice
    “Well good morning, you have the Loop here, we are going to get bombed this morning,as you heard”

    The poor deaf guy..science really kicked his butt, huh?
    And hoppers on a postcard, major CGI for the 50’s haha

    SUMMARY

    I enjoy this one, but it’s not a favorite I give it 3 out 5 stars

       0 likes

  14. Johnny's nonchalance says:

    Two weeks ago I found a used VHS copy of this episode for 50 cents at a thrift store in Perham, MN. It works just fine.

    God bless you, Peter Graves. You were a boon to MSTie-dom. I, too, attended the University of Minnesota.

       7 likes

  15. AFFA says:

    @ Sitting Duck, #78, if you’re still around, I just noticed the same “censored” black box over a bit of the copyright info in the opening credits too. My copy is an original Rhino DVD. Anyone know if that was there in the original broadcast? What would they need to blot out??

       2 likes

  16. Sitting Duck says:

    Beginning of the End fails the Bechdel Test. No two female characters converse, with Audrey as the sole female throughout most of the film.

    What is that on the back of Frank’s nightshirt in the Invention Exchange? It looks like some cartoon dog, but I can’t make out who it is.

    Personally, I like the design for the Crow of Diamonds.

    The stinger is kind of meh. I would have gone with Frank signing a scream of terror.

    @ #48: But this is a Bert I. Gordon film.

    Favorite riffs

    This looks like where Ichabod Crane takes his dates.

    We’ll start the movie as soon as our ride gets here.

    “Car 254 has failed to report. Is that car in your area?”
    I beg your pardon?

    “The whole town’s destroyed!”
    It’s really neat!

    Maybe after this whole cover-up, we can have coffee sometime.

    Hey, this isn’t a stick shift. AAAHHH!!!!!

    Okay, forget locusts. Giant panda bears, and they fly.

    We’re not afraid of giant bugs.
    Army guys like gentle hugs.

    One weekend a month, my arse!

    And guests of the Beginning of the End stay at the beautiful Capitol Dome.
    Inferior guests stay at the Department of Defense Annex.

    Hey, I’m vindicated! How many dead?

    Dear Abby, I’m an elderly woman who doesn’t enjoy se- Oh, this came to the wrong place!

    Hey General, where you going?
    I’m going to Decatur. I’m going to shoot that paperhanging son of a bitch!

    Even our best footage can’t stop them!

    Hi, I’m going to sneak in here and say, “Hope you’re enjoying the show.”

    They’ve broken our code, and the sergeant was a grasshopper undercover.

    “You can’t drop an atom bomb on Chicago!”
    Sure you can!

    I hate to ask you this, but where are your nipples?

    Just come to see what you’ve done with all the grant money. OHMYGAWD!!!!!

    Well, good morning. You’ve got the Loop here. It’s going to be a nice day today. We’re going to get bombed. You’ve probably heard about that.

    Maybe he’s innocent. Maybe they’ve got the wrong hopper.

    Bug fell and hit his head against the bars if anyone asks, right?

    They’re not going to let us drop the bomb. Don’t answer it.

    He just polygraphed the sandwich. He needs real help.

    It’s got to be a trick. There can’t be that many lady grasshoppers in Lake Michigan.

       8 likes

  17. MSTie says:

    From the opening, a classic line with a ton of uses: “Hold on, my bacon’s on fire.”

    @Sitting Duck, I tried to get a good look at the cartoon dog on the back of Frank’s nightshirt. It looks like some weird mutant Snoopy. Anyone know?

    The black box of censorship in the credits is indeed odd. The line says “Copyright MCMLVII by [box] Pictures Corporation. Checking IMDb, the production company was called AB-PT Pictures Corporation. Did that turn out to be some naughty acronym or something? I don’t get why they’d censor it, either. AB-PT stood for American Broadcast-Paramount Theatres, according to IMDb. This company also brought us The Unearthly — wonder if its credits have the same censor box?

       4 likes

  18. MSTie says:

    P.S. Just looked. Yes, The Unearthly has the same black censor box over the first part of the corporation’s name. Huh.

       2 likes

  19. MSTie says:

    All right, sorry to be a pest, but if you’re like me — and I know I am — you want to know everything there is to know about MST3K trivia. Found the answer in a book called It Came from 1957: A Critical Guide to the Year’s Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. Both BotE and TU were “… produced and originally slated for release by AB-PT Pictures (a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Broadcasting and Paramount Theaters). In March of [1957], talks were underway between AB-PT Pictures, Republic Pictures, and United Artists to distribute features under the AB-PT banner, but this double bill was finally released by Republic Pictures, implying that the AB-PT distribution deal went sour somewhere along the line.”

    Sorry to make three posts in a row; if I could combine them, I would. P.S. Apparently the double bill of BotE and TE did quite well.

       7 likes

  20. Bruce Boxliker says:

    Love the movie, lots of great riffing. Not a big fan of the host segments, though. Well, except for the toy grasshoppers attacking the postcards bit, that was pretty funny.

    So, why exactly was the entomologist in charge of the irradiated plants experiment? Yes, it’d be important to have one on hand for that, but the person who’s actually in charge of something like that really should be a botanist. Oh, that’s right – the botanist has a handicap & isn’t the main character. That’s why.

       4 likes

  21. jjk says:

    Since it failed the Bechdel test does that mean I have to burn all my copies of the episode? We can’t allow such blatant sexism in present day America. I’m ashamed I ever watched this movie.

       8 likes

  22. Dracula says:

    It’s telling how low some of the MST movies sink, since when we started this movie, we were saying “this is actually pretty good…” Our tunes changed by the third act.

       0 likes

  23. Johnny Drama says:

    WampaX:
    Anyone else remember or have a copy of the the adds for this episode?

    All I can recall is that it involved Tom Servo in front of the Comedy Club “wall” from the 3rd host segment . . .

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xv9bD-dAzY

       1 likes

  24. goalieboy82 says:

    Johnny Drama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xv9bD-dAzY

    i have that on one of my MST3K vhs tapes (recorded during Turkey Day 1993). that is around the time my family (was 11 at the time) started to get into the show (would watch the show on Saturday and have dinner in front of the TV). those were the days my friend.

       2 likes

  25. thequietman says:

    “We’re havin’ light conversation in the midst of unbearable tension!”

    After last week’s episode, I was caught off-guard by how much fun this episode was. The movie seemed tailor-made for the MST treatment as so few films are; goofy premise, a smarmy ‘hero’, ineffectual military and laughable effects. All the host segments have something to recommend too. I loved Servo’s breakdown at the end of Crow’s little Peter Graves presentation; Crow, YOU ARE OUT THERE!! WWWWWAAAYYY OUT THERE!!!!

    Incidentally, during the credits someone mentions “bigfoot pizza”. Was that a reference to Bigfoot Pizza put out by Domino’s (I think) in the mid-90s? I can still remember the commercials for it. “BIG-FOOOOOOOT!”

       4 likes

  26. MikeK says:

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the host segment featuring the private life of Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank is wonderful.

    “Vicki is on!”

       9 likes

  27. JeremyR says:

    jjk:
    Since it failed the Bechdel test does that mean I have to burn all my copies of the episode? We can’t allow such blatant sexism in present day America. I’m ashamed I ever watched this movie.

    Does MST3K itself ever actually pass the Bechdel test? Since they basically had one woman cast member (Mary Jo) and occasionally another (Bridget)

    Not that i personally care, but it seems strange that the guy who always points it out when it comes to the movies on MST3K, doesn’t apply it to MST3K itself. Kinda like how they often make jokes about white people on the show, since almost all the cast in older movies is white, yet MST3K was also all white (at least until the reboot)

       3 likes

  28. Warren says:

    I don’t think I commented on this one the previous time, so here goes. This is a decent giant bug movie, not great but it delivers the goods where low-budget giant bug movies are concerned. I’m Peter Graves….and I liked the skit about repetition in a screenplay. Having driven through northern Illinois and visiting people there, I can vouch for its post-glacial non-mountainous flatness. This part of the synopsis bothers me:”Host segment 2: Crow’s unveils his latest screenplay”. It must be the former English student in me, but it should read:”Host segment 2: Crow unveils his latest screenplay”. It may be nitpicking but I can’t help it!

       2 likes

  29. Dan in WI says:

    thequietman:

    Incidentally, during the credits someone mentions “bigfoot pizza”. Was that a reference to Bigfoot Pizza put out by Domino’s (I think) in the mid-90s? I can still remember the commercials for it. “BIG-FOOOOOOOT!”

    Actually the Bigfoot was Pizza Hut. Domino’s had the Dominator as I recall. I’m always surprised these didn’t last. You’d think there would always be a party which would want to order something larger.

       1 likes

  30. Sitting Duck says:

    jjk:
    Since it failed the Bechdel test does that mean I have to burn all my copies of the episode? We can’t allow such blatant sexism in present day America. I’m ashamed I ever watched this movie.

    Let’s not go there. If we start having Soviet-style purges of films that don’t conform to modern sensibilities, the next thing you know, EricJ will be demanding that all MST3K photos have Mike airbrushed out of them and his name deleted from all MST3K-related media. That’s a dangerous slippery slope you’re proposing.

    For those who get all hot and bothered by my bringing it up most every week, let me reiterate. I’ve never said that passing the Bechdel Test indicates a film is pro-feminist. Others might make such a claim, but I’m not one of them. The intent of the Bechdel Test AFAICT is to determine if a film can manage to take the focus away from the male characters, even for just a bit. Not quite the same thing.

       13 likes

  31. MSTie says:

    Sitting Duck: Let’s not go there. If we start having Soviet-style purges of films that don’t conform to modern sensibilities, the next thing you know, EricJ will be demanding that all MST3K photos have Mike airbrushed out of them and his name deleted from all MST3K-related media. That’s a dangerous slippery slope you’re proposing.

    For those who get all hot and bothered by my bringing it up most every week, let me reiterate. I’ve never said that passing the Bechdel Test indicates a film is pro-feminist. Others might make such a claim, but I’m not one of them. The intent of the Bechdel Test AFAICT is to determine if a film can manage to take the focus away from the male characters, even for just a bit. Not quite the same thing.

    I for one always enjoy the Bechdel Test analysis/summary. It plain interests me as film history, yet makes absolutely no determination as to which MST3K movies I enjoy or don’t enjoy. For example, one of the Bechdel-failingest movies ever is Catalina Caper, yet it’s one of my top ten. Carry on, my wayward son. I mean, Sitting Duck.

       7 likes

  32. Dave3k says:

    MSTie: I for one always enjoy the Bechdel Test analysis/summary.It plain interests me as film history, yet makes absolutely no determination as to which MST3K movies I enjoy or don’t enjoy.For example, one of the Bechdel-failingest movies ever is Catalina Caper, yet it’s one of my top ten.Carry on, my wayward son.I mean, Sitting Duck.

    I too will take this time to reiterate my favor for the historically significant Bechdel Test analysis/summary. I just find it interesting, is all. Plus Sitting Duck took a swipe at EricJ outta nowhere. ;-)

       6 likes

  33. Shrike says:

    “The intent of the Bechdel Test AFAICT is to determine if a film can manage to take the focus away from the male characters, even for just a bit.” And that’s why it’s useless. TBOTE has a very strong female lead who is assertive, competent, and obviously respected by the males in the picture. But because she doesn’t stop and say to another female character “Is there any place around here to get some good Chinese food?” it fails some arbitrary, silly “test”? Ridiculous. Utterly, absolutely, completely ridiculous.

       5 likes

  34. littleaimishboy says:

    This really isn’t that bad of a movie at all. It’s miles (O’Keefe) ahead of Creeping Terror, K-Shrewz, etc. And apparently B.I.G. put some serious work into it, out back there in his garage, with his specially imported grasshoppers and his postcards of the Wrigley Building & all. Low tech doesn’t mean low effort! And the acting is, well, you know, Peter Graves, but competent. Altogether a very very fun episode. And, needless to say, I’m Peter Graves.

       3 likes

  35. Lawgiver says:

    Sitting Duck: Let’s not go there. If we start having Soviet-style purges of films that don’t conform to modern sensibilities, the next thing you know, EricJ will be demanding that all MST3K photos have Mike airbrushed out of them and his name deleted from all MST3K-related media. That’s a dangerous slippery slope you’re proposing.

    For those who get all hot and bothered by my bringing it up most every week, let me reiterate. I’ve never said that passing the Bechdel Test indicates a film is pro-feminist. Others might make such a claim, but I’m not one of them. The intent of the Bechdel Test AFAICT is to determine if a film can manage to take the focus away from the male characters, even for just a bit. Not quite the same thing.

    I always find these results interesting. Sometimes a movie you expect to pass doesn’t and vice versa.

    Anyway, “Beginning of the End” is one of my favorite types of movies – B/W sci-fi or horror. Because they’re so old, the science in them is completely out there. And the special effects are so cheesy.

    Favorite riffs:
    Crow: Hey, this is even worse than that other stuff that we didn’t know what it was.
    Mike: You know, giant grasshoppers, you just take it for granted you can find them, but when you want them, they just disappear.
    Tom: I know what you’re thinking, grasshopper, did I fire six shots or…
    Tom: What is this, a welcome respite from all the action?
    (couldn’t pick between those last two)

       3 likes

  36. Cornjob says:

    Despite the obvious superimposed look that the bugs have, I find them rather creepy. Things with exoskeletons are so alien to mammalian life forms. Maybe that’s why they make good monsters with a little size alteration.

       2 likes

  37. new cornjob says:

    Cornjob:
    Despite the obvious superimposed look that the bugs have, I find them rather creepy. Things with exoskeletons are so alien to mammalian life forms. Maybe that’s why they make good monsters with a little size alteration.

    yes, interesting lil’ buggers – especially cicadas (’tiss the season!) – almost the little “dinosaurs” of insects; i guess they evolve so slowly because they only get to do it every seven years. it’s strange though how comforting the sound of ’em is in the late-summertime; like the sound of the surf… “it’s 10pm, and in the trees, all is well”. (unless it’s a peak season, then there’s too many, and they’re too noisy all over the place like ‘hoppers in “BOTE”! annoying as hell!)

    i am partial though to preying mantises; they sure are interesting bugs, oddly bipedly in their construction, so i suppose that makes them seem more “humanlike”. (not to mention the “marty feldman” eyes, lol! ;) no kidding; not to sound like a phraek! but let one crawl up your arm and over your head sometime. if you can possibly stand it… ;) but they seem to have some odd, insect-like sentience. rilly they do!

    as sluggish as it is to start, i am partial to this flick, since it’s one of the few i’d seen outside/before mst3k… a classic staple of mid-afternoon after-school sci-fi tv movies on the local station! “sort-of great,” for that reason alone, yet at the same time, overall, not “great” – but that’s only because there’s so many eps to compare it to. it really is about as “classic cheapo giant-bug of a movie” as one can get!

       2 likes

  38. touches no one's life, then leaves says:

    Uh, jjk, Shrike, and other Bechdel Test critics, wouldn’t it be easier to just say…nothing?

    Sitting Duck enjoys providing the Bechdel Test reports, and others, such as me, enjoy reading it. If you don’t like it, the course of least resistance is to just ignore it instead of taking up time and energy complaining about it.

    This post of mine here is the NINTH post to mention the Bechdel Test in this thread. That’s eight times more than it’s usually mentioned, because usually Sitting Duck refers to it once and everyone just…moves on.

       5 likes

  39. Shrike says:

    I have a character flaw that requires me to point out ridiculous nonsense.

       4 likes

  40. Lisa H. says:

    Precisely the point of the Bechdel test is that it’s such a low, even trivial, bar to clear – and yet many pieces of media do not (whereas they certainly have plenty of male characters talking to each other about something other than a woman). It’s not meant to say that a particular film is “acceptable” or “unacceptable” just because of this one characteristic. It’s a tool to reveal more general patterns.

    FWIW, Sitting Duck, I also find it interesting in a film history sense. My gut feeling is that MST3K itself also passes the Bechdel test, although not with flying colors. (I can picture some host segments that involve two women, though it would take some digging on youtube to review them and check for sure what they’re discussing.)

       8 likes

  41. touches no one's life, then leaves says:

    Shrike:
    I have a character flaw that requires me to point out ridiculous nonsense.

    On the internet? That’s quite a flaw, all right.

       1 likes

  42. jjk says:

    “Uh, jjk, Shrike, and other Bechdel Test critics, wouldn’t it be easier to just say…nothing?”
    Why is it easier to say nothing? Don’t people who think this “test” isn’t interesting , informative or has any relevance whatsoever entitled to our opinion?

       3 likes

  43. touches no one's life, then leaves says:

    jjk:
    “Uh, jjk, Shrike, and other Bechdel Test critics, wouldn’t it be easier to just say…nothing?”
    Why is it easier to say nothing? Don’t people who think this “test” isn’t interesting , informative or has any relevance whatsoever entitled to our opinion?

    Of course you’re entitled to your opinion. I just don’t understand why you feel the need to share it (much less be adversarial about it).

    There have been many, many occasions when I’ve thought of something to say, started to type, and then decided “eh, not worth the effort.” I could’ve said something but decided to instead say nothing because it’s easier to say nothing than to say something because saying something requires effort and saying nothing…does not. That seems kind of obvious.

    But whatever.

       2 likes

  44. touches no one's life, then leaves says:

    See, here and now, this very moment, I started to expound upon my basic premise at length but then decided “eh, not worth the trouble.” See how easy that was?

       2 likes

  45. Shrike says:

    You’ve convinced me to continue pointing out the ridiculousness of the moronic Bechdel Test. Treat yourself to a cookie as you refrain from commenting.

       3 likes

  46. Franklyn Hart says:

    I always enjoy your Bechdel Test reports, Ms./Mr. SittingDuck, and look forward to more of them in the future.

    I also really enjoy this bug movie – it’s such enthusiastic, ridiculous fun – played straight by Peter Graves. Kinda like Airplane.

       5 likes

  47. touches no one's life, then leaves says:

    Shrike:
    You’ve convinced me to continue pointing out the ridiculousness of the moronic Bechdel Test.Treat yourself to a cookie as you refrain from commenting.

    No.

       2 likes

  48. jjk says:

    “Of course you’re entitled to your opinion. I just don’t understand why you feel the need to share it (much less adversarial about it)”.
    I felt the need to share it for the same reason you needed to share your opinion about my comment. Or don’t you follow the same rule you set for everyone else?
    As far as “adversarial” what you mean is anyone who doesn’t agree with you or Sitting Duck.
    Getting back to the subject I think “Beginning of the End” is a good giant bug movie, especially because it DIDN’T pass the Bechdel Test.

       3 likes

  49. new cornjob says:

    the BECHDEL TEST ESSAY… review and enjoy! ;)…

    jjk:
    “Of course you’re entitled to your opinion. I just don’t understand why you feel the need to share it (much less adversarial about it)”. I felt the need to share it for the same reason you needed to share your opinion about my comment. Or don’t you follow the same rule you set for everyone else? As far as “adversarial” what you mean is anyone who doesn’t agree with you or Sitting Duck. Getting back to the subject I think “Beginning of the End” is a good giant bug movie, especially because it DIDN’T pass the Bechdel Test.

    as if this writing, i do not believe i have -ever,- EVER seen someone write with some authoritarian exclamation, “i do hereby approve of this bechdel rating, and it will apply to everyone’s thoughts and feelings about ALL movies from here onforthwith!” ;0 so, i’m wondering why -you- guys gotcher panties in such a bunch?

    i never cared much at all about bechdel other than it was “an interesting thing to consider” – i’m here because i’m a fan, dammit! but, gee, then you all had to start making a stupid fuss of it all, so now i had to go take some time and at least read the wiki on it, so dammit lol, -YOU- made me read up on that much of it now! so, congratulations… and, you know what? THE BECHDEL IS AN INTERESTING THING TO CONSIDER (although implemented as a bit of “a joke,” it could use refinement maybe, but “i don’t care” – the subject from several paragraphs down).

    i’m certainly not feeling “insulted” by the concept of re-VIEWing movies in this light, and i certainly do not feel “OFFENDED” by this theorum being presented in a public forum as you do. dang, the sample comic on the wiki drops “alien” at the end. geez, and -still- not satisfied enough with trying to view culture from a different viewpoint???

    well, i guess that’s what it comes down to – your inability to see things, the world, from a different viewpoint. what, one dude to another huh? – we only supposed to be able to call each other “douche” or “ass-wipe” or some other b.s. “just kiddin'” kind of insult-style of conversation? got no long-brain, man? is that the only style of conversation allowed here? -WHO SAYS?- -YOU think “YOU say”??- bwahhh-hah-hahh-hah-hah… gee, why am -i- not “offended” by this statistic, which is all it is, a ‘statistic’… but -you- have to act out personally offended, mortally offended? that defines maybe a “football mentality,” to be perfectly generically “reverse-sexist” about it, although i’m a white guy too (and yes, gdmmit, i’m a-gonna assume that point. takes one to know one!).

    so, to quote up some “stripes”: “lighten up, francis!” frankly, i feel like you guys are “shills” astroturfing just because you’d been pretending for several months to put up the (frankly from a distant standpoint, a totally fake-feeling) “bernie-bro” false-front and are now out of work and don’t know what to do with yourselves. so now you’ve devolved into some sort of proto-marketing cavemen just typing away at a kb, not knowing what you actually think or how to behave in a social context. after all, here’s what’s going on here:

    us: “would you like some pie?”
    you: “no, thank you.”

    but what you -are- doing is:
    us: “pie?”
    you: “NO! I DON’T WANT ANY OF YOUR STUPID, MEANINGLESS, MORONIC PIE!”
    (well then, a pie to your face, then! ;)

    stop insulting the contributions of great and valued members without any real cause; it doesn’t serve you or anyone else at all in any sort of positive light. it’s just “statistically-anecdotal information,” and yet you gotta stomp your feet like spoiled little children, “pay attention to meeee!!”?!? well thank you for letting us all know -exactly- what type of person you are. claiming to be “bullied” is just bull****… you’re making a spectacle of yourselves, and everybody in their right minds knows it. now tell mommy we told her to tuck you into bed and tell you to chill the eff out, and if you can’t… just don’t bother coming here. no one would miss your negative contributions.

       2 likes

  50. Shrike says:

    Wow, you spent a whole lot of time vomiting that post out onto your keyboard. Don’t like my posts? Don’t read them. Spend that time you saved not being exposed to my caveman posts by patting yourself smugly on the back for being just so gosh darned evolved that you’ll consider any evaluation of a movie – no matter how utterly meaningless and ridiculous – just because it might be PC.
    TL;DR version: As Sterling Archer would say, go eat a buffet of dicks.

       1 likes

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