Movie: (1965) A boy genius invents a growth formula, which is consumed by some trouble-making teens.
First shown: 1/22/94
Opening: M&tB are doing their quarterly workout
Intro: While Mike juices, Dr. F. downsizes TV’s Frank!
Host segment 1: Dr. F. interviews Torgo
Host segment 2: M&tB interview rough-looking Frank
Host segment 3: M&tB sing: “The Greatest Frank”
End: A letter to Frank, Frank gets his job back
Stinger: Tribute to Frank Zappa
(185 votes, average: 4.52 out of 5)
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• This is just a great episode all the way around: Great segments, a fun and very riffable movie, great riffing, a great song, everything you can ask for.
• This episode is included in Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol. XXVI.
• If you want to know more about this movie — a LOT more — check out villageofthegiants.net. Some amazing stuff there.
• References.
• The song Tom is singing in the opening segment is “Chicken Fat” sung by Robert Preston in the original song. I have vivid memories of being forced to do calisthenics to it in elementary school gym class.
• The segments are essentially one story, but each sketch is also a little bit of brilliant free-standing satire on the inanities of the working world. Having been canned myself, the opening resonates.
• Of course, one feature of this movie is an appearance by The Beau Brummels. I had never heard of them when I saw this for the first time, but they have their admirers, apparently.
• Non-spaghetti ball bumpers; close up film canister; pan down to notebook; shot of blackboard–a big bone hits it
• Callbacks: “Coruba!” (Outlaw) “What sin could a duck commit in a single lifetime?” (Amazing Colossal Man) “I didn’t steal no bike, neither.” (Teenage Strangler) “Dang smoochers!” (The the Eye Creatures) “I’m gonna moon you, man!” (The Beatniks).
• Segment 1 is another gem. The line “Well, I work too hard…hahaha” never fails to slay me.
• See something familiar in those exterior shots? That’s the back lot. Some of those houses were also used for TV’s “Bewitched” and “I Dream of Jeannie.”
• Segment 2 is yet another classic. I always have a hard time not using Frank’s lines when being interviewed.
• “Let Me Be Frank about Frank” is great stuff. The Paul Williams impressions are particularly funny. It was performed at the live shows in 1994, and featured a lovely interpretive dance by a leotard-clad Frank (video of which was included on the “Scrapbook” tape). The segment also features a great montage: Again, Cambot gets the credit, but the real artist is probably Brad Keeley. The song was created by the songwriting duo of Michael J. Nelson (music) and Bridget Jones (lyrics).
• In the credits, we get a reprise of the song and we think it’s all fun and then the whole thing becomes poignant. In the ACEG, I believe it was Kevin who noted that Zappa had contacted the Brains shortly before his death with the idea of doing something together, but time ran out, alas.
• Cast and crew roundup: Again, I am not going re-recite the Bert I. litany. Suffice to say we know him well. Some guy named H.G. Wells also wrote stuff that “Riding with Death” was very loosely based on. Cinematographer Paul C. Vogel, special effects guy Herman Townsley and art director Franz Bachelin all worked on “Tormented.” Photo process guy Farciot Edouart, sound recorder Charles Grenzbach and make-up man Wally Westmore all worked on “The Space Children.” Sound effects guy Jack Cornall worked on “King Dinosaur.” Editor John Bushelman also worked on “King Dinosaur” and “Tormented.”
In front of the camera, Tommy Kirk and Jim Begg were both in “Catalina Caper.” Johnny Crawford was also in “Space Children.” Bob Random was also in “Being From Another Planet.” Joseph Turkel was also in “Tormented.”
• Creditswatch: Host segments directed by Kevin Murphy. Also, with this episode the “Manager of Business Affairs” credit vanishes, and in its place is a “Director of Operations” title, held by one Jeffrey P. Young. He lasted a grand total of five episodes. I bet there’s a story there.
• Fave riff: “This is Tommy Kirk REALLY acting!” Honorable mention: “A buffalo shot that covers three states.”
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“Let me be frank about Frank” is one of the most hillarious and somehow emotionally touching songs from the whole series! Even moreso than “Nummy Muffin Coo-cool Butter”
The show was really blessed to have Kevin Murphys voice coupled with Mikes musical/composition abilities … their takes on various musical styles were always a bullseye (doo-wop, hippie music, singing quartet, commercial jungles, to name a few)
I remember the Zappa stinger from the original airing of this show! But i had forgotten which episode it was from … I watched VOTG at least 3 times this year, but somehow i stopped the movie during the credits and missed the stinger. Long live FRANK!
Zappa riff: As the giants are shrinking – “don’t breathe the Yellow opie”
From: “don’t eat the Yellow Snow” – as heard in a Zappa Song
also echoes “don’t eat the Brown acid” – from a Woodstock 69 stage announcement
Tommy Kirk in shortshorts=Nightmare fuel!
“Though it pains me, I’m not familiar with the “call-in” show. Is there more information about it (or a file at DAP) and when it aired?”
If i remember correctly, it was called Play MST for Me. I remember thinking, who in the hell would keep voting for Giant Gila Monster? It was so rigged. Apparently people complained cause pretty soon the ads depicted us, the MSTies, as cigar smoking trailer trash caricatures. I actually thought it was damn funny but I would assume a lot of MSTies were pissed.
If this is indeed what you’re talking about. The live stuff with Mark and the CC guy came later and I only vaguely remember that stuff.
The live stuff with Mark and the CC guy came later and I only vaguely remember that stuff.
This is what I was referring to by the “call-in” show (Sampo referred to it as such).
I’m sorry I missed that ad, too. I missed a lot back then. Damn you, Life!
This was definitely a Season 5 best, and what made it different was that the host segments had a story arc – a funny story arc. I know while my family was watching this with me, we all speculated about whether or not Frank was leaving, right on the heels of Joel’s departure.
Fav lines… Crow: “Tommy’s hair gets higher with every scene.” Mike: “So does Tommy!”
Great riffing, fun movie to watch along with M&tB, a nice tribute to Zappa at the end, this was a minor classic.
#50 BebopKate:
That link leads to my website. Nice to hear it piqued your interest.
One of the better ones, not a classic but certainly in the “very good” category. What a hoot to see Ron Howard as nerdy young “Genius”, and Beau Bridges in a film he probably wishes he could forget. The host segments involving Frank being fired and the “Let me be frank about Frank” song was terrific, made poignant at the end credits when the song is reprised and Frank Zappa’s picture came up and you realize the song was actually the Brains tribute to Zappa. Nice touch.
Oh, sweet floppy Frank! <3 <3!
Ah, so *this* is where Frank’s song came from… (as I saw it in the live show clips on youtube)
Even though continuity clearly wasn’t highly regarded here, I have to wonder a) where the heck did that cat go? I imagine that door leads outside, but why make such a big deal about the ‘secret being out’ when the ducks fly the coop when the cat was apparently at large before that? At least we see the ducks after (after all, can’t cut a plot point), but oddly the cat falls into a black hole. b) k so weren’t the ‘giants’ all the idiots from another town that somehow crashed their car in the mud at the start? If so then how in the world would they know about the sherrif’s kid, as I doubt this would be common knowledge. c)how the heck did giant ducks get inside a structure and unnoticed and d) though someone already pointed it out, the fact that apparently the reverse doesn’t hold true for the clothes during transformation.
Callbacks: And though I don’t believe it was movie specific, during the dancing ducks scene after someone says ‘Where’d those ducks come from’, Tom (with a specific voice in mind?) chimes in ‘Obviously Gamera the turtle isn’t far behind’
And I too wondered when they mention the Master (esp with Torgo prominently featured)and his wife, but was this a reference to something else?
Oh right, knew there was another, as I believe it was Tom says ‘Eegah’ at some point, mimicking how Kiel said it (which is different since the usual callback is of course the classic ‘Watch for snakes’)
And Mike, as always, gives another awesome Torgo performance, and I especially like the fact that when Forrester hurries him along they speed up his theme, and of course the Torgo touch to Forrester (and I too can’t help but speculate as to what transpired at the end offscreen as well)
And wow Sampo, I am quite the anime (and manga) fan, but I’ve yet to see anything Lupin beyond Miyazaki’s Castle of Caglistro. Any other anime you watched?
Also, I guess that wasn’t the same guy that played annoying bumbling sidekick in Catalina Caper, Del Moore?
Upon showing the start of it to some friends, I noticed Tom quietly sings the title of ‘Wiiild Rebels’ during the opening credits.
Geez, and yet another callback I had noticed but forgot to mention (wish this thing had an ‘edit post’ but this isn’t a forum) is during the infamous chest hanging scene by annoyingly striped-shirt guy one of them says ‘Glenn Manning was never this fun’ (Amazing Colossal Man)
The chance to see this episode on TV escaped me. However, I have seen the original un-MST’ed version of the film. If it weren’t for the great music and beautiful cars, it’d be unwatchble. Fortunately, Tommy Kirk’s contributions are limited. Maybe, the big spider in the basement was a holdover from “Earth vs the Spider.” But I digress. This is one I’d like to see on a Shout! set.
I don’t know what to say about this episode. It’s a definite Sampo’s Theorem episode. The movie and riffing do very little for me. As for the host segments, they are good. Any Torgo appearance can’t be all bad. That said and I can’t exactly put my finger on why but they weren’t all they could be either. I just expected more than this storyline delivered.
I like the way Crow spends so much of the film defending Willow then suddenly he riffs the “effects in Willow were better than this” and Mike has to remind him that he likes Willow.
I recall a time when we have several instances of the Abyss riff “you’ve never given up on anything in your life” but it has been some time. Mike uses that as an encouragement to Frank after the “Let Me Be Frank About Frank” song.
Favorite Riffs:
Opening shot of the wrecked car: Mike “Senator Kennedy, are you all right?”
The giant teenagers emerge: Tom “Say the giants look pretty good this year.”
Crow “okay show of hands, who wet ‘em?” Tom “I wet mine and yours sir.”
Fred takes a hit from the sling “Oo” Tom sings “I feel good”
Tom “It sounds like Shaft is coming.” Mike “Shut your mouth.”
Tom “think of their bladders. They’d really have to go to the bathroom when they shrink.” Crow “Yeah they should have exploded.”
Seriously, what’s not to love about this one?
the confusa-cat slow motion dance routines, the inaudible sheriff making vague and unintelligible threats, a giant Bea Bridges buffalo shot, giant fake legs, giant ducks and of course the ‘Frank song!’ of course after having seen this one a few times i could never take Beau seriously. even when he’s playing the overwhelmed, befuddled president in an NBC made for tv disaster flick. which of course is the crown jewel of roles for ANY actor. i do wonder if Ron Howard feels any pain from this one? i’m sure he’d just blame Clint for talking him into doing it.
and yes… when confronted by my parents in my younger days i threw out “i’ve made some calls i’ve put in some applications’ when i had actually blew the day off playing Joust at the arcade.
Hey! I liked Willow!
This is by far the grooviest Burt I. Gordon film they ever did. It’s just so goofy and colorful. For me the first real Mike episode.
“The Beau Brummel Bridges of Madison County!…don’t hit!”
“Now this is completely implausible! Yeah how did they get the money? They must’ve put it on their bill!”
Firesign Theatre reference: “Honey, and men…” from the great Government Training Film section of Everything You Know is wrong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V6z0OxuAzY
Some guy named H.G. Wells also wrote stuff that “Riding with Death” was very loosely based on.
Oh yeah, Hud Gomer Wells.
# 19: I wish that Shout! Factory would release a volume of Frank specific episodes. Namely “Rocketship XM” (Frank’s first appearance), this episode, “Samson Vs. The Vampire Women” (Frank’s last episode), and “Soultaker” (Frank (and Joel!) makes a guest appearance).
Two out of four so far.
# 59: Though someone already pointed it out, the fact that apparently the reverse doesn’t hold true for the clothes during transformation.
Something similar occurred in a Season Two episode of Wild, Wild West (the one where Loveless shrinks West).
I’m reasonably sure that Ron(ny) Howard isn’t still listing this on his resume. That being said, I turn my attention to the sheriff. For once, the sheriff of this small town isn’t played by Gene Roth. Instead, we are treated to the subtle presence of one Joseph Turkel. Born July 15, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, Joe is probably best remembered as Lloyd, the ghostly bartender, in The Shining (1980), and Dr. Eldon Tyrell in Blade Runner (1982). And let’s not forget his contribution to Tormented, another B.I.G. classic where he played Nick, the Blackmailer.
Favorite lines:
Oh, Madonna, what are you up to now?
And just a hint of “Toni Basil.”
Beau knows awkward dancing.
So, you think this music’s going to get near a melody, or what?
[T-bird hits power pole] So, I guess Jesus was run down with a Thunderbird.
[Tommy Kirk kissing a girl] This is Tommy Kirk really acting. Even the dog’s grossed out.
Hey, Keanu Reeves on Bass.
You know, as in-tune as Bert was with the 50’s he just didn’t get the 60’s.
I’ve just been rejected by Tommy Kirk, I can’t get any lower than this.
Wow, Opie shoots, he scores!
This guy went to the Peter Breck acting school.
Boy, getting huge didn’t give them any more rhythm did it?
Urban Cowboob.
I like to see Tommy Kirk get pushed around.
Ron must have gotten directing tips from Bert I. That’s why he made Willow.
Opie’s first martini.
Suddenly he snaps a tether and kills a coolie.
Jim Begg and the I.M. Force—should any of you or your pudgy incompetents be caught or killed…
Oh my God, Opie’s on fire…Surrender Aunt Bee.
By this time my son’s lungs were aching for air.
[the march of the Little People] One last offensive thing to leave you with folks. The shamed cast of Terror of Tiny Town meets the shamed cast of Village of the Giants.
Final Thought: The dancing ducks are a metaphor for this painful mess. I give this one 3 out of 5 stars.
Aimless drifting teens always confuse me-where were those kids headed? No where in particular. Man, I wish I was….
I also love seeing non-Opey young Ron Howard. In a Bert I. Gordon movie to boot!! And believe me, this film’s better than Food Of The Gods 2.
And the ending-god, it’s still awesome to me that my favorite TV show paid tribute to one of my fave musicians. Worlds colliding in a good way.
Were Lloyd and Beau Bridges the only relatives who starred in different MSTed movies? I can’t think of any others. “The Master” and “Debbie” were father and daughter but they were in the same movie.
I like this episode, although the movie’s “twist” ending with the little people is groan-inducing, like the rest of the movie isn’t. And along with others I wonder what happened to the giant cat. Maybe the goo eventually wore off. I don’t even want to think of the size of the hairballs.
I’ve never seen Willow. :laugh:
cool hand luke, cars being washed, pant pant.
Joy Harmon, total Joy….
Maybe it’s just the Nyquil talking, but I loved this episode! My expectations were low since I didn’t remember anything about it from originally viewing it back in the day which would imply that I didn’t like it much. I ended up watching this with a severe cold last week and under the influence of Nyquil and loved it all the way through, but then I always love Bert I. Gordon movies in MST and Mike’s Torgo is always hilarious, so I don’t know what I was thinking before.
Favorite lines:
“Well at this point, what’s inappropriate?”
“I blinded me with science?”
“How many sins could a duck commit in a single lifetime?”
“I thought God dressed better.”
And my favorite of all by Torgo in host segment 1: “What theme music?”
And does anyone know what the line about the hovercraft in Taurain V was referring to? I’m thinking Vonnegut but am not sure.
Should a boy offer a dog a martini?
This is one of the good Mike Season 5’ers for me. ‘Endless Frank’ just may be the best song they ever did (saying something). Absolutely hilarious. I have a friend who sings it occasionally and he doesn’t even watch the show.
I was a bit worried as it first aired though, as I thought Frank was actually leaving, and after Joel’s recent departure, I just couldn’t handle that. Needless to say, I was relieved at the end.
I haven’t seen this episode in a long time. I remember loving the host segments but not caring much for the movie portions. The CONSTANT references to Jim Begg really got on my nerves. But to be fair I should probably check it out again. Of course you can’t beat “Let Me Frank About Frank.” I was at the live show where Frank performed the dance, and it was truly memorable!
As several others have noted, the ending of this movie raises all sorts of questions. I mean, the Amazing Colossal Punks were certainly guilty of kidnapping, false imprisonment, malicious damage to property, assault and attempted murder. And, yet, the best the townsfolk can do as punishment is, “Go away and don’t come back.” I don’t think even the ACLU would complain if these jerks were locked up and “fell down the stairs” on the way to the cell.
The movie’s theme music was pretty cool, though.
For those who care about such things, there’s a weird little bit of synergy regarding the music in this week’s movie. The Beau Brummels–featuring a young Al Pacino–were good enough to have one song appear in the legendary “Nuggets” collection–an anthology of garage-band singles from the mid- to late-60s (“The Birds,” who are such an important part of “The Deadly Bees,” turn up in the companion collection, “Nuggets II.” Many of the “Nuggets” songs sound exactly like the kind of mid-60s pop songs that Frank Zappa so thoroughly parodied on “Freak Out.” It just seems fitting somehow to have The Beau Brummels be part of an episode that is also a tribute to Zappa, since Zappa’s early work with the Mothers riffs on cheesy pop songs in much the same way that MST riffs on cheesy movies. It’s really a shame FZ and The Brains never got a chance to work together–the results might have been astonishing.
@71: Were Lloyd and Beau Bridges the only relatives who starred in different MSTed movies? I can’t think of any others. “The Master” and “Debbie” were father and daughter but they were in the same movie.
I didn’t know that about Manos!
The only other family connection I can remember is Cameron Mitchell and Cisse Cameron, also father and daughter, playing Santa-father and gramma-daughter.
@78 – It’s also been legend that the Beau Brummels deliberately so named themselves so as to forever have their records next to the Beatles’ in record store shelves.
(Still, never realized that a young Al Pacino had been one of the original Beau Brummelstones…Every time he tried to get out, they pull him back in!)
Hands down, the greatest Mike episode of MST3K. It just narrowly edges out San Francisco International for my favorite. I love everything about this episode. I love all the host segments, and the riffing and great, and the movie is perfect cheese.
Some of the music from this movie ended up in “Death Proof” a few years back!
And, of course, this episode contains the best song the Brains ever did, Let Me Be Frank About Frank.
I may write more about this episode later
First things first. I LIKED WILLOW. (still do).
There are 7 references to Willow during this episode, which is a classic, and best of Mike’s Season 5 outings. The Host Segments are great, the movie is goofy Bert I. Gordon fun, Tommy Kirk is in short pants, little Ronnie Howard, and the riffing is solid and lively. The first two Host Segments are both solid, with some great quotes (“time management is essential”), but the standout moment is, of course, “Let me be Frank about Frank,” in HS#3. Maybe Mike’s best song… The reprise over the credits is a welcome bonus, but the tribute to Zappa at the end puts this one over the top. 5 STARS!
RIFFS:
Crow: “Just a hint of Toni Basil..”
Mike: “Senator Kennedy, you alright?” ——reference to Ted Kennedy’s infamous auto-crash..
Crow: “Alright, who gave the kids sugar?”
Servo: “It’s Alan Arkin!”
Crow (in Arkin voice): “What am I doing dancing here?”
Crow: “Tommy Kirk’s hair gets higher with every scene.”
Mike: “So does Tommy..”
sight of gumball machine,
Servo: “MOM! MOTHER!”
Crow: “So there was ecstasy in the Jello stuff?”
–
Let me be frank about Village of the Giants,
5/5
I’ve only watched it once, years ago. I’ll probably re-watch it this weekend. I seem to remember it being okay, but not great.
#79 I don’t think Cisse Cameron was Cameron Mitchell’s real daughter, at least IMDb doesn’t say it. I seem to remember that Cameron Mitchell’s real son played Blake, the enforcer with the mustache.
I’ve seen this once and seem to remember liking it but I don’t remember it very well. I’ll probably re-watch it this weekend.
#79 I don’t think Cisse Cameron was C. Mitchell’s daughter, at least IMDb doesn’t say it. Cameron Mitchell’s real son played Blake, the enforcer with the mustache.
#83: You’re right. I must have read something incorrect somewhere that said they were real-life relatives. Whoops. :-((
This is in my top ten favorite episodes! 97% of all jokes crack me up and this is the ONLY time Torgo is funny to me. When he entered the room and Doctor Forester pushed him along and the theme speeded up, I went nuts! “Let me be Frank about Frank” is one of the best songs they ever composed, and I could listen to Mike and Kevin sing over and over.
The part when the Sheriff sees the giant teens for the first time is genuinely one of the greatest monster reactions of all monster films EVER! It’s the best part of the whole movie.
Here’s a discussion thread idea: I love this episode, but my mom and sister can barely stand it, whereas they think “Catalina Caper” & “Batwoman” are fuuny, but I get physically ill trying to watch them. So, what’s a MST3K episode that you love, but you’re the only one in your family/group of friends who likes it?
On a final note, I love “Willow”.
Frank: “I put in some applications.” That’s me everyday recently.
Dr. F: “Frank, you’re fired.”
“But I still live here.”
What a weird, wild movie. Beau Bridges goes toga after becoming a giant. Tommy Kirk! The 60s!
“Opie’s on fire!”
The Ope of Greenwich Village.
The opening psychedelic music sounds a lot like the intro to “Whipping Post.” Maybe Greg Allman watched VOTG and was inspired.
Watching this reminds my of how fortunate I feel to have missed the 60s. This is not up to the embarrassment level of a Catalina Caper, but it’s close. I guess due to the clunky 50s innocence of Bert I Goron showing through. When did it become acceptable to just focus on girl hinders during dancing scenes? That said, IMHO Toni Basil was easily the best thing in this movie, in spite of her dance sequence of distraction.
Which reminds me: have we had a weekend thread about Worst Dancing in an MST movie? Seems like every movie in the 50s-60s had to have a dancing scene, even if it was liturgical. (See Mole People, or Wild Rebels, or Undead; even Devil Doll)
And finally, please, please, i will take Robert Ginty kissing every day over having to watch Tommy Kirk rub his lips on some poor clueless female.
Fred Burroughs:
If there had been no girl hinders to focus on, there would have been no 60s rock ‘n’ roll movies. Or 60s James Bond films, for that matter. Even relatively good stuff* like “Laugh-In” had its share of writhing, bikini-clad hinders. I think it was “proof” that the sexual revolution had happened–or at least that’s what everyone told themselves. Except Gloria Steinem and Germaine Greer, of course.
And speaking of hinders–Tommy Kirk’s little shorts are far more disturbing than the shorts all those schoolkids in Japanese monster movies seem to wear. I’m getting the shakes just thinking about it.
*Yeah, I know, I may be stretching the definition of “good stuff” here. But hey, The Beatles were fans of the show–for what that’s worth.
Did it occur to anyone else that the delinquents Didn’t Even Have To Have Been Giants in order to kidnap a little girl and extort obedience thereby? C’mon, THE BEATNIKS could’ve pulled THAT caper…
>>>Okay — so — when these giants were wearing these theater curtains as clothes, then they shrink back down to normal size, and THE CLOTHES SHRINK WITH THEM!
It was their perspiration. It permeated their clothes and formed a molecular, well, whatever.
>>>I like the way Crow spends so much of the film defending Willow then suddenly he riffs the “effects in Willow were better than this” and Mike has to remind him that he likes Willow.
He only said he LIKED it, he never said it was PERFECT. Personally, whether or not the special effects in a movie are “good” isn’t of much importance to me. I’m more a PLOT and DIALOGUE guy. Gimme a good story and the special effects can be stuff thrown out by Ed Wood as far as I’m concerned.
>>>And does anyone know what the line about the hovercraft in Taurain V was referring to? I’m thinking Vonnegut but am not sure.
I think it’s a Tekwar thing.
>>>“The Master” and “Debbie” were father and daughter but they were in the same movie.
Which just makes Debbie’s ultimate fate that much ickier. Seriously, what kind of actor allows his own daughter to be cast as his character’s child bride? Not enough therapy in the world…
>>>If there had been no girl hinders to focus on, there would have been no 60s rock ‘n’ roll movies. Or 60s James Bond films, for that matter.
Or, really, any 60s at all, to speak of.
This episode connects two of my favorite shows:
Frank Zappa and Joy Harmon appeared in separate Monkees episodes. Frank played Mike Nesmith (and Mike Nesmith played Frank) in a pre-credits scene in one episode. Joy appeared in a two other episodes as two different characters.
I like this episode. It’s not my all-time favorite, but it’s one I always enjoy watching. I like the fact that its a B.I.G. movie, which is the mark of quality *ting*. Also, the recognizable actors make this an episode I could get my parents to watch. The Frank song playing over the credits was a very nice touch.
Ten bucks says Bert was *extremely* excited (in a very squicky way) about the idea of teenage girls “growing”. There’s no other way to explain some of the shots in the movie with normal size guys grabbing onto ginormous breasteses and such. Of course, the movie had to be extra-cheesy to avoid overpowering the host segments, which are A+, even without the end credits reveal.
VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS is credited to be “based on HG Wells’ Food of the Gods.” Well, 11 years later (in 1976), Bert I. Gordon would full on make THE FOOD OF THE GODS, starring Marjoe Gortner, Pamela Franklin, Ralph Meeker, and a whole bunch of BIG animals. I think it’s a great B-movie fun, my favorite Bert I Gordon film, for what that’s worth.
Well, I agree that the last shot of the movie was reprehensible and it was a stitch when the Torgo music sped up when he was rushed along. I’d love to see Torgo walking down the street someday, accompanied by his music.
I didn’t know that they were doing an impression of Paul Williams! I just saw him in “Phantom of the Paradise,” and wondered why I’ve never seen him anything else, not even “The Muppet Show.”
If it were me, I would’ve made more out of that wormy thing Opie made. I mean, huh Opie?
#35
In the scene where Joy Harmon’s character is knocked out from the ether, Crow says a line like, ‘Hmm, she’s dreaming she’s Susan.’
I heard, “She’s dreaming she’s Susan Dey” (from the Partridge Family), though what the point was I never figured out. I mean, did she do a dreaming sequence or something?
This was the episode that really sold me on Mike-as-host, with his “Senator Kennedy, you all right?” gag when we see the soon-to-be-giant-teens and their crashed car. “Never has a car crash been celebrated so well.”
And, of course, this was one of Torgo’s best appearances. You almost wish that he would have stuck around as Dr F’s assistant. No, we can’t do without TV’s Frank.
This was one of the few MST3K films I saw before MST. I thought it was Mr. BIG’s best (at least, until I saw “The Magic Sword,” since it was the rare Bert I film with real actors).
Beau Bridges as the “leader”: “I’m the guy who gives the word, here…” Sure you are, ducky… Boy was he stupid – walks into town just as the good kids are ready to tie up them manikin legs.
“Oh, I see! They meant to tie up MY legs not those manikin legs over there!”
“Remember David and Goliath?”
SERVO: “Yeah, dopey cartoon thing, right?”
I would love CT to do this one uncut. There’s that scene where the kids rumble to get the goo, and one of the kids comes out with a really big bra (I can just see Crow going, “Hey, that’s Tommy’s!” — Joel would have been horrified) and the girl grabs it back. No way that would have aired on Comedy Central, but I’m sure the Titans could do something with that.
MIKE: “The shamed cast of Terror of Tiny Town meets the shamed cast of Village of the Giants.”
Come to think of it, the movie had a real dumb ending. It’s like Bert I couldn’t think of a thing to say once the giants were back to normal. Not even arresting them after they kidnapped two kids, huh, sheriff?
I’m not sure if this film satisfies the theory of, “The better the film, the worst the MSTing,” because the movie not only deserves the treatment, it’s one of the Brains’ best.
Still, it does stand on its own, and we can always watch it unRiffed. A classic all around.
@ #94: Paul Williams was a guest on The Muppet Show during the first season. He also appeared as the piano player at the El Sleazo in The Muppet Movie. And though he’s far less recognizable in it due to wearing prosthetics, he appeared as Taq in the second season Babylon 5 episode Acts of Sacrifice.
That’s awesome! Well, another reason to watch “The Muppet Movie” again, heh heh. I kinda like his songs, too.
Oh yeah, I loved Tom’s reaction to the gumball machine. I’d be upset too to see her giving it up for a quarter.
@ #95 & 96
I’ve wondered about that ‘dreaming she’s Susan’ line for years.
In regards to the guy holding the top, I did a Q&A on my website with the actor who was holding it, and he said when he took his Dad to see a showing of the film at the studio (with his Dad in attendance), he felt so ashamed.
As for that strange ending, I’ve never been able to figure that out. I’ve analyzed 2 copies of the script that were written, and they each ended with the bad kids running out of town with the others watching them go, one of those ‘things have returned to normal, and we can get on with our lives’ endings.
Paul Williams was also in one of the Wild, Wild West TV movies (i.e. not the frequently disparaged theater release movie) as Dr. Loveless’ son.