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Episode Guide: 802- The Leech Woman

Movie: (1960) An aging woman travels to Africa to gain the secret to renewed (albeit temporary) youth. But murder is part of the recipe.

First shown: 2/8/97
Opening: Crow deals with the SOL’s prairie dog problem
Intro: The Apes discover that devolution can be fun
Host segment 1: The nanites are on strike
Host segment 2: Pearl is forced to give some laws, and asks M&TB for suggestions — and Tom has some
Host segment 3: Crow and Tom have a plan to get Mike’s pineal juices
End: Tom’s “Beverly Hillbillies” sketch ends in chaos, but the Apes are oh-so-civilized again
Stinger: The wily cop outwits his suspect
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (236 votes, average: 4.39 out of 5)

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• The last time through, I put this one in the good-not-great category, but, again, I guess I was in the right frame of mind for this — I laughed a LOT this time. Maybe it’s because you can really see them settling in and really feel them enjoying themselves.
• Read Kevin’s take on this episode here.
• This episode is included in “Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: The 25th Anniversary Edition, (aka Vol. XXVIII).”
References.
• Crow still cannot remember Mike. Not too much longer for that.
• Bill’s version of Crow’s voice is still all over the map in this one, but for the first time we begin to hear little snippets of the voice we would soon get to know.
• Cute prairie dog in the opening!
• Kevin is particularly funny in the intro. His mannerisms and his delivery are great.
• The “original Ray Kroc” was a popular piece of Universal set decoration — it was also on Exeter’s office wall in “This Island Earth.”
• Trivia: The African wildlife scenes were reused footage from Universal’s 1954 movie “Tanganyika.”
• Segment one is more clever than funny, but it’s such a change from the sort of host segment we used to get in the CC days that it’s kind of mesmerizing. The voices are Kevin and Paul as Ned and Wade again, along with Mary Jo as Jody.
• Kevin sings a little Zappa, when the soundtrack sounds like “Moving to Montana.”
• In segment two, we once again get hints at how Tom spent his time at the edge of the universe.
• This ep contains the first of what would be a running gag for most of the season: As Mala looks at her hands after becoming young, Tom says “I thought I was Dale!” What does this mean? Well, It’s actually a complicated goof, and thereby hangs a tale. Back in the 1970s, there was a series of commercials for Ivory dishwashing liquid, in which mothers were mistaken for their daughters, because the mom used Ivory and so her hands were young-looking. At around the same time, there was also a commercial for Grape Nuts, in which a teenage boy mistakes teenage girl Dale’s mother for Dale and utters the deathless line: “I thought you were Dale!” Best Brains only vaguely remembered these two completely unrelated commercials, and apparently mixed them up in their minds. There were apparently never any Ivory Liquid commercials in which a character said “I thought you were Dale!” And the Grape Nuts commercial in which that line was spoken had nothing to do with hands. So basically they goofed. But the writers thought they were making a reference to the Ivory Liquid commercials.
• There were a total of 12 “Dale” riffs this season, and there were Dale riffs in 11 consecutive episodes beginning in episode 805- THE THING THAT COULDN’T DIE. (And there were some in previous seasons! For a complete list, visit Ward E.) From this point forward, they will be referred to as “Daleisms.”
• LOTR reference: Tom gets all enty. (Hom-hoom!)
• Local reference: The Blainbrook Bowl. Do a lot of drunk girls dance there?
• Obscure reference: Tom invokes Earl Camenbert, a character from “SCTV.”
• Mike and Servo take another brief swing around the dance floor, something they haven’t done since 612- Starfighters.
• Firesign Theatre reference: Crow refers to “Arnie’s Whole Beef Halves.”
• What is with the HUGE front door on the house in this movie? Very weird.
• In segment 3, Mike crawls up in front of the “hatch.” First (and last) time for that, I think.
• The ending sketch is one of those sketches about not doing a sketch. They liked those. Not everybody did.
• The stinger in this one is rather unsatisfying. Feels like it was quickly plucked from near the end of the movie without much thought.
• For the record, Kevin holds that “Jeeeeed!” for 52 seconds.
• Cast and crew roundup: Producer Joseph Gershenson also worked on “Revenge of the Creature,” “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis,” “The Thing That Couldn’t Die” and “This Island Earth. He was also music supervisor on “Kitten With A Whip.” Scriptwriter David Duncan also worked on “The Thing that Couldn’t Die” and “Black Scorpion.” Story writer Ben Pivar was the producer of “The Brute Man.” Cinematographer Ellis Carter also worked on “The Mole People” and “The Deadly Mantis.” Costumer Bill Thomas also worked on “The Thing that Couldn’t Die.” Makeup guy Bud Westmore worked on a ton of stuff. See last week’s list. Likewise art director Alexander Golitzen, set designer Russell A. Gausman and sound person Leslie I. Carey. Art director Robert Clatworthy also worked on “The Deadly Mantis.” Set designer Clarence Steensen also worked on “Rocketship X-M.” Sound guy Joe Lapis also worked on “The Brute Man.” Score composer Irving Gertz also worked on “The Deadly Mantis” and “Jungle Goddess.”
In front of the camera: Coleen Gray was also in “The Phantom Planet.” Gloria Talbott was also in “Girls Town.” Arthur Batanides was also in “The Unearthly.” Murray Alper was also in “Lost Continent.” Charles Keane was also in “Project Moon Base.”
• CreditsWatch: Jim retains the producer title, but Kevin is listed as director and associate producer. For the last time ever, Jim is listed as “contributing writer.”
• Fave riff: “We’re all just so RESTLESS.” Honorable mention: “She’s lettin’ the hair play her.” “Are you okay? How many fingers of whiskey am I holding up?”

153 Replies to “Episode Guide: 802- The Leech Woman”

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  1. Katana says:

    Y’know…all I’ve got to say is that Kevin has some lungs. That ‘JEEEEED’ is impressive.

       7 likes

  2. Super Agent Icky Elf says:

    This movie is one of the most drab, bleek, and depressing movies MST ever did. My wife and I re-watched it a couple weeks ago for the first time in a couple years; after a half hour I remembered why. It has a “Killer Shrews”/”Red Zone Cuba” feel to it…BLAH!

    How can it take SOOOO LONG for the wife to figure out her husbands plans??

    As I stated, we hadn’t watched this in a couple of years, so it was funny to see Grant Williams of CT’s “Oozing Skull” and “Doomsday Machine”.

       1 likes

  3. Norgavue says:

    I like the whole not acting part the guy has at the begining of the movie. Not my line. Course theirs always NEIL!!!!!! Ya I thought they were Dale too.

       4 likes

  4. fathermushroom says:

    I joined the show during Season 8 so this episode holds warm memories for me. It may or may not be one of their great ones, but for me it always feels great.

       4 likes

  5. Graboidz says:

    Love this episode! I was actually a fan of this flick long before it hit MST3K, and it was great to watch it with the riffing. Any movie which features Hollywood’s version of “natives” is sure to be a great target for Mike and the bots! Love these Universal flicks, it’s a shame the rights will be so tough to acquire for future DVD box sets though :sad:

       3 likes

  6. Bigzilla says:

    I generally like this one a good bit. It has its slow moments, but they never last long before we hit stock footage or someone getting stabbed in the pinial gland. The booze jokes really are off the wall, but match the opening scene which is astonishingly cruel. I can’t recall a husband and wife in an MST that are more awful to each other . . . “almost as much as I resent looking at you!” Still, it got us the following line:
    “Seesh, why don’t they just put alcohol in squeeze bottles?”
    It isn’t my favorite episode, but it builds off the first of the season and leads into a stretch by the end of season 8 that is nearly unstoppable. The first 10 episodes of the season have some hit or miss, but the next two – Mole Men & the Deadly Mantis – are two of my favorites. I’m with Sampo that this is a good but not great episode. Oh, and finally, as the birds fly away:

    “Alfred Hitchcock’s The Us!”

       1 likes

  7. Green Switch says:

    First and foremost, agreed on the stinger, Sampo – it wasn’t that odd or humorous. Personally, I would have gone with the “fall TOWARDS the blast” moment with the dynamite.

    Overall, this episode is a major improvement over the season premiere. It’s one of the cases where a bleak, joyless, depressing movie is transformed into comedy gold by way of frequent and hilarious riffs. The arguments between the endocrinologist and June, Neil gradually drifting away from Sally and towards “Terri” – it’s all great fodder. Definitely a Season 8 favorite.

    This episode features one of my favorite callbacks towards the end with Servo excitedly saying, “It’s the Torgo theme!” It was cool to hear them making a reference to one of their very best episodes.

    There are two scenes that make me laugh til I hurt every time: the first pineal gland sacrifice (“You WILL try the French onion soup!”, “Now it’s time to kiss Grandma!”) and the seduction scene between “Terri” and Neil as Sally waits outside (the gang’s use of “Neeeeeil!” was hysterical – “Tell her she’s a warthog! NEEEEIL!”).

    Those moments when Mike and the ‘Bots do voiceovers for all of the animals is brilliant (“Alfred Hitchcock’s The Us!”, “I’d like to show you some carpet samples, if I may”). At times, the movie has the feel of the classic shorts that Mike and the ‘Bots have torn to pieces.

    Except for Host Segment 2 with Servo’s suggestions for new laws, all the Host Segments were great. The Nanites’ strike was well done while Servo’s deranged fixation on The Beverly Hillbillies was a great way to bring the episode to a close (and yes, I laughed at all the instances of “JEEEEEEEEEEEED!” in the film).

    Remember the guy who played the twitchy, wildly overacting Danny in The Unearthly? He resurfaces here as the con artist who attacks June in the car.

    Some of my favorite riffs:

    -I wonder if there are any drive-thru liquor stores on the way home?

    -Do I trust him? What do you folks at home think? We’ll be right back!

    -Now, get your orthopedic shoes on, we’re going out for pudding!

    -Your $5 down payment is impressive!

    -Still, this IS better than Congo.

    -Let’s see, I reach speeds of 70, she goes 3 MPH and I can’t catch her!

    -We’re not as into it as the other guys.

    -He accidentally tapped his pituitary gland, she’s a midget now.

    -Stock footage? More like stock mileage at this point.

    -She described you as a popsicle with a bad haircut.

    -I’m gonna buy more luggage and fill it and bring it over.

    -He makes a real good straight vodka.

    -This is the 50’s, why am I explaining things to a woman? GET IN THE CAR!

    -Why does he have a single meatball in his inbox?

    -Oh, I love going to BAR, I usually order SANDWICH and have DRINK.
    -There’s not much ART in BAR.
    -COUPLE on way to BAR.

    -I really should call the governor about that stay of execution… oh, to hell with it!

    -Think about this: this is all about NEIL.

    -This is like a murderous episode of Lucy.

    -That’s what happens when you buy Shur-Fine pineal juice.

       1 likes

  8. ck says:

    “Sadly, this tribe of extras no longer exists.”

    “Did the water just get warmer, Earl?”

    “Real Africa, fake Africa. Real Africa, fake Africa.”

    So the Leech Woman’s chief problem at the beginning was that she had a great body and in need of moderate facial plastic surgery and a good divorce lawyer. How could the audience not feel for her terrible situation!

       5 likes

  9. Sitting Duck says:

    No annoying commercials?

       1 likes

  10. Fart Bargo says:

    I view this movie a little differently than SAIE @ 2. I thought the super smug husband and the plastered haired mouth-piece were hilarious throughout, without the riffing. The husband was so exceedingly smarmy and so devastatingly insulting he just seemed to ooze from scene to scene. Speaking of ooze, the mouth-piece was such a tool for sex!? I thought the seduction scene with his girlfriend blaring the car horn was as loopey as it gets. Lastly, the mouth-piece’s girlfriends hair-do and resolution to his drooling attraction was absolutely a WTF is going on!? Somehow, this movie is hilarious on its own as the riffing points it out in so many ways. However, I can see how many people see it as 2 did.

       1 likes

  11. Shinola says:

    I’ll come right out with it: I like the Universal black-and-white films that dominated the first third of the season.

    If I’m in the mood to watch the show, but can’t decide on an episode, I can pull one of those from the shelf at random and laugh from start to finish. Maybe it’s because I found the show when it moved to SFC and those early season eight eps remind me of that “The hell…?” stage where I was trying to figure out whether I was crazy, or the show was just that good.

    The answer, I’m pleased to report, was both.

       6 likes

  12. ck says:

    Oh, and you have to be impressed with the nanites organizing ability (millions of members on the picket line).
    Union! Union!

       5 likes

  13. GizmonicTemp says:

    Ah yes, the movie that taught us that old people and women are evil, but I know that already.

    Also, I had actually seen Wasp Woman before this one, so this seemed to be a rip off.

       2 likes

  14. Saint Rude says:

    “Real Africa… HOLLYWOOD AFRICA!” has to be one of the greatest riffs of the SciFi years. And it’s really the type of line that Bill excels at — that sort of over-exuberant blend of annoyance and sarcasm for which his voice is supremely suited.

       7 likes

  15. Evan K says:

    Kevin doesn’t really hold that final JED! throughout the whole end credits. They used some simply sound editing tools to splice together at least 2 of them. If you listen very closely, you can hear where one fades out as the next fades in.

       3 likes

  16. Evan K says:

    Sorry, mean “simple,” not “simply.”

       0 likes

  17. I was going to do a refresher of this last night, but got distracted with another project, so comments may be a little fuzzy.

    Movie:
    * I saw “Phantom Planet” before this and of course Mike has a callback to this episode with the “Stupid Leech Woman!” riff. In reality, I couldn’t tell that they were the same person until June’s youth was restored for the first time.
    * “You are the one I see in my dreams of blood!” has become another favorite phrase I use around the house and with friends.
    * I think the argument for their choice of stinger was how ridiculously laid back the cops are at the end of the movie. I see them and am reminded of Joel’s, “Without energy! Would you move?!” from X Marks the Spot.
    * I got to use the “I thought you were Dale” joke at work recently and it was possible only because I have a co-worker named Dale. I was watching some data on my computer and a co-worker got my attention by waving his hand in front of his face. I looked up, saw who it was and said, “Oh, I thought you were Dale.” Another nearby co-worker and MST3K fan got the reference. I’ve also since told the original co-worker about “gentle pressure.”
    * #13 mentioned that this and Wasp Woman are fairly similar. Is that because the plot that the title implies doesn’t begin until the movie is 3/4 over? Haven’t seen Wasp Woman yet but I’ve read Skenderberg’s review.
    * Favorite riffs:
    “Would you like to super size it?” – Mike
    “Let’s see, I reach speeds of 70. She goes 3 MPH and I still can’t catch her!” – Crow
    “That’s good. Fall TOWARDS the blast.” – Servo
    And of course the “Jeeeeeeed,” “Neeiil,” and real Africa vs. Hollywood Africa running gags.

    Host Segments:
    * They were hit-and-miss for me. They pretty much went back-and-forth between good and bad for the most part.
    * Favorite line: “Crow! Into your Buddy Epson’s!”

       1 likes

  18. Thomas K. Dye says:

    One of my favorites.

    “But everyone’s in my dreams of blood, so it’s no big deal!”

    One thing that another reviewer pointed out is that every character in this film is awful; they’d sell out their own grandmother in an instant. You’re supposed to have sympathy for June at first, but then she goes on her killing spree in the final third of the film. And did Grant Williams always play dirtbags after “The Incredible Shrinking Man”? (Check out his two films that Cinematic Titanic did.)

       4 likes

  19. Ang says:

    These early season 8 eps are some I rewatch the most and this one has solid riffing throughout.

    My very fave riff is when June and her hubby are in the tent and he says “I’ll make you as beautiful as you were when we met” and she finally figures out his plan and then Crow says “We’ve never met!” as she storms out. Hilarious!!

    Other great ones:

    Here’s two bucks baby, ‘cuz that’s all you’re worth!

    If he hated old women so much, why’d he go into old womanology?

    Do not act, not in this scene.

    Are you some kinda leech lady?

    I also like the reference to Barbara Stanwyck near the end as she’s one of my fave actresses.

    I love it when their guide dies in the quicksand. Oh sure, he was happy to get it on with hot, young June, but once she looked his own age, he was disgusted. He got what he deserved. :wink:

       4 likes

  20. Super Agent Icky Elf says:

    Susan Cabot (Wasp Woman) WAY prettier than Coleen Gray (Leech Woman).

       0 likes

  21. Cabbage Patch Elvis says:

    I’m really fond of the cracks they make about Neil’s girlfriend.
    “You can’t be afraid of your own hair.”
    “She’s letting the hair play her!”
    “Now she juts.””She enters a room before she does.”
    Another I like-“He makes a really good straight vodka.”

       1 likes

  22. DON3k says:

    Who left a dried apple doll in my office?!

       1 likes

  23. jason says:

    They should have calle dthis were-granny. the whole movie should been her killing guys. The nurse girlfriend was also in girlstown. my favorite riff. Wow mala was played by two different people.

       2 likes

  24. The Professor says:

    My god, I love this episode. Season 8 really begings to take off here. Like many of my favorite episodes, this movie is so damn smarmy and joyless as to be completely funny on it’s own. It’s one of the few films I can think of to feature absoltely NO sympathetic characters in it and it’s near constant barrage of bleak, black-and-white meanness makes it a perfect target for the more cynical atmosphere of the Sci-Fi era.

    -Mike’s riffing on the smug Dr. Paul Talbot’s non-acting is note perfect (“Not in this scene. Nope, not in this scene”).

    -A few seconds after singing “Montana”, Servo also sings a bit of “Uncle Meat” when the soundtrack mirrors that song’s opening melody (right before the screaming purse monkey).

    -Mary Jo is the highlight of the host segments as Jody the nanite but still rather akward as Pearl.

    -I love the brooklyn accents Bill would use for some of the animals in these early episodes (“No pictures, please”, as the alligator slides into the water).

    -About the “I thought you were Dale” debacle: I find it strange that the Brains would reference a commercial they could barely remember so much throughout this season (though it shows up in some earlier episodes as well).

    -And what the hell is up with the stinger this week? It’s one of the worst they would ever choose, which is shocking when you realize that Leech Woman is full of stinger moments. My vote would have been for the spastic dancing of fake Hollywood tribe.

    All in all, it’s a classic episode. Five stars all the way!

       3 likes

  25. Mike Sh. says:

    I saw this movie when I was 10 years old – it scared the heck out of me! I saw it again about a year or so before it aired on MST3K, and I was really disappointed; how could I have been so scared by this cheesy movie?

    I loved this episode, though, particularly the “real Africa / fake Africa” scenes with all the stock footage spliced in. There’s one point during these scenes where one the men gives a quick glaring look to the other, and Mike riffs, “Don’t start!” It’s one of those little moments, so easily missed if you’re not paying attention, that made MST3K so great.

    The “Jeeeeeeddddd” thing got on my nerves, although I think about it whenever Jed Lowrie takes the field for the Red Sox.

       1 likes

  26. rcfagnan says:

    Personally, I always loved parts in Neil’s office when Mike has him rehearsing his break-up lines in legalese. Good ep, but not one of my go-to ones (as could be said of MOST of the Universal flicks they did early on in season 8).

       0 likes

  27. rcfagnan says:

    Oh, and not having EVER seen any of the commercials, I always assumed that “I thought you were Dale!” was a reference to “The Kentucky Fried Movie.”

       2 likes

  28. Roman Martel says:

    “Leech Woman” is one of those that almost works for me. Some parts are really funny, most of it was funny, and you had a couple clunkers here and there. This should be a solid effort right? I think it’s the movie itself that just ends up pulling the whole thing down. There is a dreariness to it, it seems to suck some of the life away from the riffing. It’s very similar to the problem I had with “Revenge of the Creature” but it’s a little less pronounced here. One of the good things is that all the characters pretty much deserve what they end up getting – not a likable person in the bunch. It makes the movie more watchable and the riffing clicks a little better because of it. My wife and I both got a kick out of “Neil! Neiiiilllll!”, for some reason. And all the animal voice overs were pretty funny. In fact most of the “Africa” footage was solidly funny. The “JEEEEEDDDD!” moments grew a bit old near the end of the film.

    “Leech Woman” did something horrible. It inspired by brother-in law (at the time, my girlfriend’s brother) to burst into rooms and yell in his best Tom Servo “JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). He did this a lot – and for a long time. Much as Servo proved, it was funny – at first. Then it got annoying, then it got really annoying! That just adds to the personal pain inflicted by the film, but I can’t really blame MST3K for that one. Oh and for the record, I never liked the “Beverly Hillbillies”, so that might explain my low tolerance for JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!

    So, this whole episode ends up being a mixed bag. I think its one of the stronger early Season 8 episodes, but still only rates at around three stars for me.

       2 likes

  29. thecorman says:

    As one who grew up near Blaine, MN, I can attest that the Blainbrook bowl is definitely a place where girls get drunk and dance, among other things. It’s a very blue-collar, bowling alley/bar combo that was, at least in my youth, where one could catch the very best Motley Crue\Ratt cover bands the northern suburbs of Minneapolis had to offer. It was also known for it’s bar-fight frequency; I believe the ratio was one can of whoop-ass opened for every 4 beers poured on an average night. Not a place to look for erudite conversation, or even multisyllabic words, but it spoke to the Rowsdower in all who stumbled through it’s beer-soaked, blood-stained doors on Friday nights. :grin:

       6 likes

  30. Professor Gunther says:

    I recently acquired this episode, so it’s still fairly new to me. I’m not going to be saying anything new here, but the movie is packed with THE most unappealing characters. (And the writers obviously had it out for women; then again, the writers had it out for men, too.) Indeed, the movie is pretty damned bleak (which rather surprised me given that it’s technically a Universal Monster Movie; I kept waiting for the APPEALING character to appear)–and yet, the riffing always makes me want to watch it again, although it is true that I have to be in the MOOD for this one (because of the bleakness of the movie itself).

    The seduction scene is quite hot, actually, IMO.

       0 likes

  31. Cliff Weismeyer says:

    I agree with Roman Martel. This episode does not do much for me. It has a couple of good points- the amazingly cutting dialogue in the beginning of the film is a nice start (the guys wisely hang back for that section), and the section with the jealous fiancé is superb. The rest of the movie and riffing is just dullsville to me, though. This is a pretty middling episode, though it is much better than Revenge of the Creature and most of the next few coming down the pipe.

    When people complain about the first 9 episodes of season 8 as being grey and boring, I don’t think that it is necessarily a complaint about them being black-and-white movies. All of Ed Wood’s movies are black-and-white, but I would consider them to be very colorful films. Manos and Castle of Fu Manchu, on the other hand, are in color but very grey. The sheer hatefulness and paranoia of the screenwriter of this film gives it some color (is there any character in this movie who is incapable of killing someone for even marginal benefit?), but it is an awfully grey movie.

    That being said, it’s still MST and watchable, but I could never picture myself headed home from work with a desire to flip this episode in.

       1 likes

  32. mikek says:

    I like this episode a lot. It’s a big relief after Revenge of the Creature. Yeah, it’s also a gray, 1950s Universal picture, but the subject matter is more interesting.

    The devolution of the apes was funny. I like Dr. Peanut’s line when he’s taking the wipes,
    “I use a lot of these. I just know myself.”

    I love Servo’s whole “Jed” riff.

    The Nanite strike is well done. I like the show got a lot more sci-fi references into it, probably a result of being on the Sci-Fi Channel and not Comedy Central.

    The movie is bad, but a good bad. So, if Mrs. Talbot was hot when she was young, as shown by the movie when she became young again, how did she end up with a creep like Dr. Talbot?

    One favorite riff, “You ARE the leather pouch!”

       0 likes

  33. jjb3k says:

    This episode features the first red flag that things in the SciFi era are going to be different, and it’s the host segment where Crow and Servo try to extract Mike’s pineal juice. Now, if this had been a Comedy Central era sketch, I can guarantee that Mike wouldn’t even put his head into the guillotine in the first place. Instead, he’d catch on to what the bots are doing, they’d nervously deny it, and then – most importantly – Mike would point out the lack of logic in their plan (they’re robots, and they don’t age, so what do they need pineal juice for?). And then they’d call for Gypsy, proving that they haven’t learned a thing.

    Instead, Mike remains obliviously stupid throughout the whole sketch, and the bots turn inexplicably enraged when the scheme fails. This shows that there’s a sudden shift happening in the writing room – less wit and optimism and more anger and cynicism. And it gets stronger and more noticeable as the last three seasons wear on. I don’t like it. It demonstrates that MST3K is no longer about taking a bad experience and making it fun – it’s about taking a bad experience and complaining about how bad it is.

    Could I be reading too much into it? Maybe. But every time I watch that skit, I immediately start thinking of how much it doesn’t feel like the MST3K I’m used to.

       5 likes

  34. Spector says:

    As I’ve noted elsewhere, this was the first episode of the Sci Fi era where I knew the show was gonna be alright. This is one of my favorite episodes of the series, and one of the best from the Sci-Fi era. The riffing is first rate, the host segments are well done, the movie is terrific fodder and the overall pacing of the episode is terrific. No dull stretches or lengthy bits without any significant riffs in this one.

    Some of my favorites:

    “Tonight on the WB, “The Sarcastic Endocrinologist”

    “Ya got any Reader’s Digest”

    “I dated Lincoln, y’know!”

    “Not acting, I’m not in this scene”.

    “See, she’s letting the hair play her”.

    “Here’s to you, whiskey” “Defender of truth, friend to children”.

    “Real Africa…Hollywood Africa”.

    “Nipple…I mean, hello!”

    “This is the fifties, why am I explaining anything to a woman!”

    And of course “Neeilllllll!” “Jeeeeeeddddd!”

    Terrific episode, five stars.

       3 likes

  35. Dave says:

    I hate to be an anal son of a b@#$%, but in the interest of said analness, it was actually Servo/Kevin who gives us the ‘Earl Camenbert’ reference.

       1 likes

  36. The Toblerone Effect says:

    This stretch will probably be tough for me, since I’m not all that crazy about the first few eps of Season 8. However, this does have more inspired moments than Revenge of the Creature. The riffing is sharp at some spots, dull at others, and the host segments are still hit or miss, due to the Brains still trying to set up a running story arc for the upcoming season.

    Along with the Real Africa/Hollywood Africa riffs, I also liked Crow’s slew of British sayings as the English tour guide is sinking in quick sand. The “Neil! NEIL!!!” remarks are very funny (they fit Sally’s persona quite well), but the “JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!!!” stuff definitely wears out its welcome in a hurry. Maybe it’s me, but I never understood the appeal of “The Beverly Hillbillies” to begin with. :???:

    If choosing the stinger had been up to me, I would have gone with old Marla: “You are in my dreams of blood!”

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  37. bartcow says:

    This is one of those movies that has an interesting premise and does little to nothing with it. For that reason, I like it, because M + TB distract me just enough from all the goofiness surrounding the nifty kernel of an idea.

       2 likes

  38. Mike Sh. says:

    Dave says:

    August 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
    I hate to be an anal son of a b@#$%, but in the interest of said analness, it was actually Servo/Kevin who gives us the ‘Earl Camenbert’ reference.
    _____________________________________________

    Isn’t the word “anality”?

       0 likes

  39. I'm not a medium, I'm a petite says:

    I love this one. It may be my most watched DAP episode. 5 stars.

    Scream Jed and Neil all you want. Can’t get enough. Maybe I can get them made into ringtones.

    I think the Universals B&W is where MST really shines. There is more.. room (?) for the riffs in these ancient hunks of cornball than with some the more modern more noisy more hyper flicks from the eighties and 90’s.

    Too many favorite riffs to mention, but also note that the film is so poor that it almost riffs itself. If I have to pick one.. moving to montana soon… but he morphs the lyrics a bit.. says mental somthing istead of dental floss tycoon.

    When it comes to feminine pulchritude, Young Nala holds her own with both Leech Woman and Screech Woman. IMDB says she was only 14 when she made this film, which i can’t belive, especially since they have her playing the first Helen Willis ( neighbor of the Jeffersons / All in the Family ) about a decade later.

    Speaking of age issues. Leech Woman is supposed to be 10 years older ( did I hear that right )than Doctor McCreepy, so did she marry him when he was in High School ?

    Love the nanites, love Pearl and the Apes, and superlove the rules ( don’t touch the dancers !! ). The pillory and the BHB sketch were a little flat for me, despite the present of Jed.

    Yes and kevin’s minute long Jed is manufactured, just listen to it. Plus, holding a note for almost a minute… I belive the world record was set recently at 59 seconds, the previous record being much less. C’mon peeps.

    anyway, love it, great ep, a fave of mine.

    jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

       4 likes

  40. H says:

    A decent episode. Movie’s good and so are the host segments but nothing great. I don’t know that I ever heard Jim in the la-la-las but then again I never listened for it.

       0 likes

  41. Ryan says:

    Colleen Gray now does guest appearances at film noir festivals/double-features. It’s funny that the guys said she looks like Barbara Stanwyck when that’s indeed what Universal, at the time, was going for. Really sweet lady, but not that great of an actress, to be perfectly honest.

       0 likes

  42. Isn’t the word “anality”?

    If not, it would make for a great Mortal Kombat finisher.

       4 likes

  43. The Professor says:

    #39 I’m not a Medium: “If I have to pick one.. moving to montana soon… but he morphs the lyrics a bit.. says mental somthing istead of dental floss tycoon.”

    Did you know that:

    The morphing of the lyrics is there in the original song. The line Kevin sings under his breath is “Gonna be a mennel-toss flyculn”. (though i’m not sure if there is a definite way to spell those made up words.)

    NOW YOU KNOW! :wink:

       1 likes

  44. schippers says:

    #39 – I’m pretty sure Kevin’s rendition of Zappa is accurate. I haven’t checked the lyrics myself, but I’m pretty sure I can hear him playing around with the sounds.

    I too saw “The Phantom Planet” prior to this one, and I have to say that Colleen Gray was SO MUCH BETTER in this movie. I mean, as far as performances go it sucked, but she was practically nonexistent in PP.

    Is it brutally stating the obvious to say that this is an incredibly racist film? It’s racist in that way that racist people don’t understand is racist, you know what I mean?

       5 likes

  45. I'm not a medium, I'm a petite says:

    43 & 44. I stand enlightened, thank you. I never noticed it myself, but then i haven’t listened in a long long time.

    http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/Over-Nite_Sensation.html#Montana

       0 likes

  46. Ator In Flight says:

    Yeah Dr.Peanut’s line about needing alot of baby wipes is funny,but also one of the most disgusting things I’ve heard on MST3K,just because of the mental images that came to mind. :eek:

    I didn’t want them to they just did.

       1 likes

  47. kt says:

    I love the way that Neil looks at the Leach Woman once and becomes a drooling boob but his girlfriend freaks out as if he’s something worth fighting over.

       2 likes

  48. crowschmo says:

    I either taped over this or never taped it. Could’ve been because of the whole “Jeeeeddd!!” thing.

    Don’t remember much of thise one, it’s been a looong time.

    Is this the one where Crow says, “We kind of ARE alone – nursey’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.” ?

       1 likes

  49. I'm not a medium, I'm a petite says:

    48. Yup !

       0 likes

  50. crowschmo says:

    “This” not “Thise”.

       0 likes

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