Movie: (1984) A Texas sheriff winds up on the island of Malta in pursuit of the criminal that killed his partner.
First shown: June 20, 1999
Opening: Tom considers the unexplored implications of the song “Owner of a Lonely Heart”
Intro: M&tB are plagued by Yes orchestra hits; Pearl encourages humor in the workplace
Host segment 1: M&tB demonstrate to Pearl how repeating the same sequence can be annoying
Host segment 2: Crow and Tom encounter cute little Goosio. It doesn’t go well
Host segment 3: Crow’s report on Malta includes a good deal of slander on the subject of Maltese men
End: Having suffered through a really bad Joe Don Baker movie, Mike assumes it’s his turn to escape. He’s wrong, the poor dope. Meanwhile, Funny Dress-Up Day at Castle Forrester takes a horrifying turn
Stinger: “Yew think yew kin take me? Go ‘head on. It’s yer move”
(324 votes, average: 4.30 out of 5)
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• I have to put this one in the fair-to-good column. Unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid a comparison between this ep and the “Mitchell,” episode and unfortunately this one doesn’t measure up to that classic. The riffing definitely has its moments, but they have trouble sustaining a constant level of funny. The movie itself is serviceable and certainly Joe Don’s character is a bit less gross than it was in “Mitchell,” but it’s also a bit less unintentionally zany. In addition, the segments are more miss than hit this time around, but the final segments save the day.
• Mike’s thoughts are here.
• This episode is included in Shout’s Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol XIV.
• Callback: “Stop drinking baby oil!”
• The opening features more Yes bashing. My theory: The only way you could be this anti-Yes is by having BEEN a Yes fan at some point and since repented. I’m looking in Kevin’s direction.
• Last time I said I didn’t understand the riff: “Let’s talk loudly about our SUVs.” Commenters explained it to me.
• Segment 1 seems a little picky to me, like they couldn’t find anything else to comment on. The footage reuse is pretty mild compared to similar instances in other movies. All in all, I can’t get behind the premise.
• Segment 2 is a bit better, and it explains why Mike takes the time to pointedly refer to Goosio by name during the riffing–he was setting up this bit.
• Of course that’s Mike as the voice of Goosio; Patrick was doing the rather elaborate “technical puppetry.”
• Mike has the broken Goosio in the theater following the segment
• Obscure reference: Perini Scleroso (a hilarious character invented by SCTV’s Andrea Martin).
• Mike, apparently still channeling Joel after his visit, does a very Joelesque bit in the theater when he stands up and appears to be running from the car in the movie.
• Again, I find it amusing that microbrewery aficionado Mike is seen drinking Bud.
• Also in the theater, Servo twice leaps off his theater seat when somebody says “Geronimo.”
• Segment 3 goes back to the “pointlessly bash a nationality” thing they’ve had some success with in the past, but I don’t think this works as well this time. Also: Mike knows how to rewire Crow?
• Then-still-slightly current reference: “Christian Slater’s gonna fly tomorrow I better get this back to him.” For those who’ve forgotten, Slater stupidly showed up at JFK airport in December 1994 with a gun in his carry-on and was arrested.
• Yet another fun closing credits bit, as Crow and Tom come up with new gluttonous lyrics for the theme music.
• Nice moment at the end of the last theater segment as Mike leaves early and Tom has to figure a way out of the theater by himself. “What do I do??” He runs left as Cambot pulls away. Somehow he manages.
• The final bit, of course, is the best of the episode and brings the entire episode up from fair to good. A lot of nice little touches in a great parody of Joel’s farewell. One small nitpick, though: “…an escape pod SHE hid…”?? Gypsy did not hide the escape pod in the box of hamdingers. I remember immediately after this episode first aired there was a long nerdy Comic Book Guyesque discussion of this goof on most of the web forums.
• As if the ending bit on the SOL wasn’t funny enough, that bit is further topped by the appearance of Bill’s in full leatherboy regalia. Classic.
• Cast and crew roundup: Executive producer Louis George had the same job on “Angels Revenge,” as did producer/director/screenwriter Greydon Clark. In front of the camera, Joe Don Baker, of course, starred in “Mitchell.” Bill McKinney also appeared in “Master Ninja I.”
• CreditsWatch: Directed by Kevin.
• Fave riff: “The last thing a sausage sees.” Honorable mention: “I’m glad we skipped the cavity search.”
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So… WHY exactly am I supposed to be interested in someone’s opinions on these episodes? I totally get that people have their own opinions on what is good and what isn’t, but its being presented like some sort of official dictum. Why can no one on the internet S E P E R A T E factual data and their own prissy, message-boardy opinions? Is it honestly that hard?
Seriously. I’m not asking this rhetorically. I want an answer. Why is it so hard to do that? Am I just THAT out of touch with the modern dumbed down society?
It is amusing reading the very civil debate between the Mitchel vs Geronimo characters as portrayed by Joe Don Baker. Some have argued that though homicidal, Geronimo shows little children how to use a sling shot(he was showing them how to kill). Others have pointed out that Mitchel isn’t as homicidal but is slovenly and lazy. For me, the tie breaker for the most reprehensible can be summed up in two words: Baby oil.
Yes, the images that these two words start to invoke is hilarity and giddieness which abruptly stop! The darker, more salacious scenes begin to form in front of the mind’s eye. They start with a very tasty vision of prime Linda Evans when looming over her is a baby oiled, slathered….Nausea overwhelms us and thus a debate is settled.
@51 – This isn’t IMDB, we don’t care if you care nor do we actually think our opinions are facts. We’re just having fun. Go fail miserably at flaming somewhere else.
Yes would be bearable if it weren’t for that Chipmunks-style vocalist. Heck, Rush would be epic if it weren’t for Geddy Lee’s singing. Yngwie Malmsteen would have benefited from a good singer. I can’t listen to the Scorpions, anymore. Styx has been used as an example of how Hell works. Operatic metal just hasn’t aged that well.
I’m not much of a “Mitchell” fan, so needless to say this one didn’t make an impression on me.
#47
Here’s a review of the uncut version:
http://www.jabootu.com/vcdecohoh.htm#fj
Per it, the Wilson-on-the-take scene at the end did indeed come out of nowhere.
Two additional riffs I love:
Mike: “Wow they really misspelled SONY.”
Servo: “Hey, Crow you have a GOLDEN ASH!”
I always wondered how that riff played out in the writing room. Was it an exchange between Kevin and Bill?
@54 – YES! Man… Rush is a truely infuriating band for me. Musically and lyrically they are monsters of truely epic proportions and should be looked upon as how to effectively use bass for more than just an additional rythm instrument. But Lee’s voice… ouch. :)
The uncensored version of this movie has the most nudity of any MST3K film that I know of. There’s even an unfortunate scene of Palermo raping a girl in a shower where you see his butt. You should all feel lucky to have never witnessed this version of the film.
This is the episode that I put in when I’m ticked off and then life is better. Goosio and JDB funky never changing clothes, ewwww.
Domino’s… pizza delivers, I dunno.
“We stuffed dead raw squirrels into our mouths.”
Come on, this episode is good stuff. Also, my husband thinks Crow’s presentation on Malta is one of the funniest segments ever.
The one image that comes to mind when thinking of this episode is the horrifying, nauseating closeup of JD Baker’s sweaty, jowly, hellish maw. Blech. It wants to swallow my soul, smothered in sawmill gravy.
Was there supposed to be any sexual tension between Baker and his sidekick? ‘Cause I never got that impression. But then why bother having the sidekick be female? Joe Don Baker movies aren’t exactly known for being progressive.
For those asking what connection Greydon Clark has to Hobgoblins, if my memory serves me correctly I believe he was the editor of the film. (Hobgoblins that is.)
This one is only occasionally hilarious…but it’s not a failure by any MST standards. There are several great patches, notably toward the end during one of the chase sequences that make up for occasional slackness. So this is just a solid ep for me.
Is there any movie in the history of cinema that has more boat chases than this dreck of a film?
Ah, looking forward to next week (or maybe not) when I finally force myself to rewatch Hamlet for only the second time ever. (and it’s been eight years or so). Will it be as weak as I remember? Or will it charm its way into my heart? Stay tuned.
B+
I was going to say “I have never seen Final Justice”, but then I went ahead on and checked first … and what d’ya know? I have it taped, so I must have seen it at least once. It has, obviously, left no impression with me whatsoever.
That said, I personally wouldn’t compare it with Mitchell simply because they both star Joe Don Baker. Each movie/MST3K episode is an island unto itself.
Oh, and I AM interested in other people’s opinions of these episodes, otherwise I wouldn’t bother reading the comments section and then boring everyone with what I have to say when the mood strikes me. Plus, I get to learn stuff from people who know things that I don’t.
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow. Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow.
FINAL JUSTICE is pretty a mediocre MST3K episode. Not much else to add, other than to say I don’t really see much similarity between this movie and MITCHELL–they’re both about a heroic lawmen, but how many million movies and TV shows share that premise? Of course the lead is the same actor, but the characters couldn’t be more different, and this Joe Don is a much slower, fatter, more decrepit husk of the relatively vibrant Joe Don of MITCHELL. Geronimo is nothing more than a catchphrase in a ten-gallon hat, whereas Mitchell at least had some depth due to his ambiguity and constant side-changing. Now that, I think about it, MITCHELL, in the right hands, could have been a decent movie, whereas FINAL JUSTICE could have maybe been a passable episode of “Mannix”.
losingmydignity says:
June 10, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Ah, looking forward to next week (or maybe not) when I finally force myself to rewatch Hamlet for only the second time ever. (and it’s been eight years or so). Will it be as weak as I remember? Or will it charm its way into my heart? Stay tuned.
I’ve tried; I swear I’ve tried. I think I’ve made it all the way through Hamlet once.
Pixiesnix (#62): “Was there supposed to be any sexual tension between Baker and his sidekick? ‘Cause I never got that impression. But then why bother having the sidekick be female? Joe Don Baker movies aren’t exactly known for being progressive.”
I think they made the character female to give the hero a(n ostensibly) humanizing change of heart: he initially automatically dismisses her because she’s a woman, but learns she’s capable. (At the same time, she’s sort of the apprentice who learns from him, but the gender doesn’t have a bearing on that part.)
Yes has some good songs. Starship Trooper is AWESOME!
This one leaves me a little cold. I watch it. I’m vaguely amused. Then I never think of it again.
The deliberately unfunny office banter in the intro is a little too realistic… It makes me think a little too much of where I work.
Is it just me or did Mike openly drink beer more often then Joel during host segments? (In fact, did Joel ever openly drink? The only instance that springs to mind is when he opened a can in the theater and claimed it was his medicine.)
Joe Don Baker *is* Bum Phillips… The resemblance is uncanny.
The jokes about Joe Don Baker’s size start falling flat after a while (although there are some good zingers in there). Still, does anyone else think it’s odd that they are merciless about his weight when many of the Best Brains themselves are not that much smaller?
“Get the milk-lover!”
Obscure reference: Did anyone else that when Mike is checking/fixing Crow after his presentation on Malta that he’s using the same hand thing that John Cleese did in that episode of Fawlty Towers where he’s pretending to check the walls but he’s really spying on his guest (who he thinks has smuggled a girl into his room). I’m really sad for noticing that, aren’t I?
Is there a cut near the end, or does Maria really have no reaction when JDB comes back from the dead?
A lot of “repeat” jokes. I don’t think they were call backs. I think they were just getting disillusioned as they knew the show was ending…
I thought the actress playing Maria (Helena Abella) did a decent job (and she was very easy on the eyes). I was surprised to see this is her only credit in IMDB. She certainly gave a good enough performance to rule out her being banned from motion pictures for the rest of her life. I expect she must have done work in Maltese films too obscure for IMDB…
I like this one okay. What I notice about both “Mitchell” and “Final Justice” is that both stories begin with an entirely senseless killing by people who would, you might think, want to stay under the radar of law enforcement.
For instance, in “Mitchell,” why ON EARTH did that guy shoot the burglar (I know, for laughs) when he’s already into all sorts of shady dealings? Why bring that on himself? Same thing in “Final Justice.” Why did they kill the guy in the rain at the start of the flick? They could have gotten away without doing that, and then — oh well, I guess the answer is, “there’d be no story.”
#51
Repeat to yourself it’s just a show.
I should really just relax.
that’s an excellent idea, I’m gonna watch Hamlet right now. I loov it, I’m going to have the Hamlet, Hamlet, Hamlet, Hamlet, baked beans and Hamlet.
I suppose that the first time I saw this episode, I did have sort of a feeling that it was “coasting” on having Joe Don Baker in it… but when I rewatched it upon its release as an official Shout! Factory DVD, I seemed to enjoy it more. For some reason, the whole “priest chase” sequence somewhat broke the “Mitchell resemblance” by making me think of “The Rebel Set.”
I think we have an episode here where the mean-spirited ugliness of the movie skews the perception of how good the riffing actually is. “Blood Waters of Dr. Z” does this to me. This episode isn’t “Mitchell,” of course, but it’s rock solid and we get some new JDB classic quips. “Too mean to JDB” in this episode? BLASPHEMY! And you guys call yourselves Msties…tsk tsk.
This is an episode I watched once, forgot about it, and then revisited months later and found it to be a revelation. It’s consistently in my MST3K rotation now.
“Munch, munch, munch, munch, chew, chew, CHEW, CHEW!”
>71 Johnny Ryde says:
>Still, does anyone else think it’s odd that they are merciless about his weight when many of the Best Brains themselves are not that much smaller?
Hypocrisy can be funny if its done correctly. Plus Joe Don deserves it for thinking he can star in a serious action movie.
Well, you have to give Greydon Clark “credit” for daringly broadening the thematic scope of his oeuvre. This movie furnishes quite a contrast to ANGELS’ REVENGE. :lol:
I actually like this one a lot better than MITCHELL but then, I prefer Mike to Joel in general. And I thought the endless monk/boat chase was a hoot.
Re: kimba_1962
WOOHOO! At least I’m not alone out here in thinking #1 This was better than Mitchell and #2 I prefer Mike to Joel.
I’m not a medium, I’m a petite (#74):
Love it! Funniest thing I’ve seen here in weeks.
btw, baked beans are off.
I watched this one with my friend James this past Sunday, and we were a bit dissapointed. Its a decent episode but comapred to Mitchell its not as great.
To quote my friend, the riffing for this one is hit and miss. There is some good, funny stuff here but in some scenes the riffing just didnt work for me.
Also, they REALLY got nasty on Joe Don in this one compared to Mitchell. Like Fatty, I was feeling sorry for Joe Don by the last act. Some of the jokes are funny, but others left me going “geese guys!”
The Host Segments were excellent though, the opening bit with Servo discussing “the owner of a lonely heart” and comparing it to other things was great, as was Crow’s rant on the men of Malta. The Bots destroying Goosio and their complaint about the bad editing in the movie to Pearl was gold, Mike tripping over and over got funnier as it went along. And a nice nod to Mitchell with Mike thinking that since he just endured a Joe Don Baker movie its time for him to escape like Joel did. Hilarious stuff.
I’d put it in the “good but not great’ catagory.
This ep was basically a bore. Some good spots, but overall…ick.
Some people pointed out that Geronimo dismissed the lady cop at first for being a lady – funny, if it weren’t for that Maltese stripper, he’d have never gotten out of that dungeon cell or whatever the hell it was, and would have died that slow death he was promised. He didn’t really DO much did he? Not much of a “hero”. This movie sucked.
Didn’t like the host segs much; Crow’s Maltese rant was just a lot of nothing – it was like, hey, look how “edgy” we are, with Crow yelling and Mike and Servo wincing and going “wow”. I wasn’t impressed.
Mike’s tripping repeatedly was pretty funny, though.
“Luggage hittin’ a gorilla – THAT’S different.” – Servo
“Even the dead enjoy Carnival.” – Servo
“Guess he’s a – FELONIOUS monk.” – Mike
“Wow, this movie’s really drawing me in – to a deep well of despair.” – Crow
You son of a…
Well, if I could stop comparing this ep to Mitchell, this would be a pretty good one. The movie’s good, very Joe Don-ny. The host segments are good too, wasn’t expecting the last segment to end that way.
FWIW I think that both “Mitchell” & “Final Justice” were PERFECT for MST3K. Both are awful films that J&TB and M&TB made better ;-)
“Mitchell” was an obvious but painful attempt at some kind of “Rockford Files” type series. It didn’t work because JDB’s character was SO darn SADISTIC (shooting one of Martin Balsam’s
“associates” in the back and not even warning him and also brutally murdering John Saxon in the unedited version) SEXIST (using high class hooker Linda Evans for sex but not paying her and THEN busting her for prostitution) and APATHETIC to the “law” he supposedly served (searching Saxon’s house without a warrant.) Had he at least been nicer to the kid or given granny a ride to someplace where she could get a taxi to go home I actually might’ve liked him a LITTLE better (but only a little.) But still this film was NO Rockford and I’m still very surprised he did “Eichied” later.
“Final Justice” is just as bad. This time he’s still SADISTIC and APATHETIC to the law (only reason he’s with Sheriff Bob in a smaller TX town is because he shot up so many people in Dallas as somebody mentioned earlier. Then he shoots up nearly everyboy associated with Palermo in Malta so screw any panty waist “Judge & Jury” type law abidin’) He’s only slightly LESS SEXIST this time (still can’t believe that Maria liked him that much but still…) Only real big diff here is that this film feels like an aborted Chuck Norris project to Mitchell’s aborted Rockford Files project.
Other things “Mitchell” & “Final Justice” have in common?:
1. Both feature opening scenes of a sleepy Joe Don Baker.
2. Both feature theme songs that don’t work for the character Joe plays. Which would you consider worse?:
a. A strollin’ Country tune for a “hardened” L.A. cop (“My My My My Mitchell” by Hoyt Axton)
b. A cheesy Euro-Disco tune for a “hardened” TX marshall (“You Better Run” by Bill Scott & Neal Ferraro)
3. Both feature unnecessary deaths at the beginning. As somebody mentioned earlier why did J. Saxon kill the burglar? And why did Palermo kill the truck driver when he should’ve just kept on going?
What people haven’t mentioned yet:
1. Joel DID make fun of JDB in “Mitchell.” When Mitchell’s drunk and laying on the couch Joel quips “It’s a very special Joe Don Baker Christmas.” I always thought the reason they riffed so hard on him in FJ is because the writers knew JDB is basically playing the same guy again and/or maybe didn’t want upset any Native/Tribal fans by constantly referring to him as Yeronimo or Marshall TJ Geronimo to be more specific.
2. IMDB lists Helena Abella as Maria then lists an actress named Anna Machia as “Police Woman.” Yet the ONLY Police Woman in the film is Helena and she is called Maria. What gives? Or was there another Police Woman in the unedited version?
3. IMDB’s listing for Helena is actually missing something. She did a guest appearance on an episode of “Remington Steele.” She played a bride who with her groom were both ejected from a horse driven carriage by Remington & Laura so they could borrow the carriage and chase after a bird. The episode is called “Maltese Steele” and believe it or not they actually used some locations that FJ used (like the plaza area with the standoff scene featuring the kid who dressed like Napoleon.) Seriously if you don’t believe me YouTube or Google it.
4. For even more confusing fun – Anna Machia also did a “Remington Steele” episode and it was listed on her page in IMDB. The episode was called “The Steele That Wouldn’t Die Pt. 1” and she played “Girl In Cafe.”
5. Kevin has made fun of PLENTY of Prog musicians in the past. Doesn’t ANYBODY remember the “Music From Some Guys In Space” skit? They riffed on Rick Wakeman and NOBODY here complained. I didn’t think the Prog fans on this website were THAT “sensitive.” Hell they riffed on KISS in FJ and nobody has said anything here either.
6. Rossano Brazzi is one of the few people to be riffed on in films by both M&TB and J&TB – “Final Justice” and “Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks” respectively.
STILL can’t believe that Greydon Clark wanted MST3K to riff on ALL the films in his catalog too. Still it did lead to a great Weekend Thread Discussion (that I suggested) so I can’t complain on that one ;-)
Sampo, Sampo, tsk-tsk :cry:
We are on completely different pages on this one. This I thought was one of the shows finest episodes, JDB plays a far less endearing character than he did in mitchell (not saying mitchell was much more endearing), which made the jokes at his expense all the funnier. And what makes this a great episode for me IS the host segments, tripping, goosieo, maltese men, they all worked for me, and that’s rare. I agree mitchell is a classic, but that should not dampen an episode that in my humble opinion rise far above its predecessor, in terms of JDB movies.
To each their own though-Cheers :razz:
Okay, so now it’s finally my turn to say it… this is one of those “good, not great” episodes. Riffing is fair, it doesn’t slay me. Skits are real fun though.
RE: “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” – the sampled hit on that tune ain’t an orchestra. It’s from an early 60s James Brown record.
Thanks for the collective “Whatever” and please go back to the usual banter.
Luke @ #51: Whoa… slam on MSTies out of nowhere.
Seriously, WTF was that? This is a thread for people to post their thoughts about a particular MST3K episode, to which you contributed nothing useful. We are having a conversation here that will be preserved on the interwebs for as long as Sampo maintains this site. We are sharing knowledge, impressions, and feelings about our favorite show. What is it about this that you do not understand?
(And to everyone else, sorry for giving food to a flaming troll, but that square’s comment really bugged me…)
#74: Baked beans are off.
A few points about Final Justice:
* I think Geronimo here is a strong contender for the least likeable protagonist in MST history. It’s a close race, sure, but for me, his giddy-as-a-schoolboy grin and quip of “I bagged my limit that day” regarding his earlier killing of a large number of people for unspecified reasons are utterly repulsive. I feel the intense urge to reach into the screen and stab him in the eye. Apparently in Texas, mass murderers don’t get arrested and imprisoned, they just get transferred.
* When I first saw this episode, I was a little surprised how the opening of the movie is near-identical to a scene from a McBain movie seen on The Simpsons. Our Hero sits around scarfing down unhealthy food, partner admonishes him to eat healthier, partner talks about his home life and future plans and is gunned down in short order, Our Hero swears vengeance. I know this movie came first by quite a while, but I wonder whether the Simpsons writers actually saw Final Justice. If not, then they just intentionally crammed together a bunch of incredibly predictable action-movie cliches. I think you can see what that says about Final Justice.
* I feel like the intro segment is the precursor to The Office. Of course, as mentioned, it’s probably just that both are being disturbingly true to life.
They should have had Joe Don Baker play fat Elvis in that Kurt Russel Elvis biopic. What a wasted opportunity.
“Dammit, woman! Where’s my fried banana peanut butter and bacon sammitch with marshmallow sauce?”
Hey, that might be a good idea for a topic: Little known Joe Don Baker roles, like his underrated performance in the contemporary Shakespeare sleeper Mack Beth, with such magical lines as: “Is this a .38 I see before me? I’m too damn drunk to be sure.” “Bring it on, Mcduff!”
Johnny Ride: “Obscure reference: Did anyone else that when Mike is checking/fixing Crow after his presentation on Malta that he’s using the same hand thing that John Cleese did in that episode of Fawlty Towers where he’s pretending to check the walls but he’s really spying on his guest (who he thinks has smuggled a girl into his room). I’m really sad for noticing that, aren’t I?”
Not at all. Fawlty Towers was a great TV series, and with so few episodes, it’s easy to remember something like that.
I’m not going against the grain just ’cause, but I prefer the theater segments of this episode to the theater segments of Mitchell. All I remember about Mitchell are inappropriate Joe Don sex scenes and Joel & The Bots repeating Mistretta and Gallano over and over again.
Okay, I’m just a little butthurt about people here not liking this episode as much as I do. Mitchell is a fine episode, although if I had to choose between this and Mitchell, I’d say “Go ahead on” and pick Final Justice.
Love Goosio’s death caw. “The gun belt theme!”
*side note:
I tried a preparatory viewing of HAMLET to get ready for next week, but as always it’s as though the episode was stuffed with valium and I lost interest and fell asleep after less than 20 minutes. Could it be that this one is literally unwatchable for me?
Next week I might try it with some of those eyelid clamps like in A Clockwork Orange!
Sampo:,“• Segment 1 seems a little picky to me, like they couldn’t find anything else to comment on. The footage reuse is pretty mild compared to similar instances in other movies. All in all, I can’t get behind the premise.
It doesn’t even take so much as looking for another movie to get less mild footage: They could have shown the first shot we see of the two girls dancing, which is prominently used (more times than the gutshot, BTW) again and again, amongst a couple other ‘dance’ shots treated in the same manner. Too racy, perhaps (I wonder if, even though t’wer blurred, too many uses of a topless dancer would have pushed too far the censors’ buttons) but fitting with the premise that violence is more acceptable than sexuality, for some reason. <— Ties into Tom's description of knights being violent, belching, landed gentry in respect to The Magic Sword (I think. Howzzat fer tyin in Joel/Mike eps?)
@69 You may be right, but Joe Don sure changes his opinion of her fast after she doesn’t do all that much. Of course, that could be just the result of bad writing. Another possibility is that the actress just flat-out refused to do any romantic scenes with him.
Considering Joe Don’s reaction to MST3K’s treatment of “Mitchell”, I wonder if he heard about their treatment of this movie.
This one is more than good, borderline great. The fat & food jokes might be too predictable but they still make me laugh. The movie is watchable (JDB mouth close-ups notwithstanding) and the ‘Mike keeps tripping’ bit kills me everytime. Sure it’s repetitious but that was the point, that’s what they were making fun of. While I don’t really care much for Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III, I did think it was funny/justified when he beat up the dickweeds who laughed at him for ordering milk. As for the inevitable comparison to Mitchell: Mitchell sometimes leaves me drowsy, Final Justice doesn’t. Mitchell seems to have poorer audio so some dialogue is harder to follow. I give the edge to Final Justice, even though Joel’s departure was the end of an era.
One of my favorites. Besides, Patrizia Pellegrino is very easy to look at, even if she is a lousy police woman! :mrgreen:
One thing that always bothered me about this episode was Pearl and Bobo’s overreaction to Observer’s leather gear. I realize it’s far from the first (or the last) time the show addressed Observer’s sexuality, but I think it crosses the line from “poking fun at people who are homophobic” to “wait, maybe they are a little homophobic themselves.”
Again, I find it amusing that microbrewery afficiando Mike is seen drinking Bud.
I see it as being no different from Jack Benny the Character being the ultimate cheapskate while Jack Benny the Person was incredibly generous.