I’ve always wanted to know what other MSTies think of the episode guide–the book version, I mean. I consult it regularly, and in particular I have always been struck by the contributors’ different writing styles. For example, after awhile it got so that I could start reading a description of a movie and determine that Paul Chaplin wrote it. (I also LOVE how Mary Jo and Paul needle each other throughout the book!
An interesting topic. There a number of goofs in the book. Let’s see if we can identify all. And of course it would have been great to have Joel’s participation. In fact, wouldn’t it be great to have a new edition that includes Joel’s comments?
Anyway, your thoughts about the ACEG?
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I read the episode guide constantly. A new version with the SciFi years would be great.
I can’t put my finger on why.. it fed some part of my MST hunger… It is funny, informative and in a way nostalgic and sentimental. it brings to life ( sorry this is a bit thick. I know ) the MST experience.
I love the epdisode guide… read and re-read until it fell apart, and sadly mine only exists now in mostly seperate pages, with the cover swerving as a folder. sigh.
Always a pleasure to read, I need a new copy, and I wish they would come out with a new attack of the the ultimate atomic colossal episode guide that wouldn’t die 2 ( the legend continues ).
I agree. The sale of DVDs over the last decade should be plenty incentive to release an updated edition.
I love the ACEG! I agree that an updated edition for the complete run of the show would be great… But since we can read seasons 8-10’s entries online, I mostly wish that the season seven entries were more complete. Deathstalker is one of my favorite episodes, and I’d love to read more of the cast’s reflections about filming it. Also, 200 or more of the 50 most obscure riffs wouldn’t be amiss, either.
I love the description of Laserblast, too– runs through the entire plot of the kid finding the weapon, blowing up cars, killing Roddy McDowall, and dying… “Meanwhile, nothing happens.” :grin:
I too would love to have an updated version which would include all the Sci-Fi eps plus whatever bonus material the Brains wanted to include. Had one copy (which I “bought” for my son) which fell apart, so I bought a new one just for me.
I can think of two goofs offhand from the ACEG: I’m watching Beast of Yucca Flats this morning, and was reminded that the quote “Flag on the Moon” was wrongly attributed to Red Zone Cuba. I was also surprised, when I finally saw Wild Rebels, to discover that the skank Linda did NOT die; so disappointing!
I would go another step and propose that a revised episode guide be included as part of a bigger MST3k overview book. It would be nice to have a nice, big volume created by the crew that gave some behind the scenes info and reflections featuring some nice photos, capped off with the new episode guide (which included the feature film).
I think between the continued popularity of the original episodes and the next generation projects of Rifftrax and Cinematic Titanic the demand would be there. Hopefully the desire to promote said projects would motivate everyone to participate.
Anyone else agree?
I would love to see an update of the guide. I was lucky enough to attend a comedy writing seminar with Mary Jo and she signed my copy(along with my DVD copy of The Brain That Wouldn’t Die. She signed it ‘Jan in the Pan’!)I refer to the guide more than I refer to the dictionary or any other movie guide, but I handle it very carefully! An updated version with input from Joel and more material from Frank would be awesome!
Since everyone else has come out in favor of a new, updated ACEG, I’ll come out against it. :evil:
It’s not that I don’t like the idea, but it’s been 12-22 years since the crew actually did the episodes. At this point, I wonder how much more they could dredge from memory accurately. Then there’s the distraction — how much would it would take away from their current projects? I for one would rather see more CT shows and RT releases.
I love the Colossal Episode Guide. It amazes me how many more funny things the writers had to say about the movies used on the show after already writing hundreds of jokes about them for the actual episodes. The first year or so I had it I read my favorite parts of it several times. Features like the “MST3K Monster” boxes included on some pages and the guide’s plot synopses for each film are often as funny as anything seen in the original episodes. My only complaint is that some of the pages have a bit too much blank space and given the quality of the writing in the book I would have loved to see more jokes filling up those pages. Of course the biggest fault with the book if you want to call it that is that there are no contributions from the shows creator and original host, Joel Hodgson. The book is hilariously funny and its a shame that his unique voice and vision weren’t added to the great material that is there. If they ever release an updated version with contributions from Joel I would definitely buy it. As it is I own three copies of the book, my autographed copy, my original copy I bought in a store that has been read to death and is showing some serious wear, and a new copy in good condition to replace the one that is falling apart should it actually do so.
I concur with “Steve K”. Sure, it would be great to see an updated version, with Joel’s and Josh/J. Elvis’ comments on each film and compiling the Sci-Fi stuff which is currently online into an updated all-in-one version, but as he points out it’s been years since they’ve reviewed these episodes and asking them to remember specifics now would hurt the accuracy.
The best suggestion could be re-issuing the ACEG with the Sci-Fi online reviews, and perhaps Joel and J.Elvis can provide some overall general comments on their years with MST3K.
I’m inclined to agree with the previous posts. I would like to see a companion piece – one that encompasses everything. The Sci-Fi years would be interesting to read as well as some early information about the show (stuff that you would see in the scrapbook dvd/video.)
The only qualm that I would have is how that would differ from sites like this?
On the subject of “goofs” in the ACEG, one of the biggest is the rant against Wendell Corey and the “hi-keeba” story he supposedly tells in the movie. This error is on the page devoted to Women Of The Prehistoric Planet. The actor who recites the “hi-keeba” story in the movie is NOT Wendell Corey. Wendell Corey is the older actor who plays Linda’s father, Admiral King. Wendell Corey also appears in another film used on the show, Agent For H.A.R.M.
I too consult “the guide” on a regular basis- after reading it, oh, about 300 times (in addition to my offspring eagerly consulting the guide after viewing an episode) I printed out seasons K, and 7-10 and put them in a binder, hence, I have a complete set. As for the book itself, I found it at the Virgin superstore in Orlando when we were at Disneyworld in 2000. To say the least, reading it for the first time kept me away from the overpriced attractions. I’ll take a rehash of Catalina Caper over a visit to Typhoon Lagoon anytime. :lol:
It’s on my bookshelf. I haven’t read it in years.
I agree with the majority of posters. I love ACEG. I would like to see an update and complete to series end. Dont bother to update and extend if you’re not going to include Joel and Josh in episode notes.
The only technical error I have noted is the same as MrB(ob)@ 12 is the Wendell Corey alleged ‘Hi-Keeba!’ quote. It was the comic relief guy who spews racist and sexist comments all over the galaxy who made the statement and WC wasn’t even in the scene. Outside personal preference and opinion, I dont know of any others.
I got my copy in 2000 as a Christmas present from my parental units. It has always been useful and funny. Convinced me to start collecting episodes a few years later. Luckily, one of the lunch monitors at my middle school had a brochure of MST merchandise from the Info club.
Revised version of my comment from the March 2010 discussion of Over/Underrated Episodes:
…I’m not a fan of the ACEGuide…
Published around the same awkward time as The Movie, a time of cast transitions and bad blood. The idea of a book about MST without any input from Joel is sheer madness. I find it badly laid out and unfunny. Probably seemed a good idea at the time, but it’s usefulness as a resource has been supplanted by various websites (such as this one). It’s unworthy of a reprint, and we’ll probably never see a revised, complete edition. A wasted opportunity, forced into existence by the hubris of mid-90’s Best Brains Inc.
If Jim Mallon were smart he would commission a new edition of the ACEGuide, with contributions from all participants, including the technical staff. Published with a new layout and in full color. Might not sell like hotcakes, but it should, over time, prove profitable. And it would give Mallon the opportunity to have the final word about the MST phenomenon.
The ACEG has been very helpful for me since I purchased it in 2009 when I was 11. Not only does it include a little extra information on the KTMA episodes, but also includes what the writers felt about Misties favorite episodes. I enjoy it very much and hope for more times when I can use it.
The ACEG ROCKS! However, I can’t help but be annoyed at its incompleteness. Perhaps for the 25th Anniversary of MST3K it would be cool to have a completed and/or rewritten version of the book with EVERYONE in on it. I’d preorder one NOW!!!!!!
I love the ACEG! Since I became a MSTie a few years ago and the book is OOP, I bought mine at Half Price Books (I love that store). It is falling apart and it was that way when I bought it, but I had to buy it when I found it. I need to get a new copy. I look in the book after I watch a CC era episode.
RECENT CENSORSHIP
Oh yes, I also wanted address the shutting down of comments on the MST Oberman story. It’s sad that Sampo had to censor because of selfish folks. I come to this site to get away from that garbage and I am very sure most others do as well. There are soooooo many other sites where this could be done. Frankly those who felt compelled to post and respond to this nonsense owes the folks who run this site and the rest of us an apology.
It’s funny, as I was becoming a Canadian MSTie, the book was, aside from the early Rhino video releases, ALL I had, full stop. My copy is dogeared to hell, it’s little jokes the very abstract notion of what MST3K was about. The transition it capture in the show, the bad blood, the hell of movie-making, all of it.. Even the absence of Joel, which NOW I see is, kind of odd.. was meaningless at the time. I just wanted to find SOME way to see Daddy-O and The Day The Earth Froze. (I’d taken a class ON the Kalavela, so that was just insane to me.)
It’s in a box now, in another country, waiting for my wife and I to move. But when that box gets down here in a few months, I suspect I’ll feel quite guilty over it’s recent mistreatment. I’ll probably try to make amends.
It’s a book though. So that would be insane.
I love the way everyone poses with Kevin’s dog in the bio section.
We all seem to agree on the fact that we would love to see a nice definative book on MST3K…so anyone have any ideas as what we could do as a “collective” to get this done?
My sore point with the ACEG was that the “secrets of the pyramids” were NOT revealed!
The ACEG was my bible of bad film (until I discovered Psychotronic) and remains one of my favourite books ever. Sadly I can’t really read it anymore because it’s fallen apart through years of use. I love reading the Brains’ takes on the many awful movies they’ve sat through. No matter how many times I’ve read it, parts still make me laugh my head off, like Mike’s recollection of saying ‘I’m a naughty forest creature, come find me’.
There should definitely be a revised, updated, leather bound edition with a holographic cover and scratch and sniff pages (okay, maybe not the last, especially whilst covering ‘The Incredibly Strange Creatures…’).
I’ve gone through two copies of the ACEG. I’ll never forget rushing out to the book store when it first came out and snickering at the little jokes on the front cover, especially: “contains new information about bigfoot!”, that’ll always give me a giggle when I think about it. My ‘newest’ copy is missing the front and back covers and a good section of pages from season 4 through season 6. :( I wish I could get another copy for a reasonable price.
The ACEG was good for what it was in the day. Some inaccuracies and some omissions, but tremendous fun in the days before internet prevalance.
I got mine 8 years ago and it’s falling apart. Glad I’m not the only one in the same boat!
In the mid 90’s while walking thru a Target store I saw this book on the shelves, thinking to myself “No way!! They made a book on one of my favorite shows!”. I had to buy it right then and there and I wondered if I’d be the only one who actually bought one. Reading these comments, I was dead wrong.
On the subject of goofs, when they discuss the episode ‘The Atomic Brain’ they make no mention of the short ‘What About Juvenile Delinquency’. Weird. Yeah that’s what I’d call it. Weird.
Title for the revised guide?
War of the Colossal Episode Guide
By the way, I got mine in an ebay auction for 40$. It was well worth it as it was signed by the authors of the book
Sadly I don’t have the AECG but would totally buy 2 copies or more if they reprinted or revised it!
Josh #31 – Ooo, I like thinking of titles. How about Libro: The Complete Episode Guide of Fate.
I love the old-fashioned look and design of the ACEG. For those who grew up in the time of the reign of monster magazines and books, the ACEG is also a lot of nostalgic fun.
On a practical level I loved it when I bought this book, because for most of the 90’s I lived in Europe and only caught eps on Xmas returns. I was thrilled to see how many eps they’d done while I was away, and it helped a lot picking out eps to get “fan” copies of when I finally came back for good.
I really like Frank’s little sidebar takes.
First copy completely fell apart. Bought a second, it now sits on my shelf with massive amounts of tape barely holding the spine together. Poor binding, too much reading, or both?
I still have my copy of the ACEG, and was fortunate to get it signed by the cast at ConventioCon I.
Add me to the list of those who’d like to see an updated edition, featuring contributions from pretty much everybody, including those from the actual movies who are good sports.
As for a title, how about “Son of the MST3K Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, Episode II: ‘The Final Reckoning of the Adventure Contines’ (Special Edition)”. (Sure, it makes no sense; why wouldn’t it?)
Another glaring error is on the entry for Pod People, either Paul Chaplin or Kevin Murphy (I forgot who) wrote that Bridget Jones is the recording artist in Segment 1, but actually it’s Faye Burkholder. It’s a glaring error to me, because I wonder how they could have mistaken that for Bridget. Even though Faye is wearing big sunglasses, you can tell by the shape of the rest of the face, that it’s not Bridget. Was Bridget even on the writing staff at that time?
If they do update the ACEG, I’d like it to cover the host segments from the KTMA episodes.
I also love the ACEG and have a much-loved copy. Maybe I should think about putting contact paper or clear packing tape over the cover.
Given that the Brains seemed to have enough trouble remembering specifics about season 7 when they did the online guides for those eps, I too must question how well a revised and updated version would work, even though I would definitely buy any such book.
As for goofs, one in the obscure references section: they identify Andrew J. Robinson, who played the Scorpio Killer in Dirty Harry (and Garak in ST:DS9), as the son of Edward G. Robinson, which he isn’t.
This book is my bible. I can go back to it again and again for entertainment. I met Mary Jo Pehl and she signed my copy. She also enlightened on the fact that she and Paul Chaplin were kind of given free reign with the book, as the other ‘brains’ were busy getting deals rolling on MST3k the movie . The writing in the book (and its continuations for season 7 and SCIFI) is very quick paced, just how the show was at riffing. There is a surprising joke around every corner. A+. I would defintely buy an updated version. Even better would be a movie review book, like Leonard Maltin’s, where the Misty writers reviewed bad movies beyond the show.
It’s almost impossible for me to even watch an episode without the ACEG nearby. Although it’s a fantastic read entirely on its own, even when you’re not watching an episode. I can only hope my copy lasts – the binding is still mostly intact, but I suspect a few more years of use and it will end up in the same condition as everyone else’s seems to be.
As for a revised or new edition, I’m thinking a big fancy hardcover like those Lord of the Rings collector’s editions would be just about right.
I agree, I love my copy of the ACEG and I would love to see an updated version. I always felt that season seven was thrown into the book and never given the treatment of the other seasons. Every episode KTMA’s through Season 10 (as well as the MST3K: The Movie and The Day the World Ended: The Home Game) should be included. I also think there should be a section for Rifftrax and Cinematic Titanic. :mrgreen:
And while we’re at it, how bout releasing The Green Slime, Invaders from the Deep, Revenge of the Mysterons and the KTMA Star force Fugitive Alien 2 to DVD. ;-)
I started watching MST3K just as it went into reruns on Sci-Fi. I was 12 years old and became a big fan pretty quickly, so when I saw the Amazing Colossal episode guide at Books-a-Million I knew I had to have it – and I got it a few weeks later. Thing is, I was only familiar with the Mike/Sci-Fi era of the show which wasn’t even covered in the book, but I didn’t care. The book made me so excited about the previous era of the show (This “Joel” fellow) I had to get some Rhino Home Video VHS releases. So the book was important in directing me to the past of the show.
But everyone will tell you that the weakness of the book is the binding. After a year or so my copy was falling apart. I let my cousin borrow it and it deteriorated even further and it became either lost or destroyed (still kinda hazy on what happened to it). Several years later I find a copy at the library, rent it, remembered how much I loved it, and then that one began to fall apart! Luckily, this was 2007 and by then amazon.com still had now copies of the book for sale so I got it (what was in many ways my third copy) and have taken good care of it ever since.
It’s a fun book, and handy for reference. An updated version (or another book on the show) would be great, but this is good for what it was.
Disturbing thought: How long do you think it’ll be before we get a Kitty Kelley-BEHIND THE MUSIC type ‘MST3K-The Shocking Truth’ tome? :twisted:
@Rob(ot rollcall) #26 – “I wish I could get another copy for a reasonable price.”
I have an extra one that you can just have :)
Love the book,even though it’s somewhat worn a little.I would love to see an updated version with comments/reflections from Joel and J.Elvis..I remember when I first bought the book,I was excited,but me,being the nick-picker(Not fish picker)that I am,I wished they would’ve included more photos and trivia about the movies.I wished that Kevin Murphy when talking about Frank Zappa’s death,he would’ve written the project that Zappa and MST3K were going to do(Dwell-the giant spider musical),too.Plus,I wished that the biographies towards the end were facts and not fiction.Also,and this was mentioned before,I wished they would’ve written a little more about the movies of Season 7..And last but not least,I wished the typeface of Appendix 2 The Fifty Most Obscure References was a little smaller(like the rest of the book)so that way they could’ve added some more photos or whatever..Aside from it being a little worn,I have the signatures of Cinematic Titanic and a cartoon drawing of Dave Gruber Allen,too!
I’m not aware enough to spot gaffes, but I wholeheartily endorse a second, more complete guide. Added Joel and Josh, more voices added including from this site. I’m positive that this could become a reality. Vanity publishing, small press, there has got to be a way to make this real. Either there isn’t too much interest and it would be easy to do this on the cheap, or there is lots of interest, hence money.
I’ve downloaded the follow-up HTML guide pages (plus Say What? and Meet The Brains) from MST3Kinfo, edited ’em back into the old format (with the original black background and widgets and whatnot), added a new header that combines the globe and Satellite News logo, and corrected everything for grammar, fact, and trivia to the best of my abilities for my own PC guide–all linked to a master page that keeps track of which episodes are on DAP download, DVD, or DVD-R.
Fully aware that all binding goes to hell (soon to be an animated feature!), I never read the ACEG without clasping the back “closed,” but I’ve been thinking of transcribing the content into my little online guide.
I’d definitely buy a new, complete ACEG, but in the meantime I’ll just add updating my own guide to my projects backlog and offer a Rapidshare link when finished.
I wish they would make an updated, complete episode guide. I’ve read mine to tatters.