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Sampo & Erhardt

Sci-Fi Archives


Visit our archives of the MST3K pages previously hosted by the Sci-Fi Channel's SCIFI.COM.

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Interview with the RiffTrax Guys

Chris Ford at Diffuser.fm interviews Mike, Kevin and Bill.

RIP Francis Matthews

matthews LONDON — Francis Matthews, a veteran stage and screen actor who appeared in several acclaimed Hammer horror films, including “Dracula: Prince of Darkness” and “The Revenge of Frankenstein,” has died after a short illness. He was 86. He also starred as a mystery-solving crime novelist in 1969 TV series “Paul Temple.” And he is perhaps best remembered as the voice of the title character on TV’s “Captain Scarlet,” episodes of which were seen in episode K02- REVENGE OF THE MYSTERONS (although no fan copy of that episode is known to exist).

An obituary is here.

Thanks again to Duane for yet another heads up.

Weekend Discussion Thread: Backstories We’d Like to See

Alert longtime regular Jenny writes in with this:

“Maleficent” has done great at the box office, and that got me thinking: which MST3K movie villain would you like to see more of? Whose origin story would you like to see? For me, it is the doctor in “Bride of the Monster.” Not only is his story great — driven from homeland, mocked as mad, mad, only to be proven right. We should get see how he met Tor.

Speaking of Tor, I’d like to see the exciting adventures of Dr. Javorski of “Beast of Yucca Flats.” Imagine the Cold War intrigue as Tor lumbers around Moscow evading the KGB.

You?

New Short from RiffTrax…

ColorItCleanPoster

See a sample or download it here.

Episode guide: K00- The Green Slime (the unaired pilot)

Hello, people of Earth.
This half-hour “proof of concept” video, a very rough pilot created by Joel, Trace and Josh, with Jim (and presumably Kevin) behind the camera. The video shown below is most likely an edited version which focuses on the host segments and removes most of the theater sequences.

Segment 1: Joel tries to make contact with anyone, then introduces the movie.
Segment 2: Joel is joined by Crow and Beeper; he demonstrates the Chiro-Gyro.
Segment 3: Joel introduces Gypsy and reveals that he has taught the bots to laugh at his jokes.
Segment 4: Joel discovers that his vacu-flowers are sick, and the illness spreads to Gypsy.
Segment 5: As Joel works on Gypsy, he discovers that the illness has spread to Beeper and…himself!
Segment 6: Everybody has recovered from the foam sickness, but Crow has a parting shot.

Some observations:
• The purpose of this video was to convince KTMA’s station manager, a guy named Don O’Connor, that this idea of Joel’s was going to work. I gotta say, as interesting as this is to look at more than a quarter of a century later, I am AMAZED that it accomplished that purpose. Maybe ol’ Don had an eye for talent (though from the stories I’ve heard, that doesn’t sound likely) or maybe Jim just talked him into it.
• You can definitely see Joel’s “Silent Running meets Omega Man” concept at work, but as he says, it’s a little dour.
• The primitive door sequence always gets a laugh from fans the first time they see it.
• It’s interesting that the pilot doesn’t really show Joel riffing. That doesn’t really seem to have been a big part of the concept at this point. It seems like Joel is just sort of watching along with us. It’s much more like a standard “Svengoolie” style movie show in that sense.
• Note somebody fumbling around behind the theater seats as Joel leaves the first time. Not sure what’s going on there. (Some commenters say that’s audience members at the screening.
• The second segment is one you’ve seen if you’ve seen “The MST3K Scrapbook” video tape.
• The “chiropractic helmet,” later known as the “Chiro-Gyro,” would make a return appearance in episode 105- THE CORPSE VANISHES.
• Gypsy is male in this.
• Joel also says there are “25 other robots doing various complicated operations around the ship.” That’s very “Silent Running.”
• I notice that the ubiquitous background nooise — that non-stop engine hum and occasional “plink!” is present even in this. Where did they get it from?
• For the record, Joel comes into the theater by himself the first time, Crow joins him the second time, the third time it’s Joel, Crow and Beeper (who seems to be sitting on Joel’s lap), then Joel, Crow and Gypsy the next time and finally Joel by himself again.
• Joel mentions the “spiral-on-down” which he would mention once or twice more in the regular series.
• Fave riff: “…Speaking of the number 2 position…” At the screening, Joel declares it “The Birth of Movie Riffing!”