Amazon.com

The cult television show (in which a hapless space explorer and his robot pals are forced to watch and deliver a hilarious running commentary on bad movies) makes a successful transition to the big screen as Mike and the 'bots lay waste to the '50s sci-fi yarn This Island Earth (a painfully stiff would-be epic that's actually a cut above the usual MST3K fare). While ardent fans may be a little miffed that more advantage isn't taken of the expanded theatrical venue (aside from a tad more scatological humor than usual, the content here would fit in comfortably as a regular episode of the series), the nonstop, hyper-literate salvo of comedy riffs that run the gamut from references to Tommy Chong's backyard to Yes album covers more than make up for any conceptual complacency. Be prepared to laugh till it aches. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (123)

The MST Treatment Saves Another Cheesy Sci-Fi Movie!
"Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" is the big screen version of the once-popular Comedy Central (later Sci-Fi Network) series. In the series, Mike (or Joel) and his robot pals Gypsy, Tom Servo, and Crow make running wisecracks while watching awful sci-fi movies beamed up to them by the evil Dr. Forrester (Trace Beaulieu, who also voices Crow). In the big screen version, Mike and the 'bots take on Universal's "This Island Earth" with hilarious results!

One of the best reasons for owning this movie is that it is able to overcome many of the technical limitations placed on TV series (such as the motions of the robots, for instance). This provides a more intimate and interesting portrayal of the lives that the crew lead on the Satellite of Love.

If you are deciding whether to watch or buy this movie, please PLEASE ignore the Amazon.com review written by Miles Bethany. It's painfully apparent that he has never seen this movie from the fact that he continually refers to someone named "Jim". There's no character named Jim on the show (although Jim Mallon does the voice of Gypsy). He's clearly referring to either Joel or Mike, but in any event Miles Bethany ought to be fired for this if he's on Amazon's payroll!

Once you watch this movie, you'll hunger for episodes of the series if you've never seen it. Fortunately, the Sci-Fi Network Episodes are not yet available. They're not as funny as any of the early episodes and tend to get a little overindulgent. Additionally, Beaulieu left the series before it got picked up by Sci-Fi, and the actor who replaced him transformed the rather cute, insecure Crow into a character that I grew to dislike.

The William Shatner jokes are really funny on this movie, as well as Crow's impersonation of George Takei, which leaves me rolling on the floor. In any event, I recommend that you check out this movie if for no other reason than to find out what the hell an interocetor is (and hopefully how you spell the damned word)!

Great movie, but needs more
MST3K:TM on DVD is very good. You get the standard excellent picture and incredible sound, and of course, the funniest movie of the decade. But what is missing here is the extra added features which would have warranted this receiving 5 stars. Think of all the fun things which could have been added: a blooper reel, comments from Jim Mallon, Mike Nelson, Trace Beaulieu, and Kevin Murphy about their film, extra scenes which were excluded from the final theatrical version and much more. All you get with MST3K: TM on DVD is the standard jump-to-any-scene-you-wish interface and widescreen presentation.

Granted, if you are a fan of Mike and the Bots, you don't need any extra features to keep your attention, however, the lack of extras may scare off potential buyers, especially those who are not fans.

If you don't know by now, MST3K:TM is the story of a mad scientist marooning a janitor in space with 3 robot pals on an orbiting satellite. Mike Nelson, and two of his bot pals-- Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot are forced to watch an edited down version of the 1955 sci-fi magnum opus "This Island Earth." The mad doctor Clayton Forrester monitors Mike's, Crow's and Tom's minds while they are watching the film so that he can unleash the result on the unwitting public and rule the world. Mike and the bots do not go quietly, throwing a bunch of witty and often humorous insults back at the screen. What you get is a product which has propelled the TV series to a ravenous cult following, boasting a 100,000+ member fan club, numerous internet websites, a book and even a Peabody award.

MST3K:TM is truly unique and it is truly incredible to see the "cow-town puppet show" unleashed on DVD.

Look around, and you might find it. . .
I bought this movie for 7 bucks (used) at a movie/music/book store. I suggest doing the same, since it's being sold for MUCH more on the internet. Hunt around - there's bound to be someone who sold it not knowing it's real worth.

While this movie is definitely not as good as the t.v. episodes, it is worth seeing.

"Glad you could join us here at the Buddy Epson Society!"
Judging by some other UK reviews, it seems a fair few people here caught its late night airing on ITV. Considering how rare the show is here, I made sure I taped this.

The plot isn't really too important. Average joe Mike is an unwilling pawn in his bosses plans to find the worst movie ever created and unleash it on the world to secure an easy take over. With the aid of robot pals Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot, Mike does his best to survive the experiments by mocking the hell out of them. The results are hilarious.
The film being mocked this time round is "This Island Earth", a typical old fashioned sci-fi with a handsome hero, a damsel in distress and an out of control monster. A nuclear scientist is recruited by a strange individual who claims he is working towards world peace, but is really covering his true agenda... The film is cheesey and fits the MST requirements quite nicely. As others have said, TIE is edited down to fit it in so those interested may want to look in finding the original.
The one weak area is the parts with just the MST cast. Dr Clayton Forrestor provides some laughs, but scenes such as Mike crashing into the hubble will likely have you looking at your watch and wondering when they'll be back to the theater.

MST3K:The Movie is definetly worth a purchase, being a hilarious comedy that just about everyone can enjoy. For max enjoyment, watch with a group.

MST3K goes big-screen
MST3K- The Movie is essentially the same as the television show, only with higher production values. The riffing here is top notch, and the host segments are pretty good. The only bone I have to pick with The Movie is the very large theater seats, which were quite annoying to this reviewer. All in all, a terrific movie worth watching over and over again! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Joel and his robot friends, Tom Servo and Crow, are marooned on the derelict Satellite of Love and forced to watch horrendously lousy movies. In this episode, they're subjected to this inexplicably titled film--the subterranean denizens appear for all of two confusing minutes and add absolutely nothing to the plot. Not that there's much of a plot to add to.Miles O'Keefe stars as the warrior Ator, whose bare chest and loincloth prompt Crow to ask, "How much Keefe is in this movie?" Tom and Joel answer, "Miles O'Keefe."Ator, his buckskin-clad babe, and a scrawny martial-arts sidekick--à la Kato--try to save civilization(though no one appears to be too civilized) from a superweapon called--get this--a "Geometric Nucleus." "Why do they have such fancy names for stupid things?" wonders Crow. Even though Ator can't muster up a pair of pants, he does manage to construct a hang glider in five minutes from a bunch of sticks. On top of all that, the bad guy looks like some demented cross between Doug Henning and Sonny Bono and is just about as threatening. And the cut-rate, low-budget special effects inspire a hilarious rant from the boys. All of which makes for an MST3K classic. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (55)

The Best Mystery Science Video
For me this is the funnies Mystery Science Theater 3000 movie. Cave Dwellers is a really bad Conan clone, complete with giant puppet spiders and snakes and hubcap breastplates. The acting is so terrible, the plot doesn't make any sense, and the Cave Dwellers of the title are a very minor subplot. It's a real mess that gives the critics lots to make fun of. The characters are just classic. The main hero is just shouting out "No!" all the time. The main villian has a really special mustache that will have you laughing out loud. One scholar has the habit of looking straight into the camera when he gives his lines.

Lots of ridiculous things happen. At one point, the hero is fighting invisible creatures. I guess they couldn't afford to hire extras for the scene. At another point, the hero is flying a hang glider. Never mind that he wasn't carrying it, and that he didn't have any tools to make it with in the few seconds it took to cut to him flying it, but it just doesn't belong in this movie. It doesn't make any sense, which is why it's perfect for Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The jokes are right on target. I give this my highest recommendation. I've watched it so many times, and I think you will too.

Another MST classic...
Yes, it's another classic! 'Cave Dwellers' features great music "by the Super Mario Bros." and stars such famous actors as Miles O'Keefe ("just how much Keefe is in this movie?"). If you love swords that look like giant letter openers and a storyline fit for a gameboy game, you'll love 'Cave Dwellers'.

Heh heh. Just kidding. This is a great MST3K classic. The movie's horrible (the worse the movie, the better the MST3K episode), the bots and Joel's line of commentary is top notch, and...well...just get the movie!!!

Quote of the Film: "Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own appacity?"

Character of the movie: Ator, the hero. He's got "pecs like melons and knees of fringe". Played by Miles O'Keefe.

Get this movie along with my other favorite MST3K episodes: "Manos: Hands of Fate", "Mitchell", "Shorts II", and "The Gunslinger".

One of the MST3K top ten funniest!
It seems that some films were just made to be torn into by the citizens of the Satellite of Love. CAVE DWELLERS is beyond a doubt one of them. Basically, a poor man's Conan the Barbarian, CAVE DWELLERS has all the elements necessary for an MST3K roasting: bad acting, no editing, horrible pacing, cheap FX, and, above all, poor continuity directing which the crew aim in on at the end. There are fewer poorly made films, and fewer funnier episodes of MST3K!

All-time favorite MST3K episode
Cave Dwellers is my all-time favorite episode, even though it's hosted by Joel and I tend to prefer Mike-era episodes. This movie is just flat-out hilarious, and it's one of the worst films ever made - I know they say that about all of them but it's really true. As they say in the film, "Tolkein couldn't follow this plot!" You'll meet Ator (played by a mostly-nude Miles Davis with fluffy boots and a scrunchie in his flowing locks) and his sidekick Dong (or is it Wong? No one is ever sure) as they go on a quest to do...something...yeah, the plot is pretty much the most complicated piece of crap in movie history. But the riffing is great and you'll laugh even after viewing it multiple times. Look forward also to Joel and the bots' recreating the opening credits...that's funny. :)

Another good episode
I had never seen this episode before. I rented it from a Hollywood Video because I had an evening alone and it was the only new episode on video that was available to me.

Luckily, I was pleasantly entertained.

The Cave Dwellers of the title are only about five minutes of the film, so don't expect a cave man or cave enthralled movie. I could go into detail about how bad this movie is, but hey why bother? Its a bad movie, end of story.

There are some lines in here that are classic MST3K. In the tradition of the other MST3K reviewers...lemme post some.

"We mustn't lose heart!"
Crow: "Because some guy will eat it."

Old Man: "Will you leave our people alone and cease interrupting our lives?"
*Bandit kills the old man*
Tom Servo: "Um...I think that's a no."

And if you like spotting bloopers, you'll like this episode. The cast actually goes into detail about the obvious bloopers in the movie:

- A guy wearing sunglasses in the pillaging scene.
- A modern city underneath the hero as he glides through the air.
- Tire tracks in the background as the hero rides off on horseback.

So a good watch. Decent enough episode to watch with friends. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Yuck.
The host segments were exellent (the clown in the sky song with Tom Servo's Anthony newly impression is the best). The movie kinda haunted me, and even Joel and the bots great riffing couldn't save it. The movie is a terrifying story about how a boy finds an alien egg which hatches into Trumpy, a snaffuluphigus-like animal. The boy and Trumpy are friends till Trumpy's brother is provoked by nasty poachers. Then Trumpy's brother starts going on a killing spree. Not that I didn't like this episode, but the movie was one of the worst ever made, it wasn't a fun bad like Manos or Mitchell is, it's just horrible. It's like ET seen through an odd foggy European filter. And the boy has a hanis dubbed voice. It makes you prey the monster will do away with him next. If that happened, it would exellerate the rating of this to five stars!!

I named you after Donald Trump...
"Pod People" was the first MST3K episode I ever watched, and remains my very favorite. While kind of confusing at first, it all comes together eventually. Joel and the bots comment that it seems to be made up of three different movies. The first part involves two poachers, one who looks like he belongs in a Renaissance Festival ("Huzzah!") and another guy who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Magoo ("I'm doing a one-man show: Lesley Neilson, Lesley Neilson, Lesley Neilson!") A little redheaded kid is in the movie later. He collects all kinds of creepy-crawlies and rodents. When he stumbles upon "The Gates of Hell", he finds an egg, and puts it in his bed. "Oh, he's trying to hatch the egg. What is he, Horton?" When "Trumpy", an alien with a elephant-like snout hatches, he and Tommy turn his room into a mix between Mary Poppins and Gumby. Also, a [terrible]band sings a stupid song. "Hey, it's Greg Brady!" "Young Republicans- they're so hip!" "Lyrics by Mrs. Johnson's kindergarten class!" Add a whole lot of fog and an airhead named Laura, and you've got Pod People.

Dreary movie ruined the whole show
Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of MST3K, and the riffing here is hilarious, but the movie-of-choice, Pod People, a foriegn rip-off of E.T., was so stupid and depressing that it ruined the entire program. I recommend Manos or MST3K: The Movie instead.

G'night McCloud!
All of the MST3K i have seen are great. But this is the first one i ever saw, and its the one that got me hooked. If you are have not yet discovered the greatness that is MST3K, then this is the video to get you addicted.
If you are already a fan, you cannot go on without seeing this one. It is grade A, and a must for any fan.
G'night McCloud!

An MST3K All-time classic
Trumpy sure does stupid things, as well as everyone else involved in "Pod People"; and Joel and robots will never let them forget it. This is a howl a minute roar of an attack on an 80s rip-off of ET and other good alien/bad alien films. Beside the standard repartee with the screen, this episode is notable for the incredibly funny "bumper" sketches surrounding the commercials. In particular, Joel and the 'bots perform an absolutely hysterical parody of the scene where Trumpy sets everything in Tommy's room in motion. Also of note is the parody of the recording studio scene, replete with Joel giving the okay signal with his hand while saying "It stinks!" He's right: the movie stinks, the episode is a classic! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Arguably the worst movie that our lovable pals Joel, Crow, and Tom Servo have ever had the pain ofwatching, Manos: Hands of Fate is destined to be an MST3K classic for this very reason. Not only isthere a sparse, illogical plot, but the cinematography is nonsensical (note Servo's point about the endless countrysideride in Texas). That said, Manos must be watched, and cringed at, and commented on by its viewers because ofthe director's amazingly awful vision of what a horror film should be. What plot there is involves a vacationing familybeing trapped in a remote ranch house in the desert that's "managed" by a greasy, what looks to be stoned, oversizebow-legged keeper named "Torgo." As the movie goes on, and one finds the "master" and his harem of semi-deadwomen clad in see-through white dresses, one wonders more and more what the hell this movie was supposed to beabout. Even Dr. Forrester and Frank feel a little sorry for Joel and the boys' being forced to watch this one. Still,you'll find yourself spiraling into hysterics when the women get into a big catty brawl while Joel and the boys likentheir antics to a Ladies Guild performing A Midsummer Night's Dream or female dirt-wrestling. An episodeyou'll love to suffer through. --Karen Karleski ... Read more

Reviews (179)

Thank you El Paso
MANOS deserves its reputation as a terrible film, and this episode of MST3K is one of the funniest & most notorious. A fan of the series will enjoy this tape (or DVD -- the DVD is hardly more expensive, and it comes with the "Poopie" program as an extra).

For the sake of argument I'm putting forward my opinion that MANOS is not the worst film to appear on MST3K. It was clearly made by amateurs with inferior equipment, and the acting is horrible, and the dialogue is terrible, but the story itself is satisfactory in a rudimentary sort of way. ANGELS REVENGE (available on VHS) is far more tiresome than MANOS, being an incompetent imitation of bland television programs. MANOS is at least quirky enough to hold a viewer's attention, and the MST crew sound aghast & amazed but not bored by the film.

Now let's see Rhino release Episode 423, BRIDE OF THE MONSTER, which features Part One of the 2-part short film "Hired." Part Two kicks off MANOS. BRIDE and MANOS belong in any bad-movie lover's library, and they'd make a nice pair for Rhino to market.

Wow MST3K REALLY saved this monstrosity
Rhino Home Video has seen fit to deliver another episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" on DVD, and they've picked a winner this time. In the season finale of season four, show #424 sees Joel, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot suffer through the hideously awful Manos: The Hands of Fate. The story begins with a young couple driving out into the desert with their young daughter. They become lost and arrive at a small shack at nightfall where they are entreated to spend the night by a odd bow legged man. They soon discover that the shack belongs to "The Master" and that he intends to keep the woman as one of his undead wives. Now I think this is what the "film" was about. Doesn't matter because Joel, Tom, and Crow are here to save us, but boy oh boy was this movie terrible. It's a good thing they had ALOT of material to work with. 1966's Manos: The Hands of Fate might very well be the worst movie I've ever seen on "MST3K" and is the only film that could give Plan 9 From Outer Space a run for it's money for being the worst film in hystory. Even though the jokes from Joel and the bots come fast and furious, you can still feel the painful burn of this massive stinkaroo. It has something to do with a family lost in the desert who end up staying with some guy with huge knees named Torgo. Torgo stumbles around like a drunk on COPS, muttering about "the Master", someone who doesn't approve of children and dogs. Later, a half-dozen women in nightgowns kinda wrestle for 20 minutes straight. Then, Torgo is almost slapped to death. The music, the story, the acting, just everything is wretched. Oh and ya know what, even Frank and Dr. Forrester apologize to Joel for forcing him to watch this one. I still don't know what was going on with the film. Maybe that's why I tried to explain it twice. This is a must have for any MST3K fan. Hilarious!!!

The ultimate mst3k hit!
MANOS would be embarassing to watch if it weren't for MST3K. The jokes are timed perfectly. This clanker of a horror movie is prime fodder for the denizens of the Satellite of Love because it has nothing going for it. The flaccid script takes itself so seriously, as does the directing, and that makes any film fair game for skewering. Then there are the characters: Torgo, the igor-ish idiot savant without the savant. There's the pathetic family performed in equally pathetic form. And of course there's Manos, who looks like Mr. Fawlty after too much abuse from Sybil.

The crew of the SOL, especiall Crow, are merciless, as fits the crime of this movie. This is a great place to start if you've never had the joy of watching MST3K

Is this your card?
Oh my, what can one say about Manos. This film is garbage and it flaunts it putridity frequently and without mercy. The MST3K gang however have a knack for turning poo to gold and they do so again with what may be the biggest stinker they ever took on.

So what's so bad about the movie? Talk about a loaded question. Well okay, first it looks bad. It was filmed with one camera that could only shoot for 30 seconds at a time. This leads to many awkward cut scenes. It also sounds bad. The camera apparently couldn't pick up sound so every line is dubbed. A couple people sound like they have the same voice. It's directed poorly. A trip through the country turns into an epic trek that seems to reach no end. Joel and the bots stare at the screen and mutter "Manos.....the Hands of Fate" and that is all that needs to be said.

Finally it's stupid. It's supposed to be a horror movie, but unless you're afraid of women in nightgowns, a street magician with hands painted on his cape, or a pervert with a speech impediment who has basketballs for knees, it doesn't particularly work.

But the MST3K guys really had me cracking up out loud. Seriously, I could barely breath at a few spots I was laughing so hard. You need to know that people who aren't use to this kind of humor may be weirded out just because of the nature of the Manos film. Better to start with something like Mitchell or Eegah. However, if you like the MST3K brand of humor, than you have to get this. Trust me!

top-tier MST3K
After seeing this and a few other Mystery Science Theater episodes you'll recognize that it's a largely a hit-or-miss show, and you'll recognize that this is one of the hits. Manos has all the elements that make for a clever MST3K treatment-bad acting, terrible production, horrendous plotting-and best of all, it takes itself seriously. As a general rule, the MST3K crew does well with movies that take themselves seriously. Sincerity is easier to mock than irony.

The movie, for those who care (oh, but you should!), is about a family that gets lost in the middle of the desert on vacation and ends up staying at the remote home of Manos, who with his faithful and crippled servant Torgo lords over a coterie of women clad in diaphanous evening gowns and forced to stand at attention with eyes closed while Manos sleeps his vampiric sleep during the day. Torgo, who looks like an insane Bob Dylan, has his pillows stuffed in his pants at the knees and walks funny. Manos, meanwhile, who looks like Frank Zappa, wears a black cape with big red hand outlines on its wings. I won't get into any of the quasi-sexual cult antics that Joel and the 'bots deftly ridicule, but suffice it to say the movie and the skits before, during, and after the movie are on-point and bitingly witty.

This is a good first MST3K episode to see because it is so representative of what the show CAN be. But be forewarned: not all episodes are this good; in fact, the vast majority of them don't come close. ... Read more

Amazon.com

While some might question the comic potential of a movie concerninggrave robbing and forced brain transplants, Mike Nelson and his 'bot pals Crowand Tom Servo mine plenty of laugh fodder from 1963's The Atomic Brain inthis fifth-season episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. In addition tothe usual rapid-fire patter and pop-culture references (Mike: "[The Silenceof the Lambs'] Jame Gumb only dreamed of what this guy's been able toaccomplish"), the boys also present a light operetta that accompanies the film'sherky-jerky score, as well as chin puppetry from Mike (which terrifies the'bots). And in a MST3K first, the disembodied Magic Voice (Mary Jo Pehl)steps into the spotlight and duels verbally with Atomic Brain's unctuousnarrator (Bradford Dillman). Also included is the original accompanying short, agrim educational film from 1955 entitled "What About Juvenile Delinquency?" Araucously entertaining entry in this Peabody Award-winning series. --PaulGaita ... Read more

Reviews (8)

"Excuse me, could you tell me where my accent is from?"
This is perhaps not THE best MST3K episode, but it is still absolutely hilarious, and well worth the price of purchase for any MSTie. The host segments are great, and they include Mike's excellent chin-puppet performance (which the 'Bots find more disturbing than amusing), and Magic Voice's creepy run-in with the voice-over guy from the movie. The riffing is, of course, excellent, a personal favorite being the lyrics the SoL guys add to the weird theme music that accompanies some characters ("She's old... she creaks... she goes... downstairs...").

"The Atomic Brain" does feature lots of brains - human brains, dog brains, cat brains - though I'm not quite sure where the "atomic" part came from. The basic plot consists of a crazy old rich woman (Mrs. March) who has decided she wants to live forever, and the way to do this is to have her brain transplanted into the body of a young woman. Her wishes mesh perfectly with those of a mad scientist (Dr. Frank) who is working on the development of brain transplants. He's (rightly) been drummed out of respectable medicine for being a nutjob, and needs a patron to support his work. Thus, a strained partnership is forged, as Dr. Frank's work is supported and carried out in Mrs. March's mansion, with the understanding that he will eventually perform the transplant on her.

As potential recipients of her brain, Mrs. March hires three attractive 20-something women - from Mexico, Austria and England, if they're to be believed; Mike suspects they're all from Nebraska, which seems likely, given how poor their accents are. The Mexican girl is ruled out right away, as she has a West-Virginia-shaped birthmark that Mrs. March finds unappealing. She's handed over to Dr. Frank to be used as he sees fit.

Poor Dr. Frank's early experiments don't go so well. A dog's brain in a human man proved to be a mistake ("In hindsight, an obvious mistake," to quote Servo), and now his implantation of a cat's brain into the Mexican girl (whose name I've forgotten), only results in a birthmarked young woman who eats live mice and meows.

The cat-girl mistakes the English lass (whom Mrs. March prefers as her future body) for a catnip toy, and scratches out her eyeball, so Mrs. March is forced to settle for the Austrian by default (she warms to the idea, though it does take her a few scenes to get over the disappointment of losing the English woman, who by her own admission has "the same measurements as Marilyn Monroe").

The movie continues in a similarly silly vein, with brains being exchanged like scented candles at a Yankee Swap. I won't spoil the ending for you; suffice to say, it is ambiguous and goofy (which is to be expected).

All in all, a very funny episode, and one I'd recommend to both seasoned MSTies and newcomers. Buy it, watch it, love it!

It's a horror of a movie, all right.
The makers of 'The Atomic Brain' no doubt wanted to create a work of bone-chilling horror. But unfortunately, all they came up with was mind-numbing weirdness. And that makes this fine fodder for Mike and The Bots (M&TB) on the Satellite of Love.

MST3K riffed on a number of failed horror films in its decade of life, and this is a fairly typical example of the genre. It's not so much creepy as queasy, especially with the film's obvious fascination with beautiful and vulnerable young women. As always, M&TB make the most of a bad situation.

As I've noted in some other reviews of MST releases by Rhino, 'The Atomic Brain' is not one of the absolute best MST eps (in my opinion). However, several of the host segments in this episode are worth mentioning, including Mike's chin puppet and The Bots' satire of the Mads in the invention exchange.

A great one to start off the series with!
If you're new to MST3K, then shame on you! Still, this is a great episode to start off with. Some of the riffs during the movie are bust-a-gut hilarious (the accents of the actresses alone are enough to send you laughing...ever hear a Southern girl try to talk British??). The host segments are great, the movie has too many funny moments to count. Spend the money on this one with no fear!

She's old...she's old...
Another great episode of MST3K, although it's not the best of the episodes that are curently on video. If you would like a better one, check out Bloodlust, Mitchell, and Sidehackers.

Favorite riff-Mike: But I wanted it!

The Non-Atomic Brains
In The Atomic Brain, there is no atomic brain. A terrifically funny one. A woman wants her brain in the body of one of three young girls specially selected. Oh, boy. Not to mention the eating of a live mouse during the film. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Not the best MST
This is not the best MST by far. It was far to sleazy for me. If you want a good MST go for "Pod People" or "I Accuse My Parents." those I think are the best, not this one

Only love (and great riffs) pad the film
The Sidehackers is the second episode of Season Two of Mystery Science Theater 3000, marking only the second appearance of Kevin Murphy as the voice of Tom Servo and of TV's Frank as Dr. Forrester's sidekick. While it may be a comparatively early show, it feels like vintage MST3K. While it is entertaining and funny, it is by no means a truly spectacular episode, though. Of course, Joel and the Bots didn't have a whole lot to work with in terms of the movie. Ross Hagen is both the star and the producer, and there is a character named Crapout--that's Sidehackers. It is a terrible excuse of a movie; it's depressing, devoid of comedy, cursed with horrible music, and entirely pointless. It starts out with a lot of sidehacking. What is sidehacking? You have a motorcycle with a little sidecar attached to it, only the sidecar is mainly just a platform and a rail. One guy drives, and the sidehacker guy leans and maneuvers to get the motorcycle through the turns with maximum speed. It sounds a little dangerous, doesn't it? I thought so, but there was not one single sidehacking accident in the movie, which I found disappointing. Of course, you can only show guys sidehacking on a little track out in the middle of nowhere for so long, which is why somebody decided to add something resembling a plot to the movie. This guy Rommel (Hagen) is a sidehacker/motorcycle mechanic (who is not new to this "new" sport, however that is possible) who is all set to marry this nice girl Rita. The couple especially enjoys rolling down hills of grass when they are not engaged in the great sport of sidehacking. This weird, hippie-like guy named J.C. brings his bike to Rommel's shop, gets invited to a sidehacking race, loves it (who wouldn't?), and wants Rommel to join his gig riding bikes at fairs. J.C.'s girlfriend takes a shine to Rommel despite the fact that J.C. proves his love to her by slugging her in the gut. When Rommel rather rudely rebuffs this girl's advances, she tells J.C. that Rommel tried to rape her. Did I mention that J.C. has a temper? Even though he talks like Liberace's brother George when he is having one of his episodes, J.C. is a dangerous guy. Let's just say that Rommel's wedding plans are soon scrapped. From this point on, it's all about revenge, fighting, shooting, and (at least for one weird thug character) telling bad jokes badly--sidehacking, sadly, is completely forgotten midway through the film.

Joel and the Bots do have some pretty good material to offer over the inane dialogue of the actual film, and head writer and future host Mike Nelson puts in a great cameo appearance as J.C. from the movie. The guys do a couple of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin bits--Crow's Dean Martin impersonation is not particularly good, but it never fails to crack me up. There are a plethora of great references to Patton's "I read your book, you magnificent b_____d" quote about a more famous guy named Rommel. They come up with all kinds of cool names for sidehacking maneuvers and even sing a song about this new sport, so sidehacking's demise can't be blamed on them. The Satellite of Love crew, including Gypsy, finish things off with their rendition of the love theme from Sidehackers, "Only Love Pads the Film." Basically, this is your typical MTS3K episode. I wouldn't put it at the top of my list, but it should certainly be on your list somewhere.

Sidehackers Is Sidesplitting Fun!
This is one of MST3K's better shows, even though the last half of the movie forgoes sidehack racing in favor of mindless violence. In one of the host segments, Joel, Tom Servo and Crow do a commentary on the race in the nonstop style of sports commentators. They even make up their own racing terminology, which I'll paraphrase. "He just completed a perfect dipsy doodle with a reverse right leg kick on that last turn." The Sidehack Song sung by Joel is far superior to the wimpy music in the movie itself. That got me to thinking. What if Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson grew up near a sidehack track instead of the beach? They might have written songs like, Sidehackin' USA, Sidehackin' Safari, Sidewalk Sidehackin' and Sidehacker Girl. Of course, their biggest hit would have been Bad Vibrations. "I'm picking up bad vibrations. My sidehack rig needs alterations. Bad, bad, bad, bad vibrations!"

Hilarious Mystery Science Theater Episode
This is one of my favorite Mystery Science Theater 3000 (aka MST3K) episodes! Contrary to the listing, this is a JOEL HODGSON episode, from the Second Season of the show. The biker movie featured is completely awful, but the comments from Joel and the 'Bots are dead-on in spoofing this film. If only this was available on DVD, it'll be perfect (hurry up, Rhino!)

Not the greatest MST3K
Well, I must say that this was probably my least favorite MST3K episode. Not that the riffs or host segments were bad (they are good, and funny), simply because SIDEHACKERS is one of the vilest, most disgusting films I've ever seen (despite it being 'mystied'). Other films like MANOS are laughably gross, but this one just makes one feel dirty. Blech! ... Read more

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Mike and the 'bots succumb to the horrors of Coleman Francis, actor, director, but by no means auteur. It's possible that Francis is the worst filmmaker of all time--he makes Ed Wood look like Kubrick.The plot (or what shreds of it are in evidence) moves mysteriously from post-Castro Cuba through inexplicable chase scenes, and somehow ends up in a tungsten mine. Along the way a lot of coffee is consumed, and Tom Servo, Crow, and Mike virtually trip over each other picking apart the movie and quipping over its infamously terrible dialogue. "Castro" has an obviously fake beard, John Carradine croons his way through "Night Train to Mondo Fine," and Cuba itself seems to be situated in the middle of a small lake. With murky cinematography, blink-and-miss-them edits, and incoherent plot turns, Red Zone Cuba provides ample fodder for Mike and his robot pals' scathing wit. Though MST3K has churned up some awful, awful movies on which to work its magic, Red Zone Cuba is only equaled in its awfulness by the truly disturbingly terrible Manos: Hands of Fate. Movies so bad are rare. Thank goodness. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (56)

"Red Zone...New Mexico?"
RED ZONE CUBA is from the "Coleman Francis Trilogy" of films shown on MST3K's 6th season. Having also seen THE SKYDIVERS, I have to say this is the worst of the two I've seen (though I've heard BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS is worse!). With Dr. F all beat-up, TV's Frank unleashes this film by himself on Mike Nelson and his robot buddies Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo. Following the short SPEECH: PLATFORM POSTURE AND APPEARNACE (Crow: "POSTURE PALS is the definitive last word on posture."), we are engulfed into RED ZONE CUBA (alias NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNDO FINE). Mike and the 'bots make fun of the lack of exotic locations (Mike: "So they flew all the way from New Mexico to...New Mexico."), the idiotic army training (Crow: "Is 25 minutes of training really gonna help?"), the age of John Carradine (John: "'61, ah yes." Tom: "Which century?"), the nonexistent plot (Mike: "What needs resolving?" Tom: "There's the guy in the well." Crow: "They gotta do something about Cuba."), and Coleman's resemblence to Curly Howard of Three Stooges fame (Crow: "Moe's gonna be mad!"). Not to be missed are Crow's nature documentary handling of Coleman's death ("And when a Curly dies in the wild, he makes food for other Curlies."), Dr. F's manhandling by the mob who mistake him for Frank, and Mike's lapsing into Carol Channing (ew!). The only bad thing is the stinger which is a shot of a morbid resturant owner's daugher. My friend who I mentioned in my POD PEOPLE review watched this with me and we were rolling on the floor laughing. Reccomended to people who are already MSTies. Newbies might not handle the MANOS-like badness of this one.

He ran all the way to hell
Ah, Coleman Francis, what would we do without you? Well, for starters we wouldn't sit through Red Zone cuba, a truly horrendous film directed by and starring Mr. Francis himself. This movie features three cons who get recruited into an invasion of cuba/New Mexico. The sheer badness of this film must be seen to be believed, the acting is bad but the editing was worse. There are scenes that make no sense, such as the scene where two of the cons try and put up a convertable top, endless talky scenes, and about 20 minutes of training for the invasion. After the failed invasion the cons escape and search for a tungsten mine with the wife of one of their fellow invaders Sgt. Justine (Chastain). The film leads off with John Carradine and a young journalist, ("Kid looks like a reporter from the Catholic Digest" Servo) and features a guy named Cherokee Jack,("I'm Cherokee Jack!") a diner owner and his blind daughter,("she's been blind sense her husband was killed in the war.") coffee,("Ah, coffee a Coleman Francis staple") light planes,("Look peanuts aren't important just pick one!") a junkyard owner and his young daughter(father:take this to the house MTB(as daughter): What house?, MTB(as father)the blue Chevy MTB(as daughter):oh" and a police chase at the end.("Griffin. He ran all the way to hell, with a penny, and a broken cigarette") This movie is a good testing point for newbie MSTies, If you can survive this in one sitting you can survive any other MST. There is also a short about posture. favorite lines (by Mike and the bots)
"Crap, I'm locked out of my car" Mike
"Dis is a Hazelnut sumatra blend, I think you'll like it" Crow

Film-making with blunt instruments
Devotees of Coleman Francis (we know who you are -- we have the names) will know that not all of his films benefitted from "synched" sound. Watch "Beast from Yucca Flat" carefully, and you'll see that all the dialgue is "looped", or recorded after the fact.

Sync sound brings a new dimension of awfullness to this work. Coleman and the cast mumble and stumble through their lines; if you turn your TV up to the threshold of pain, you might pick up some extra nuances from the soundtrack, but I doubt it.

The skill of the sound department is more than matched by the cinematography. The film appears to have been run through an airport x-ray machine several dozen times (no doubt looking for WMD.) Black and white is pretty forgiving, but not of gross incompetence.

Anyhow, as with "Wild World of Batwoman", don't try to figure out -- just open the wine, and let the waves wash over you as you laugh out loud. Rest assured that Mike and the 'bots give it the full treatment, each insult richly deserved.

One of the best episodes
Though the film is up there with Manos in sheer, unfettered badness, it only makes the send-up by Mike and the Bots that much more enjoyable. The writer of the original film apparently forgot to make his anti-hero protagonists have some kind of redeeming characteristics.

As a result, we don't care what happens to them. The original film is also a collection of what they told you not to do in film school: it's badly shot, the scenes drag on because the editing isn't fast enough and there's no dramatic action in them, the audio isn't recorded well, and just about the only thing cinematically interesting is the devastated landscape of New Mexico.

Though the film is designed to be a "war film", it doesn't feel like much of one due to the limited budget. When your raiding force consists of 6 extras, expect Mike and the Bots to laugh uproariously.

The comedy dialogue by Mike and the Bots is hilarious. From pointing out the director/main actor's more-than-passing resemblance to Curly to turning into Carol Channing due to the bad power of the film, you'll be chuckling at this. This is up there with MANOS and Mitchell.

One of the MST3K top ten best.
Some of the best MST3K episodes focus on films that have the Cold War as its subject (Invasion USA, e.g.)or when the entire production team takes itself so damned seriously (Cave Dwellers). In RED ZONE CUBA, Mike and the 'bots have the best of both worlds. A jailbreak movie that turns into a "road movie" that turns into commie-baiting, Cold War paranoia movie, RED ZONE CUBA must have been a field day for Mike and the other writers. For that reason alone, this skewering would rank among my top ten favorite episodes. But it's also the "bumper" scenes between commercial breaks that are a riot here. In that sense, I got the best of both worlds. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

i'm gonna come right out and say it...
...i don't like season 1!

i don't like dr. erhardt as much as tv's frank (who does?) and the riffing is more sparse and of a slightly weaker style. but i was thinking, for a new fan seeking to discover mst3k, this may not be a bad jumping off point (although manos is a better start).

this episode is indicative of the true original philosophy of mst3k. most of the best episodes aren't mystery or science-oriented (manos, mitchell, many sci-fi eps such as jack frost or final sacrifice), but the crawling hand is a true, cheesy, BAD scifi/horror movie. and that was the original intent of the show: to riff on bad scifi/horror flicks. and the riffing IS good, it's just not as good as it would become in later seasons.

nobody should miss out on this episode, but other episodes are better, and once you're well-versed in mst3k-dom, you'll revisit this episode less often than the others.

You will believe a hand can crawl!
Ah, MST3K Season One. I can see how some people, even MST3K fans, might be disappointed by this video. Instead of TV's Frank, Dr. Forrester has Dr. Larry Erhardt (John Weinstein) for a sidekick, and it is Weinstein rather than Kevin Murphy supplying the voice of Tom Servo. The set looks as cheap as it really was, the silhouettes in the theater are sort of green-looking, Joel sometimes seems to forget which bot is which, and the jokes are sometimes rather lame. However, the show is still hilarious. If you've never seen a Season One episode before, cut Weinstein's Servo voice some slack. Initially, I hated it, but being fortunate enough to have the whole first season on tape, I found that this initial Servo incarnation was actually pretty funny in his own right after I got used to him. This one video probably won't make you a Weinstein fan, but give him a chance.

As for the movie itself, The Crawling Hand was perfect MST3K material--there's a silly plot, an annoying teenager, and some incredibly bad acting. America's space program is apparently run in a little warehouse somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and the scientists there are in a tizzy. On two occasions, a guy has been sent to the moon, landing successfully, then being lost on his way back to earth. This second time, communication is reestablished with the astronaut 20 minutes after he has run out of oxygen. He begs the men in the control room (actually, it's really just a desk) to blow him up before he reenters the atmosphere. The doctor-type guy finally hits the red button. Meanwhile, a supposedly smart slacker goes swimming in the ocean with his Swedish girlfriend, and while they are frolicking around they run across a human hand lying on the beach. Naturally, our hero decides he must have that hand; he sneaks back that night (apparently this is the one beach in California that no one whatsoever goes to) and makes the wonderful hand his own, lovingly placing it in his landlady's storage room behind some relish. Soon, the hand (which does crawl, just like the title says) begins strangling people (that's gonna happen, you know). At this point, the sheriff, AKA Alan Hale (Skipper!), commences an investigation. One print found on the body of the first victim is matched to the fingerprint of the blown-up astronaut, and that's when the Space Boys come out to try and clean up a little of their mess. To complicate matters, our boy who found the hand begins having episodes wherein he turns into an "Elvis zombie" with heavy mascara under his eyes and feels compelled to strangle people himself. As you may have guessed, it all comes down to some hand to hand combat in the end.

I think this is one of the best Season One episodes. I particularly enjoyed one skit in which the guys all pretend to be William Shatner being choked by a disembodied hand. Joel and the bots are still developing the real spirit and style of the show, but the genius is already unmistakably there. Most importantly, I can assure you that this show is very funny.

Haven't we all had a crawling hand in bed?
This DVD set is from the cable tv show, "Mystery Science Theater 3000". They sometimes cut the film down and on-screen throughout the entire film, they mock and criticize it. Just as if you are in the real movie theatre with people talking during the film.
But if you would like to see the entire, uncut version of the movie without MST 3000 intervening, just turn the DVD over for the entire, uncut version in all its glory.
This is the second space mission to go wrong. While space engineers Peter breck and Kent Taylor haggle over the failure of no communication with the astronaut Lockhart who is running out of oxygen, the astronaut begs for space operations to press the red button. This would explode the craft instantly. After merciful pleading from the astronaut, operations comply. This is the second man they have lost upon return entry. Only four astronauts left. They need these men to handle the lunar rocket. What is it on the moon that is driving these men crazy to the point of near-death?
The debris from the exploded space craft has landed like a meteorite. What terror will escape and attack the young teenagers in this California beach town?
Haven't we all had a crawling hand in bed?
Also in the cast: Rod Lauren as "Paul". Allison Hayes as "Donna". Allan Hale Jr as "Sheriff Townsend" (Gilligan's Island tv series). The Crawling Hand was Joseph F. Robertson.

"Mrs. Burke, I thought you...were Dale!"
This episode is just one of many that contain the "deathless" line: "Mrs. Burke, I thought you...were Dale!"

Naturally, our whole family likes these episodes, because we starred in the original 1968 Grape-Nuts TV commercial from which this riff comes. (Yes, Mrs. Burke AND Dale are real, alive, well, and living in the USA.)

Many thanks to MST3K's Best Brains for riffing our commercial decades after it ran (and to Mr. Murphy for helping to clear up the trouble about the origin of this riff)!

The Sound Of One Hand Clasping...
Peter Breck (Big Valley) plays a very intense scientist with the space program. How intense? So intense that I expected his head to sail off at any minute! You see, one of his astronauts (named Lockhart) has gone nuts, pleading with ground control to "push the red button" and blow up his ship. They comply, detonating Lockhart. Meanwhile, a young med student and his girl go swimmig on a california beach. Low and behold, they find a severed arm in an astronaut uniform sleeve! Paul (the med student) comes back for it later, taking it home in a shower curtain. He hides it behind some preserves in his landlady's pantry. The arm starts creeping around, knocking some jars over, waking the landlady, who must investigate. Of course, she gets choked bug-eyed! Unfortunately, the hand doesn't do much else, as it possesses Paul and uses him to cause further mayhem. Enter Alan Hale jr. as the portly sheriff. The rest is pretty dull. Watch it late at night and don't feel too bad if you fall asleep... ... Read more

Amazon.com

It stands to reason that Dr. Clayton Forrester is as evil as heis--check out his mother! Clayton cooks and cleans all day long for Mom's visit, and all she wants to do is go out and carouse with TV's Frank. It's enough to make a demented genius force a guy and a couple of robots to watch a cheap knockoff of The Most Dangerous Game starring Robert Reed. Or something like that. Meanwhile, on the Satellite of Love, Crow and Servo are engaging in what any two stranded robots would do to pass the time: psychotherapy. Does Crow have a mother? Has he seen Cliffhanger? You know--all the juicy stuff. Before the feature presentation, Mike and the 'bots are treated to Uncle Jim's Dairy Farm, your typical weird-stuff-seething-beneath-the-surface classroom film (Mike in mock-narrator tone: "Repressed emotions help the evening pass without incident"). Finally, it's time for Bloodlust, in which a horribly wardrobed Father Brady (Crow: "His shirt's so tight you can see his liver!"), his large-featured girlfriend (Crow: "She's got more face than she needs"), his dorky friend ("Steve Allen, P.I.!"), and some other rabbit-in-the-headlights actress visit an uncharted island and dodge the homicidal intentions of its chief wacko resident. Worth watching for this classic exchange alone: "You ever shot a man?" "No, but I slapped Ann B. Davis once." --Bob Michaels ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Big fun
First of all, the short before the main movie is worth the price of this set. An "educational" movie about the summer of two kids from the big city on their uncle's dairy farm - which, ironically enough, these days would be an "organic" farm - is ripped apart in the usual MST fashion.

The main movie, Bloodlust, is one of the more coherent ones. If you've seen Manos you know what I am talking about. There was a script behind the movie and even though the whole idea is somewhat stupid don't expect any inconsistencies whatsoever here. That in itself makes it somewhat harder for the crew to comment and they have to pull the jokes from the movie's ridiculous plot. And they succeed. It's quite funny.

Let's go ASHORE!!!
I find MST3K to be at its funniest when the movie is simply lousy (Pod People, Brain That Wouldn't Die, etc), rather than flat-out unbearable (Hellcats, Red Zone Cuba). Bloodlust is one of the former. The plot is dumb, and the acting [is bad] but the story moves right along and there are no huge holes in the script (maybe a small one here and there, but no biggie). M&TB do excellent riffing from first to last, and their riffing of the short is fantastic! The host segments feature Dr. F's mother for the first time, and that's neat, but Crow's square-dance-cum-mosh-pit is one of the best host segments they ever did! This is the best MST3K Rhino has released.

half-baked MST3K
First of all, let me just say the short that preceeds thems movie is one of the absolute 2 or 3 funniest shorts they ever riffed. Many people think the shorts were the best, and this one may prove it. I cannot say the same for the feature though. The host segments are good and the movie is a big enough turkey that the boys can rip on it, but the riffing gets a little weak near the end, and despite some hilarious lines (even bad episodes have 1 or 2 great riffs), this one doesn't have any that really stick out nor is non-stop hilarious such as "Space Mutiny" or "Pod People". A good but not great MST3k.

Can you "BEAR" to see this movie?
as usual MST3K fodder goes, there are more memorable movies. This one has a plot, which is unusual for MST3K fare. It is a rather stupid plot however. The main antagonist looks a lot less like a hunter than a clerk at Radio Shack. Robert Reed "outs" himself in this movie long before his "Brady" days by wearing such a tight shirt that his liver can be seen.

The main star of this movie is that stuffed bear! The bots heap plenty of ridicule at it. That smile on the bear's face tells volumes of riffing material to our bots!

Although there are better MST3K episodes out there, the true die-hard MSTie will enjoy this one!

A great, funny, but less than classic MST3K experiment
Bloodlust, Experiment 607 of MST3K, is such an unoriginal episode that it ends up seeming original in the end. First off, the movie, Bloodlust, is just one in a long line of films based on the premise of The Most Dangerous Game. In this case, Rex Reed (of later Brady Bunch fame) and his incredibly tight shirt lead his girl and another couple to a deserted island, whereupon they decide to have a clambake. Unfortunately for them, the island is not uninhabited after all, and they find themselves the guest of a very eccentric fellow with such a powerful love for hunting that he has created and stocked his very own hunting grounds far away from civilization. Things seem a little bit wrong from the very start, and the foreboding is only increased when the Rex Reed raiders do a little snooping around the strange house. One particular room downstairs seems to be devoted to pickling human beings, prompting Tom Servo's classic "toe jam" line. To no one's surprise, our annoying heroes find themselves turned out into the surrounding jungle to be hunted by Mr. Big himself. There's nothing here you haven't seen before. Tom Servo pretty much sums up Bloodlust when he says, "This would be really suspenseful, but for the fact that it isn't."

Down in Deep 13, Dr. Forrester's mother comes for a visit, spending all of her time with TV's Frank. On the Satellite of Love, we are treated to a very strange set of skits; it seems for the most part that the guys had to come up with something at the last minute to fill the time. This is not to say they aren't funny, though. After watching the very funny short Uncle Jim's Dairy Farm, Crow decides to sell "vegables" by the side of the road; later, there is a senseless hoe-down and then a murder mystery party which Crow immediately ruins. This is not the type of MST3K episode that imprints itself permanently on your brain, but its utter inanity makes it exceedingly funny. ... Read more

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A classic episode of the cult television series (in which an amiable space janitor and his metallic pals are forced to watch and deliver a sardonic running commentary on terrible movies), "Eegah" stars the gargantuan Richard Kiel (who would later become known for his sensitive portrayal of Jaws in a couple of the Bond films) in the title role as a still-kickin' Neanderthal looking for a little love in swinging 1960s California. One of the worst (or best, depending on your point of view) films ever to be featured on the show, this excruciating waste of celluloid provides ample fuel for Joel and the 'bots to deliver a wildly diverse, sustained barrage of hilarity (including an in-depth discussion of the widowed dad dichotomy of '60s sitcoms) at the source material's full expense. Enjoy, and remember to "watch out for snakes." (You'll understand after viewing.) --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (77)

A double dose of Arch Hall pain
This stinkeroo features not only the incredibly whiny Arch Hall, Jr., but his real-life dad plagues us in this film too, playing Roxy's dad. EEGAH is very close in pain rating to the most classic MST of all time, Manos.

How Richard Kiel (Eegah) ever got another job in Hollywood with this film to his credit is beyond me. Apparently, the director or producers thought he wasn't quite caveman material because all of his grunts (he doesn't speak a single line in the WHOLE movie) are dubbed! And what's more, everyone else seems to be dubbed too--mysterious voices off camera are all over this movie, so "Watch out for snakes!" One of my favorite scenes has Tom (Arch Jr.) and his band playing at some ridiculous pool party, and although you might not realize it at first, the band is playing a terribly unspirited version of "Tequila." I laughed until I hurt for that part... You KNOW a movie is going to smell when the opening credits aren't even in focus. The movie is an utter mess, and since the other reviewers have gone over the plot so well, I'll just mention the neat features of the DVD itself.

As with other MST DVD releases, the flip side of the disc has the un-MiSTied version so that you may torture yourself and experience the full-on effects of 2 Arch Halls. You can also choose to watch the MiSTied version with the special cue feature--if you turn this option on, a small icon of Crow will appear on the screen when portions of the original film were edited out to make space for the MST jokes. At that point, you choose the icon and flip to the uncut version. It's a feature worth playing with because the missing footage will help explain some of the jokes, like the "Cabbage Patch Elvis" reference.

The movie is awful, no question about it -- but the DVD is really good. A great addition to your MST collection!

We've got DVD sign...for *two* versions of "Eegah!"
[This is a review of the DVD version] If you love old bad SF movies but haven't ever seen them given the Mystery Science Theater treatment, you owe it to yourself to pick up this DVD! Joel Robinson and his robot pals Crow and Tom Servo watch this relentlessly silly turkey of a movie (a caveman stuck in modern times stalks a teenage girl and her puffy boyfriend--an actor so bad we wonder how he got that job: he's the son of the director, folks)--and throughout the entire film, Joel and the 'bots mercilessly riff on the film with funny comments and jokes that'll have you rolling in your seats. Long a staple of Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel, this is one of the first DVDs of this classic comedy series (many others are available on VHS). In addition to the pristine and clear picture you get with DVD, Rhino has also included the full *original* version of "Eegah" so you can see it without Joel and the 'bots (to riff on your own, perhaps?) A "Crow icon" pops up while watching the MSTed version to let you instantly switch (hit your "enter" button) to sections from the original movie that have been cut from the MST3K version. The DVD menus are innovative and worth checking out just for the clever swish-pan of the bridge of the Satellite of Love (Crown ,Servo, and Gypsy flash past us). If I had any quibble at all it's a couple minor ones...can someone *please* proofread the punctuation of the jokes on the front cover, and why is the DVD chapter that begins the film entitled "It's Movie Time!" when every MSTie knows it should be "We've got Movie Sign!"? But I'll put up with minor problems like that as long as Rhino continues to give us these great reissues of classic MST3K episodes. Now if they'd only release "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" and "Outlaw"... (Also recommended in this series: the DVD version of "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Brain That Wouldn't Die.")

Eeyuck
EEGAH is a wretchedly amateurish retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. Written, directed and starring the notorious Arch Hall, Jr. it features wooden acting (mainly by Hall), a preposterous script and a smattering of terrible songs (totally Hall.) EEGAH stars Richard ("Jaws") Kiel in the title role, clad in a side split single strap skirt and hidden behind a ZZ Top beard.
EEGAH is just awful, and I wouldn't give it any stars if not for the dead-canary-in-the-coal-mine comments on the dvd jacket. The publicists call EEGAH one of those "rare existential movies" that is "really an avant-garde classic."
Some bored French intellectual is going to watch this discount dvd and cry 'eureka.' They'll write an article in a publication you can't afford shoveling praise as high as an elephant's rump on a movie you haven't seen. The earth will stand still for a moment, Arch Hall, Jr. will become yet another secular saint and you'll be behind the curve yet again.
EEGAH can be had today for less than the price of a cup of iced latte. After he's 'discovered' the only edition will be a $50 Criterion Collection edition with commentary tracks by Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorcese. Do you really want that to happen?

One of the best episodes
Looking more like a student film, "Eegah" was perfect fodder for Joel and the 'bots, and they did not disappoint. From the opening sequence to the swimming pool fiasco, there is not a minute that goes by without a laugh. Richard Kiel is perfectly cast for his looks, but his acting is wide open to attack. And Arch Hall, Jr. as the lovelorn teenager is a hoot--unintentionally. My favorite moment comes when he sings for his beloved Roxy, and Joel and 'bots chant "Eegah! Do bonk-bonk on head!"

One of the best episodes! WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES!
This DVD from Rhino offers up one the most side-splitting, hilarious episodes of the legendary TV show "Mystery Science Theater 3000," in which they take on a 1962 caveman movie where an awful teen singer, his beehive hair-do girlfriend Roxy, and her fashion-impaired father go searching in the Palm Desert for a caveman named Eegah (played by 7'2" Richard Kiel, who would later plays Jaws in two James Bond films). The movie is horrible, but it'sm the perfect piece of stupidity for the MST3K writers and actors to take on, and the result is one of best episodes ever. This is the kind of episode that will make newcomers fall in love with this brilliant show.

And for those of you who are newcomers: "Mystery Science Theater 3000," (MST3K for short) it is a ninety-minute show featuring a silhouette of a man and two robots (Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot) in movie theater seats projected in front of a bad movie. The hosts provide hysterical, satiric, and culturally-savvy wisecracks to accompany the movie. The episodes also include sketches and songs and add up to some of the most hilarious comedy in television history.

"Eegah!" (what a title!) is from episode #506, during the last days of Joel Hodgson's run as the show's host (Mike Nelson took over in mid-season). The show was at the peak of its comedic genius, and "Eegah!" is one of the masterpieces of the Joel years. The film is utterly cheap, icky and gross, with some of the most repellent actors ever seen on screen...and Richard Kiel! (Bada-boom! Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week!) It ranks with "Manos: The Hands of Fate" for sheer unpleasantness. As Tom Servo says at one point: "I'm being punished for something, I know it. What did I do? I DIDN'T ASK TO SEE THIS MOVIE!"

So what the heck IS this oddly named, nasty little crumb of cummy cinema? "Eegah" was shot in the Palm Desert by Arch W. Hall, Sr., under the pseudonym Nicholas Merriwether. He also plays Mr. Miller, the adult lead, under the name William Watters. He cast his son, Arch Hall Jr., as the romantic teen lead, one of the worst casting choices in history. Kiel may play a big ugly caveman (with an obviously false beard), but Arch Hall Jr. is a pudgy, sun-burnt, gross, greasy, bleached-bond little creep. (In one sketch, Tom and Crow turn Joel in Arch Hall Jr. by giving him the look of a sun-burnt baby, inhuman play-dough colored skin, and mumpy cheeks.) Arch also 'sings' a couple of awful tunes while strumming two chords on the guitar -- his dad apparently thought he was an up-and-coming rock star. When Eegah finally decks the kid, you'll cheer along with the MST3K boys as he hits the sand.

But there's so much else that's wonderful here (wonderfully bad, that is) that the hosts' wisecracks never let up: The sickening scene of Roxie shaving her father while singing, the generally wrong relationship between Roxy and her father (were they off-screen lovers?), Arch wandering through the desert endlessly screaming ROXIEEEEEEEE! ("Well, back to another day of whining,"), the dune buggy racing through the desert sands while Roxy screams "Wheeee!" (Tom's comment: "Stop saying 'wheee!' Nobody says 'wheee!'"), Eegah's minor rampage in Palm Springs, and the classic line that suddenly comes out of nowhere, with nobody on screen seeming to speak it: "Watch out for snakes!" This became an MST3K running gag in many later episodes.

This DVD is a laugh riot, and an essential Joel episode. Tom, Crow, and Joel have rarely been so funny and so sharp while watching a film. It's one of the classics, hysterical from beginning to end, with funny host segments as well. It feels like plunking down on the couch and watching a film with your best buddies; I think that's the main charm of the Joel years of the show.

The Un-cut, un-MST3Ked version of the film is available on the same side as the MST3K episode; I don't recommend watching the film without the MST3K boys -- you'll suffer brain damage. However, this DVD has an interesting extra that shows up on none of the other Rhino MST3K DVDs. You can switch on an option that makes an icon of Crow appear in the corner of the screen during the MST3K version to indicate a place where a scene was cut from the original. If you hit the ENTER key on the DVD remote when the icon is on screen, you'll be branched out to the cut scene, and then returned to the MST3K version when it's over. A very clever feature, and I wish Rhino had taken more creative approaches like this with their other MST3K DVDs.

So, "Watch out for Snakes"...and watch this episode! Newcomer, or old fan, you'll be on the floor laughing (when you aren't averting your eyes from the horror that IS... ARCH HALL JR.!) ... Read more

Reviews (48)

This Talking Head is a Psycho Killer!
Evil scientists, bizarre medical experiments, and a body-less head that floats about in a dinner pan - what more could a boy ask for? Mention the phrase "typical 50s science fiction B-movie" to someone, and you'll undoubtedly conjure up an image of something that's not wholly unlike THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE. Yes, the classic movie where the evil scientist boyfriend keeps his favourite chick alive by pulling her head off of her body in a car wreck and setting it up in a laboratory in his basement. Somehow having her head cut off gives the girlfriend special powers of telepathy but only (and here's the catch) with really ugly monster experiments. Oh, and it also turns her evil, I think.

This is Mike Nelson's first movie as a member of the crew onboard the Satellite of Love, and he fills Joel's shoes admirably. The jokes are mostly on target and the host segments are quite good. This isn't one of the best episodes of the show, but it's certainly an enjoyable one and quite an entertaining way to spend an hour and a half. The DVD version of this release comes with the uncut, full-screen format of the film on the flip side of the disc, if you're in a particularly masochistic mood.

Highlights of the film include: the film title changing between the opening and closing credits, a decapitated head with attitude, and a mad scientist out prowling for spare heads at stripping diners.

Very, very funny. Old sci-fi movies can make anyone laugh!
As a huge fan of MST3K, I enjoyed this episode a great deal. If I'm not mistaken, it was the first episode starring Mike Nelson, who took over for Joel Hodgson.
The film they watch follows the series of a few days of a doctor with a bad case of the Frankenstein syndrome. His passion for trying to bring life back to dead tissues reaches an ultimate point of weirdness when, in a speeding drive to his cabin, his car crashes and his fiance is torn apart in the process. Staring at burning car, he reaches in with this jacket (with a comical "Take this honey, it'll keep you warm" from Crow) and pulls out what the boys identify with disgust as a head. He takes this to the cabin and then decides he must find a body for the head he has rescued.
I highly recommend this movie. If you like MST3K, and even if you don't, you can't help but laugh at least at the "Neck juice" jokes if nothing else.

Bye Joel, Hi Mike
The transition from the droopy-eyed, slow talking Joel, to the squeaky clean, somewhat ingenuous Mike was no problem, as this episode makes obvious. Mike Nelson had been the show's writer for years; it is little wonder that the leap to lead actor would be such a piece of work.
And speaking of a piece of work, "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" was the perfect B-movie clanker for Mike's inauguration. This movie would inspire other B-films like Re-Animator and Frankenhooker, but that's besides the point. The 'bots and Mike have a party skewering this thing. As always, the trio never misses a beat. My favorite line happens when the camera passes through the mad doctor's laboratory and pans over a tray that is covered with hypodermics, to which Crow exclaims: "Hello, welcome to Kurt Cobain's and Courtney Love's home!" For any MST3K fan, this is a must.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In this entry of the "Mystery Science 3000" series, the three witty viewers watch the sci-fi flick "The Brain That Wouldn't Die." This movie sux so bad!!! The plot, if you could stretch the word as far as the east is from the west, is about a scientist who keeps alive the decapitated head of his fiancee after she is injured in an auto accident. Slowly, she goes mad while he searches for another body. Well this is the first film Mike Nelson becomes the main host, and after getting trapped on an orbiting satellite, an unlucky soul must watch some of the silliest movies ever made as part of a fiendish experiment dreamed up by a group of sinister scientists. But as he views the films with two robots, he actually starts having a good time. He and his companions begin to make fun of what they see up on the screen and their observations are hilarious. I must say the movie's bad, but well Mike, Crow, and I aren't, so get up and get out and buy this episode.

A Real 50's Classic
This is an old classic sci-fi horror film which doesn't have any real science or horror in it. It deals with a doctor who is doing experiments with complete transplantation. The story gets underway when his girlfriend is killed in an auto accident in which he was driving. However, he is able to save her head. After her head is secured in his laboratory, the good doctor goes shopping for a new body for his girl.

In my opinion, this episode has some of the funniest jokes in the series. One of my favorites is when the doctor is carrying his girlfriend's head under his arm while running, and then the crew makes a football joke. Basically, if you're a fan of black humor, you have to check this one out. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Tor-O! Tor-Uh oh!
Sure, The Unearthly is a bad movie, but I can't say I have ever noticed any gaps in the comedic antics of Joel and the Bots. To my mind, this is one of the better (but not most outstanding) MST3K episodes made available commercially. Heck, it's got Tor Johnson, which is more than a lot of bad movies can say. Tor even gets a few lines here, including the eminently quotable "Time for go to bed." Then there's John Carradine, a decent actor who looks creepy enough to adequately fill the shoes of the overzealous yet typical mad scientist intent on achieving human immortality. The doctor's technique does have its risks, though; while it seems to consist of implanting an animate piece of link sausage he calls the 17th gland into a patient, shocking the dickens out of him/her with electricity, then letting the patient simmer for eight hours, it inevitably accomplishes only heretofore unheard of physical mutilations. But let me summarize the plot in Tor fashion: Tor work hard for crazy science man; catch man in garden; bring man to boss; Tor like pretty girl; pretty girl turn ugly; put man in ground; Tor get hit on head; Tor no remember rest.

The Unearthly is (mercifully) a pretty short movie; we are doubly lucky in this regard because it allows Dr. Forrester to slip in two great shorts before the film. Posture Pals is one of my favorite MTS3K shorts, while Appreciating Your Parents is a humorous attempt to indoctrinate children with an adult work ethic for performing household chores. The skits are also quality entertainment, especially the prologue in which the Bots film a "spontaneous" video (for America's Goofiest Home Videos) of Crow as a three-year-old girl sitting atop a stack of pajamas-filled boxes which Servo sets on fire. I've watched this particular 3rd-season MST3K experiment a number of times, and I still find it funny and enjoyable.

Mrs. Bates! Mrs. Bates!
This was the very first MST3K I ever saw and I thought it was hilarious! The two shorts were among the best they ever did. (Only the "Cheating" short before "Wild World of Batwoman" was funnier.)

While it is true that at times Joel and the Bots did have trouble making cracks at the movie, the movie itself was funny enough by itself to keep my laughing. Tor Johnson himself made my sides hurt at times. "Time to go to bed" is still probably the best and most well-known MST tagline. Carradine on the organ doing his best Beethoven, the Confuso-vision type of filming, the endless rooms of the house ("There's is an outside! There's an outside!"), the bullet bra babes, and the hyper-active palooka (Who gets shot without the benefit of a bullet hole on his body) all made me a MSTie overnight!

I highly reccommend this episode for people who have never seen MST3K before.

Dangerous Movie, great treatment
As several reviewers just said, the two opening shorts are brilliant, packed with laughs, so if you want two great shorts, just buy it for that. The movie riff-age is pretty good, but the movie itself is very painful, and the riffing drops off at some points leaving you alone with the movie... a very scary position. However, if you have a tolerance for ultra bad movies this episode is pretty good.

So, buy it for the shorts, stay for the movie-- but beware..

Some good, some bad.
Greetings from Tromaville!

The opening two PSA's are hilarious, but the feature is so dull(even with The MST3K Posse), that I take away three stars. Buy it if it's the final MST3K video you need for your collection.

Time for go to bed...
Somehow I don't think I should be laughing at Tor Johnson. After all, it wasn't entirely his fault that he is a big block of muscle with a far-off look in his eye and no acting talent evident. But knowing that doesn't stop me from laughing paralyzingly hard at every joke they make at Tor's expense. Equally terrific is John Carradine's organ playing (to which Tom Servo shouts "One more time" after the 15-minute piece is completed), the treatment of the mysteriously twitching resident in the basement (the penguin noises threw me into hysterics). The jokes start to lose steam as the movie wanders into a bland conclusion, but anyone who wants to admire the finest work making fun of a non-actor this side of "Mitchell" and "Eegah" should enjoy this. Also, read the "Van Damme" section of Mike Nelson's book for more slab-o-non-talent delights. ... Read more