Release Date: April 9th, 2005
Re-Release Date: February 13th, 2018
Buy Rhino Set Here!
Pre-Order Shout Factory Set Here!
Features the following episodes;
Hercules Unchained
Hercules Against the Moon Men
Prince of Space
The Killer Shrews
Also featuring:
Assignment: Venezuela
20th Century Calling...
A Case of Spring Fever
This collection of Mystery Science Theater episodes is one that's dear to me due to containing my favorite episode of the series (Prince of Space). Unfortunately it's let down by also holding one of my least favorites as well (Killer Shrews). But two solid Hercules adventures help skew this set more toward the positive for me. Fans of season four in particular will want to pick this one up, since it contains three episodes from that season,
Average Rating (scale of 1 to 4): 2.75
Rhino's presentation of these four episodes is pretty solid overall. I think Hercules Unchained is a bit fuzzy, but there's very little to complain about here. Initial Rhino copies of this set were missing the opening narration of Killer Shrews, though this blunder was soon fixed. I got my copy later than first release, so my disc has always had the narration.
The only bonus features are bonus shorts, highlighting a pair from the Sci-Fi era (20th Century Calling... and A Case of Spring Fever) as well as the unreleased short Assignment: Venezuela, which is something the most die hard MSTies will be aching to see.
The box art theme plays with television as a theme. The outside cover has MST playing on an older television set with a male hand pointing a remote toward it. On the inside we find a larger, more expensive set with a female hand using the remote to crank the volume to "7" (get it?). Opening further interior art sees MST being reflected in an astronaut's helmet as an alien hand points (presumably) an alien remote at it and another side has it playing on a computer while someone's hand clicks a mouse. Behind each disc we have a look from what looks to be behind each TV set, seeing the top heads of those who are holding the remotes peeking over the set, Disc art features just a starry backdrop, the MST logo, and the various hands holding remotes (male for Hercules Unchained, female for Hercules Against the Moon Men, alien for Prince of Space, and mouse for Killer Shrews).
Menus are fair. Hercules Unchained has images of the film reflected in stone steps. Moon Men has Hercules (Maceste) standing against a rocky landscape withe a moon man peaking over the horizon. Prince of Space features a rotating Krankor laser while Servo flies around in Prince of Space's ship. Transparent images of Phantom of Krankor and Prince of Space are also present. Killer Shrews has a titular shrew taking a bite out of a film strip, which features shots of the movie and episode. This menu feature the Killer Shrews song featured in the episode.
Shout Factory's re-release has been announced for February. Details are scarce, but like most re-released volumes I anticipate that it will be in a normal DVD case and feature stock art and menus. The bonus shorts have been confirmed for the set, however I know August Ragone has expressed an interest in continuing to provide intros for episodes based around Japanese films. Whether or not he has recorded one is unknown.
In my opinion this set is worth owning for Prince of Space alone, which is just a laugh-myself-silly episode of the series. Hercules fans should also jump at the chance to own two episodes in one swoop. I know Killer Shrews has fans, though I'm not one of them, so don't let my bad review of the episode keep you from giving it a shot. Definitely pick this one up.
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