K18-The Million Eyes of Sumuru

Film Year:  1967
Genre:  Thriller, Spy
Director:  Lindsay Shonteff
Starring:  Shirley Eaton, George Nader, Frankie Avalon
MST Season:  KTMA

The Movie

*I HAVE SURVIVED WATCHING THIS MOVIE UNRIFFED*

Many might be familiar with Sax Rohmer's infamous villain creation Fu Manchu, though fewer might be familiar with another series of novels he wrote with another antagonist named Sumuru.  Sumuru is basically Fu Manchu again, only sexist instead of racist.  To the surprise of nobody, the producers of the 60's Fu Manchu films starring Christopher Lee also decided to bring Sumuru to the big screen, with less yellowface and more bare skin.

Sumuru is a lady criminal mastermind with an army of women at her disposal.  Her master plan is to sees her agents to marry the leaders of the world and murder them.  However her plans are threatened by a pair of smarmy and horny agents from America.  Their misadventures continuously come to a head (pun intended?  I don't even know anymore) as these guys make love and kick ass all the way to Sumuru herself.

In the more sexually liberated world of the 1960's, spy films of the era were shameless about utilizing women who used their curves as a weapon to distract from their own deviousness and, more importantly, sell tickets to men, because bad girls were hot.  The Million Eyes of Sumuru is something of a inevitable peak of that, as all women featured are dangerous, shapely, and very ready, willing, and able to show off their bodies.

Million Eyes of Sumuru isn't unentertaining, as there is a very primal 60's pop entertainment value at play (and, let's face it, the mostly female cast is hard for any male to resist).  It's a bit problematic in that it pretends to be about female liberation and empowerment, yet as the plot moves forward we see Sumuru's plans thwarted by women in their army who seemingly just discovered their lust of male body parts, and turn on their master simply out of desire for the male leads in the film.  In the end we get a movie that clearly thinks its feminist but feminist in a way that still has men dominating women.

Of course, if you want to deep dive into those themes you can argue the film is anti-Sapphic as well.  If you think about it, the film is about a large group of alienated women who only trust each other and don't wish to be associated with men, while being subservient to their queen dominatrix Sumuru.  If that doesn't scream lesbian undertones, I don't know what does.  Not to mention a fear of homosexuality in general, as these women are inherently evil.  Then going back to the men of the film turning the women through sex, one can definitely say the ultimate message of the film is that all that's needed to turn a gay girl straight is the male member.

The movie's humor can be a bit of a double edged sword too.  The main characters have so many wisecracks and are so unphased by the violence happening around them that they almost border on parody.  This isn't exactly a James Bond-ian suave one-liner type of dynamic that's in play (though it might be intended) as they see people they've interacted with moments before get killed and even crack jokes at their expense, which is weird and tacky.  This movie might even have been intended to be seen as a parody because of this, as there is a certain argument that can be made for its off-center tone.  I don't think it quite works in either direction, because it just winds up offputting.

But, if you're into 60's adventure flicks, Million Eyes of Sumuru has its pleasures.  Action is abound, and intrigue is in play for a while.  I'm charmed by the idea of the girl power premise, even if it doesn't quite deliver on that.  If someone were to debug the idea of a femme fatale spy organization seeking world dominance and make it less problematic this could be a fun idea for a franchise, but as is Sumuru doesn't hit the mark.  I kind of liked it, though I probably would never be interested in watching it again.

Million Eyes of Sumuru was followed by a sequel several years later called The Girl from Rio.  There is a Rifftrax for this movie, as well as Sumuru, so there's an easy way for fans to double feature these flicks without having to watch them straight.

The Episode

Joel is reeled in by the Mads after spending a week in space.  How did he survive?  By holding his breath.  I like the cavalier dismissal of science fact this series has, knowing it's a stupid puppet show so why bother?  Of course Joel can survive naked in outer space.  It makes sense in cartoon logic, so it makes sense here.  Servo even asks him more directly how he breathed in space, to which Joel just sings the theme song to him, "Just repeat to yourself it's just a show, I should really just relax."  Also, the little model shot of a toy Joel floating around the SOL is adorable.

Like my unwritten rule of the KTMA's states, the episode usually depends on how watchable the movie is.  And Million Eyes of Sumuru is far from unwatchable, and I daresay kind of fun.   I can easily see this episode being someone's favorite of the season based on their personal film tastes.  Like say if you're a fan of Secret Agent Super Dragon or Diabolik, this movie will be up your alley.  The riffing may make or break it though, as Josh's Tom Servo is the unquestionable highlight of the episode.  He's overzealous with the improv comedy.  Perhaps too overzealous, but he shoots a lot at this movie.  For example, he makes a Subaru comment early on, then ponders it for a few seconds before just blurting out "The Million Headlights of Subaru."  That's pretty funny.  He also has a great exchange with Trace's Crow at one point:

"This is a B film."

"More like a T&A film."

"Terrible & Awful?"

"Exactly."

But Servo has to leave the theater at the halfway point to "bake some brownies," leaving Joel and Crow to riff the rest of it by their lonesome.  The dynamic is a bit too laid back during the last two theater segments, and it's really missing the energy of Servo.  The rest of the episode just has a big hole in it, and while it's hardly anybody's fault (Josh likely had a commitment preventing him from filming the second half of the movie), the episode does suffer.

Servo is around for the host segments, which see him and Crow getting reprimanded for locking Joel out of the ship during Time of the Apes.  There is also a court parody that largely goes nowhere, while the concluding segment features Joel moving Servo's beak for him while they talk about the fan club, which is peculiar.  I'm curious if maybe there was a puppet malfunction that they're covering for, but if so, the segment is so barebones that they could have easily written Servo out of it if need be.  Interestingly, you can see Servo's head fly off as soon as they cut to end credits, probably because they want to repair it ASAP.

The Million Eyes of Sumuru is half an infectiously fun episode of the KTMA season, but it hits a lull just as Josh ducks out.  It's a shame, because the movie is fun and is easy to work with, but in the end we have an episode that just drifts off.  Luckily Rifftrax re-riffed this movie, so there is a more consistent scripted version out there for those who want to seek it out.

Average

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Season 11 DVD and Blu-Ray Retrospective

Release Date:  April 17, 2018 (around November, 2017 for Kickstarter backers)

Buy the DVD Edition Here!

Buy the Blu-Ray Edition Here!

Episodes included:
Reptilicus
Cry Wilderness
The Time Travelers
Avalanche
The Beast of Hollow Mountain
Starcrash
The Land that Time Forgot
The Loves of Hercules
Yongary, Monster from the Deep
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
Carnival Magic
The Christmas That Almost Wasn't
At the Earth's Core

Also included:

A New Test Case:  #WeBroughtBackMST3K

Bring Back MST3K Kickstarter Bumpers (Collector's Edition only)

Funny or Die:  Leaked Star Wars Auditions with the Bots from MST3K (Collector's Edition only)

Clips of the Bring Back MST3K Final Coutdown Kickstarter Telethon (Collector's Edition only)

2015 Turkey Day Bumpers (Collector's Edition only)

2016 Turkey Day Bumpers (Collector's Edition only)

During my many, many years as a fan a lot of us lamented "Wouldn't it be nice to have seasonal DVD sets, like every other TV show?"  I've also seen a few disgruntled fans blame Rhino and Shout Factory for this, seemingly unaware how complicated rights issues were and releasing an entire season of the series at the same time would have been both expensive and damn near impossible.  Shout Factory eventually did complete entire seasons, episodes separated of course, when they completed the entirety of the first season with Volume XXX.  Impressively Shout also completed seasons five, six, seven, and ten (there is a chance season nine could be completed once further rights issues clear up, but we'll just have to keep an eye on that for now).

Could they do full seasons of those now?  Considering episodes are already dropping from Shout's licensing (including tenth season episodes Soultaker and Squirm), I wouldn't bet on that.  It would be nice, but you'd be better off constructing your own DVD sets from the discs that have been released.

But due to more foresight with negotiation tactics, Shout Factory can finally offer an entire season in one collection.  It's of the relaunch era, so if you're purely a classic MSTie then you'll have no interest in this set, but we've finally achieved the dream.  I'll save my opinions of the episodes and season itself, just check my retrospective out here.  But if you want a box set with the most episodes, Season 11 is the one to get, with a grand total of fourteen episodes (three and a half times the average).

Average Rating (out of 4):  2.714

Audio and video are fantastic across the board, since the series was filmed in HD and didn't rot in a storage shed for twenty years or wherever they kept the old show (maybe they kept it in a broken down refrigerator on the side of the road, I don't know).  Obviously, for videophiles, the blu-ray is going to be the better option, with crisper picture and more popping colors.  Those who just barely graduated from VHS to the next level will likely just buy the DVD set and say "good enough" (and those who haven't made it that far will want to seek out the Kickstarter Reptilicus VHS).

Now, whether you collect the series on DVD or blu-ray, it's important to note that there are two separate editions of this season on each format.  The first is the standard edition released in stores, while the second was called the #WeBroughtBackMST3K Collector's Edition which was offered as a Kickstarter reward during the season's crowdfunding campaign in 2015.  Backers who pledged above $200 (or did an $80 add on reward outside of Kickstarter) were able to have this edition of the box set mailed to them about six months earlier than the retail release.  As far as the episodes themselves, the two sets are identical, and each disc holds two episodes instead of one, which was the old norm (save for the Mitchell/Brain that Wouldn't Die double feature on the 25th Anniversary Edition).  However, both sets had a bonus disc that housed a ninety minute documentary on the making of the new season, but the Collector's Edition also had exclusive bonus features that were also featured on this disc.

The key difference between the two sets is that while each contains a bonus disc, on the basic set of Season 11 the only thing it contains is the documentary A New Test Case.  This seventy minute doc briefly discusses the history of the show before diving into the Kickstarter that helped launch the new MST and the production of the new series.  It's a pretty excellent deep dive into the production of the revival.  But what does the basic retail version not have?  Well, to kick it off, it has a special thank you intro by Joel Hodgson, who thanks all the backers and congratulates all the backers who chose hard copy physical media in case Netflix eventually goes down (though Netflix soon "corrects" his stance on this).  In addition to this is a ton of concept art and set photos for behind the scenes enthusiasts.  After that is a four minute blooper reel, which isn't as gargantuan as the Poopie! tapes, but gets some solid laughs (Felicia and Patton are fantastic).  We then get some archival stuff from the Kickstarter, including the bumper videos that Joel made to sell the concept of a revival, the 2015 Turkey Day segments, a Funny or Die sketch featuring Servo and Crow, and highlights from the concluding telethon, which has been edited from a gargantuan four hour plus runtime to only a half hour, though a lot of the core stuff remains and a lot of the filler and technical difficulties are left out.  There is one last section devoted to post-Kickstarter highlights, headlined by Joel and Jonah's appearance at the 2016 Rifftrax Live MST3K Reunion show where they riff on a short about barbers called "Americans at Work" (this, to my knowledge, is the only time all three MST hosts have shared a stage together).  Unfortunately, the concluding free-for-all riffs that Joel and Jonah participated in are not included (you'll have to purchase the entire show from Rifftrax's website to see those...oh DARN! Lol).  Also included are a Comic-Con panel in 2016 where Joel shows off concept art, a promotional Q&A at Camp Corwin, the 2016 Turkey Day bumpers, and Q&As from Reptilicus screenings,

I would like to point out there are no specific featurettes devoted to the movies themselves, which is disappointing as the movies are a very important aspect of the show and there are undoubtedly discussion topics that can be said about them.  That being said, a number of these films have blu-ray discs out there with special features, and Shout even offers a pretty loaded unriffed edition of Starcrash, so that might be worth picking up.

Let's switch discussion to box art.  The basic package is probably the one most are familiar with, which has a promotional photo of the entire cast against a starry backdrop, with the MST3K logo in the upper left corner, and an orange bar in the upper right that says "Season 11."  The #WeBroughtBackMST3K Collector's Edition uses a far more radical design illustrated by Steve Vance for a slip box, which sees Crow as a mad scientist and Servo as his hunchbacked assistant bringing a sort of Frankenstein Monster to life, which is presumably Jonah, who is covered with a sheet but we can see his glasses.  At the top of the cover are the words "It Moves!  It Breathes!  It Riffs!  Mystery Science Theater 3000 Lives Again!"  At the bottom, it designates it the #WeBroughtBackMST3K Collector's Edition and in an orange bar at the bottom it specifies "Season 11."  For the record, this art is also the same art as the Steve Vance illustrated poster that was offered in the Kickstarter.  The interior art for the disc case is the same as the artwork for the basic edition, only with the words "#WeBroughtBackMST3K Collector's Edition" on it.  On the inside of the case for the Collector's Edition is a booklet, that has some cool art as the exterior featuring the new moon MST logo connected to the Satellite of Love through the Umbilicus, hovering over a landscape.  Throughout the landscape and the sky are familiar MST characters such as Godzilla, Santa Claus, Ro-Man, even new MST highlights like Reptilicus and Yongary, and many others.  It's worth looking through this art to see how many episode references you can spot.  Inside the booklet is a letter from Joel that thanks the backers, episode summaries, and a list of Kickstarter backers with some concept art spread throughout.  My name is on page 11!  Cool!  On the back of both sets are logos for each movie.

Now, for the disc art, I can only speak to what I have in front of me.  If the basic edition has different disc art, I haven't seen it.  The art on this set each has a very basic design, with a grey surface that looks to be emulating a coarse metal, though the color isn't metallic.  Episode movie logos are found on each disc on the top and bottom, while on the right side we see the MST logo and the words #WeBroughtBackMST3K Collector's Edition.  If I were to make an assumption about the basic set, I'd say it were exactly the same, except without the Collector's Edition designation.

Disc menus are interesting, as each is that of the bridge of the Satellite of Love, and each has a drawing of Crow and Servo by Steve Vance featured, which may mean he was commissioned to make posters for these episodes but they're not featured, or just the Crow and Servo models.  Whatever the case, the menus are interestingly different from the norm, though they're a bit samey.  Reptilicus/Cry Wilderness features Crow as an army general with Reptilicus behind him, while Servo is dressed as Bigfoot.  The Time Travelers/Avalanche features Crow dressed up in the future duds with Servo dressed like Rock Hudson, as future cave men try to break through the doorway and soon become covered in snow.  The Beast of Hollow Mountain/Starcrash has Crow dressed up as a cowboy with a pet dinosaur while Servo is dressed up like Emperor Christopher Plummer, and they dance to the Wild Rebels song.  The Land That Time Forgot/The Loves of Hercules features Crow dressed as Doug McClure ducking away from a pterodactyl and Servo all dolled up like Jayne Mansfield.  Yongary, Monster from the Deep/Wizards of the Lost Kingdom features Crow as one of our main Korean astronauts as Servo plays Bo Svenson's character fending off Yongary with a sword.  Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II/Carnival Magic has Crow dressed as a portly wizard and Servo dressed as a portly redneck, while Alexander the chimp drives a truck behind them.  The Christmas That Almost Wasn't/At the Earth's Core features Crow as Santa and Servo as Doug McClure in underground warrior garb, while the doors open to reveal a giant drill.  The bonus disc is just the SOL bridge.

There are several ways to break this down.  Do you want the most episodes in a single purchase?  This is the set to buy.  Do you want great looking transfers of the episodes that look pristine on your HD TV?  This is the set to buy.  Do you want the most quality episode balance?  Probably look somewhere else.  Do you prefer original MST to new MST?  Definitely look somewhere else.  Are you willing to give new MST a shot?  Check these episodes out.  Unfortunately the retail set has less bonus features than the Kickstarter exclusive, but very few of those features are things you can't find anywhere else.  As far as the first "seasonal box set" of the show on home media is concerned, there is very little wrong here except those minor nitpicks of bonus features.  Here's hoping it's the start of more seasonal sets in the future, be them of new or old.

A New Test Case: #WeBroughtBackMST3K (MST3K Special)

Way back in the day, Comedy Central filmed their own half hour "Making Of" specials for Mystery Science Theater 3000.  It seems fitting that the new era of MST3K would receive one too, albeit a more thorough one that was home video exclusive.  A New Test Case is a centerpiece documentary that Shout Factory produced to center a bonus disc of MST3K Season 11 on.  If you received the Kickstarter exclusive #WeBroughtBackMST3K Collector's Edition, there were more bonus features crammed onto that disc, though folks who just bought the standard set only received the documentary on this disc.  A more thorough overview of what special features were on the Collector's Edition can be found on my Season 11 DVD and Blu-Ray Retrospective, but for those concerned with what they missed out on, a lot of what else is featured on that disc are archival features that can be found from other sources on the web, such as YouTube or Shout Factory TV, while the most exclusive stuff is just an intro from Joel Hodgson and a blooper reel.  I think it's generally agreed that A New Test Case is the best bonus feature on the disc.

This is MST3K and The Making of Mystery Science Theater 3000 are pretty good docs for what they were, half hour promos for the series on each channel that provided some neat behind the scenes footage for long time fans.  Their primary purpose was to advertise the series, but while a lot of promo shows like those are self congratulatory and diluted, MST's were to an extent, they have always been a little aloof and honest.  A New Test Case meets that criteria, as the crew members stress that they think the new series will be beloved by fans, but there is a hesitancy to it, knowing there is a legacy to live up to.

They briefly touch upon that series and work their way from the cancellation leading up to the Kickstarter.  They'd talk about how Joel always seemed to be keen to bring back the series during Cinematic Titanic's tours, and how it took them years to get Jim Mallon to sell the rights to the series to Shout Factory.  It seems like a lot of details are glossed over in mere sentences, such as Jim Mallon's reluctance to sell the series and former MST cast reactions to reuniting for it, but a lot of it lies in private matters of individuals, so it's no surprise these stories are kept mum.  I just like it when a good documentary gets into the nitty gritty, so when it hits fast forward I get disappointed.

From there the doc discusses rounding up the new cast (Jonah Ray, Hampton Yaunt, Baron Vaughn, Felicia Day, Patton Oswalt, and Rebecca Hansen) and puppeteers (Grant Bacioccio and Russ Walko) and their reactions to being brought onto the new series.  We also talk setting up the Kickstarter and how Joel worked it behind the scenes, they describe it similar to a setting sail on a cruise.  I experienced the Kickstarter on the opposite end for the entirety of its duration, and Joel was a constant presence, there is no denying that.  He was constantly updating, generating buzz, spreading what info that was safe to share, and he really seemed to be running with the fans with a sense of command.  He was both a ringleader and made strides to make fans feel like we were his equal.  Considering he was the one with the power and held all the secrets of the new series, he was certainly not an equal, but there we did appreciate his attempts to "be real" with us even if we didn't know everything.  A New Test Case both shows and tells us a bit of info about what was going on on the other side of the curtain, as Joel, Shout Factory, and Kickstarter worked on the fundraising from their side, discussing how they sent emails out an hour too early, maintaining communications with the fans, and even briefly addressing backlash from original series purists (they don't dive deep into this, but they did seem a bit shocked and bummed about it).  This all concludes in fantastic fashion during the concluding telethon, in which the funding is so successful that they raise enough money to make two episodes more than they initially asked for.

The rest of the documentary is probably the juiciest.  I mean, we were already familiar with the new series, and those that followed the Kickstarter already knew how it went down.  It's during this section that we find more information about the creative process.  They talk about expanding the lore beyond the show's limited production values and making it work within those values.  That's one of the things about the new MST that you really can't take away from it, is that it tries to flesh out the world the Satellite of Love inhabits while making it work in the confines of the fact that it's a crappy puppet show, because that entire world is a crappy puppet show.  There is a bit of talk about making the bots more expressive, mostly about Crow's arms and marionetting Gypsy from the ceiling, while the look and sets of the Satellite and Moon 13 are given some talk time too.  They also discuss film selection, which is something that I really wished they dug deeper on.  They did talk about wanting good looking movies for HD (which is something I disagree with, but that's a battle for another time) and have a few things to say about Cry Wilderness and Avalanche.  I would have appreciated a bit more talk about the movies themselves, because they're an important part of the show, but they get pushed aside pretty swiftly.  We also get to see behind the scenes of the celebrity cameos and the fans who were brought in to play Observers at Jonah and Kinga's wedding.

The documentary pretty much ends at the world premiere of the first episode of the new MST, Reptilicus, which was rewarded to the lucky Kickstarter backers who were lucky enough to attend.  There isn't any talk about reaction to it nor the season itself when it finally dropped, but I think they leave the opinion up to the viewer and they don't feel like impressing what they think their opinion should be upon them.  In a lot of ways, A New Test Case is a very in-depth look at the recreation of this amazing show, but it does leave something of a sense that several aspects could be expanded upon to make this documentary just that much better.  As is, A New Test Case is still a must see because it is a pretty honest portrayal of how this whirlwind of a fundraising campaign created a new season of our favorite show, it just has a tendency to skim.  That tendency is often the line between a great documentary and one that's just good enough.

Turkey Day 2016 - Top Six Episodes (MST3K Special)

So during the post-production updates from the Bring Back Mystery Science Theater 3000 Kickstarter, Joel asked the fans to fill out a survey of their favorite episodes.  The top six would be featured in the 2016 Turkey Day Marathon (pending if the rights were available for streaming).  Luckily the top six were all easily acquirable at that time as MSTies rushed to put down predictable selections like Manos, Final Sacrifice, Mitchell, and Space Mutiny.  I recall my list being a bit more left of center.  I put down my usual favorites like Prince of Space, Invasion of the Neptune Men, and Space Mutiny (this one didn't need my help, but I do adore it), but I had some that didn't even make the top one hundred, apparently, like 12 to the Moon and Teenage Crime Wave.

Anyway, the episodes selected were the ones I think everyone thought would be the ones selected.  Maybe there were some minor detours, like Pumaman instead of Cave Dwellers or whatever, but it's hard to bat an eye at any of these.  It's hard to argue with any of them (except Pod People, which I will argue about all fucking day), but this in general was very vanilla in terms of surprises.  In general, the picks are great (with the exception of one), I just prefer more variety in my Turkey Day.  I did find it interesting that the top six just happened to lean perfectly into the host switching format of Mike episode/Joel episode/Mike episode/ect. that Shout Factory adopted for the marathon since reintroducing it.

The bumpers this year sees Joel Hodgson and Jonah Ray co-hosting in a kitchen setting, with the idea being that they would introduce a Thanksgiving dinner course inspired by each episode.  Joel jokes that he always intended for MST3K to stand for "Mystery Science Theater Three Kitchen," to which I respond that it would explain how he eats, but not how he breathes and other science facts.  While it's fun to see Joel and Jonah work off each other, the main failing of the bumpers is that they really just tell the same joke over in over, in which Joel and Jonah are disgusted that whoever prepped the meals kept sticking DVDs in them for decoration.  The only real laugh I got out of the gag is during the introduction to Mitchell, to which Jonah bluntly claims "I'm not sticking that in my DVD player."  If anything, these bumpers give us more of an idea of Jonah as a host as the eleventh season hadn't aired yet, though I imagine selling us on the chemistry between Hampton Yaunt and Baron Vaughn, seeing how the trio would be doing the heavy lifting on the new series as opposed to Joel, who only had cameos and behind the scenes roles.  However, Joel gets my favorite pun of the segments, when he introduces us to the Manos dish, which he dubs "'Manos' The Yams are Great!"

As for the episode journey, since these episodes were selected by fans voting for them, I imagine a lot people will be pleased with them.  As mentioned before, I just find them a bit predictable, but I can't deny loving most of them.  Pumaman is a fun start, though I hit a major low when it comes to Pod People, which is an episode I've never liked at all really.  Final Sacrifice is a major step-up, though I don't consider it on the same level as the other, better episodes in this marathon.  Mitchell, Space Mutiny, and Manos are an even streak of greatness.  Though, if I may point out, Mitchell has been in so many Turkey Days that it's almost a meme.

The Pumaman (2nd Turkey Day)
Pod People (3rd Turkey Day)
The Final Sacrifice (2nd Turkey Day)
Mitchell (5th Turkey Day)
Space Mutiny (2nd Turkey Day)
"Manos" The Hands of Fate (3rd Turkey Day)

Average Rating (out of 4):  3.333

A minor note about this, in the aftermath of these episodes being shown, Joel gave backers a surprise gift that was hinted at during the Kickstarter but we heard little about since.  He released the formerly lost first two KTMA episodes, Invaders from the Deep and Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars, as surprise digital downloads as a big thank you to all of us who contributed.  Unfortunately, the KTMA version of Star Force:  Fugitive Alien II was not among them, making it the sole lost episode today.  But even if the episodes during the Turkey Day were regrettably safe, this particular Turkey Day was a blessing and I was thankful to have it.

For the record, Joel posted the top hundred episodes on the Kickstarter Update section.  This is the cut and paste straight from there, and I'd also like to note that Deadly Mantis being ranked so low is a fucking crime (also, Hamlet is on it in the 70's.  Who'd have thought?):

7. Santa Claus Conquers The Martians - (321)
8. Werewolf - (904)
9. Cave Dwellers - (301)
10. Time Chasers - (821)

11. Overdrawn At The Memory Bank - (822)
12. I Accuse My Parents - (507)
13. Eegah! - (506)
14. Gamera - (302)
15. Prince of Space - (816)
16. Hobgoblins - (907)
17. Laserblast - (706)
18. Soultaker - (1001)
19. Godzilla vs. Megalon - (212)
20. Jack Frost - (813)

21. Santa Claus - (521)
22. Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders - (1003)
23. The Brain That Wouldn't Die - (513)
24. The Touch of Satan - (908)
25. Teenagers From Outer Space - (404)
26. The Day the Earth Froze - (422)
27. Warrior of the Lost World - (501)
28. The Giant Spider Invasion - (810)
29. Catalina Caper - (204)
30. Fugitive Alien - (310)

31. Master Ninja I - (322)
32. Time of the Apes - (306)
33. Gamera vs. Guiron - (312)
34. Final Justice - (1008)
35. Boggy Creek II - (1006)
36. Riding with Death - (814)
37. The Sidehackers - (202)
38. Outlaw (Of Gor) - (519)
39. Future War - (1004)
40. Monster A-Go-Go - (421)

41. "Parts": The Clonus Horror - (811)
42. The Killer Shrews - (407)
43. The Giant Gila Monster - (402)
44. Deathstalker and the Warriors From Hell - (703)
45. Red Zone Cuba - (619)
46. The Girl in Gold Boots - (1002)
47. Alien From L.A. - (516)
48. Hercules Against The Moon Men - (410)
49. Diabolik - (1013)
50. Horror Of Party Beach - (817)

51. The Amazing Colossal Man - (309)
52. Danger! Death Ray - (620)
53. The Creeping Terror - (606)
54. Daddy-O + Alphabet Antics - (307)
55. The Incredibly Strange Creatures… - (812)
56. Lost Continent - (208)
57. Attack Of The Eye Creatures - (418)
58. Squirm - (1012)
59. Star Force: Fugitive Alien II - (318)
60. Zombie Nightmare - (604)

61. Hercules Unchained - (408)
62. Quest of the Delta Knights - (913)
63. The Beast of Yucca Flats - (621)
64. The Screaming Skull - (912)
65. The Magic Sword - (411)
66. The Mole People - (803)
67. Operation Double 007 - (508)
68. Wild, Wild World of Batwoman - (515)
69. The Beginning of the End - (517)
70. Magic Voyage of Sinbad - (505)

71. Agent for H.A.R.M. - (815)
72. Girls Town - (601)
73. Devil Doll - (818)
74. Hamlet - (1009) 
75. Night of the Blood Beast - (701)
76. The Beatniks - (415)
77. Secret Agent Super Dragon - (504)
78. The Starfighters - (612)
79. Bride of the Monster - (423)
80. It Conquered The World - (311) 

81. Rocketship X-M - (201)
82. The Crawling Eye - (101)
83. Moon Zero Two - (111)
84. Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster - (213)
85. Gamera Vs. Zigra - (316)
86. Robot Holocaust - (110)
87. The Incredible Melting Man - (704)
88. Escape 2000 - (705)
89. Gamera Vs. Gaos - (308)
90. Gamera Vs. Barugon - (304)

91. Tormented - (414)
92. Samson vs. The Vampire Women - (624)
93. Angels' Revenge - (622)
94. Horrors of Spider Island - (1011)
95. Invasion of the Neptune Men - (819)
96. Devil Fish - (911)
97. Master Ninja II - (324)
98. The Deadly Mantis - (804)
99. San Francisco International - (614)
100. Wild Rebels - (207)

Bring Back MST3K Final Countdown Telethon (MST3K Special)

WELCOME TO THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

Over the course of November into December 2015, Joel Hodgson crowdfunded the return of Mystery Science Theater 3000 for an eleventh season of new episodes.  The Kickstarter was a rousing success, fulfilling its $5.5 million goal the morning of its final day, though Joel threw a curveball at us when he claims they will be willing to create more episodes of the series than they've promised depending on how high the fundraising goes.  This all concluded on a four hour finale "telethon," which was really just a celebration of the fantastic month that they were finishing up, as we watched the money flow and rooted for the money to go higher and higher.

The telethon was a hot mess, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

For those who weren't there at the time the telethon was live streamed, here is some context for how it started.  They were actually live streaming most of the day, and leading up to the telethon they were playing the episodes Mitchell and The Final Sacrifice, which Joel has gone on record saying are his favorite episodes of the series.  After the episodes, this telethon was supposed to start, but they had a lot of technical difficulties getting the stream started.  They created funny little "Please Stand By" cards with Crow on them to indicate they were having technical difficulties, including a hilarious one that just said "Please Get Out and Push."  Things were not right from the get go.  Finally the stream gets up and running, and it starts with the Kickstarter bumper that opened the fundraising campaign, but we can hear audio from Joel and everyone else running the show along with it.  I can't tell that if this is deliberate or not, but considering how everything went that night, I'm leaning toward it not being so.

The disaster continued throughout the night as the feed dropped in and out constantly and MSTies across the globe had to switch back and forth between two different live streams based on which one was working and which one crapped out.  There were points where the feed looped for no reason, which lead to my favorite meme of the night, Joel saying the words "-segment with Crow?" on repeat, marking the beginning of another loop.  Even the guests who were streaming from different locations were having trouble getting their feeds through.  Jonah Ray, in particular, was supposed to have a sizable chunk of entertainment from a bar in Atlanta, but they had trouble receiving his feed.  From what I hear, even if Jonah couldn't get the feed working, he kept the bar entertained that night anyway.  Probably the most amusing and most grating thing to happen all night is a conversation between Jonah and Patton Oswalt, where Patton's mic is so faulty that all we can hear is loud static.

The show was such a trainwreck that when their intended content fucks up, Patton just busts out his phone and reads Twitter to the audence.

As for the show they're trying to put on, imagine a PBS telethon, only even more low rent and in a comic book store.  Occasionally we get guests who come on and perform, like Kate Micucci of Garfunkle & Oates and The Big Bang Theory, Dana Gould doing his Dr. Zaius routine, Game Grumps (they do a segment where they play the fan-made "Manos" The Hands of Fate game with Hampton Yaunt's Crow), and Robert Lopez, who co-wrote the songs in Frozen, meanwhile Patton and Felicia Day duck in and out and they occasionally play clips from the series (shorts or host segments).  The entertainment value is just kind of a limited, cheesy "thank you for not changing the channel" variety that gets a pass based on how invested fans are in the outcome of the fundraiser and secretly because we're just waiting to see what goes wrong next.  In a way, all the production woes are probably the best possible thing that could have happened.  With those problems this transcended being four hours of cheap, cringy fan pandering into something more memorable and lovably bad.

That being said, there are some undeniably fun moments in the fundraising goals.  You can hear folks cheer during the magic act when they hit $5.9 million, and it's charming that Joel doesn't learn of this until fifteen minutes later because he was busy watching said act and visits with his old friend on stage even as the numbers crank up while he's oblivious to them.  Also, the last minute fourteenth episode goal ends the telethon on a wild note of celebration that's worth seeing.  And in the end, everyone breaks into singing the MST3K theme, though some branch off into singing the Joel version and some branch off into singing the Mike version, reminding us of just how out of tune but enjoyable this whole mess was.

Is it worth watching after the fact?  That's a tough question, because revisiting this five years later gives me some mad nostalgia vibes.  I don't know how this would play without the context of the whole situation that was erupting around it, and how this little celebration kept going wrong, but we didn't care.  If you watch ten minutes of it and go "No," then maybe you shouldn't bother, but this is a very silly thing that happened once and I think it's earned a footnote in MST3K history.  What a ride!

And at the end, we took that "W."  And we felt like we earned it.

Funny or Die: Leaked Star Wars Auditions with the Bots from MST3K (MST3K Special)

In 2015, one of the greatest franchises of all time was rebooted.  That franchise was Mystery Science Theater 3000, which had fundraised over $6 million to create a new season of episodes.  Also a Star Wars movie came out.  I don't really care about that one.

This two minute sketch was created by the wildly popular website Funny or Die, which specializes in short skits/viral videos that sometimes pander to certain fanbases.  In this one, Tom Servo and Crow both audition for the role of BB-8 in Star Wars:  Episode VII - The Force Awakens.  Each one of them doesn't seem to understand the concept of a beeping droid and is slightly insulted by the concept.

I do have an internal debate on whether or not this has enough content to properly review, as it's just a hit and run joke clip.  But as prominent as Funny or Die is in our internet culture, I feel like it's difficult to overlook the fact that they featured an entire "story" around Servo and Crow.  Also, this sketch was made in cooperation with the Bring Back MST3K campaign, and Funny or Die's popularity undoubtedly brought a few bucks in that direction.  I'm sure for more than a few people, this was their first subjection to Servo and Crow, thinking to themselves "Who are these funny little robots?  I like 'em!"

More importantly, this was probably our first good look at Baron Vaughn and Hampton Yaunt as the dynamic duo of Servo and Crow.  We had heard their new takes on the characters in the Kickstarter Bumpers, but they were mostly slaves to what Joel was trying to sell.  Here, they're given a chance to just cut loose and do something silly, and I'll say it's greatly impressive.  Hampton, in particular, is on fire the entire sketch, from his introduction as "Crow T. Robot, Non-Union" to demanding "Which one of you is George Lucas?  Is it you?  Oh, sorry ma'am."  Baron's Servo has a great streak of beeping before concluding "We don't all beep, you know?"

This is one of the few times Baron and Hampton were showcased with traditional Servo and Crow puppets from the original series, as the bots hadn't seen their revamped models with working arms yet.  But even without the extra articulation, Baron and Hampton are able to show off that our favorite puppets are in safe hands.  This Funny or Die sketch is a winner, and it won't take too much time out of your life.

Unlike this review, which likely took longer to read than the sketch takes to watch.

Turkey Day 2015 - #BringBackMST3K (MST3K Special)

Is there such a thing as watching too much of the same episodes of MST3K?  We've been mining the same 197 episodes every Thanksgiving for sixteen years.  And when Shout Factory started hosting the marathons, they are limited to what episodes they have streaming rights to, which probably tops out at about half of them.  Will we ever get our fill on them?  Probably not.

But for the first time since 1997 we have an optimist Turkey Day Marathon with the hope that we may see new episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 that can be used in Turkey Day Marathons to come.  The 2015 marathon is a bit of a special one, as it aired during the halfway point of the Kickstarter to revive the show.  By the time the marathon aired, we were well past the $2 million point to bring back the series for three episodes, so we already had a small victory of sorts (one of those first three episodes wound up being the first revival episode featured during a Turkey Day Marathon in 2018).  But we still had a ways to go before we reached the $5.5 million we needed for the full twelve (eventually fourteen), so this Turkey Day was a strategic move to help promote the Kickstarter and reach for a full season.

This year's theme has Joel visiting Kickstarter headquarters for Thanksgiving.  Based on photos I found on Google, the location looks legit and this is the real Kickstarter HQ.  I'm less certain about the people showcased that are said to be Kickstarter employees.  If they are legit, they have great onscreen demeanor, but they come off as actors (the only one I'm certain is real is CEO Yancy Strickler).  But I'd be delighted to be proven wrong if it ever comes to that point.  But I'm never wrong, so that will never happen.

Edit:  Ashley Holtgraver commented below and confirmed that these were indeed Kickstarter employees, so I definitely was wrong.  There's a first time for everything!

Joel tours the offices starting at the reception desk, where he mingles with Jackie the receptionist, who has never seen an episode of MST and has no idea what he's talking about.  From there he heads to the kitchen and mixes up potpourri with cider while making cornbread.  While feeding cornbread to the Kickstarter employees, he asks Kickstarter CEO Yancy Strickler what he's thankful for, and he responds "I'm just thankful that I don't normally have to watch this many crappy movies in a row." (That settles it, next year Transformers marathon at Kickstarter).  From then on, Joel interviews Ashley Holtgraver, who had her letter read on Fire Maidens of Outer Space.  Ashley has grown up to enter the software business and even became a musician.  Ashley treats us to a specialized remix of the MST theme to close out this special Turkey Day Marathon.

As for the episode journey, this is one of the best Turkey Days.  Our appetizing courses are led off with indisputable classics Outlaw and Eegah, while the main course of our meal starts with the mildly disappointing Gorgo before spiking with Teenagers from Outer Space.  For desert we have the sugary goodness of Danger!! Death Ray and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.  If I had one observation about this episode line-up, I think it peaks really early.  Outlaw and Eegah are not exactly head and shoulders above the others, but I feel they're clearly the best episodes of the night.  Also, it's a bit of a missed opportunity to bring Ashley Holtgraver on if you weren't going to show the episode her letter was on.  This isn't really anyone's fault, as Fire Maidens of Outer Space hasn't been licensed by Shout Factory for release on neither streaming nor DVD (the rights are owned by Paramount and at the time of this Kickstarter were tied up with Olive Films for a blu-ray release, and as far as we know are still tied up there), but showing that episode during this marathon would have been killer.

I also feel like noting that this is the first Turkey Day featuring Eegah.  When I compiled this list, I thought to myself "That has to be wrong."  Sure enough, Eegah has never been on a Turkey Day until 2015.  That's baffling.

Outlaw (2nd Turkey Day)
Eegah
Gorgo
Teenagers from Outer Space (2nd Turkey Day)
Danger!!  Death Ray
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (3rd Turkey Day)

Average Rating (out of 4):  3.5

Throughout the bumpers, Joel receives phone calls from Jonah Ray, Crow (played by Hampton Yaunt), and Tom Servo (played by Baron Vaughn) to help us get used to these new cast.  I can't help but be won over by Joel's enthusiasm and the charisma of this new cast.  Add in an excellent episode lineup and you have one hell of a Thanksgiving experience.  This was just what we needed in the middle of that amazing Kickstarter as we continued on our way to a brand new season of fourteen episodes.  It's a Turkey Day miracle!

Bring Back MST3K Kickstarter Bumpers (MST3K Special)

On November 10, 2015, the Bring Back MST3K Kickstarter went live, and instantly I was like...

But Joel refused to shut up, because he had a show to sell.  And he sold it very well.  He initially asked for $2 million to make three new episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and wound up with enough money to make fourteen.  And thus, the eleventh season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 reached conception.  Gestation and the painful process of birth could now begin.

These little bumper videos were pre-recorded by Joel and Shout Factory to help sell the concept of the new series, all the while being "riffed" and asked questions by Jonah, Tom Servo, and Crow in theater seats down at the bottom.  But these videos weren't always up to date with the latest info, to get that we had to read the backer updates on Kickstarter.  For example, Joel only came up with the idea to hire Patton Oswalt for the show as the Kickstarter was running, so Patton isn't in the videos (he was hilariously pasted in with photoshop TV's Frank hair onto the promo image about halfway through).  But the backer updates gave a more thorough breakdown of him getting on board, including the origin of the name "TV's Son of TV's Frank" (while that's a joke in the final series, his name is simply Max in the end).

The first bumper features Joel explaining the Kickstarter and what the goal is, and giving an idea of what kind of backer rewards are offered.  What's interesting about this bumper in retrospect is that it gives off an idea of what the new MST3K will be like by having Jonah Ray, Baron Vaughn, and Hampton Yaunt plucking away in the theater seats, letting us know it's a new cast, but it doesn't really tell us who the new cast is...or even if these people are the new cast or just there for promo purposes.

Joel let's us simmer with that wuestion for about a week then breaks out a new bumper introducing us to Jonah, then about a few weeks later Joel introduces us to Baron, Hampton, and Felicia Day as Servo, Crow, and Kinga Forrester.  These climax with some fun sketchwork as Jonah and the Bots join Joel on the screen before Kinga storms in and bursts their bubble.  Felicia is an all-star here, as she's easily the funniest presence here (though Hampton has been no slouch during these segments either).  There's a little hint of sexual attraction between her and Jonah, which is kind of dropped in the show, though re-invented as Kinga being interested in a publicity stunt relationship with the host.  But if they had gone the route they began seeding here, it probably would have been successful too, because Kinga's overt aggresive flirting is pretty fun.

Interestingly, Jonah's name was actually leaked before this, as was the rest of the cast (except Patton, as he hadn't been invited to join yet) through an online article.  The only members I was familiar with were Felicia and I think I've seen Baron on a comedy special once (though I could easily be thinking of someone else).  I was also familiar with Patton, because who hasn't seen Ratatouille?  But Patton isn't really relevant to these bumpers.  If I get any sort of impression of the new cast, it's that the thing I need to work hardest to accept is that Servo has a voice that isn't Kevin Murphy (not to knock Josh Weinstein's establishing work, but we spent nine years with Kevin and another sixteen on top of that watching his episodes over and over), but I was thrilled with the chemistry of the new cast.  And I definitely knew Felicia was going to knock it out of the park.

One note of interest here is that while it's common knowledge now that Baron and Hampton don't do their own puppeteering, it's interesting to note that they're using a stand in for Jonah in the theater seats.  This is especially glaring now that we know what Jonah's theater silhouette looks like.  Jonah's a pretty big dude, way taller than Joel or Mike, and the guy they have in the theater seats is a very slim guy, about as tall as Joel and Mike.  It's just strange to see this guy in between Servo and Crow in retrospect.

The technical issues are the subject of the final bumper, in which Joel confirms that puppets and models will be used for the series, the show will be in widescreen, and the show will be in HD.  This is just the tip of the iceberg in the frequently asked questions, as he did guide people to the Kickstarter page to answer even deeper questions.  Questions like "Why do you hate Mike, Trace, and Frank?" were mostly ignored for being stupid.

In the end, these bumpers did exactly what they needed to do and sold the series to exactly who they needed to sell the show to.  We all have opinions on how the final product turned out, be it positive or negative, but I think for those who participated in the Kickstarter experience, the ordeal was magical and these bumpers helped make it a special time in our lives.  They're little more than a curiosity now, but they were a sign of hope for this dormant fanbase back in the day.

1109-Yongary, Monster from the Deep

Film Year:  1967

Genre:  Science Fiction

Director:  Kim Ki-duk

Starring:  Oh Yeong-il, Nam Jeong-im, Kwang Ho Lee, Lee Sun-jae, Moon Kang, Cho Kyong-min

MST Season:  11

The Movie

*I HAVE SURVIVED WATCHING THIS MOVIE UNRIFFED*

Inspired by the kaiju flicks that are so popular in Japan (but don't call this a kaiju flick, or weebs will jump your ass), South Korea gets in on the monster action with Yongary, Monster from the Deep.  This flick sees a giant lizard being awakened underground and rampaging through cities, before dancing with a gun that makes it itchy and being stopped via biological warfare.

The thing that sticks out to me about Yongary is how janky it is.  Despite knowing it wanted to be like a kaiju flick, it didn't really seem to know what audience of that fanbase it wanted to cater to.  It tries to be a halfway point between the somber man vs. nature Godzilla movie, a sci-fi adventure like The Mysterians, and the goofy friend of children Gamera movie, and wound up succeeding at none of it.  The film starts out with quirky characters on a sci-fi mission, then it morphs into a monster terrorizing a city flick, before trying to play the "monster is misunderstood" card briefly just moments before the endgame plan is put into place and the monster dies horrifically, like a pest you don't want in your house.  This movie goes to so many separate places during its runtime, that it's hard to not be charmed by just how much effort it's going to, but it never succeeds as a cohesive whole.

To be fair, most of Yongary's problems come from that third act, because it second guesses itself.  The monster is either something that needs to be stopped or it's something that needs to be coexisted with, it can't be both.  The film goes down a path of exploring whether Yongary really is a menace, but then decides to not bother with it and poison the fucker, ending with a drawn out death scene where Yongary bleeds rectally.  This isn't a proper payoff to the path that you embarked on.  Even if you chose to not try and sympathize with the monster at all during the film, this is an anti-climax that lacks conflict.  Yongary just stands there, and our heroes just spray him, end of movie.  I think the intent of the film is that Yongary is a living being with complex emotions like all living beings, but was too big to live in this world and had to be put down for the sake of humanity, but that message gets lost when the characters are all smiles in their jokey happily ever after epilogue.

But it's the silly characters that give Yongary what watchability it has.  This family of people caught up in Yongary's rise are a fun group of characters to be around, and it's a kick to see them try and counteract the monster.  This isn't the most consistent film ever made, but you can't say it's not fun to watch.

At the same time, there is something to say about how gloriously staged it is.  Sets, props, and the Yongary suit all feel fake and plastic, and say what you will about Godzilla movies but even the worst ones try and add weight and dimension to their limited special effects budget.  Yongary is more deliciously fake looking, adding a comedic surrealism to the entire film that somewhat makes tonal shifts and goofy characters feel natural to this world.

Yongary was "remade" (and I use the term loosely) in 1999 as a crappy CGI monster movie that was released in the US under the title of Reptilian.  Believe it or not, that movie is ten times worse than this one, and probably be a great choice for Mystery Science Theater one day.  But in the meantime, we'll take the original and have fun with it, which I suppose "having fun" is the intended reaction.

The Episode

"You know, as Godzilla was a parable to nuclear war, Yongary is a parable to copyright infringement."

I had seen Yongary quite a while ago when I was much younger, and while I didn't remember much specifics about how the plot unfolded, I do remember its tonal inconsistency.  When I heard they used it for the new MST, my initial reaction was "Ooh!  Rubber suit monster movie!" then a pause and remembering just how strange Yongary was as a film.  I was curious about what they would do with it.

Of the giant monster movies that have graced the new MST, which also includes Reptilicus and Atlantic Rim, Yongary is likely the best one, and the craziness of the movie is only one of the contributing factors.  Jonah and the Bots weave and turn with the movie with ease, switching their reactions up depending on what kind of scene they're watching, from fakey science fiction to monster rampage to goofy kid dancing with giant lizard.  The only turn that seems to jar them is Yongary's surprisingly gruesome death scene, which just depresses them, because it doesn't match the jovial flow of the rest of the movie.

While the genre commentary is to be commended here, I think what really makes the episode are the characters.  Our main characters, despite being scientists and pilots for complicated aircraft and such, have a kooky, misfit dynamic.  There is a lot of fun to be had with them, especially the child character who hangs around them, Ichi, who has a ray gun that makes people itch.  The way Jonah and the Bots play with the character interaction in this film is really fun, and I'd probably argue that the honeymoon scene is one of the most hilarious scenes in the history of the show.

"Time to earn all that expensive oxygen!"

Host segments are on the light side, this time.  There is nothing particularly memorable about them, as they all kind of irreverent inspirations from the movie.  Jonah talks about how you can learn a lot about astronauts by finding out what music they listen to, decide what monster they'd like to be friends with, and also unleash a Yongary Nights night club on us.  The concluding song, "Push Past the Hurting," is fine, but doesn't leave any lasting impact.  The Invention Exchange has cute visual gags that kind of last longer than they probably should (especially Hitler Coffee).

Yongary is one of the better relaunch episodes, in my opinion.  There are a few mundane qualities that hold it back, but the riffing is pretty funny and the movie is something weird to behold.  I give this one an easy recommendation.

Good 

The DVD and Blu-Ray

Like the rest of its season, Yongary terrorized MSTies as a part of Shout Factory's Season 11 DVD and blu-ray box sets, of which my copy is a snazy #WeBroughtBackMST3K Collector's Edition offered through Kickstarter.  Audio and video are outstanding, and while there are no special features on the disc, it does share space with the following episode, Wizards of the Lost Kingdom.

The Mads Live Movie Riffing Streaming Event Press Release

Hello to all who stumble upon my little corner of the internet!  Normally I don't deviate much outside of my content reviews, but I was asked if I was interested in participating in promoting this event and I accepted.  I'm assuming most who read this board are fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000, correct?  If not, read some of my posts and familiarize yourself with it, ASAP!  Those who do know what I'm talking about will be familiar with Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff, who played Dr. Clayton Forrester (also voicing Crow T. Robot) and TV's Frank on the series as a dynamic duo for five years before Frank's departure in season six (Trace graced us with his performance for two years beforehand and departed himself one year afterward).  To many fans, they had the greatest comedic chemistry on the show.

Years later, Trace and Frank reunited for live riffing on Cinematic Titanic and after departing that project they created their own little live riffing project called The Mads are Back!  I've been wanting to cover The Mads are Back on my blog for years, but they never toured in my neck of the woods in Idaho, so I've never had the pleasure, but I've heard nothing but wonderful things.  I've always hoped someday they'd release some of their riffs online so I can get my Trace and Frank fix!

As just about anybody in the world knows, 2020 has sucked.  The COVID-19 scare has been the deathblow to a lot of little businesses and even some big ones.  Trace and Frank took a hit because they had to cancel all of their touring dates this year.  Now we have the opportunity to support them online by tuning in to the a live streaming event where they riff the Ed Wood classic Glen or Glenda!  The press release is seen down below.

(Note:  In the email I received this in, I also got an offer to team up with these fine folks to give out free tickets to stream this event.  I'm fishing for interest right now, so if you're interested in some sort of giveaway, let me know and if I see enough interest I'll see if I can set something up!)

Trace Beaulieu And Frank Conniff (“The Mads” From Mystery Science Theater 3000) Announce Livestream Screening Of Ed Wood’s Glen Or Glenda

Portion of Proceeds to Benefit NAACP Empowerment Programs

Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff, known to fans of the cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 as “Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank” respectively, have announced a special livestream screening of Ed Wood’s Glen or Glenda on Tuesday, July 21 @ 8pm ET, with the two comedians (collectively known as “The Mads”) riffing over the 1953 dud. The show will mark Beaulieu & Conniff’s first time performing together this year, after The Mads’ 2020 tour dates were cancelled due to COVID-19. Tickets are on sale now for $10.

“If you’ve been social distancing yourself from Glen or Glenda, Trace and I are giving the all-clear to watch this classic film,” said Conniff. “Of all the movies we’ve riffed, from MST3K to Cinematic Titanic and our own live shows, this is our favorite. Join us!”

The Mads Are Back: Glen or Glenda will broadcast live via a private YouTube link that will be sent to ticket purchasers an hour prior to showtime. A percentage of the proceeds from the event will benefit NAACP Empowerment Programs, who engage primarily in training, education, and advocacy at the national and local levels.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 has its roots in Minneapolis, when it premiered on local affiliate KTMA-TV (now WUCW) on November 24, 1988. Comedian Joel Hodgson created and starred in the TV show, which found him playing a janitor in the “not-too-distant future” imprisoned aboard The Satellite of Love, forced to watch a series of bad movies in an effort to drive Joel and his robot friends insane. The show was eventually picked up by Comedy Central and later the Sci-Fi Channel, before being rebooted by Hodgson in 2017 for Netflix. 

Beaulieu, who also provided the voice of “Crow T. Robot” during the show’s initial run, portrayed evil mad scientist “Dr. Clayton Forrester,” while Conniff acted as Forrester’s lab assistant and sidekick, known as “TV’s Frank.” Both Beaulieu and Conniff were writers on the show and have continued to collaborate since leaving MST3K, as members of the similarly-themed live show Cinematic Titanic, and also as co-hosts of the weekly movie podcast Movie Sign with The Mads. 

In 2015, Beaulieu and Conniff began touring movie theaters throughout the country as The Mads Are Back, offering their signature brand of quick-witted commentary (known to MST3K fans as “riffing”) over numerous B-movies.

Glen or Glenda, named by critic Leonard Maltin as “possibly the worst movie ever made,” is Ed Wood’s semi-autobiographical docudrama which follows Glen (portrayed by Wood), a man who wrestles with his desire to cross-dress as his alter-ego, Glenda. The film, which opens with a bizarre performance by horror legend Bela Lugosi, has been ridiculed for its cheap production values and nonsensical narrative ever since its release. The troubled production of Glen or Glenda was chronicled in Tim Burton’s 1994 film Ed Wood.

“Glen or Glenda might be the worst movie ever made but it is also a film with great heart and compassion for the subject matter,” said Beaulieu. “I could be wrong. I’ve only seen it 50 times.”

The Mads will also be conducting a Q&A with fans after the screening for as long as time allows. Tickets for The Mads Are Back: Glen or Glenda are on sale now.