Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition First Spaceship on Venus / Laserblast / Werewolf / Future War


Price: $59.99 $47.99

» » Buy this Product @ Amazon.com « «
 

Editorial Reviews


Product Description

Mystery Science Theater 3000 celebrates its 20th anniversary with a special DVD set featuring four of the show s most-requested episodes First Spaceship on Venus (1960), Laserblast (1978), Werewolf (1996), and Future War (1997).



The Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 became a pop culture landmark in the 90s by poking fun at horrible movies of every genre and time period, and letting us listen in. They made the unwatchable essential viewing.




Amazon.com

It's hard to believe that two decades have passed since Mystery Science Theater 3000 made it not only safe but hip to poke fun at cornball science fiction movies, but the episodes contained in this limited-edition set prove that the Peabody Award-winning program has lost none of its irreverent edge over the passage of time. The majority of the four episodes featured in the set come from the show's later incarnation; series creator Joel Hodgson is featured in an early effort, First Spaceship to Venus from Season 2, while head writer turned host Mike Nelson commands the Satellite of Love for Season 7's Laserblast (which brought MST3K's tenure on Comedy Central to an end) as well as Werewolf and Future War from its ninth and tenth season, respectively. Fans will undoubtedly debate the merits of this quartet as opposed to other episodes, but the pop culture references and machine-gun quips still feel fresh, and the low-tech charm of the skits (Joel's junk drawer in Venus; Mike in atrocious drag leading the 'bots in a girl-group tune inspired by Werewolf) remain inspired and even radical compared to most TV sitcoms. It's a rarity to find a comedy program that hasn't lost a few touches since its departure from the airwaves, but MST3K retains virtually all of the elements that made it a favorite for comedy and cult movie fans alike. In addition to the four complete episodes, the chief appeal of the 20th Anniversary edition--aside from the fun, lunchbox-style metal case--is a four-part history of the show told by its key players. Everyone from Hodgson and Nelson to J. Elvis Weinstein (Dr. Forrester's early sidekick and composer of the show's theme song) contributes their recollections of the show's inception, its tenures with Comedy Central and The Sci-Fi Channel, and the debacle surrounding its big-screen effort. Rare clips from its earliest days as a late-night cable offering in Minnesota, as well as behind-the-scenes footage, make this a must-have for series devotees, though one wonders why no mention of the participants' subsequent, MST3K-like projects (Nelson with Rifftrax and The Film Crew, and Hodgson with most of the core creative team on Cinematic Titanic) is included. A short featurette devoted to all six versions of the theme song is a fun touch, as are colorful new lobby cards for each feature, and even a Crow T. Robot figurine, suitable for riffing duty on your next bad movie night. --Paul Gaita


 

Similar Products

 

Customer Reviews


E. A Solinas Said: LALALA! ( Jun. 17th 2010 )

"We'll send him cheesy movies/the worst we can find (lalala!)/he'll have to sit and watch them all/while we monitor his mind..."

A simple yet hilarious premise for a TV series -- a guy is trapped in the "Satellite of Love" with a bunch of sarcastic robots, and is forced to watch (and mock) cheesy sci-fi movies. "Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition" brings together four spectacularly awful movies from years apast -- some are boring, some are stupid, and some are BOTH.

One episode features the low-key, somewhat mellow Joel, while the other three feature the perky everyman Mike Nelson. As usual, they're being tortured either by the goofily evil Dr Forester or the equally goofily evil Pearl -- with bad cinema.

Among the movies mocked here: "First Spaceship on Venus," a sluggish and boring sci-fi saga with extremely poor dubbing; "Laserblast," in which a very dumb teenager finds an alien weapon that turns him into a smaller version of the Hulk; "Future War," a ridiculous yet pompous story about cyborgs and tiny attack dinosaurs; and "Werewolf," an inept tale of a cursed skeleton, a Russian scientist with the world's most ridiculous accent, and werewolves driving cars.

Obviously these movies aren't the absolute rock-bottom wretchedness of filmmaking (ie "Manos the Hands of Fate") but they are spectacularly awful. Everything here is worthy of mockery -- the bad special effects, the cardboard characters, silly cinematography (the girl who can't run through a mud puddle) and ever-changing hair.

But of course, the endless stream of mockery turned out by Mike, Joel and the robots is absolutely gutsplitting. They constantly snark bad continuity ("Did those oil barrels just leap out in front of him?"), stupid characters (mock the stupid Russian chick's accent -- "You and Noel is in it for fame and fortune? But over my dead body!") and constant running jokes (the guys never stop mentioning that the atrocious "Laser Blast" was awarded TWO AND A HALF STARS by Maltin).

Even the framing stuff is hilarious, as we watch Joel trying to impress Dr. Forester with his junk-drawer invention and Mike trying to escape the Satellite of Love. And there are the usual minor disasters, such as Mike becoming a WereCrow ("... and you know, I'm perfectly comfortable with that, yeah").

The movies are awful, the snark is hilarious, and the robots are sarcastic ("Let me anoint your beak with scented oils!"). Assuming that "First Spaceship on Venus" doesn't lull you to sleep, this is an entertaining way to spend an evening.

Joseph T. Mellon III Said: MST3K I love you ( May. 31st 2010 )

Looking for a night of laughs, get the set. Makes me wish for the show to be back on tv. Worth the price.

Sid Said: Awesome MST!!!! ( Apr. 5th 2010 )

My 12 year old son LOVES this MST!!!!!!! and the 'CROW' figure!!!! and the signature on the back!!!! This is his favorite gift! THANKS!!!!

Allison P. Kowallis Said: Fans... you will enjoy! ( Mar. 25th 2010 )

My sis and I loved watching these together! All of the movies are laugh out loud funny. I loved that they all came in a box together to keep it all organized. I was a little disappointed with the different hosts. I'm a fan of Mike but not the other guy. All in all a great buy and a fun watching experience for a rainy day!

K. Stuckey Said: "look, it's an inter-stellar Stuckey's" ( Feb. 21st 2010 )

that line from "First Spaceship on Venus" made me giggle because my last name is Stuckey. I streamed these four movies online so I did not get to watch any special features, including the 2008 cast reunion at ComicCon :( The four movies in this collection are all SUPER-cheesy flicks given the MSTie treatment. Werewolf is the kind of movie that after about 2 minutes you would walk out of in a theater...bad acting and thick accents, horrible plot and special effects...perfect for Mike, Tom Servo and Crow tee it up and drive it out of the park. Laserblast is "like Porky's, without the charm". I noticed a continuity error in Laserblast when Billy finds the laser, he puts the necklace on, but when he is shooting it is back in his hand. There are lots of laugh-out-loud moments so definitely worth checking out...I could care less about the Joel versus Mike argument, they are both VERY funny and make these stinkers smell like roses.