Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (Widescreen)
by Jim Mallon
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Jim Mallon, John Brady, Kevin Murphy, Michael J. Nelson, Trace BeaulieuDirector: Jim Mallon
Brand: Universal
Cinematographer: Jeff Stonehouse
Composer: Billy Barber
Composer: Joel Hodgson
Editor: Bill Johnson
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 75 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-05-06
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (Widescreen)
Movie Review: "So The Aliens Live In Hooterville?"
Summary: 4 Stars
Filmed at Energy Park Studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, this Mystery Science Theater 3000 big screen adaptation of 1955's "This Island Earth" will tickle the fancy of any aficionado of the show, fan of science fiction, or lover of comedy. The plotline is essentially unchanged from the brilliant TV show, although sets are more extensive and costly. In this iteration Dr. Forrester (Trace Beaulieu) taunts his test subjects Mike Nelson, Crow T. Robot (also Trace Beaulieu), and Tom Servo (Kevin Murphy) with the classic sci-fi film about atomic power, aliens with giant foreheads, and huge mutant insects, in an effort to break their wills, an effort that, predictably, fails.
"This Island Earth" follows Dr. Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) and Dr. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue) as they journey to the planet of Metaluna with giant foreheaded Exeter (Jeff Morrow,) who is on a mission to save his home planet from destruction by meteors. The Metalunans are much advanced over humans, but need the help of Meacham and Adams for purposes of obtaining uranium to shield their planet from destruction. The thing that's most interesting about this film is that they spend a whopping total of about five minutes on Metaluna before Exeter, Meacham, and Adams start back toward Earth. It's like they go to the planet, tell the ruler "no, we won't help you" and promptly leave. All this makes for a movie with a very short running time and even with the MST3K host segments the final product is only 74 minutes long, which is a bit of a disappointment considering the original unedited version of "This Island Earth" is 87 minutes long.
The choice of material was controversial both within the MST3K camp and with fans. The film was readily and cheaply available, but was viewed by many as not as strong a choice as could have been made as "This Island Earth" is viewed by many sci-fi historians and fans as a classic of the genre and something of a good movie. Certainly the film is not among the worst that MST3K has skewered ("Monster a Go-Go" anyone?) and as a result the riffing is weaker than a normal MST3K episode. Don't get me wrong, there are some great lines from Nelson and company: "Suddenly I have a refreshing mint flavor.", "Hey! It's a moth equipped with a lightning bug!", and my personal favorite exchange after seeing the wacky Metalunan architecture that so resembled dreadful album covers from the 1970's, "It looks like Dr. Seuss designed their planet....They're really into 'Yes' on this planet."
While I like the film, this is the first (and likely only) time I can't give five stars to an MST3K production. While good, the riffing and host segments weren't as funny or wry as their best efforts ("Manos," "Hobgoblins," "Mitchell," etc.), and the film lost some of it's low budget charm when dressed in the trappings of a Hollywood release. I certainly like the movie and recommend it, but still believe that it could have been so much more than good; with the right movie it could have been great.
Summary of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (Widescreen)
From the makers of the highly successful cult classic TV series comes Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie - one of the most outrageous, most irreverent, and most hilarious big-screen spoofs ever! A mad scientist, in his quest for world domination, concocts a diabolical scheme to subject the human race to the worst movie ever made: 1955's This Island Earth. It's up to one test subject's quick wit, sharp sense of humor, and utter intolerance for cinematic garbage to foil the plans of the scientist and to save the Earth. Experience the hijinks and low jabs of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie - where the worse the movie is, the better time you'll have!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
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