Movie: (1974 TV series; 1987 compilation movie) A trio of young people take refuge in cryogenic capsules during an earthquake, and awaken in a world populated by intelligent apes.
First shown: 7/13/91
Opening: Using Tom as a T-ball stand, Joel shags some flies to Crow, breaks a window and causes explosive decompression
Invention exchange: Gypsy fixes the hole and warns them not to do it again but of course they do. Joel shows off his cellulite phone, while the Mads demonstrate their miracle baby growth formula
Host segment 1: J&tB present: “Why doesn’t Johnny care?” A film by Bell Labs
Host segment 2: J&tB present their version of “Inherit the Wind”
Host segment 3: Crow presents an “ape fashion minute”
End: J&tB sing the Sandy Frank song, Joel reads a letter, and in Deep 13, Baby pushes the button
Stinger: “Johnny, be careful.” “I don’t care!”
(169 votes, average: 4.38 out of 5)
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• Back when we did the KTMA version of this, I wrote that the episode got “dragged down by the film, which is just a big giant carbuncle of a movie. Though it’s much funnier, of course, I’m not a big fan of the season 3 version either.” I based that statement on my memory of past viewings, but I gotta say, this time around was a pleasant surprise. I found myself laughing a lot and the movie, cut to incomprehensible ribbons though it is, moves along at a breezy, watchable pace. The host segments are all giggle-worthy too. It just goes to show you how your opinions of episodes can change over time.
• As most of you know, this movie was cut together from an entire season’s worth of TV adventures. If you watched the KTMA version, it was barely followable, but you could sort of find the thread of the action. But THIS incarnation has ALSO been cut for time by BBI and, intentionally or not, the result is a series of scenes, mostly action-y set pieces, that have little or no relation to each other. The overall final product is totally unfathomable. But, for riffing, it works.
• References.
• This episode is included in Shout’s Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol XXII.
• During his second at bat, Joel’s knocks off what’s left of Tom’s head. Ouch. They cover with a handy plastic coffee mug.
• Joel says “You potched up the hole.” They keep going.
• Crow’s baseball glove falls off (you can see the duct tape) and Joel just rolls right with it.
• The baby is played by little Eli Kenneth Mallon, who is now not so little (he’s in his 20s).
• The miracle growth baby is sound guy Tim Scott, in the first of two appearances in that role.
• When they enter the theater after the opening, Tom is still wearing a coffee mug and Crow is still netless.
• Joel continues his strict style in the theater, AGAIN threatening to dismember Crow when he utters a pun.
• Just a really dumb line from the movie: Somebody notes that earthquakes are possible but the Dr. Lee insists “nothing will happen suddenly.” Wait, what?
• As we watch the monkey wake up, it sure sounds like Joel says “Shit.” It might be “shoot” though.
• Crow asks Joel: “You said ‘bowling ball’ earlier. What did that mean?” Well, Crow, Joel was reacting to a shot of sun-bleached skull that looked vaguely like a bowling ball–albeit a white one.
• During segment 1, I love that Crow provides the projector noise, and that Tom misses a few sprockets, only to be nudged back into place by Joel. I think we have a few former A/V squad members on the writing staff.
• As they return to the theater after segment 2, Joel is carrying the cardboard cutout of Judge Wapner (somebody sent them that??) and sails it toward the screen saying, “Fly, judgie! Fly!” His Honor gets some good distance!
• Crow reenters the theater after segment 3 still wearing his hat.
• Tom’s wearing a weird monkey mask during the final segment.
• Cast/crew roundup: Screenwriter Keiiche Abe also wrote “Fugitive Alien” (and, of course, “Star Force”). Cinematographer Yoshihiro Mori also worked on “Mighty Jack.” American editor William L. Cooper Jr. also edited “Mighty Jack.” Score composer Toshiaki Tsushima also did music for “The Green Slime.” In front of the camera, Wataru Omae was also in “Godzilla Vs. the Sea Monster” and Hiroyuki Kawase was also in “Godzilla Vs. Megalon.”
• CreditsWatch: Colleen Henjum moves from contributing writer to writer for this and the next two episodes. Additional Contributing Writers: Lynn-Anne Freise, Craig Tollifson, Tom Wedor, Jann L. Johnson, Alexandra B. Carr. It was the first of 14 episodes in season 3 that a guy named Brian Wright did the audio. Dr. F and Frank are still “Special Guest Villians” (misspelled) and Dr. F’s name is again spelled “Forrestor.” This is the last time in the Comedy Central era that Jim Mallon appears in the writers list.
• Fave riff: “Harder…” Honorable mention: “Home, where I comb my facey.” “Johnny is a walking faux pas.”
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Agreed that the “movie” is very difficult to follow. But I can’t be the only one who has a strange desire to see more of the original TV series that this came from. Don’t worry though – I know that’s just an extension of my life-long love of “Planet of the Apes” talking. Speaking of which, I had no idea the Japanese show ran as early as 1974. But that would have been right at end of the initial POTA run of films. It probably even ran alongside the short-lived American TV version (also from 1974).
A planet where apes evolved from … ?? Oh forget it.
One of my favorite episodes. The host segments were top notch. I love the playing ball in the house, Gypsy scolding J&TB not to do it anymore with Joels “Oh, we wont” and the Bots cracking up. Crow’s catch just is hilarious with the glove taped to his head, kinda.
The movie is so screwy. The ape make up was so bad, those poor actors? The plot, scenes, dialoge and acting were all over the place but one thing held it all together and that is Johnny!
Why couldn’t this kid find a turtle to latch onto? Why could’nt he find some pants? He looks like he’s running around in tighty-whities. I guess this kid REALLY didn’t care.
“I dont care!” just says it all about this movie. Talking apes who look like they’re all practicing ventriliquisim (speak no mouth movement)and wearing cowboy boots and spurs, Col Saunders duds and tooling around in 1970 Buicks is so flipped out? Crow’s fashion critics are terrific and had me rolling around on the floor. Love to see this segement and Bill Corbet’s Crow Jackie Coogan fashion critic slapped together.
In closing, there is so much to comment on in this one I simply do not have enough time to do so. One great episode.
Sandy Fraaaank, Sandy Fraaaank, here we go agaiiiiin!
I tried watching this dubbed, complication film. It failed. This movie just awful. Although if region 1 gets a possible DVD release of the entire “Saru No Gundan” series, in its original Japanese language with english subtitles, maybe i’ll check that out.
Very funny episode overall. I’d love this to come on a Shout Factory set one day.
One of the classic episodes of the show. It had everything going for it. A fun goofy movie and excellent material by the Brains.
I’m pretty sure I saw this spliced-together Planet of the Apes rip-off before it was on MST3K on USA Up All Night. Its completely incomprehensible and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Bringing kids into this dystopian ape universe could only lead to comedy, and it does.
The riffing and host segments are some of the best in show. Now if only it would get released on a retail DVD.
This movie is near impossible to follow, especially with the edits made by MST3K for time. When the flying saucer suddenly appears out of nowhere and having nothing to do with anything seen or mentioned so far in the episode, it’s a mind-boggling moment every time.
The monkey mask Servo wears during “The Sandy Frank Song” makes me laugh every time I see it as I noted in my suggested and used weekend discussion topic thread here on Satellite News, “Favorite Costume Worn By A ‘Bot” on MST3K.
In spite of the convoluted mess that is the movie, the jokes are just so funny and the host segments so great during this one that we absolutely loved it around my house. My wife and I still say “why doesn’t Johnny care?” as a catch-phrase from this episode. The scene that is the stinger (“I don’t care!”) is weird and funny. The host segment based on it with all the great old public school AV jokes is great stuff.
5 Stars for me for this one!
As Sandy-Frank-edited mashups of Japanese TV shows go, this one ranks about in the middle when it comes to coherence and pacing. It’s superior to Mighty Jack but inferior to the first Fugitive Alien. It’s about comparable to Fugitive Alien II; both that one and Time of the Apes don’t make a ton of sense even at best but they roll along at a decent clip before falling apart completely towards the end. I prefer the starting material for the Fugitive Alien episodes so I’ve watched those more often than I’ve watched this one, maybe undeservedly, because I’ve always enjoyed the Time of the Apes episode well enough.
Forget Johnny, the real star is Gebar, overacting horribly in the name of REVEEEEEENGE! HAHAHAHAH!
A notably dark riff, and one they’d repeat: when Pepe runs after the hyoomans to say goodbye and the film goes into weird slow-motion, Joel and the ‘bots open fire on her for a long while. “Should we have shot her that many times?”
Poor Godo. It’s not the least bit clear what happens to him at the end but it’s not pleasant, whatever it is.
“Godo! Pepe! Pepe! Godo! Pepe! Godo! Godo! Godo! Pepe!”
Also… I love how they mock the constant gasping. GASP! Crow: “It’s just a DOOR…” What is with the characters gasping at every new thing they see?
I agree, it’s vaguely linear until the end, when Katherine mentions UConn/Yukon out of nowhere, and we discover there’s been some kind of a revolution only when His Excellency says it’s over. It seems Joel and the Bots get around that by covering it with monkey jokes. I guess since they cut a lot of it in the first place, they didn’t want to bring up the incoherence of it all. Still, with a stolen premise, bad costumes, overwrought acting and cheap sixties American cars, this is a classic, followable or not.
Id love to see the TV series…this is one of the more beloved episodes and the show reached new heights after this one…It is hard to follow due to the cuts but its just a movie to be riffed on sooooo…
Ive seen this ep more than most as it kept airing over and over in 1992/1993…and you gotta love that Sandy Frank song at the end
Joels Hair
Joels knees
Sandy Frank
“I dont care !”
I need therapy !
I still dont care ! :)
My copy of this episode is actually the two “Mystery Science Theater Hour” eps. I really hope as these eps are released on DVD shout continues to add the MST-Hour intros. Mike is too damn funny as Jack Perkins.
Ah, “Time of the Apes”. For the longest time you and an episode we’ll be getting to in a few weeks, “Teenage Caveman”, were the only ones that I had on VHS. …both tapes have been worn out to unwatchability.
From what I remember, some of the things that I liked were
-Them calling Pepe a Hostess Snowball
-Them making fun of Johnny’s “I Don’t Care”
-The various incarnations of the Sandy Frank song.
-“Now, to shave his butt and put cosmetics on it.”
-Do you live with your parents? No, they’re DEAD, DEAD! No…they died a long time ago. Oooh, you’re right! [Don’t know why, but I like when the riffing actually does predict something.
-And a callback not mentioned…when those aliens who later show the flashback footage first appear, Joel saying “IT’S GAMERA!”
All in all, from what I remember this episode was fun. I’ll have to get it on DVD someday…either officially or unofficially.
When I saw this episode last November, I didn’t find the episode that hard to follow. Then again, the movie’s so over-the-top that I probably wasn’t expecting any kind of coherence. Anyway, here’s my review:
306- Time of the Apes
First shown: 7/13/91.?
Opening: It’s baseball season on the SOL!
Invention exchange: Cellulite phone, miracle baby growth formula.?
Host segment 1: Why doesn’t Johnny care??
Host segment 2: “Inherit the Wind” revisited.
Host segment 3: Ape fashion minute.?
End: The Sandy Frank song, letter, Baby pushes the button.?
Stinger: “Johnny, you be careful.” “I don’t care!”
Memorable riffs:
J&TB: “Sandy Fraaank! Sandy Fraaaank! Here we go agaaaain!”
Joel: “A little horse for a little monkey!”
Crow: “The people upstairs are dancing again!”
Servo: “It keeps the hot side hot, and the cold side cold!”
Fav. Riff:
Crow: “And don’t dub with your mouth full!”
Comments:
-Joel’s, “Gypsy, you potched up the hole!” never fails to make me chuckle.
-I love the line, “I don’t want to be killed by a monkey!” from the movie.
-Random trivia fact about “Inherit the Wind”. It was co-written by Robert E. Lee (no, not THAT Robert E. Lee!), who was the husband of Janet Waldo, the voice of Judy Jetson!
-Sampo says the mask Servo wears during the Sandy Frank song is disturbing. I don’t know, it looks kinda cute to me.
[ADDITIONAL NOTE: When I first watched this episode, I watched a blurry VHS copy with a lot of static, so I couldn’t see Servo’s mask too clearly. Since then I have seen a cleaner copy and, yeah Servo’s mask does look kinda weird.]
Best segment: The “Inherit the Wind” sketch rocks!
Worst segment: Invention Exchange flops.
Overall: This is such a goofy movie, and lots of great riffing. A step up from the last two shows.
Rating: ***
BTW SAMPO what were the other episode ranking Comedy central did?
one of my fav MST3K episodes; wonder when the descendants of Sandy Frank will allow Shout! Factory to release this gem…
I love the Musical and fashion show. Does make anyone else feel old to know that Eli Mallon is 20? Boy he was cute little baby.
Sure, it’s immature, but I can’t stop chuckling at how the main antagonist ape’s name sounds a whole lot like “gay bar”! :laugh:
Brandon, you can see the countdown here: http://www.mst3ktemple.com/schedule1995.htm
We watched this episode at our last Portland MST3K meetup, and a great time was had by all, I think. This has always been one of my favorites, but the false endings do wear me out a little.
The Inherit the Wind sketch is one of the best ever.
Harry Morgan: “Now what’s all this horse hockey about man being descended from apes?”
One of the greatest episodes of all time. Absolutely hilarious.
Sandy Frank, Sandy Frank, likes to crap in his hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A somewhat incomplete synopsis of each episode of the original TV series, “Army Of The Apes”, is within the bowels of this link:
http://planetoftheapes.wikia.com/wiki/Saru_no_Gundan_(Army_of_the_Apes)_/_Time_of_the_Apes
A heavy metal cover of the theme music \m/ *headbangs* \m/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEdjwxa8IWY
Sandy Frank, Sandy Frank! Gads about the house all day!! This movie makes no sense whatsoever no matter how many times I see it. Creepy Ewok/Wookie, Colonel Sanders hybrids running around, Johnny doesn’t care and eats like a pig, Catherine and Caroline scream and pant a lot. Godot has a very weird relatiionship with the girl/boy Ewok/Wookie Pepe. And the police chief wanted revenge so much he was going to shoot an innocent man. The riffing makes this pile of celuloid crap rather watchable.
I love the Bell Labs sketch. Servo is very good at making sound effects. The “fashion show” does crack me up every time.
Overall 4.5
Colonel Sanders?? … that line just cracks me up! :rotfl:
So apparently the complete original title of this TV show turned movie is SF Dorama Saru no Gundan (SF Drama Army of the Apes) rather than just Saru no Gundan, or at least so sayeth its Japanese Wikipedia page. Strangely, while the Japanese Wikipedia page links to the English page, the English one doesn’t link to the Japanese one. Anyway, “Planet of the Apes” in Japanese is Saru no Wakusei, so you can see the similarity in titles. Wikipedia says that the show was created to cash in on the high ratings which TV broadcasts of “Planet of the Apes” were getting. Unfortunately the show shared its timeslot with a bunch of popular shows (including the anime versions of “Heidi” and later “A Dog of Flanders”), so it never really took off in the ratings. I’m sure the makeup and special effects (or lack thereof) weren’t exactly a boost in the arm either.
Also according to Japanese Wikipedia, that civil war that oh so randomly pops up in the MST3K version is supposed to be between the chimpanzees (who are the war-loving Hawks of this political system) and the gorillas (the peace-lovers). This is supposed to be based on how real chimpanzees are very aggressive; supposedly the writers put a lot of effort into researching stuff like this.
Catherine’s original name is “Kazuko”, Johny’s is “Jirou”, and Caroline is “Yurika”. Godo and all of the apes seem to have the same names in both versions. Apparently “His Excellency” is really named “Bippu”, something I don’t think ever gets mentioned in the MST3K version, though it could be in the parts that were edited for time.
The page also lists all the episode titles. Sorry if these translations are a little rough.
1. Thrust into a Mysterious World
2. Escape into No Man’s Land!
3. The Devilish Mountain Cries Out!
4. Pepe and Jirou’s Friendship
5. Clash! Godo Versus Gebar
6. An Ally of Humans Appears?
7. The Ape’s Song is the Song of Love
8. A Secret Which Humans Left Behind
9. Hey You Cute Human, Be My Wife
10. The Ape Mother’s Tears
11. A Care-Taking Robot Built by Humans
12. A Joyful Chance Encounter and the Flying Saucer
13. We’ve Beaten the Chimpanzee Clan!!
14. Even the Ape Country Has New Years?
15. Discovery of a Time Capsule Which Humans Buried!!
16. From Out of the Time Capsule, A Child’s Voice!!
17. Save the Ape and Its Child from the Evil Army!
18. Why Have Humans Gotten So Scarce?
19. Who’s the Guy Siding with the Apes?
20. The Mysterious Transceiver is Calling!!
21. A Message to the Ape I Love
22. The War of Chimpanzees Versus Gorillas
23. Is the Saucer Friend or Foe?
24. The Day of Victory is At Hand!!
25. Are Computers Greater than Humans?
26. A Joyful Homecoming
So how much *was* cut from the original Sandy Frank version of this? IMDb gives an original running time of 97 minutes, presumably the full length of Sandy Frank’s “film”, but I’m not sure how trustworthy IMDb’s information is.
I saw this episode only once, and on the summer countdown that CC did. The only thing that I really remember was “Why doesn’t Johnny Care?” Hope this one comes out, so I can see it again.
Rats, I see that the link Greasyfries posted has a lot of the same info I took from Japanese Wikipedia. Their episode title translations are kinda off though. For instance, for episode 13 they’ve got “the chimpanzee tribe won!” whereas the Japanese title Chinpanjii ichizoku ni katta! means that someone has had a victory against the chimpanzees, rather than the chimpanzees themselves winning. It seems like whoever did those translations is weak with Japanese particles.
Anyways, what do I think about this episode itself? As you might tell, I’m rather fond of it. There’s no denying how unbelievably silly the show-turned-movie is with its laughable ape makeup and a “futuristic” setting of 1,000 years hence that still conveniently looks exactly like 1970s Japan, yet for all that the story is rather interesting under all the silliness (or maybe it’s just me). I even enjoy the KTMA version a lot too, and there are quite a few things I prefer in that version (including the exchange “Godo, are you prepared to die?” “Hang on, let me swallow my gum first” and Tom’s quip that they have to keep spinning the patient for the deep freeze to work). The biggest thing is that the Season 3 version leaves out the entire final confrontation with UECOM (I should really remember the proper way to spell that, but don’t), which is a scene I really enjoyed due to how strange and even creepy it is, not to mention that it explains the whole plot. While the KTMA version can’t exactly be called fully coherent, the reason the Season 3 version’s plot becomes completely nonsensical is due to them omitting this scene.
For those who’ve never seen the KTMA version, it turns out that the flying saucer that’s been following our heroes the whole time and helping them out is really a super computer built by humans years after the gang got frozen (UECOM or whatever stands for Universal Environmental Computer, or something like that). During the 1,000 years that the characters were frozen, after building UECOM, humans got lazy and trained apes to fight their wars for them. This lack of proper work ethic displeased UECOM, who wiped out almost all the humans. So that’s why in the future humans are nowhere to be seen while an army of apes is ruling the world.
Chew that over a little bit: the mysterious saucer that seemed to be our heroes’ only ally is in fact the being responsible for driving humans to near extinction. This whole series then is basically “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” only with goofy ape makeup. UECOM (who talks of itself in the plural) considers itself “master of the universe” and has taken it upon itself to deal with the remaining humans properly, since their sudden reappearance has led to war among the apes. Why it didn’t just let the apes kill them when they had the chance, I don’t know. I guess it just likes taking care of things its own way.
After revealing to our heroes all about how it wiped out humanity (information which the group seems to take in stride), it reveals that currently in “the entire solar system” there are only 4 humans left; ie Catherine, Johnny, Caroline, and Godo. Since they’re too troublesome to continue coexisting with the apes, they must choose to either be sent to another planet or even farther into the future (presumably to a time when the apes have themselves gone extinct). They have 5 minutes to decide “and not a second more”. Catherine thinks they should head for the future since they have no way of knowing what another planet would be like, while Godo wants to head for another planet for precisely that reason: it could be hell, but it could be a paradise too, and he wants to take that risk. At one point (I’m a little fuzzy on the exact sequence) they decide it might be best to just make a run for it, but the entrance to the cave is no longer there, making them realize that “they’re no escaping UECOM”. Eventually they persuade Godo to come with them to the future, but when Godo sees the cold sleep capsules they have to enter to go the future, he inexplicably panics and refuses to enter them. He tries to attack UECOM, but is zapped for his troubles, and disappears. Catherine, Johnny, and Caroline then enter the cold sleep capsules. For some reason not clearly explained in even the KTMA version, they wake up in their own time, and this is when the Season 3 version picks up.
As we see in both versions, Godo’s pendent is still in the cold sleep capsules, so it apparently wasn’t all just a dream. And then we get that final shot of Godo wandering through what seems to be an icy planet. So it seems that UECOM sent him to another planet like he wanted, but it turned out to be hell instead of paradise. Better luck next time, I guess…
So there you have it: in 1,000 years’ time, humans will be extinct, save for one guy on some frozen planet who probably won’t last too long and doesn’t have anyone to mate with anyway. The apes too will eventually all die out, as implied by UECOM’s offer to send Catherine and co. further into the future where the apes won’t bother them. That just leaves UECOM itself, the pitiless, genocidal “master of the universe” as the only form of sentient life left in existence. Catherine and co. must live the rest of their lives in the present knowing what the future will bring. Are they going to try and stop UECOM from ever being built in the first place? Is it even possible to do so? For some reason none of these concerns get brought up, though you’d think they’d be weighing rather heavily on their minds. As they talk about how Godo will “always be in [their] hearts”, we see that Godo is trapped on some hellish frozen world with virtually no hope of survival. Fun stuff.
And for bonus points we’ve got all the creepy issues brought up at the beginning with the medical technology that can “extend life almost eternally”, though I guess it doesn’t matter too much since we know humans are all doomed anyway. When talking about all that frozen sleep stuff Caroline notes that “it seems wrong to tamper with the laws of nature” but the doctor just laughs her off, and I think that really encapsulates the whole movie. It brings up lots of dark and creepy themes, but then just ignores all their implications and maintains a strangely upbeat, lighthearted tone overall. I guess that weird disconnect is why I find this episode so interesting.
Zeroninety, I thought EXACTLY the same thing when I heard Gebar’s name, and I admit that every time I hear it, I snicker like a 12-year-old.
Spalanzani, really interesting info! I can’t imagine 26 episodes of this series, and yet…. Even if the title translations are rough, it gives a pretty strong sense of the series’ arc.
Luckily, any sense it had was entirely removed, and we’re left with this weird-ass pseudo-movie. This is one I thoroughly enjoy, but I will only watch it when I can sit down and pay attention – it’s definitely not a background ep for me.
“I don’t care!”
I lose it, every time Joel uses the “I don’t care!” quote as an increasingly disturbing window Johnny’s delusions.
Classic episode.
It slightly annoys me that someone on TV Tropes claims that “the only reason this episode is popular is because it was only broadcast once”
Not in the last because I remember this one was rerun -many- times, including as part of the MST Hour.
John Ellis–by my count, it aired 12 times, not counting MST Hour showings… weird…
I’ll just quote Frank Conniff: “‘Time of the Apes’ was a very prominent MST3K experiment for it’s time… I have a feeling that many people became MSTies after seeing that show. It was a major triumph for all concerned. And yet, for those of us who had to write it, it represented pain. Lots and lots of pain.”
I don’t know why, but this has become one of my go-to “comfort” episodes. I love the scene where Johnny opens the door and all the apes appear “Do I worry you?”. Joel is in fine riffing form as the reawakened little monkey (“I’m no good without a cup of coffee”), the Banana Splits (that sequence has me in stitches) and I love how he says “OOH HOT PANTS!”
Trace making the projector noise and Kevin altering his voice with it in Host segment 1 is genius.
Sampo’s Theorem time. I love the crazy, chopped-up, porly-dubbed Japanese eps; and I
lovehave an affinity for The Planet Of The Apes series; but oddly I just can’t get into this one very much. The host segments all fall flat for me – I DO get a kick out of Tom’s malfunctioning film projector, but man, who wrote that sketch? What the hell are they talking about?Can’t argue with the Sandy Frank song, though. Classic silliness. Can that really be why he’s been so orery about relicensing these films for DVD? It’s not like it was a personal attack. If that’s how he takes good-natured ribbing, imagine if they went full Joe Don Baker on him…
Every time I watch this one, I’m always surprised that Pepe is a girl. I guess it would’ve been creepy if she was dressed like a Japanese schoolgirl, but she sure looks like a boy. But then Colonel Sanders ape steps out of his Buick wearing spurs. ?:-) :laugh:
I find it interesting that ol’ Sandy gave the Japanese humans American names, but kept the names of the apes and Godo. (Nobody considered changing Gaybar?) Also, I’m pretty sure the actor who dubbed Godo is the same who dubbed Captain Joe in Fugitive Alien. (Not surprising, considering.) Anybody else hear it, too?
Sampo, I heard “****,” too. But Joel never flubs his lines…
Oh man, I wish Shout would release this one. It was one of my first episodes, and a favorite. Haven’t seen it in years though, my VCR ate the tape.
Let me tell you, that was a bad day.
Gonna go online and see if anybody’s posted it.
Spalanzani – it’s great to read all this info about the Japanese TV series. Being a Japanophile myself, but with no facility with the language, I have to depend upon the kindness of strangers to reveal the hidden mysteries of bizarre “movies” like Time of the Apes. It’s funny, the premise sounds actually pretty cool when you just read it; as with many things, it’s the crappy execution that sinks the high concept.
How Stranded in Space got sandwiched between Apes and Barugon is amazing to me…most fans call Stranded a forgettbale episode..and its between 2 great episodes..
Time of the Apes was a huge triumph for the show..
I love that line where Johnny is compared to Roseanne Barr :) !
Its all fun watching Johnny and Godo get older or grow their hair out as well in an obvioulsy edited TV series…I do wish they had more time to air what was on the KTMA version ( toward the end)
Now who is worse ???
1-Johnny I dont care
2-the kid from Godzilla vs. Megalon “I reckon they mean to kill us”
Godo sure grew out his hair in this series…
oh no again..more hair growth ! aiieeee !!
Joels Hair
Joels Knees
Godo’s Hair
Johnny “Me look like Roseanne I dont care”
Double time therapy please
I thought Sandy Frank hating MST and refusing to allow the rights to the films again because of the song they did about him was apocryphal?
great episode. i would love to watch the whole series myself. the hostess snowball joke still gets me. i’m gonna watch it again tonite. third time this week.
Wow! There’s a lot more episodes online than when I last checked! Awesome!
Something I forgot to mention:
I take it there is no subtitled version available for sale? I would like to see this movie before Sandy Frank got his liver-spotted death hands on it.
The “A/V Club projector” addition in the host seg was the funniest line in the entire episode. I often show the episode to newbies just for that.
(Although does bring up the question: Why do they make “Bell Labs” jokes for most of season 3 & 4, but don’t recognize Frank Baxter when he shows up in “The Mole People”?)
Also has the distinction of being one of two movies that I ever watched on Commander USA’s Groovy Movies (airing on the same Saturday-morning during the S1-2 days) before seeing on MST3K….Whoa-hoahh, holy cats! :D
Solid 4 stars for me. I didn’t really care for the host segments except the Sandy Frank song at the end but the riffing is good and the movie was entertaining at least if not coherent. Very interesting to read the full plot, thanks those who supplied all the extra tidbits about this odd Japanese TV show (is there any other kind?).
#40: Why do they constantly make “Mr. Drysdale” jokes and then not recognize the actual Mr. Drysdale in “THE SPACE CHILDREN”? It’s to mess with our heads. Or that by the time of the Sci-Fi network, they wanted to weed out the internal geekiness somewhat.
Made me a fan for life. My #1 fav. Can’t wait for this to make it to official DVD. A 2-dvd set would be very nice, one that includes the untouched, uncut version of the movie.
Ah baseball season. It is a grand old game. Good to see they stay with it while in space. But when that window is broken shouldn’t the vacuum suck the atmosphere out instead of blow garbage at them? Oh yeah: just a show I should really just relax.
I don’t get Joel’s invention and I was never a fan of the baby grow formula. So this was a week invention exchange all around.
Check out the date on this Sandy Frank edition of the film:1987. What ever made Sandy Frank think the 80’s was a good time to import this incredibly dated piece of garbage?
All told this had some great riffing but poor host segments.
Favorite Riffs:
A flying saucer appears. Crow “It’s Gamera.”
Crow “You kids behave or I’ll turn this plot around.”
Tom “You can tell by the way I move my stuff I’m a woman’s ape. No time for talk. Uh, uh, uh, uh stayin’ erect.”
Tom “Hey look it’s Caddyshack. Oh it’s Pepe.”
Thanks for the info on the original series – I’d actually like to see it, it sounds like fun. I love the scene in the KTMA episode where they actually go into the spaceship, wish they hadn’t cut that for the Comedy Central version.
Oh, and the scene where they show the hero’s “betrayal” on a magic screen, and Joel says “that’s why you should ask for final cut” or something, made me laugh really hard. I don’t know why, it’s just a great joke.
@40 & @42 – In “Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell” during the scene where Relson leaves the big-haired, potato-eating chick, the soundtrack uses a lifted piece from “Dune”. If ever there was a a time for a “tell me of your homeworld, Usul.”
Meh. Four-star episode. Ho-hum.
Four stars is ho-hum? What is that, Celsius?
Are you in Europe? Do you need an adaptor?
This is the episode that got me hooked on MST3K. It’s not that the movie is that great or easy to follow, I’ve just always been a huge “Planet of the Apes” fan and when I saw MST3K doing a Japanese version of it, MST3K became my favorite TV show. And here I am, 20 years later and I still adore MST3K as much as ever! This one is on the very top of my “I hope they release it on DVD someday” list…and now that the Gamera movies are about to come out, maybe, just maybe there’s hope!
The show’s not entirely forgotten in Japan. There was a throwaway gag in Keroro Gunsou (Sgt. Frog) in one ep about “SF TV Drama – Hebi no Gundan” (Time of the Snakes). But that show would make jokes about some amazingly obscure stuff.
I’d love to see the original show.