Movie: (1965) A boy genius invents a growth formula, which is consumed by some trouble-making teens.
First shown: 1/22/94
Opening: M&tB are doing their quarterly workout
Intro: While Mike juices, Dr. F. downsizes TV’s Frank!
Host segment 1: Dr. F. interviews Torgo
Host segment 2: M&tB interview rough-looking Frank
Host segment 3: M&tB sing: “The Greatest Frank”
End: A letter to Frank, Frank gets his job back
Stinger: Tribute to Frank Zappa
(185 votes, average: 4.52 out of 5)
Loading...
• This is just a great episode all the way around: Great segments, a fun and very riffable movie, great riffing, a great song, everything you can ask for.
• This episode is included in Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol. XXVI.
• If you want to know more about this movie — a LOT more — check out villageofthegiants.net. Some amazing stuff there.
• References.
• The song Tom is singing in the opening segment is “Chicken Fat” sung by Robert Preston in the original song. I have vivid memories of being forced to do calisthenics to it in elementary school gym class.
• The segments are essentially one story, but each sketch is also a little bit of brilliant free-standing satire on the inanities of the working world. Having been canned myself, the opening resonates.
• Of course, one feature of this movie is an appearance by The Beau Brummels. I had never heard of them when I saw this for the first time, but they have their admirers, apparently.
• Non-spaghetti ball bumpers; close up film canister; pan down to notebook; shot of blackboard–a big bone hits it
• Callbacks: “Coruba!” (Outlaw) “What sin could a duck commit in a single lifetime?” (Amazing Colossal Man) “I didn’t steal no bike, neither.” (Teenage Strangler) “Dang smoochers!” (The the Eye Creatures) “I’m gonna moon you, man!” (The Beatniks).
• Segment 1 is another gem. The line “Well, I work too hard…hahaha” never fails to slay me.
• See something familiar in those exterior shots? That’s the back lot. Some of those houses were also used for TV’s “Bewitched” and “I Dream of Jeannie.”
• Segment 2 is yet another classic. I always have a hard time not using Frank’s lines when being interviewed.
• “Let Me Be Frank about Frank” is great stuff. The Paul Williams impressions are particularly funny. It was performed at the live shows in 1994, and featured a lovely interpretive dance by a leotard-clad Frank (video of which was included on the “Scrapbook” tape). The segment also features a great montage: Again, Cambot gets the credit, but the real artist is probably Brad Keeley. The song was created by the songwriting duo of Michael J. Nelson (music) and Bridget Jones (lyrics).
• In the credits, we get a reprise of the song and we think it’s all fun and then the whole thing becomes poignant. In the ACEG, I believe it was Kevin who noted that Zappa had contacted the Brains shortly before his death with the idea of doing something together, but time ran out, alas.
• Cast and crew roundup: Again, I am not going re-recite the Bert I. litany. Suffice to say we know him well. Some guy named H.G. Wells also wrote stuff that “Riding with Death” was very loosely based on. Cinematographer Paul C. Vogel, special effects guy Herman Townsley and art director Franz Bachelin all worked on “Tormented.” Photo process guy Farciot Edouart, sound recorder Charles Grenzbach and make-up man Wally Westmore all worked on “The Space Children.” Sound effects guy Jack Cornall worked on “King Dinosaur.” Editor John Bushelman also worked on “King Dinosaur” and “Tormented.”
In front of the camera, Tommy Kirk and Jim Begg were both in “Catalina Caper.” Johnny Crawford was also in “Space Children.” Bob Random was also in “Being From Another Planet.” Joseph Turkel was also in “Tormented.”
• Creditswatch: Host segments directed by Kevin Murphy. Also, with this episode the “Manager of Business Affairs” credit vanishes, and in its place is a “Director of Operations” title, held by one Jeffrey P. Young. He lasted a grand total of five episodes. I bet there’s a story there.
• Fave riff: “This is Tommy Kirk REALLY acting!” Honorable mention: “A buffalo shot that covers three states.”
) to help our users cope with "trolls" and other commenters whom they find annoying. Go to our
Click above for my FULL review!
Is it just me, or whenever Tommy Kirk is in a movie you expect a song and dance number to break out at any minute? This just had all the wang of a Disney Movie. Quite a cast, too! Even Jack Parker from “Being From Another Planet” is in it! Just, m’eh, for my taste. The host segments were great though!
But I think the most important question is, what’s everyone think of Willow? I like it very much!
So was the whole “saying goodbye to Frank” motif of the host segments applied because of Frank Zappa’s death, or was it just an amazing (and very very spooky) coincidence?
This movie is entertaining to a point, but Tommy Kirk is PAINFULLY smug. I would’ve been ok with this movie being a half hour shorter.
Well, I saw this one for the very first time just last night so here’s my limited run-down.
* Mike and the Bots work out more often than I do.
* Had a good laugh at the host segments, though Mike’s performance as Torgo in this episode was a lot more animated than in previous ones. ‘course they do have limited time/film.
* There’s another callback in the host segments when Frank is watching “Vicki.” We first learned he loves to watch it back in “Beginning of the End” (another Bert I. episode as well).
* The forced perspective effects of the giants in this movie are among the better forced perspective effects seen in MSTed movies. Most definitely better than the dinos in Future War and also better than Bobo at the end of Screaming Skull. The fiberglass legs and boobs, not so much.
* I recall the same trick used to kill the giant spider being used in a Lupin III episode. Though it involved a yacht, two car crashes, and the ever-appealing Fujiko so watching that was a lot cooler.
* Whenever Servo’s mother “appears” in movies I’ve seen she’s always in rather seedy situations: selling herself for a nickel in this and working in the phone sex operator’s office(?) in “Hobgoblins.”
* I’m surprised M&tBs didn’t refer to Genius’ antidote gas as “Opie”um- *Gets shot.*
* I doubt it needs to be pointed out, but the exact size of the giants never stays consistent in the film (made mostly evident during the “David and Goliath” battle).
* I was disappointed, I read the review for this episode at the MST3K fan guide (http://mst3kfanguide.blogspot.com) and the wording seemed to imply that Tommy Kirk’s character got killed. I was sad that he didn’t.
* Favorite riffs: “A buffalo shot that covers three states!” and Mike’s pseudo-scientific made-up names while Genius is endlessly naming the too many different types of Ether.
And yes, I liked Willow too, but I also want to see it Rifftrax’d.
I remember when this first came out. I had already seen it on Elvira’s Movie Macabre, and it was pretty legendary then. Thus, I knew the Brains would have a field day with it.
I think they really ragged on Willow a bit too much, especially since Ron Howard’s easily made worse films. And it’s funny how they missed Toni Basil there; a “Mickey” reference would have been fun. (Think of it; she was in this film and her biggest hit would be fifteen years in the future.)
I know someone who’s a fan of the Beau Brummels. I told him about the film so he went out and found the non-MST’ed version and couldn’t believe how bad it was. He was a bit depressed that the band was that hard up for exposure. Incidentally, “When It Comes to Your Love” is actually a decent song in its original acoustic form.
Was Mark Marin (whoever he is) really fired for taking MST3K’s side? Can aperson really legally be fired for something like that? I think Marin should have sued Comedy Central.
Mark Maron’s website.
He’s done alright for himself.
Whenever my wife and I see Ron Howard on TV we always sing “Opie, Opie Opieeeeee, Opie, Opie Opieeeeee” Isn’t that Ron and Clints dad playing the deputy? The movies continuity sucked big time. Whenever they showed the big teeners together in one place. The next scene 1 or 2 would be there and then all back together. A great BIG movie.
Village of the Giants is one of my favorites of Season Five, and easily my favorite of the teenage delinquent movies they’ve done. Probably because it isn’t trying to make me “think seriously” about how overindulged suburban kids are the root of all evil.
Favorite Line: “First base is larger than I remember.”
Also, in response to #2: They play “Let me be frank about Frank” over the ending credits and show us a photo of Frank Zappa in lieu of a stinger. I think that makes the song (and the segments used as an exuse to play the song) an intentional homage.
Sampo, I’m a little surprised to hear you’d never heard of The Beau Brummels. They were famous enough in their day to get a parody version of them on the Flintstones if I recall, “The Beau Brummelstones”.
The Beau Brummels’ recordings don’t get much air play any longer even on stations that play a lot of music from the 1960’s, but the Flintstones are still in re-runs, so I guess the The Beau Brummelstones are now more famous than The Beau Brummels! Hilarious.
I agree with #3 – Tommy Kirk’s smugness REALLY irritated me throughout the movie – I was actually rooting for the giants most of the time. He was less annoying in Catalina Caper (albeit barely).
I love “The Greatest Frank of All” – it almost made me cry. And the Torgo interview is just classic – I never get tired of watching that segment.
Mike: I’m sure the meat from the huge mutated duck has no side effects…
Crow: Eh – he couldn’t hit the barn side of a broad.
Movie: You hear that? Anything we want, that’s what he said.
Tom: Okay, we want huge underoos, gigantic flush toilets and a four-day work week!
And yes I’ll admit it – I like Willow too. Even have it on DVD.
Great episode, easily the worst of the B.I.G. movies (and no, he didn’t get the ’60s). All the host segments were fun, and Frank finding himself at a crossroads – while in the supply closet – with a burrito – makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it.
“Greatest Frank of All” is right up there with their best songs. And I liked the callback to the “Rebel Set” when the beatnik music is heard while Frank watches tv.
The whole duck-dancing sequence in Village of the Giants was just creepy and wrong in SO many ways. Was anyone else reminded of the WKRP episode where Herb was accused of making ducks dance in a store window by using a hotplate?
Poor Beau Bridges…he looked so uncomfortable for most of this movie.
Fave riff: “Oh no, she’s tonguing the universe!”
skenderberg #9 – I guess I question if the amount of time between Zappa dying and this episode being aired (with all of the writing, filming, etc that goes into a show), was really enough for the Brains to decide to dedicate an entire show to Zappa. For all we know, the show could’ve been in the can, just waiting to be aired and they just replaced the stinger. Although, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised as much as the show alludes to him. I’d like to hear one of the Brains tell that story.
It also kind of makes me wonder what host segments were discarded so that they could do their tribute.
Fetish fuel ahoy!
Invader Pet–I didn’t mean that there was any sort of explicit statement that that is why Short Attention Span Theater was canned. I’m referring to the legendary half-hour special that CC did, with Maron as host, in which they allowed fans to gripe about the treatment the show was getting by the network. Maron seemed very sympathetic to the fans and the show…and not long after, SAST quietly disappeared from the CC schedule. Fans just kind of put two and two together…
Be careful what you wish for!
One of my favorite episodes ever. I originally sought it out in order to hear the Greatest Frank song in context. I thought it was his last episode, and watched Samson VS The Vampire Women first! Ha ha.
On to the episode itself – HILARIOUS. This kind of goofy, “supposed to be funny” stuff always works well for me for MST fodder. Does anyone else hate it when child characters are way too damn smart? I mean, what kind of kid, no matter the IQ, wouldn’t like some ice cream? Sheesh!
My favorite parts are when you can’t hear the sheriff. He seems so quiet and nonchalant about the giant murderous teens.
Jim Begg!
I’m surprised no one mentioned Frank’s legendary “Let Me Be Frank About Frank” interpretive dance during their live shows. If there was only one way to top the performance in this episode, it would have to be Frank dancing in a leotard.
I found Mike’s comment about eating the giant mutated ducks rather prophetic since gentically modified foods come up fairly often in the news these days.
To this day I often wonder what Torgo did to Dr. Forrestor that got him fired at the end… on second thought I just realized I don’t want to know.
Yeah, great episode. Movie is pretty good. I especially enjoyed the ending. Host segments are good too. Of course I love ‘Let Me Be Frank About Frank’ but they’re all good.
RIP Frank Zappa definitely.
The part of this movie that always made me laugh the hardest is when the guy is dangling between the giant girl’s breasts and Tom just keeps intoning “huuuuge!…larrrrge!….HUUUUUGE!….LARRRRRRRRRGE!”
I wish that Shout! Factory would release a volume of Frank specific episodes. Namely “Rocketship XM” (Frank’s first appearance), this episode, “Samson Vs. The Vampire Women” (Frank’s last episode), and “Soultaker” (Frank (and Joel!) makes a guest appearance).
After a while I found the movie virtually unwatchable, but TV’s Frank job problem story theme was great (just think how hard it would be for him if he had lost his Evil Scientist Sidekick job in the current job market!
As for Willow:
I LIKE IT VERY MUCH!
(But it would be great to see Joel or Mike’s
current acts riff it). :evil:
The Frank Zappa tribute alone makes this a five star episode!
Oh, my…to think of Zappa teaming up with the Brains boggles my mind. In fact, had he appeared on here that would mean he guest starred in two of my favorite childhood
shows (This and Ren and Stimpy). The man knew good tv when he saw it…
Music is the best.
I don’t have much to add, except that I can’t believe George Lucas hasn’t felt the urge to re-make Willow with all new digital effects…
Love this episode, very fun and some great jokes. What is the deal with the brunette giant-girl disappearing after they get big? I think this may be the only MST film I saw before it appeared on the show.
Also, I completely thought that the “translucent” girl was the lovely June Kenney who appeared in other Bert I. films, but apparently it isn’t? Looks exactly like her.
A great episode and a really goffy movie!
You just know that someone in the darkest corners of the internet is writing some Forrester/Torgo fic based on that last segment.
A remake of Willow??? Imagine what Lucas could do with new effects for HOWARD THE DUCK!!!!
Then again maybe not.
I like Willow. Couldn’t they take a shot at, say, Cocoon or Night Shift? Why Willow?
Anyway, this is a great episode.
The movie is a big exercise in characters having no common sense and pure fantasy. As Mike and the ‘bots mentioned, those kids who terrorized the town as giants should have all been jailed once they got to normal size. They kidnapped and threatened to murder a little girl for crying out loud! And where was the national guard in all of this? Whenever a giant monster attacks, the military is involved in defending the town. But when a bunch of self-absorbed, jerk-ass teenagers become giants, the army is no where to be found.
The sketches are great. I generally don’t like episode long stories in the CC episodes, but this is one of the exceptions. Frank gets fired, and turns into a total slob. We get to see Mike as Torgo again. [He’s a better Torgo than Torgo.] I like Torgo’s work history. “There were, sanitation problems.” In regard to his pizza business.
The Greatest Frank of All song is very nice. The Frank Zappa tribute at the end of the credits is quite poignant. It’s sad, but also heart-warming.
Having just come off (another) disappointing job interview experience, I sympathize with Frank’s plight.
This is one of my favorite episodes, and I also think it would be a good introductory episode: the movie is engagingly goofy and full of familiar names and faces. I think most people could enjoy the host segments even not being familiar with the show, because I think most people have had job/job search problems, and Mike as Torgo is probably hilarious enough to stand on his own (albeit shakily, har har).
I love how the brunette girl disappears after (or possibly just before) they become giants, and then magically reappears at the end. Also, when I watched it again a few days ago, I noticed a riff I’d never heard in its entirety before; right at the end when they’re comparing watching the movie to other horrible experiences, Servo says “It’s like being trapped inside your own gym bag!” and then Mike says, “It’s like being trapped inside Jim Begg!”
I don’t remember much about Willow, but I remember liking it.
I love Willow unashamedly. I think Mike just basically dislikes fantasy movies for whatever reason.
The greatest MST3K song of all time. “Hoping to find, sweet Frank on the line, nothing but sweet lovin’ Frank.” I met a guy named Frank once, only once, but damn if that song didn’t play in my head during the whole encounter. I tried not to laugh or sing it out loud, which was a pretty difficult struggle. I’m sure the guy thought I was a total freak.
I’d like to offer the opinion that Tommy Kirk was actually out-smarmed by Opie himself. I kept wanting to punch that kid for being so smug and condescending.
I’ve only listened to a little bit of Frank Zappa. “We’re Only In It For the Money” contains a line that shows up in MST3K a lot: “I’m Jimmy Carl Black, the Indian of the group.” Jimmy just died this month, by the way. But that album was very difficult for me to get into, which I’m sure was intentional. I totally dug “Joe’s Garage,” though. I’ll have to get that sometime soon.
The “lot of wet boob shots” at the start was rather hot, I must say.
“Free breast rides for everyone.” Count me in.
Sampo – I e-mailed Mark Maron, and he denied that this was the reason SAST got cancelled.
I have to credit this episode for making definitely sure that this movie would never, ever leave my brain.
After only catching glimpses of this film in my pre-teens and then finally seeing this, I set out to find the film, and soon had so much knowledge I created the Unofficial Village of the Giants Fanpage (www.villageofthegiants.net). I’ve accumulated more useless knowledge of this film, read the final draft, and even interviewed Bert I Gordon about it. And in some big way, MST3K was what done it to me. In fact, I included a section on my webpage that tells about Experiment #523, and includes some of my favorite quotes along with their corresponding scene. (btw, and even with all that, I’m still the 2nd biggest VOTG fan out there. I won’t name his name, but I have talked to him).
My one complaint is that I was hoping they would have done segments on this like they did with ‘The Amazing Colossal Man’ and ‘Tormented.’With VOTG, they could have discussed delinquency, maybe a what-if you could be 30-ft tall, something like that.
:?:
One last thing I just remembered.
In the scene where Joy Harmon’s character is knocked out from the ether, Crow says a line like, ‘Hmm, she’s dreaming she’s Susan.’ I’ve been searching high and low, but cannot figure what that line is in reference to. Someone suggested ‘Susie Chapstick,’ but I don’t think so.
A REAL five star episode. Tommy Kirk, Opie, a humiliated Beau Bridges, mud wrestling, giant breast rides, Jim Begg, giant duck, giant cat, the ungodly spectacle of Tommy Kirk wearing shorts, Torgo’s Job interview including resume that is falling apart, and THE GREATEST SONG IN THE HISTORY OF MST3K (Let Me Be Frank About Frank).
This is one of my top five eps ever.
Jim Begg!
Hey, that guy that youtube’d his own options for a new stinger – did he do this one? Nothing against the tribute, but still… there are some good moments in there.
Watched it again – there’s so much to love here:
For one, in addition to the great riff on music composer Jack Nitzsche’s name, the groovy music here is a big departure from the Albert Glasser music we got with the other Bert I. Gordon films. Still, I can’t help but wonder how Glasser would have composed a score for this movie…
From the goofy impromptu dance in the rain to the end credits, the riffing is wall-to-wall excellent. The folks really out did themselves with this episodes. The goofy nature of the animal-related special effects, the appearances of Ron Howard and Beau Bridges, the bizarre lasso scene – it’s all funny as hell.
Some of my favorite riffs:
-“Beau knows acting!”
-“Oh, Aunt Bea! I can’t feel my legs, help me!”
-“As in tune with the 50’s as Bert I. Gordon was, he just didn’t get the 60’s.”
-“I got it, it’s an elaborate plan to inconvenience him!”
-“He’s spreading a humorous antidote!”
The best riff would have to be Mike’s “Turn it back on!” as we see a shot of Tommy Kirk in the watery basement.
Also, this episode has one of my favorite references to another MSTed film. As one of the angry outsiders hits a switch, they make a great callback to “The Beatniks” with “He went to Peter Breck Acting School!”
There are certain sequences in episodes that always make me laugh. The Beau Brummels band scene is one of them (“She’s a lab experiment gone horribly wrong!” “Wanna fix those pipes while you’re up there?”)
Self-promotion galore: was that Glenn Manning from “War of the Colossal Beast” that we saw on that one giant’s “Monsters” magazine? If so, it’s just like the time he gave a nod to his own films (“The Amazing Colossal Man” and “Attack of the Puppet People”) in “Earth Vs. the Spider.
Mike’s made-up chemical names are hilarious, especially in light of the fact that Trace can’t help himself from laughing very hard.
Nice touch with the uptempo Torgo theme music when he’s being pulled/shoved.
Finally, the Frank Zappa tribute – a very classy move by the Brains.
Sampo – I e-mailed Mark Maron, and he denied that this was the reason SAST got cancelled.
He wasn’t the last host of the show. Maron was replaced by someone named “Mark S. Allen.”
Allen is currently “Sacramento’s favorite entertainment reporter.”
Though it pains me, I’m not familiar with the “call-in” show. Is there more information about it (or a file at DAP) and when it aired?
#35 uruseiranma. I have to re-watch to get the right context, but based solely on your transcription of the line my first guess would be a reference to the movie Desperately Seeking Susan, where not-Susan ( played by Charlie Weaver’s grandaughter ), who is obsessed with Susan ( played by Guy Ritchie’s ex-wife ), gets knocked unconscious.
I haven’t watched this one in a while, even though it’s one of my favorites. The last time I did, I threw up in the middle of it. Stomach virus.
So now I don’t drink rum, and I don’t watch VotG as often as I’d like.
Question: during the initial dancing scene at the club Crow makes the remark about there being a painting of the Master and his wife in the background. Could that have been a callback from Manos?
“And I liked the callback to the “Rebel Set” when the beatnik music is heard while Frank watches tv.”
If you listen closely, you can hear Ed Platt and Ned Glass dialogue from the movie too.
This episode has never been a favorite of mine, but I have no idea why. This is a great episode. The riffing is crisp, the segments consistent, and the movie’s goofy.
The Go-Go scenes have long been my favorites: the Master reference, when they get bored with the dialogue and start ID-ing the dancers (Dan-o! Alan Arkin!), and all the duck jokes. “Those are my ducks!” “Well get ’em outta here!”
Loved the “Osgood Slaughter Disease” reference. And now I know who they’re referring to when Crow brings up Glenn Super (he previously mentioned him in Rocket Attack USA – “It’s Toody and Muldoon! And they’ve got Glenn Super in the car with them!”).
One question: After the near electrocution, when open-shirted Tommy exits the house, Tom is humming a theme song. What is he humming?
Brandon–pah! The poor dope doesn’t even know the truth! :razz:
Solid episode, despite Tommy Kirk’s best efforts to make it unwatchable. I liked Willow, and I suspect Mike’s hatred of it comes in large part from his intense dislike for Val Kilmer. This episode has some of Frank’s best work, the job interview in particular.
This is one where I have a lot of sentimental attachment to the movie itself.
I first saw VotG when I was maybe eight or nine years old on the late late movie. I remember leaping up and getting closer to the TV during the “growth spurt” sequence. When Joy Harmon’s shirt snapped open I became undone. I gasped. I was enthralled. I was in love. That kind of thing.
It’s a fun film, but fun ones don’t necessarily make the best eps. I don’t laugh that hard during this one, as much as I enjoy it overall, and I think they miss a lot of good chances for riffs. More misses than usual. I mean, after they kill and eat the ducks there’s not a really a good riff. Watching this with my girlfriend recently, we just forgot about about the Brains and started speculating about what disgusting scene that must have been, imagining the blood, the townspeople plucking the feather, chopping up the corpses with immense and furtive gusto, etc. Really they could have done something with that…
But my love of the film stil pushes this into the very good category.
B+
And, oh yea, the Beau Brummels were very good. Search Youtube. They have some of their best songs there including the Flintstones thing.
And for all of you who love tanned blonde goddesses as much as I do here’s something that should provide a few laughs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMxlhKxgq9o
The Zappa tribute at the end is one of my favorite moments ever. It chokes me up even more than “Mitchell”, “Laserblast”, or “Diabolik”, and I’m not the biggest Zappa fan.
I can watch most any movie on this show with little trouble, but I don’t know why this one just gives me a “this is too stupid” headache. Its such a goofy, dumb, movie, but it really gets to me.
I love the episode though, in spite of it.
#5 – I think they DID make a “Mickey” reference. When Toni Basil is dancing – “distracting” – two of the big guys, I think Servo says, really fast – “Oh, Mickey your so fine, your so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey…” Someone else will have to confirm that. He says it so softly, I missed it the first time.
This one isn’t a laugh riot for me, but it’s cute and has it’s moments. Hey, little Ronnie Howard, Beau Bridges, and that kid from “The Rifleman” all growed up. There was some fun in that.
Crow: “It’s raining cats and tires.” And: “Acid rain is FUN!”
Also Crow (referring to Genius): ” I inhabit a nightmarish universe all my own.”
Okay — so — when these giants were wearing these theater curtains as clothes, then they shrink back down to normal size, and THE CLOTHES SHRINK WITH THEM!!! People that is just WRONG!
Also – these kids acted awfully nonchalant about seeing a couple of giant ducks dancing in a club. They must have already been high. :roll:
Uh…that’s about it.
Mighty Jack’s had this linked from his site for a while. It’s pretty interesting, actually.
Dyne: Lupin III…really? That’s cool…what episode? I am now wondering a) how I missed that one and b) why Goemon didn’t just cut it in half like always.