Movie: (1964) A naive senate candidate finds a reform school escapee hiding in his home.
First shown: 11/23/94
Opening: Mike and Tom prepare Crow for a secret mission
Intro: Crow’s mission to Deep 13 ends in failure
Host segment 1: Mike gives Crow and Tom bionic noises
Host segment 2: A kitten with a whip visits on the Hexfield
Host segment 3: Mike hazes himself, much to the Bots horror
End: On the SOL, Mike opens up a Dr. F. piñata and reads a letter, Dr. F. has a Frank piñata
Stinger: “I’ll be a celebrity! And so will you!”
(222 votes, average: 3.88 out of 5)
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• In his introduction on the Shout DVD, Mike acknowledges that this episode is not a fan favorite. I’m sure we’ll find some folks who adore it, and I like it okay, but he’s right, it’s not a standout. The movie is dumb, the characters are dumber, but it is a competent Hollywood product, featuring several recognizable Hollywood stars, a rarity for MST3K. The riffing is somewhere between good and great most of the time. Plus the host segments have several notable moments.
• This episode can be found on the Mystery Science Theater Collection, Vol. XXV.
• References.
• This episode was the kickoff ep of the 1994 Turkey Day marathon, the one hosted by Adam West.
• The biggest problem with the movie, of course, is that the senator character is so crushingly stupid, and blows, like, four opportunities to extricate himself from this situation, only to be saved by random chance and the good intentions of strangers, when, let’s face it, he doesn’t really deserve it. But as dopey as the plot may be, it does become a bit engrossing at points. Even Mike appears to get into the poor guy’s predicament at one point when he hollers “Just go, you idiot!” at him.
• The opening segment, with Crow being launched down the umbilicus into Deep 13, only to be met by Dr. F. (or somebody wearing Dr. F’s coat) caused much excitement on the internet. “The Squab is in the hole” was a phrase that was repeated often.
• Who knew Mike smells like rain?
• Callback: “The Crawling Eye!” “Uh-uh, no way…” (Sinister Urge)
• Segment 1 is a slight bit of fluff without a real payoff, but it’s one of those segments that works because the performers are so comfortable with each other.
• Segment 2, well, give Kevin credit for valiantly diving into the role. Again, not much of payoff. Who is working Kevin’s tail?
• The riff “Typical road trip with a headliner,” is a reference to the stand-up comedy road trips many of the cast and writers lived through in their younger days. Four or five comedians would pile into a car and drive from comedy club to comedy club in the upper Midwest, and according to all the reports, whoever the headliner was among the group tended to be a prima donna.
• Segment 3 is hilarious, especially the bots’ reaction. And, I have to admit, I’d completely forgotten it.
• This is another one of those movies from that era of ’50s-’60s sophistication that depict middle-aged couples cheerfully taking in the show at a strip club (another place you see it is TISCWSLABMUZ). I do not think this happened much in real life.
• Non-spaghetti ball bumpers: datebook, beaker, bulletin board, movie canister (a rare four-fer!).
• I definitely hear Bridget among the kids’ voices at the end. Not sure about any others.
• Oh, and I love that the guy who resolves all the plots is named Sgt. Enders.
• Cast and crew roundup: cinematographer Joseph Biroc also worked on “The Amazing Colossal Man” and “SST: Death Flight.” Art director Alexander Golitzen worked on “This Island Earth,” “Revenge of the Creature,” “Leech Woman,” “Mole People,” “Deadly Mantis” and “The Thing That Couldn’t Die.” Set designer John McCarthy also worked on “Radar Men from the Moon” and “San Francisco International.” Joseph Gershenson was head of the music department at Universal Studios, so you’ll see his name on many credits as composer or arranger.
In front of the camera, Ann Doran was also in “Painted Hills.” Patrick Whyte was in “The Mole People.” Leo Gordon was also in “Attack of the Giant Leeches.” Gary Lockwood was also in “Magic Sword.”
• CreditsWatch: Host segments directed by Jim Mallon
• Fave riff: “Hey! Bingo-balls! Siddown!” Honorable mention: “Dear Penthouse Forum, I’m an average stuffed animal at a small midwestern college…” and “It’s my gin distributor.”
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Next week: we step out of order and do episode 521-SANTA CLAUS.
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One episode I haven’t seen yet but sounds like I should ASAP.
Don’t forget about Doodles Weaver!
( Ann-Margret is hot ).
5 stars
Wow Sampo and I are really in synch on this one.
This one of the very few films I knew before it was MST’d.
Tough call, tough choice, by far the most ‘serious’ ( in a couple of ways ) film they’ve done. Yes it’s exploitative but it ain’t cheap. The quality and casting are up there. Interesting choice for them. Almost ( Almost ! ) as if they chose to riff Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf or something by Eugene O’Neill.
Anyway, that being said, this has got some of the very best riffing they’ve ever done
( Ann-Margret is hot ).
The open credits riff complex is glorious. From Ann Margrock to the UPC code.
Fave riffs after the opening credits.. probably the Tijuana bar scene… a big greasy bucket of great riffs. Starting with Amy Grant channeling Tom Waits for Jesus loves me ( me and Sampo again )
( Ann-Margret is hot, and she’s something like 23 at the time if this film, so I don’t feel too creepy about it. Funny, she is the same age as my Mom, and the character she plays is my daughter’s age now. And I am now the same age that Forsythe was then. Freud would wet himself. ).
Where there host segments ? yeah I guess so. The secret mission bit was actually quite enjoyable. The other ones were harmless enough. Mike is Queen Victoria ( ? ) and the bots reaction there to.. good stuff.
( did I mention that Ann-Margret is hot ? )
One other thing… the music in this movie is darn good.
( oh and KWAW came out about 2 years after Lolita, clearly an imitation )
( RAM Chips, oops I mean : Ann-Margret is hot )
As the resident animation geek ’round here, allow me to throw in my own bit of trivia for this episode: the Looney Tunes cartoon that Ann-Margret watches on TV at John Forsythe’s house is “Canned Feud”, released in 1951 and directed by Friz Freleng. A.K.A. “the one where the mouse keeps hiding the can opener”. It’s one of my favorite Warner Bros. cartoons (and I was surprised to see it in a Universal movie – you’d think they would have just used one of their own Woody Woodpecker cartoons or something). It’s kind of a surreal experience to see the MST3K shadowrama accompanied by such trademark Looney Tunes sound effects as “zurrup” and “fwee-fwee-fweep”. Also, Doodles Weaver cuts off the end of the cartoon for some reason (in the full version, Sylvester gets his can opener – but finds that the kitchen cabinet is locked, and the mouse has the key).
Okay, enough geeking out, on to the episode itself. I remember not being too enthralled with this one the last time I watched it – I thought the movie was too talky and the guys couldn’t get many good riffs in edgewise (the aforementioned Looney Tunes scene features a 45-second stretch of silence from Mike and the bots because Ann-Margret and John Forsythe just won’t shut up). But I’m willing to give it another go, because I do know there’s fun to be had. This episode does contain one of my all-time favorite “ugly guy” riffs, after all (“Do you have a different face you could wear?”).
I do love Crow’s excursion into Deep 13. It’s surprisingly extravagant for this show, and it’s something I didn’t expect them to try, but given that they had a lot of stuff going up and down the Umbilicus this season, I guess it only makes sense that they’d try to escape through it. And of course, this skit gave me one of my favorite Poopie tape moments (“Hi, I’m not in this”).
Nice, solid outing from the guys, featuring a movie so punishingly stupid you can’t help but scream at your TV. It’s like a moronic Mr Smith Goes To Washington and Visits a Brothel.
I could have done without seeing Mike in Victorian Lady garb, though. It’s funny and all, but Mike is just too good in his role and it’s frankly a wee bit disturbing. Mike seemed awfully comfortable dressing up as a woman. Almost TOO comfortable. I dunno, if I were Bridget, I’d be a tad bit worried. :)
Kevin’s Kitten With a Whip segment reminded me: I always wondered who operated the ‘bots when their usual owners were off playing other characters. Was there one guy on staff charged with back-up ‘bot duty, or did the job just get tossed to whatever intern was free? Anyone know?
Medium #3 – Yes, Ann-Margie is VERY hot, but also very creepy. Later in the movie when she goes on a vocal rampage, she has this look in her eye that makes me very uncomfortable. :shock: Also, I couldn’t help but notice the very weird undertones of Annie wanting a father-daughter attachment with the senator but showing a certain physical attraction to him.
Ick.
I have agree with sampo first time i saw this i thought it was awful. I look at this episode and now i think it is a good episode. host segments are weak in this one. The riffing is good. For a real treat watch viva las vegas with ann margret just so you can see her basically drewl and lust for elvis in every scene. Like the girl in the short young man’s fancy. it’s so funny to watch.
Here is a factoid. Richard anderson was not the the orginal oscar goldmen in the six million dollar man show. it was darrin mcgavin from kolchak the night stalker and xmas story fame. He just did the pilot didn’t do the show because abc wanted him for the kolchak show.
I remember this one being a classic example of an episode that gets better with repeated viewings. Didn’t care for it the first two times I watched it but I laughed much more than I remembered when I watched it again last year.
@ #5: Jef Maynard was the go-to puppeteer stand-in whenever they needed Trace or Kevin in the Hexfield. After he left the show at the end of Season 6, Patrick Brantseg took over as MST3K’s resident puppeteer understudy.
Say, I just thought of something. Wasn’t there some talk not too long ago of there possibly being a remake of this movie? I think Lindsay Lohan was supposed to star, which would work perfectly since she already kinda looks like Ann-Margret. (I think this was before the whole “chug, crash, rehab” phase of Lohan’s life, though, so it’s probably on hold until she cleans up her act.)
This was the episode where I wrote “MST is starting to suck.” The movie was depressing, and the riffs were dreary. When I first saw it, I turned it off halfway through.
I revisited it recently, and actually did get a laugh out of the absurd deus ex machina ending. The dramatic scene with the cartoon playing in the background was also funny too. But all in all, it’s not one of the episodes I like to revisit.
Yeah, the Guys do a great job with this one, but the movie’s action and situations makes me want to go into the screen and punch every member of the cast for one reason or another.
Sampo, that’s an interesting question, about women in the 50’s and 60’s going to strip clubs. Another episode in which that happens is “The Brain that Wouldn’t Die.” I wonder if my mom would have cheerfully sat in a strip club with my dad and another couple. I’m guessing she wouldn’t have put up with it, but maybe once on a lark? Perhaps. Never thought to ask her that question.
If anyone wants to hear a funny behind-the-scenes story, check out Kevin’s entry for this episode in the ACEG book. You’ll find out just how much Kevin really enjoyed playing the kitten with a whip in Segment 2.
This is one episode that I don’t watch very often; when it first ran, I wasn’t all that hot on it but came around to it on later viewings. The host segments are okay, although how can one not be amused by a celebration of bionic noises—and a completely gratuitous Shields and Yarnell reference? And it’s also nice to see that Crow folds up for easy storage.
Technically, the movie wasn’t bad—the main problem is that the John Forsythe character is, to coin a phrase, dumber than a bag full of hammers. It’s also nice to see that a potential Senatorial candidate doesn’t read the newspaper—and in fact just lets them pile up in the yard. And that deus ex machina at the end—the riff “Oh, and we went in and cleaned your house and you were elected Senator and the dying girl cast the deciding vote” wasn’t too much of an exaggeration!
Some favorite riffs:
“How many hutches do they need”…“Can I offer you a hutch?”
As John Forsythe is talking to Ginny, “It’s my gin distributor.”
“It’s probably the Senate ethics committee dropping by unannounced…again.”
“Tonight on Medical Senator.”
“Mom, dad, Laurence Olivier?”
Creamy! (I wonder if that’s related to “squishy.”)
#12 Brandon – The “strip club” in Brain that Wouldn’t Die seemed to be a bit subdued, not anything more than the Rockettes or Las Vegas showgirls do, and there are women who love to see those acts.
Fully agree with Sampo on this one. It is one of those episodes that kind of run from your brain out your ear when the episode is over, but when watching is pretty good. As for John Forsythe’s character’s motivation for not escaping, I would suggest the viewer take another look at Ann-Margaret.
What do you think the over/under line is on how many times Kevin’s wife has brought up the “Kitten with a Whip” sketch when trying to make him do things like chores and going to parties?
I’ve given this one several chances over the years, thinking that as sometimes happens an episode I didn’t particularly care for the first or second time around would grow on me, but this one never has.
Again, I don’t fault the Brains, they do their best, and yes there are some funny lines and scene,but as I’ve noted before there are some movies – particularly dark ones – which they seem to have trouble with, and this is no exception.
Sure, the movie’s lame, otherwise it wouldn’t be on the show, and there are some notable actors in some stunningly bad performances which I’m sure they don’t look back on fondly, but I just couldn’t get into this. It’s wearying to watch after a while.
There were plenty of classic episodes in Season Six, which I consider along with season four their best, but this isn’t one of them. Not even close.
Two out of five.
I like my ladies hot’n’creepy, and Ann-Margret is a whole lotta both!
Cheers, jjb3k, good to have that answered. It always generates a nice little episode of cognitive dissonance when you see one of the guys – especially Kevin with his distinctive voice – play someone else, while the ‘bots just hang out as is nothing is amiss. Very trippy, if you think about it too much. And I do. Sad.
Fave Riff:
Beatnik – “Man, don’t you dig the desire NOT to communicate?”
Crow – “I’m Not Telling!”
Worst line from movie:
“Now cool it you creep, and let’s co-exist!”
Really, the hip-speak in this one is some of the worst i’ve ever heard … ‘I feel no pain’, bla bla bla.
#615 is my least-watched episode from season 6. Ok riffing but the movie just puts me to sleep. The last 30 minutes of the film are fairly well done, quite a lot of tension in the scenes in Tiajuana when politician runs into his friends at the nightclub. The ending is rather lazy … one step from ‘it was all just a dream’.
New/knew, tale/tail? It must be Homonym Day on Satellite News today!
As for the movie, frankly, I always found this episode a bit torturous. The plot just seemed one little idea stretched to fit a whole movie, and depends on the audience being afraid of characters who are, essentially, just dopey beatniks. Ann-Margaret comes off like she’s doing some sort of acting class exercise after watching Rebel Without a Cause too many times. Sure, she’s mighty attractive, but she’s just too annoying to live.
The writing has to work so hard to keep the plot contrivances going that it just gets unbearable by about the halfway point.
Which is not to say that such a movie couldn’t make for good MST3K fodder, but this is one instance where, for me, the movie overpowers the concept and I just can’t bear to watch.
That said, the sight of Kevin in a cat suit is pretty awesome.
Also, Kevin is a huge LOTR fan, too, as he discussed when I interviewed him for the TMCM magazine:
https://www.mst3kinfo.com/satnews/brains/tmcm2.html
This is one of my faves. i love the non scifi shows. I think the monster movies are kinda an easy target. The dramas seem to be a harder target to hit. Kitten with a whip is one funny show. I could not wait for the host segments to end and the movie get going again.
This is one of the few movies they did that I don’t ever want to revisit after the first time. Yes, the Senator charactor is an idiot, but that isn’t the biggest problem. It is that the villain characters are so incredibly loathsome. I just can’t tolerate a movie like this, it’s like seeing torture porn without the gore.
Well, I learned a lot from this movie. Rest assured that if Ann Margret ever shows up at my door dressed in a flimsy nighty looking for a place to say, I’ll tell her to get lost and…ah hell who am I kidding? That woman is still red hot!
Agreed with #23 for the most part… While I wouldn’t call this one a favorite necessarily, every time I watch it I find the riffing to be generally very solid. Like others have said, the movie just goes completely off the rails with it’s conclusion, but it’s entertaining enough over the long haul to not be a detriment to the overall vibe of the episode. Sure, the host segments are weak… but I find that most host segments top out at amusing, so it doesn’t get a big knock for that. I gave it four stars.
I agree with Crowbot (#23). The dramas are way harder to riff than goofy monster or sci-fi movies. Does that mean I grade them on an easier curve or that I enjoy the craft more? Not sure. But I do enjoy this movie. The goofy dialogue is laughable (“You think you’re such a smoky something when you’re nothing painted blue!” The hell?) That the movie expects us to like the senator and fear the beatnicks is really an insult.
I like the bots vicarious reactions to Anne’s initial visit that they attribute to Forsyth. “The steering wheel’s about to snap in his hands.” “Gotta get her more clothes.” “There isn’t a shower cold enough for this guy.”
Surprised no one’s mentioned the one line that shows up in many later episodes: “I’m dying in a rush.”
And the guy says “but buddy.” Not in the intent that Crow thinks, but hearing that always cracks me up.
I haven’t seen this one in years! I vaguely remember Mike and the Bots pairing different animals with different weapons. Am i wrong? I thought it was funny.
This movie shamelessly recycles Mancini’s score for Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil.
I find David Stratton, John Forsythe’s character, to be to stupid to enjoy the show.
The host segments are fairly lame as well (in particular Kevin in the bathroom rug).
I missed all episodes from season six so again, I can’t comment, but I can comment on an oldie.
On the short before Mad Monster (season 1) one of the charactors says “what about the ray guns?” and Crow quickly quips “you mean Ron and Nancy?”. Ah, that line got me hooked. So clever.
Sampo, I always thought the line was “dingle-balls.” Aren’t those the things that guys use to line the perimeter of the roofs inside their El Caminos?
A favorite of mine, and one I come back to often.
“His hair is pulled back into a severe bun…”
Stickboy says:
“Sampo, I always thought the line was “dingle-balls.”
Same here.
I love the responses to the “hip” lingo.
“I’m dying in a rush” and i’m hooked on a feeling.”
“I feel no pain” and an island never cries.”
I never fail to crack up at those lines.
Whenever I see Ann-Margaret, all I can think of is her getting doused with soap suds and baked beans in the rock musical “Tommy”. She’s definitely is not afraid to look silly on film.
I agree that the right mood makes a difference–first saw this ep a few years ago and wasn’t really thrilled with it, but popped it in last week and loved it! Maybe the fewer brain cells I have, the easier they are to impress! Life should just keep getting better and better!
I’ll be honest- I barely remember this episode. The movie I seem to remember as fun, as with the host segments. I do remember the Poopie! bit that resulted from this episode.
Dark or not, I think this is the only MST3k that I literally hate all the characters and want to punch them. Or backhand, I guess, for Ann. Evil? No.
The other few dark movies they’ve featured don’t do this to me. I can see they are bad, or stupid, or have loathsome characters, but I don’t literally want to go into the screen and beat them to death as I do with most everyone on screen in this movie.
Sidehackers can be dark. Mighty Jack is literal torture for me, just being so pointless and wandering, but I just tough it out. This one, I tough-out, then just feel like punching the guy at the end, still.
you think you’re shiny something, but you’re nothing painted blue!
On the topic of using doubles to operate the Bots, I wonder who was doubling for Dr. F while Crow was wandering around Deep 13 (as noted on the Poopie reel, Trace was really behind the rock)?
In scenes where Kevin is a character on the Hexfield, I’ve noticed Tom is either completely silent or has his beak away from the camera when he does speak (since the audio is recorded later). This seems to be the case with Kevin since I can’t recall ever seeing Trace in the Hexfield.
#40: Omega2010
The “Turn your crank to Frank” sketch in “The Violent Years” had Trace in the Hexfield as Dr. Forrester.
The whole plot with the girl – Ann Margret – not leaving to get away was just so stupid, Any real senator would have made one phone and the girl wind up as a jane doe ten states away, End of movie!
Isn’t it dingo balls?
I think this Teenage Werewolf, Girls Town, & Untamed Youth are amongst a small handful of movies that MST did that really aren’t that bad. In fact I’ve seen some Hitchcock films that are not as “good” as this movie (and I’m a Hitchcock fan & I’m 28 so I’m not getting all nostalgic over Miss Van Doren.)
RE: #27
What he actually says is “Buck, buddy”– his friend’s name is Buck.
And the best line is “I’ll just walk home from here…” after JF is thrown from the overturned car that has just fallen over a cliff. Can’t say I blame him, at that point.
It’s “dingle-balls”.
This is one of my favorites. The movie certainly isn’t good, but it’s a cut above the usual fare, a good old-fashioned potboiler.
The riffing is top-notch. My favorite riff is the comment on the deus-ex-machina ending, which I can’t repeat exactly, but I think everyone remembers it.
And they knew who Doodles Weaver is!
Totally agree that while this movie is certainly a competant product of ’50s Hollywood, the riffing in no way suffers.
I feel that we can draw a number of parallels between this film and ‘Girls Town.’ It is competantly made, features quality Hollywood talent, and even boasts a decent soundtrack (even to garner the praise of Servo; ‘hey this is pretty good!’)
While Ann-Margret was certainly hot, all I can think of is her being the object of affection in ‘Grumpy Old Men.’
In addition to what #41 said, Mirror Forrester was in the Hexfield in the end of Last of the Wild Horses.
Puppy with a numchuk! Dik-dik with brass knuckles! Yak with a Kentucky long rifle! Hamster who writes a strong letter to The Times! :lol:
Well, those were a few of the few laughs I got with this one. Had it’s moments, but – real Dullsville, man, I mean it was like nothing painted blue, dig? HUH? The dialogue was some of the stupidest crap I’ve ever heard: “Everything’s so creamy.” “…shiny good”? :roll: GREAT WRITING. I mean like, they had a REAL UNDERSTANDING of the youth of the day. Did anyone really talk like that? ‘Cause if they did, they should be reminded of it and punched in the face.
Some fave lines:
“Ann Margaret in The Woody Guthrie Story.” – Crow
“We’re about to see a political career come to a crashing halt.” – Mike
(When Ann says something about going somewhere)”Perhaps it was your pert acting ability.” – Crow
“There isn’t a shower COLD enough for this man.” – Crow
“How far can a metaphor be stretched before it snaps?” – Crow
“Tonight on Medical Senator.” – Crow
(When we see the streets of Tijuana and vendors are selling things, Servo says something like, get your cheap Mexican crap, or something to that effect – and then when we see balloons) – “Isotope models!”
Host segments were okay, I liked Crow going down to Deep 13 – and getting greased up by Mike (Servo – “I thought it was just because we liked him a whole lot.”). The pinata thing, and Mike hazing himself, not so much.
It seems in the later eps of this season, Dr. F stands a little too close to the camera, no? It’s annoying.
Not bad, not great. Movie is too boring to watch too many times.
I’d watch it more often but Anne Margret pisses me off SO MUCH in this movie and John Forsythe is such a spineless idiot that it takes away all the joy that Mike and the bots attempt to put into it.
I own the episode but I think I’ve watched it a total of 1.5 times.
Yeah….despite some decent riffing, I’ve got to agree that this is one episode that’ll send me running out of the room every time.
I definitely second the emotion that every character in the movie is just begging to be punched squarely in the nose…as well as the schmuck who wrote it. The horribly improvised-sounding “slang” talk aside, I have NEVER been able to tolerate movie characters who are supposedly intelligent, rational people, and yet they allow themselves to be victimized over and over again by one or more mental midgets. I don’t know why….it just infuriates me for some reason! I mean….I can only suspend my disbelief so far…
Ever since my first viewing of this episode, I can only watch as far as the first sketch with Crow, greased up and infiltrating Deep 13. As soon as that’s done, it’s time to switch it off and watch something else!