Movie: (1965) An alien takes over scientist’s human duplicating machine, hoping to infiltrate the government. But a top agent is on the case.
First shown: 12/26/92
Opening: The bots have suggestions for ways they could be improved.
Invention exchange: The Mads have the a case of the sillies, Joel demonstrates the beanie chopper, the Mads have invented the William Conrad fridge alert
Host segment 1: Joel has assigned the bots a craft project: to make spaceships made from household items
Host segment 2: Tom Servo duplicates himself–many times over!
Host segment 3: A grumpy Hugh Beaumont revisits on the Hexfield
End: Crow and Tom come out as robots, meanwhile, in Deep 13, William Conrad shows up
Stinger: Duplicates cracking up as they choke each other
(163 votes, average: 4.36 out of 5)
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• I said last week that this was the beginning of a stretch of good to very good episodes. but I forgot about this speed bump on the road to those goodies. The movie is strange but dull and talky, and the riffing, while okay, isn’t up to the level we’ve had in the last couple shows, and will have going forward. There’s some pretty good host segments, though! (By the way, a lot of commenters disagreed with me the last time around, so I may be completely offbase on this one.)
• This episode has not yet been included on a commercial DVD.
• I’m sure “the sillies” bit is an approximation of many moments on the set. I wonder how much of the laughter we see is genuine.
• In a “Simpsons” episode called “Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy,” which came out two years after this episode, Homer says: “Maybe I could have been something more than I am. Like a travel agent to a great scientist, or the inventor of a hilarious refrigerator alarm.” Can that be anything but a reference to this invention exchange?” (Note: a commenter said I’m wrong.)
• Callbacks: “Calling Scott Tracy…” (one of the SuperMarionation movies they did at KTMA), “I’m a grimaldi warrior!” (Viking Women), o/` S-A-N-T-A…o/` (Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”), “Knew your father, I did!” (Mr. B Natural), “To think like the hu-man!” (Robot Monster), “And a good friend” (Rocketship XM).
• Firesign Theatre reference: “Everything You Know is Wrong!”
• The movie makes the same comment at the same time one of the riffers does, and Crow calls it “riffback.” I’m sure that came from writing room experiences. It’s one of those little things that helps the show feel improvised.
• Movie comment: Um, casting people? Why exactly did you think Adelaide from “Guys and Dolls” would be good female lead? I keep expecting her to break into “Take Back Your Mink” any minute.
• Trace built that SOL model shown in segment one; it spent a lot of time sitting in a corner of the studio. To my knowledge he has not, as of this date, put lighter fluid on it and burned it in the driveway.
• I love segment 2. It may be one of my top ten segments. How did they control them all? However they did it, they really created a sense of each one moving independently. (A commenter explains below.)
• Then-current reference: “Oh did you see Madonna’s book?” A reference to the singer’s once-scandalous nudie book “Sex.”
• Hugh: “…resembling a human.” Joel: “See David Geffen.” Ouch!
• Segment 3 is Mike’s second visit as Hugh; and of course that’s Kevin as William Conrad.
• Cast and crew roundup: Producer/director Hugo Grimaldi was the producer of “First Spaceship on Venus” and the editor of “Hercules and the Captive Women” and “The Phantom Planet.” Producer/screenwriter Arthur C. Pierce had the same titles for “Women of the Prehistoric Planet.” Cinematographer Monroe Askins also worked on “Viking Women and the Sea Serpent.” Editor Donald Wolfe also worked in “The Phantom Planet.” Special effects guy Roger George also worked on “The Amazing Transparent Man.” Makeup guy Bob Mark also worked on “Radar Men from the Moon.” Art director Paul Sylos also worked on “Women of the Prehistoric Planet.”
In front of the camera, George Nader was also in “Robot Monster” and “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru.” Dolores Faith was also in “The Phantom Planet.” Hugh Beaumont was also in “Lost Continent and “The Mole People.” Richard Arlen was also in “The Crawling Hand. Walter Maslow was also in “SST: Death Flight, Lori Lyons was also in “The Phantom Planet.” Richard Kiel also appears in “The Phantom Planet” and, of course, “Eegah!”
• CreditsWatch: Host segments directed by Kevin Murphy.
• Fave riff: “The boys did what? They duplicated Lumpy???” Honorable mention: “Phil Harris and Bubbles Rothermere back there, for those of you playing along at home.”
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I love segment 2. How did they control them all? However they did it, they really created a sense of each one moving independently.
In the ACEG, there’s a photo of some crew members on the floor with little Tom Servo heads attached to multiple steel arms, or something. It’s hard to describe, but once you see it, it makes sense.
This was the first episode of the show that I saw way back when I was a teenager. My father actually got me into watching it with him that Sunday morning. The host segment where Joel builds a crappy spaceship model that uses parts from Crow’s design especially cracked him up.
This movie isn’t really bad, just boring and a little out there.
You are dead to me, sir. Dead!
(We can invoke the Theorem now.)
This one grew on me. I found it boring the first few times I watched it. When it was still broadcast, I’d watch Fridge Alert, and then do something else. But it caught with me. The imitations of Kiel, “I’m going to be a world champion blind lady!”; “He’s being kidnapped by the Jordannaires!”; “…jamming her radar!”; “Did you pull that suit off the Riddler?”; etc. all really got under my skin and it’s been a favorite of mine for about 10 years now.
I’m sure “the sillies” is an approximation of many moments on the set. I wonder how much of the laughter we see is genuine?
The Fridge Alert is my favorite invention, and I long wondered about this. I got the chance to ask Trace about that at ConventioCon 2. Sadly, he seemed to recall that they’d done several takes and were mostly acting by that point. (And I still say it looks pretty genuine.)
re: “Dated” references.
Would calling them “topical” references work? Or even “then-topical”, though that’s somewhat awkward? The items that you cite are usually references that were then quite topical. Now, not so much. References to NBC’s “Mystery Movie” could also be considered dated, but they aren’t, and I think it’s because they weren’t topical references at the time the episode was made.
What do you think, sirs?
Ah, the origin of the Servo clones. Servo never actually gets rid of them all until 1013.
Sampo, man! I love ya’, buddy, but ya’ blew it!
Human Duplicators is a gem and it is merely a continuation of the many excellent episodes of the fourth season. I used to think that season 3 was my favorite, but in retrospect, most of my favorite episodes are from season 4. The variety of movies in season 4 is practically unmatched, and this particular episode is one of the best in the season. It has consistently funny riffs, great host segments, and one of the funniest inventions ever presented by the Mads. The movie is perfect for Joel & the bots: Richard Keil–in a speaking role, Hugh Beumont, and clones that are set to take over the world but only have one slight defect: they break like a cheap vase if they get into a mild skirmish. I think the movie is far from boring. It has a nice pace and lots of silly visuals–including Richard Keil’s oddly shaped beef head.
I just don’t know you anymore, Sampo. You’ve changed, man… or maybe your no longer Sampo… My God, you’re one of those porcelain clones!!! Quick, somebody passively push Sampo to ground and stop his reign of terror!
This is one of the handful of very first episodes I ever saw, so it’s also got a special place in my heart. I think my favorite riff would have to be when Nasal Secretary says to Glenn Martin to “Say something”, and Crow riffs “Something”, and Martin says “Something” back. It’s hard to not suspect that this “riff-back” didn’t happen in the writing room.
I realize now I forget — where the Duplicated people other than Martin found and liberated, or did they just go into the Time Tunnel and never be seen again?
I think the “great run” of MST3K was from 418 – 424. Every movie is golden, every host segment perfect- they were at the peek of their game. I think this episode is GREAT…
“Invasion of the Christmas Ornament From the Sixties!”
I dunno, guys. There’s just a lot of scenes of people just sort of standing around talking….. I guess the Theorem does apply here.
Cubby: About “then-topical”: I like it VERY MUCH.
I think I will use it from now on.
5-star episode if there ever was one.
Favorite Riff:
“ehT numaH srotacilpuD”
There’s just a lot of scenes of people just sort of standing around talking…..
I can only respond with a future riff:
Joel: And Emmett Kelly’s STILL eating!!
Tom: And it’s still funny!!
The movie is nothing. The riffing makes it bounce along.
Like Cubby (#3), I loved the imitations of Kiel’s… idiosyncratic line delivery. It just gets funnier and funnier, until I lost it completely when he’s carrying the blind girl through the doorway.
Servo: BONK!
Joel: Oh. Sorry about your… heaaaaaaaaaaad.
I had completely forgotten how funny Segment 3 was (mostly because I was so blown away by Segment 2’s goofiness). Good God, Mike played an enraged, psychopathic Hugh well. I start laughing at “Why are you so interested in my affairs, Mr T. Robot?” and don’t stop until the sketch ends. So good!
Not my favorite episode of season four but The Human Duplicators is pretty high up on my list. Mike Nelson is great as the Hugh Beaumont from Hell. Try to get through his speech without imagining June Cleaver in Saran wrap. Also, Kiel + speaking role = hilarity. He’s much more menacing when he only speaks a little, or not at all.
Favorite riff: “Liberace’s brain!”
Aarrrgh! I forgot to close the link. Sorry about that.
5 stars again. My rememberances:
Another call-back: Tom singing the theme to Santa Claus Conquers The Martians. I can’t believe you missed that, Sampo! :razz:
Favorite riff: When the men go on the lake preparing for battle, Crow says, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Mountain Boys!’ I loved Joel’s reaction: ‘Crow, you are out there, man.’
How many would have wanted Joel to go through the roof with the beanie chopper? I did. :smile:
Was there a Gladiator named Bolt? I think there was one called Blaze.
More later, if I can.
One person’s mediocre episode is another person’s gem. I’m afraid I’ll have to disagree with Sampo on this one.
I absolutely adore this episode! It’s non-stop hilarity from beginning to end. The acting, the dialogue, and the story are all unintentionally very funny on their own and then MST3K piles on it nicely with tons of terrific jokes.
I always have found it especially funny that the duplicates have ceramic-like heads that break more easily than a real human’s skull or a piece of pottery. How were these aliens supposed to conquer the Earth if the slightest bump on the head is instantly fatal? Some of the least plausible and funniest science fiction ever!
I’m praying that this is one of the Shout! Factory titles.
Hmmmm….”I dunno, guys. There’s just a lot of scenes of people just sort of standing around talking.”
So says Sampo. I have to admit I always scratch my head when I read these kind of posted comments. That’s a pretty good description of nearly half of the moments in all the Msted movies I would say. And if this is a reason to dislike a particular episode then why do I love Starfighters so much, and Radar Secret Service, and Skyfighters and on and on. Rock Climbing!
So I think this is as good a time as any to drag out my MST “Inspiration” theory. Basically it’s this: that the quality (as in having a high laugh quotient/enjoyment factor)of any particular episode is not dictated by how bad or good a film is or even, most of the time, my reaction to the film, or whether the film is fun to watch, boring, demented, maudlin, etc., but by how the film inspires The Brains. By inspiration I mean the excitement they bring both to the “performance” aspect (the actual in theatre riffing) and the writing itself. What “kind of” film it is is of secondary importance. Sometimes they seem inspired by a single, or only a few, aspects of a film and run with them to great effect (radar in Secret Service) or multiple aspects (Manos’s 50 ways to make a bad film) and the result can be just as hilarious one way or the other. You can just “feel” when those creative juices were flowing…there’s a certain energy to them.
Subjective, yes, but…
Anyhow, Human Duplicators is not one those big inspirational moments for the Brains IMO. Oh, they did an adequate job, it’s a fun episode, but not up the rest of the end of Season 4. But it’s just okayness has nothing to do with how boring the film is. For me, anyway.
I do need to watch it again, and probably will try this weekend.
My current grade for it is a B (as in just okay)
This is one of my faves!! When the mads get the sillies at the beginning, I laugh my hinder off with them everytime. It’s very hard to do fake laughing well, but they nailed it as it does seem very genuine. Also the line near the end where they say ‘get away from him, you bitches’ makes me laugh so hard I could pee my pants!! Another one of my fave parts is where our “hero” is in the dungeon and he’s trying to cut through the cell bars with some kind of string and Joel (I think) says ‘man I’m working up a Rondo thirst’. I’ve always assumed this is some kind of reference to Rondo Hatten from the Brute Man. They didn’t do that one until 3 seasons later but I guess they already knew who he was, maybe. I don’t know, but that one cracks me up too and I use that line quite often :).
losingmydignity: That was pretty much what I was getting at. It’s not that I thought that this was a mediocre episode because the movie was dull. I thought it was a mediocre episode because the dull movie didn’t give the Brains much to work with, IMO. I just didn’t laugh that much. Contrast with, say, “Castle of Fu Manchu,” which is crushingly awful, but it’s a favorite of mine because the awfulness inspired the Brains to greatness. Human Duplicators not so much. But that’s just me.
I wonder how many kids today get the joke about building a model and setting fire to it in your driveway. Back in the days before video games and internet and even very much on cable TV, we were damn bored, and found some pretty stupid ways to amuse ourselves . . . I still have fond memories of my friends and I lighting fire crackers and throwing them at each other . . .
yeah, Evan K, we would build a model, tape bottle rockets to it and enjoy the carnage!! Part of a great childhood!! And one of the reasons I enjoy the MST3K crew so much, we are of the same generation!
I liked this episode. I thought they had enough to work with. It was fun.
I’m ashamed to admit this, but somehow I no longer have this episode on tape. I went to go look for it, since I’d only seen it once when it first premiered, and I just couldn’t find it among all my MST VHS tapes. I believe I lent it to someone and never got it back.
Getting it back wasn’t a priority, apparently; this was the rare clunker for me in season 4, and the only episode along with “City Limits” I’ve given just three stars to. From what I can remember, nothing about the treatment during the movie really stood out. The riffing was okay but not great, and Mike’s return as Hugh Beaumont and the Mads’ William Conrad Fridge Alert were the only segments that were entertaining.
However, I agree with whoever said they’d like to see SHOUT! release this on DVD. For me, it would be like a “lost” episode just dug out of Jim Mallon’s archives. Who knows, maybe I’d enjoy it more this time around.
I think Sampo is right about the boring parts. Too many scenes of people standing around talking.
I’d give it a 3.0 overall.
The fridge alert host segment is classic, but I *really* love the Hugh Beaumont rant by Mike.
That is one of my all-time favorite Host segment moments.
Hey Sampo and crew:
I know that this is a little late, but I did watch this episode with the intent of commenting on it on this site, but I forgot to write a response until now!
The movie riffing was really tight, but the definite highlight is the host segments for this one. Which, I think is pretty rare- usually both the host segments and the movie riffing are excellent, or the movie riffing is off the hook and the segments are subpar. But this is a pretty funny epsiode, nonetheless.
When Tom Servo duplicates himself, it’s another great example of the chemistry of Joel and Kevin Murphy. As Tom, Kevin grandstands and ignores ethical conventions, and fair minded “parent figure” Joel tries to bring him down to reality. In my opinion, classic! I’ve heard elsewhere that Kevin and Joel had “on the set tension,” but I never though that to be true. I’ve always thought they wrote it on purpose that way.
If you look at the ACEG, the entry for this show is so small you get the feeling that even the Brains thought it not too good. I had never watched Duplicators before this week, but because it featured Richard Kiel speaking, it was high on my “to see” list. I have to admit, I got a little sleepy when the movie started, but I’m happy I stuck with it because the riffing got better and it’s turned out to be a real highlight episode. I don’t think this is a speed bump, but rather a slight curve on the great episodes that close out season 4. Sampo, I don’t want to repeat what everyone else has said, but you’re killin’ me here! Maybe you need to convert your copy from VHS to DVD. Sometimes the grainy, clunky quality of VHS will make you fall asleep.
I really love this episode. So many subtle things to me that are classic MST. One of them that cracks me up every time is Kevin’s background “Rhubarb” duplicate Servo dialog saying “Hi-hooo!”. Simple little detail to the segment but it’s so memorable.
I found this one to be one of the funniest episodes, actually. The Hotel 6 riffs were brilliant lol.
Joel: STOP IN THE NAME OF TOM BODET!!!!!!!!!
Really loved Crow’s shot at Servo on his clones, “Oh, like we really need more of you”. This is a better than average but not great episode in my view, but the screen idol that is Richard Kiel cannot be ignored. The camera loves him….ok, maybe not.
Ang (#19) –
I think it’s been addressed here before but Rondo was a reference to the soft drink Rondo.
In my earlier post, I made an error: the riff I listed as my favorite was from the wrong episode, The Day The Earth Froze. :oops:
I really enjoyed this one. Yes, it drags in a couple of spots but overall I think it ranks up there with the very good. The invention exchange segment with the Mads laughing hysterically over their William Conrad Fridge Alert is quite dated now. Enjoyed the Tom Servo duplication segment. Just a lot of really funny moments here though, all either involving Richard Kiel or that blond receptionist/spy with the really annoying voice. Not a classic episode but not a bad one either.
Have to agree with Sampo here. I just finished watching this episode and it’s definitively middle of the road. The riffing is hit and miss but the host segments are great. Nobody’s noticed that the William Conrad/the sillies segment seems to be a tribute to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, who were the masters of the extended laugh routine. I love Joels invention…now, if he could only go through the roof. :grin:
Did anyone notice that the actress playing the blind niece had no idea how to play a blind person at all? She was constantly staring right at the actors’ faces. My friend and I came to the conclusion that she was faking being blind the whole time, but they forgot to write that into the script.
About Homer Simpson’s “hilarious refrigerator alarm”, Sampo writes: “Can that be anything but a reference to this invention exchange?”
I’m pretty sure they weren’t referencing MST3K. There are novelty “fridge alarms” that are little talking boxes or figures that you put in the refrigerator, and when someone opens the door they nag you about eating too much. I’m pretty sure I had seen one of them in a store or a commercial before seeing that Simpsons episode. I tried to post a link to one, but my comment wouldn’t go through with a URL in it. Do a web search for “Talking Fridge Alarm” and you should find one. They even make one that looks like Homer Simpson now.
Anyway, just to show how subjective MST3K is – Human Duplicators is one of my favorite episodes, as is “The The Eye Creatures”. On the other hand, I wasn’t that wild about “Rebel Set”, so to each his own I guess.
I think this is the champion Sampo’s Theorem episode. I just don’t think I’ve seen a more polarized and evenly split reaction to any other episode than this one. Me I love it. It very much belongs in this season four stretch drive of great episodes.
The Bot modifications:
-I love Gypsy’s then topical request for a cab forward design. Remember Lee Iacoca pushing that for Chrysler?
-I always thought Crow’s request for more capacity to love was a sarcastic request. Yet Tom ribs him as if it was serious.
-Tom’s host of responses is Kevin Murphy at his best. The asides he gives to his descriptions like “I’m equipped with shifting antigens so don’t even try to find a cure” are masterfully delivered. Plus we get a callback to season two host segments with the then common drawings.
The William Conrad fridge alert is hands down my favorite invention exchange. But it’s not just the absurdity of the invention or the legendary case of the sillies. It starts off with a bang with the witty and well-delivered introduction:
“It’s from the mixed up files of one Dr. Clayton Forrester.”
“And the button down mind of TV’s Frank.”
“It’s from the breezy irreverent viewpoint of Dr. Clayton Forrester.”
“And from the quirky off beat perspective of TV’s Frank.”
“The twisty skewered slightly bent brain of Dr. Clayton Forrester.”
“The wacky whimsical way of TV’s Frank.”
I for one wish Crow wouldn’t have cut them off. I would have liked to see if this could have gone on longer. But with that introduction they really had to deliver on this exchange and deliver they did. “How many times has this happened to you?” Then come the sillies and a wonderful invention.
Finally Joel and the Bots had to cut in. And this is a pretty good invention as well. I do like it but forget it is part of this episode because it has to compete with the Fridge Alert.
Tom (under whelmed) “Oh. Huh.”
Joel: “Well pretty neat huh?”
Crow: “Are you kidding? I thought you were going to go through the roof.”
Joel: “Well I can’t go through the roof. We’re in space and all. I just. I just thought you guys would like it a lot more. I really, you know, put a lot of work into it and everything.”
Crow: “Oh yeah it’s great Joel. I just thought you were going to go through the roof.”
Tom: “Yeah it’s really um… something. Um, I kinda agree with Crow. You should have gone through the roof.”
Crow: “I guess I thought you’d go through the roof is all.”
To this day in my circle of friends whenever anything doesn’t live up to its hype the catchphrase “[you/he/it] should have gone through the roof” is brought out.
Then we cut back to the Mads who just about but not quite fight off the sillies and explain the invention before exploding again.
Finally it wraps up with Crow and Tom entering the theater: Tom “Well I just figured he’d go through the ceiling.” Crow “Yeah…”
Yup it’s exchanges like this that are this cast at their absolute best!
Does that spaceship interior remind anybody else of the Zigra spaceship?
Dolores Faith may just qualify as my most tastefully attractive actress in any experiment.
The craft host segment is good. I love how Gypsy is so into and how Crow and Tom are equally not into it. But the meta joke of Crow identifying Joe’s spaceship as the same parts he is made out of is really funny.
The Tom duplicates himself segment also has some golden quotes by Tom:
-I’m just playing god. It’s going pretty well.
-Frankly I don’t see a problem Joel. I’ve just surrounded myself with an endless horde of mindless disciples ready to go forth and do my bidding. I guess I just don’t see a downside.
That’s a pretty short timeout that Joel gives Tom over the incident considering they go directly into the theater. Oh it’s just a show? I should really just relax.
We get a call forward to the Pina Colada host segment of next week’s Monster A Go-Go when Tom sings Timothy.
This episode features the return of one of my favorite bits. Tom plays the other side of an intercom when it looks like Gail Wilson is playing with its buttons. But since Gail really wasn’t using it, it comes off as Tom doing a classic Bob Newhart telephone routine.
Mike as Hugh Beaumont is classic. I really can’t add anything that wasn’t said in the discussion four years ago.
We have a callback to the times the Star Trek fight music is sung. Only this time it is slow and plodding, like Richard Kiel.
Favorite Riffs:
Joel: “Oh George Nader. He’s untalented at any speed.”
Crow “Consolidated Film Industries. A subsidiary of ConHugeCo”
Crow, “This is Beverly Hills Cop only the slow white version.”
Crow, “It’s the blind leading the bland.”
Crow in reference to Richard Kiel “Marilyn’s date is hear and he’s ugly”
Guard “Good morning sir.” Dr. Munson waives him off. Crow “Ah sit and spin.”
Dr. Munson chokes a guard from behind. Crow: “Dr. Heimlich the early years.”
It looks like Dornheimer is sleeping and suddenly awakes. Tom: “What about Estelle Getty?”
Joel remarking on the Dornheimer home “Hey it’s a very Brady Renaissance.”
All sing “We serve fun at Shakey’s” [Oh how that was one of my very favorite restaurants. I wish it hadn’t all but disappeared.]
Joel “Jim Henson’s Jack Palance babies.”
Glenn Martin walks down the stairs looking like he’s leg kicking. Tom Sings “One singular sensation.”
Glenn Martin “You mean slaves and killers don’t you?” Joel as Dr. Dornheimer: “Yeah that’s what I meant.”
Tom as Dornheimer is assembling an android brain: “If I had half a brain I’d… Oh”
Tom “Allow me to gesture like Michael Dukakis”
Tom “Oh for crimeny, they can’t even afford to through a guy through a window in this movie.”
I just want to put my vote in favor of “among the all-time great” episodes. I admit this was also among the first I watched so maybe that influences me, but I’m fairly sure it’s not just that. It does feel like one of the gems special to me, that gets under-appreciated.
This episode has got one of my favorite borderline-state-park jokes, too. (It’s not really a state-park joke since it isn’t just making the observation, but it’s close.) As the scene pans across the elementary school pretending to be a NASA-connected research lab one of the Brains — I think Crow — mentions that the duplicate could just use those high-security stairs, leading from the sidewalk to the schoolgrounds.
I think that particularly works since, if you’re willing to buy that yeah this is a research lab, then, the obvious street access to the facilities doesn’t even register. Crow points it out and suddenly an aspect of how the thing was made is pulled to center stage. It’s one of the things MST3K does best, making someone not just watch the film, but also watch the film-making, and doing that making in a way that’s silly.
There’s a similarly themed mention later on of how hard it is to get these Southern California homes with dungeons, although really isn’t any decent manor house connected with a dungeon these days half a century ago?
NADER! I thought we were done with him! Seing him here — playing a “special agent” I just kept having flashbacks to “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru”.
Also, I do wonder which one of the writers it was who had a minor obsession with Bob Newhart’s stand-up days. This season Crow has, on multiple occasions, done bits from Bob Newhart’s “Driving Instructor” routine. And I believe that routine is on Newhart’s comedy album… “The Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart” — which Trace references here. (for reference… Here’s “The Driving Instructor” — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3JvGyj8pI8 )
As for the movie and the riffing… I liked it. For me it wasn’t perhaps as good as some of the previous ones but it was still pretty darn entertaining with some laugh-out-loud moments.
Crow and Tome come out as robots,
Who or what is this Tome? Is it perhaps a tome that belongs to Titus Crow?
Because mocking errors that slip past the spellcheck is fun. :P
Gotta disagree with Sampo here, 5 stars all the way on this one. It’s much more fun than the slog of The the Eye Creatures.
“Speed Bump?!” Hah, hardly…this is one of those sleeper best episodes, in my opinion.
Great cast, over-the-top acting, Grimaldi color, terrible special effects, bad plot and great host segments (Mike as the sociopathic Hugh Beaumont “You’re never gonna get girls, don’t you understand that you little dumpling?”, the Beanie Chopper, Servo clones, and of course the silly Fridge Alert!) One of the best shows ever!
KOLOS: “I am Kolos!” CROW: “…and Diet Kolos!”
TOM: “I’m here for my piano lesson, Madame Sousatzka.”
[Susie Wong cloning scene} CROW: “Oh come on Doc, did your kid make that thing?” JOEL: “I Sing The Body Pathetic!”
JOEL [as Dolores]: “Geeez! What a dickweed!”
[Duplicate’s head cracks open] CROW: “A SLIGHT design flaw!”
HUGH: “Have you ever heard of a telephone?” CROW [in robot voice]: “Yes. I have HEARD of a telephone.”
CLONE DORSHIEMER: “We have no feelings.” CROW: “We’re Republicans!”
CLONE DORSHEIMER: “Never program a mechanical device with more knowledge than you yourself possess.” JOEL: “You know, there’s a lesson to be learned here, you guys.” TOM: “Too late, Joel!”
Sitting Duck–good catch! Now fixed.
Forgot to mention…
I loved Mike’s turn as Hugh Beaumont again. And I liked how they kept the spaceship house but changed things up to reflect the older, grumpier, Hugh Beaumont of the movie.
Also, one of my favorite riffs — Servo: “You rang? Oh, wait, I’m not Ted Cassiday.”
As someone who, as a kid, was often getting Ted “Lurch” Cassiday from the Adams Family confused with Richard “Jaws” Kiel this one hit home for me.
The Human Duplicators featured George Nader who was born 1921and died in 2002. Born in Pasadena, California, George Nader became interested in acting while still in school and appeared in several productions at the Pasadena Playhouse. This led to several small parts in movies before earning the lead role in the infamous 3D thriller Robot Monster (1953). The movie was bad but profitable, and Nader soon had a contract with Universal Pictures. Unfortunately, the studio already had on its roster such good-looking and athletic actors as Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis and Jeff Chandler, so Nader often found himself being cast in their leftovers, usually playing parts that emphasized his “beefcake” appeal. (At 6′ 1″ and 180 pounds, Nader had the kind of physique fan magazines drooled over and unlike many of his colleagues, he frequently appeared with his chest hair intact.) However, he did enjoy a few good years in the mid-1950s, turning in a commendable performance in Away All Boats (1956) before his career began to decline. He tried his hand at three TV series and then relocated to Europe, where he enjoyed a modest revival in the late 1960s starring as “Jerry Cotton” in a series of West German films. In their early film prime (1950s), he and fellow “beefcake” star Rock Hudson helped cover for each other in protecting their “straight” image in Hollywood. Despite the fact Nader’s career was more or less sabotaged by Universal and sacrificed to the tabloids in order to save Rock’s much more lucrative reputation, Hudson and Nader remained life-long friends. Nader was named one of the beneficiaries of Hudson’s $27M estate when the star died of AIDS in 1985. After Nader was finished in films, he turned to writing. His 1978 novel “Chrome” broke major ground in that it was the first sci-fi thriller to have a homosexual theme (gay robots!). So, the final skit takes on a whole new meaning.
Favorite lines:
It’s a Tuck’s medicated film.
Attack of the Christmas ornament from the 60’s.
Oh, George Nader, he’s untalented at any speed.
[of Richard Kiel] I’ll take “things a huge untalented actor would say for $1000” please.
Excuse me, where’s the little giants room.
Kate Mulgrew is Mrs. Chopin.
Oh, she’s blind, well that explains the decorating.
It’s the blind leading the bland.
[of the dank basement] …and this is my room, it’s done in pinks.
[Dr. Munson chokes the guard] Dr. Heimlich, the early years.
Mickey Spillane..you pull that suit off the Riddler?
What’s this? Donald O’Connor driving Miss Daisy.
[close up of Gail’s camel-toe/bulge] Dad?
Too much Porcelana. Too bad, that’s her throwing hand.
But the man who took Dristan is breathing freely.
“Android…resembling a human.” See David Geffen.
Hit them in the head. They’ve got Hummel heads.
Final Thought: Another Reason I believe that Season 4 was their best season. I give this one 4 ½ out of 5.
The overall silliness factor of this one, both because of the movie and the riffing keeps me coming back for more.
I’m with Jason on favorite riff: “ehT numaH srotacilpuD!”
But I can also never get enough of the riffers’ impressions of Richard Kiel, especially Joel’s. Though Crow still has the best single line while doing that with, “Keep away from him, you bitches.”
It’s all about the delivery in this one and they nailed it. Two more examples of that are-
“This man is a tyrannical dictator who is in love with… this man! Who is in love with… this man! Who is really… Peter Allen.”
“Get Christie Wong!” “You know what they say, two Wongs don’t make a wi-” “NO!”
I’ll also take Mike’s appearance as Hugh in this episode over his first one. His spastic outburst just floors me.
I hadn’t seen this one in a while and watched it last weekend in anticipation of the episode guide. I was also pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I remembered it being one of those nondescript episodes in between classics like Monster a Go Go, Manos and the Herc movies but it’s pretty damn good in it’s own right. A couple of the host segments were included in that “Tom Servo’s favorite host segments” VHS from a while back so I knew those well, though. Crow and Servo’s “coming out” to Joel is still hilarious as is Crow’s fainting. “Having lunch with R2D2 is just like admitting it”.
A very good episode in my book. I do not know how Trace and Frank kept up the laughter for the fridge alert!? I found it very infectious. Muy dopey movie. What was up with Kiel’s speech pattern? It was a bit sing-songy during normal conversations and lessened his menacing presense.
Good to know that the crappy paper mache heads would later be put to good use in the PUMAMAN.
This was a good episode, the movie isnt good which is why it was an MST3K experiment. It was kinda rough to sit through some of the scenes. Richard Kiel showing off his acting talents once again , wed see him later in Eegah
Mike as Hugh Beaumont is always a treat.
After this we get one of the worst films theyve ever done , followed by our first Russian film (SAMPO!) , our first Ed Wood film and then the most beloved episode and worst film ever made..
Lots of really bad movies during this run from Fire Maidens all the way to Manos…
Makes me wonder if Best Brains also needed
Therapy ! :)
PS:
I loved that HUNAN duplicators riff Crow made…
Joels Hair, Joels knees,
Hunan duplicators
Kolos vs. Eegah
Therapy wont save me now ahhhhhhhhhh
This one isn’t fall-on-the-floor funny as far as I’m concerned, but it’s got enough moments in it to make it worth rewatching. I do have an observation about the Mads’ invention exchange: it was possibly the lamest, most unfunny idea they’ve ever come up with, and yet they sell it by getting “a case of the sillies.” I suspect that the Brains knew this was a stupid idea, but headed criticism off at the pass by having the mads *recognise* how dumb the idea is, and go with it anyway. Their laughter is infectious, and the gag works. It must have been hard coming up with clever prop gags each week (I’m guessing that by Season 4 they’d run through all of Joel’s old stand-up material), and this week’s effort was pretty grim. Now that I think of it, Joel’s was lame, too–and the bots waste no time in pointing that out (I love Crow’s repeating “I just thought you were gonna go through the roof”).
And, OK, add my vote to those who think “ehT namuH srotacilpuD” is the best riff in the episode.
Blast #50> To sum up what I think you are saying: We have two very lame inventions in this exchange and two contrasting approaches to make comedic lemonaide out of lemon ideas. I hadn’t thought about it that way. I like it!