You’ve had a crappy day. Your boss was a dink, your project was a failure, things didn’t go how you planned, something disappointing or even downright bad happened.
Now you’re back home. You need cheering up. And you’re a MSTie, so you know what you need.
I hear from MSTies all the time that MST3K is often the perfect thing to pick them up when they’re down.
Works for me, too. My favorite pick-me-up ep is 601- GIRLS TOWN. I never get tired of it. Great riffing, wacky movie. I always feel better when it’s over.
What episode do you pick when you need cheering up?
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Weekend Discussion Thread: Episodes That Cheer You Up182 Replies to “Weekend Discussion Thread: Episodes That Cheer You Up”Commenting at Satellite News
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Nothing cheers me up more than popping the DVD of Hamlet. PSYCH!!!!!!!!
“Prince of Space,”- I like it very much.”
Really old “Teenagers From Outer Space”-“I’ve never piloted swimtrunks before.”
“Ring of Terror”-“Did Ya touch it.”
“Parts-The Clonus Horror”-“I like mittens.”
“Godzilla Vs. Megalon”-“Rex Dart eskimo spy.”
Those are some of the ones that ALWAYS crack me up and fix my mood. I cn’t wait to add “Santa Claus” to the list in Dec. :smile:
Darn it that’s CAN’T wait… :oops:
Give me just about anything from Seasons 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. If I had to pic a few by name: Santa Claus, Puma Man, Final Sacrifice, Manhunt in Space, Crash of the Moons, Outlaw, Teenage Strangler, Magic Voyage of Sinbad, Jack Frost, The Day the Earth Froze, Danger! Death Ray, The Thing that Couldn’t Die, Devil Doll, Manos: The Hands of Fate, Attack of the the Eye Creatures, Fire Maidens of Outer Space, Bride of the Monster… Well thats more than a few, but I feel like a kid in a candy store when I think of my feel good episodes.
Pretty much any episode of the show succeeds at being comfortingly familiar, but I will confine myself to choosing two: Jack Frost and Prince of Space.
Both movies are so unreservedly wacky and ludicrous, I cannot help but crack a smile. The former is especially charming; I think that besides the two Santa Claus films, and Gamera of course, Jack Frost was the only movie MST3K did that was clearly intended for children, and thus barely feigned any realism.
Howard Johnson Sampo is right!
MST3K is a very useful as a pick-me-up.
I think my main old stand-by is Riding With Death. It always makes me laugh no matter how bad things are going.
Also the opening titles from Diabolik and ‘Deep Deep Down’, though all of Diabolik is good.
Honorable mention would be movies Red Zone Cuba, The Dead Talk Back, Incredible Melting Man, The Touch of satan, Deadly Mantis, Wild Rebels, Teenage Crimewave, Beast of Yucca Flats, Blood Waters of Dr Z, & Track of the Moon Beast.
Also the Shorts Days of Our Years, Money Talks, Progress Island, Out of this World, What to Do on a Date & Hired 1.
That leaves out a bunch of good ones, so don’t think my exclusion of them means I don’t get a pick me up from any of the others. It’s really just a rough estimate and I’d end up listing just about every episode eventually.
Final Sacrifice, Dead Talk Back, Zombie Nightmare and outlaw.
I also like the night bloodbest with turkeyday host segements. I’m glad they putt them on the dvd.
After reading all the others I see one of you also agrees with me that movie openings (and some endings too) are good sometimes all by themselves.
I also agree that the Touch of Satan opening is fun, and I love Riding with Death’s opening & closing (And all parts in the middle).
As already mentioned, Deep Deep Down and the whole “Gentleman, Lets open our movie with a ten minute shot of a spinning radish” deal.
And speaking of Ennio Morricone, there’s also the Operation Double 007 opening.
And the ending of Final Justice always gives a pick-me-up.(unless your Joe Don Baker).
Let me add that if you enjoy Diabolik’s Deep Deep Down, check this out on You Tube.
http://tiny.cc/DeepDeepDown
The best part is at 3:09, she begins singing the italian version, and something about an OB-GYN, which is odd I admit.
#4, Jef: “I have 4 that are pretty much on equal standing: Time Chasers, Space Mutiny, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank, and Mitchell”
================================
Weird. Exactly ones I was thinking about. Plus, of course, Santa Claus conquers the Martians. I’d also say the Mitchell travelog
in Malta- but then there’s the bots having to break it to Mike that he doesn’t get to escape at the end of the movie.
Oh, if it has to be one………Overdrawn at the Memory Bank.
“Play it again!”
Not to get all maudlin here, but in early ’06 I came home from a particularly terrible day at work and found several messages waiting for me–my mom was in the hospital. She’s had a bad reaction to chemo, taken a fall at home and, well, time was running out. I raced over to see her–it would turn out to be her last night on earth, though of course, neither of us knew that–and she thanked me for coming but sent me home, telling me not to worry, to do something fun.
As soon as I got home, I settled in with a tasty sammich and some MST–specifically, “Gunslinger.” I chose that episode totally at random, but of course, it features Joel and the Bots speculating on their funerals, and the movie itself is oddly fixated on death and loss. It should have been unbearable, considering what I was going through. Instead, it did what MST always does–it made me laugh.
And, you know, it always will.
I remember watching a number of Season 3 Joels when my grandfather and aunt died in a matter of months some time ago. I mentioned that MST “got me through” to Mary Jo one time, and she seemed a little baffled hearing stories like that from people over the years.
There are quite a few of them, all for different reasons.
“Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” and “Santa Claus,” because they’re both holiday episodes and exuberantly goofy.
The four Russo-Finnish films – “The Day the Earth Froze,” “The Magic Voyage of Sinbad,” “The Sword and the Dragon,” and “Jack Frost” – because it’s some of the funniest riffing over some of the most bizarre, wackiest scenes in MST history.
“Gamera Vs. Guiron,” because of the theme song (both in the movie and in the skits).
“Daddy-O” and “The Beatniks,” because the songs and crime-heavy plots are entirely laughable, even without the MST crew.
“Wild Rebels,” because the end shootout is a hoot and the “Wild Rebels Cereal” song is a blast.
“Godzilla Vs. Megalon,” because the skits in that episode are among the show’s best, not to mention the outstanding riffing over the end fight.
“Master Ninja I” and “Master Ninja II,” because they have a wonderfully cheesy feel to them.
“Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders,” because Ernest Borgnine’s stories are off the wall, leaving Mike and the ‘Bots to spin comedic gold out of them.
“The Puma Man,” because of that joyously lame theme song, the hilariously horrible special effects, and ESPECIALLY the riffing during the last movie segment.
“Time Chasers,” because the MST crew has such fun tearing apart the characters, especially the big-chinned Castleton graduate Nick and BOB EVIL.
“Crash of the Moons” and “Manhunt in Space,” because they have that refreshingly and unabashedly cheap 50’s sci-fi flavor, same deal as “Robot Monster.”
“Final Sacrifice,” because of all the fun at the expense of Rowsdower and Troy.
“The Giant Gila Monster,” because it’s awesome whenever Joel and the ‘Bots ventriloquize the title character.
The Coleman Francis trilogy, because these are dark movies that Mike and the ‘Bots completely change and redeem by way of their jokes.
“Eegah” and “Mitchell,” because they represent the best of the best of the Season 5 Joel episodes.
“Alien From L.A.” and “Village of the Giants,” because they represent the best of the best of the Season 5 Mike episodes.
“The Creeping Terror, because the narration and the monster are too hilarious for words (although Mike and the ‘Bots do have a lot in the way of hilarious words).
Season 7, because it’s riffing perfection.
“Pod People,” because even with that ending, it’s way too silly for its own good.
“The Incredibly Strange Creatures…,” because of the carnival atmosphere and all the Ortega jokes.
In short, any episode that makes me laugh like hell.
definitely a toss up between these –
Pod People
Wild World of Batwoman
Eegah
and Jack Frost
If tiny old men dressed as mushrooms don’t make you smile, you might be deceased.
Definitely Catalina Caper, Gunslinger, or any of the Hercules ones.
In 2001 I fell off a ladder and snapped my arm bone in half. During the month or so that I could do almost nothing I fell in love with Invasion of the Neptune Men. That great restaurant The Bunker. It’s gone! That was definitely a pick-me-up.
Other movies are Puma Man, Riding With Death, And the leg-up firmness of Giant Gila Monster.
I always wonder who got that cardboard cutout of Abbie.
Go get ’em Sambo. Give it the old college try!
Except for the titles that are out of my circulation, and Manos, they all pretty much have the potential to cheer me up.
I Accuse My Parents
The Giant Gila Monster
Prince of Space
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
Beginning of the End
And once I get copies of them again
Time of the Apes
and
Teenage Caveman
Screaming Skull. Sorry,I meant Screaming; Skull.
The Girl in Gold Boots
MST3K in general, but it is better when the movie itself is fun.
As for episodes:
Master Ninja II. (Crow’s Crypt Keeper routine alone makes it fun.)
I Accuse My Parents.
Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell.
Puma Man.
Riding With Death.
For me its EEGAH ( Watch out for snakes! Weee!)Santa Claus conquers the martians ( Droppo the most beloved martian ever!) and Space Mutiney ( Big McLarge Huge , railing kills, and the sexiest grandma in a cheap outer space/basement movie! :grin:
Generally we watch all of the eps in order, wash, rinse and repeat. But the one that picks me up most is Track of the Moon Beast. It might give more about me away than I wish, but I have four copies of this in un-Mstied versions (collections). Between the goofy plot, “Moonrocks, oh! wow!” and California Lady, it always makes my day. And then, SOL’s Legends of Rock” is right up there with Tom’s Canada Song as one of the best skits ever. I also like Teenage Strangler for the song:
Yipes stripes, another crappy movie,
Yipes stripes, this is gonna suck.
Yipes stripes, I’m feeling kinda woozy,
Why do I have all the bad luck.
My favorite DVD/video tape is MST3K Shorts Vol. One. The Home Economics Story, Why Study Industrial Arts? and The Chicken of Tomorrow are real pick me ups. The short films are so bizarre anyway, the SOL crew make them special. For a full episode, it’s a tough choice. Prince of Space, The Dead Talk and The Creeping Terror are three of my all time favorites. The Sinister Urge, Beginning of the End, and the Projected Man are good too. I try avoid the “dark” episodes like “Sidehackers”, “Manos”, “The Rebel Set” etc. usually, but especially if I’m really feeling depressed. I’m not a big fan of movies were everyone dies in the end, even with the MST3K treatment. I must say MST3k has helped me through some very dark times.
Only one person can turn it all around and that is Ben Murphy!!!! Melll-oow-out!!!!
Okay, I have to add “Track of the Moonbeast” to my list. J.C. Penney Hookerwear!, gets me everytime. (My mom, whose is not a hooker by the way, buys most of her clothes at J.C. Penney.)
Also I would agree with the guy up there who said Track of the Moon Beast. California Lady gets stuck in my head for days on end!
I keep thinking of other favorites so I will limit myself to one last episode. Boggy Creek 2 and the Legend Continues… “Oh No, that thing we’re looking for is coming! Oh No!”
POD PEOPLE if I want to watch a whole ep. “Well, come along… breakfast is getting cold, and she’s not getting any warmer.”
TIME OF THE APES for just short bursts. “Johnny, don’t go.” “I don’t care!”
This is a tough one, considering I’ve been leaning on MST alot lately as I struggle to find a job during the day and have been turned away alittle too much lately. It (along with my wife’s strong love, support and encouragement) have helped kept my spirits from sinking completely!
So with that said, the most viewed episodes in times of frustration and self-doubt are Teenage Strangler, Time Chasers, and Girl in Gold Boots. Most MST helps, though.
I noticed I Accuse My Parents is getting a lot of love, and I agree.
Time of The Apes
Hellcats
Final Sacrifice
and the winner!
The Beatniks! (…leather coat…) (shut up Iris!)
I would say that any of the “50’s Teen” movies, like Girls Town, I Accuse My Parents, The Beatniks, Teenage Strangler, or even Untamed Youth and The Girl In Lovers Lane. They just have a really goofy quality that comes for being so mired in their style and slang.
Perhaps we should do a thread on episodes that are real downers – ones not to watch if you need cheering up. The Castle of Fu Manchu and Space Travelers spring instantly to mind….
#82 – Rowsdower42
I think “High School Big Shot” would be named a lot in a thread like that.
Definitely either “The Final Sacrifice” or “Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders”. Both are sure-fire laugh-getters for me.
Gotta agree with ‘Girls Town’. I have probably watched it more than any other episode.
# 82 – good idea for a thread! I can’t watch High School Big Shot’ unless I’m in the right mood – too depressing! Like the part where the guy has to split his 5 bucks so he and his Dad can both go on a date. *sob*
Ooh, I remembered another bummer of an episode: Girl in Lovers Lane. Funny until the girl is killed!
Oooo, that’s easy.
Prince of Space – the clucking gets me every time.
Deathstalker and the warriors from Hell – Just too darn funny all around.
Beast of Yucca Flats – although any Coleman Francis movie will do the trick.
My husband and I have a nerdy system so we don’t rewatch the same episodes. We draw 3 episode numbers out of a box and pick one. But, there are times when we need our old faithfuls. Here are our favorites:
Time Chasers
Space Mutiny
I Accuse My Parents
Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders
Master Ninja
We also pop in our Shorts volumes when we need a short happy fix. Our favorite shorts:
What To Do On a Date
Is This Love?
Once Upon a Honeymoon
Out of This World
Why Study Industrial Arts
Far and away….Master Ninja I and II. I have them on the same DVD and kind of consider it one long episode.
Mitchell would be second.
I’d also throw Santa Claus and Manos in there.
But, Master Ninja I and II win by a mile. The combination of Tim Van Patten’s speech impediment, Lee and Tim’s “chemistry,” and the hilariously, insultingly obvious difference between Lee and his stunt double (Lee is an elderly man with a gut who hobbles from scene to scene, his stunt double is a svelte Asian man roughly 30-40 years his junior and in phenomenal shape…..it’s cheering me up just writing about it.
My favorite episode of any television show…ever.
Dunno if this says anything about my state of mind…
but I normally watch 1 a day. It’s sort of an essential
nutrient in my life. Vitamin MST3K I suppose.
My Top 10 watched to induce “sillies”:
Time of The Apes
Daddy-O
Eegah
I Accuse My Parents
Outlaw (Of Gor)
Skydivers
Deathstalker & The Warriors From Hell
Riding With Death
Space Mutiny
Final Sacrifice
Favorite “silly” Shorts:
Mr. B Natural
Hired!
What To Do On A Date
Why Study Industrial Arts?
A Young Man’s Fancy
Sigh. MST3K. Can’t imagine our lives without it.
The Final Sacrifice always lifts my spirits; something about a pair of mismatched Canadians in the ultimate May-December Friendship. In fact, just hearing the name “Rowsdower” makes me smile.
Space Mutiny, Werewolf, Final Justice, Mitchell, Pod People, Godzilla VS Megalon, Puma Man, and Giant Spider Invasion are probably my top mood lifters.
And of course, the short that makes me love and appreciate life is A Case of Spring Fever.
I think there are two very large reasons we all love Girls Town so much.
I would have to say Cave Dwellers. When I’ve had a bad day nothing cheers me up more than that flashback sequence than tells every aspect of Ator’s last adventure, and nothing is more ridiculous than the Hang Glider.
“Gunslinger” and “The Hellcats” are my picks. never fail to pick up a crap day.
Choosing just one is like going to a bakery and being able to sample just one pastry. Still, my first reaction is “the Incredibly Strange Creatures Who…..” – Great riffing, a hypnotically bad (yet strangely watchable) movie, and “Get your tickets here!Get your tickets here!” – Priceless….
Wow what a great topic!
Once again I think it is important that, in my own preferences, I favor Joel over Mike. I think Mike is very funny but I first found the show with Joel as the host so I just tend to favor his experiments.
Without a doubt my absolute favorite pick me up is “I Accuse my Parents.” I think it is in the same vein as Girls Town, as described by SAMPO.
Other movies that I do enjoy are “Godzilla Vs. Megalon,” (I will admit that it drags in parts), “Cave Dwellers,” “Pod People,” “The Amazing Colossal Man,” “Master Ninja” and “Master Ninja II,” “Teenagers From Outer Space,” and “Tormented.”
To be fair to the Mike era, I do enjoy “The Beginning of the End,” “Girls Town,” “The Projected Man,” “Pumaman,” and “Gorgo.”
I just seem to favor Joels instinctively.
(As a tangent, I am currently in the mood to watch Moon Zero Two, it’s goofy as hell and has a strange, loose vibe to it. Of course I can’t quote anything from it though, so maybe it’s just the theme song.)
Also, my old college room mate just picked up Sun Ra’s “Space is the Place” for me on CD in Indianapolis. Yes! Give me Rocket Number Nine!
This is not the first time this has happened, but I was JUST ON THE VERGE of starting a thread that said, “I’m down in the dumps today. What episode will cheer me up?”
Because I was down in the dumps today. So I needed this kind of thread.
And you know, here it is.
I FORGOT CATALINA CAPER!!!
(That one trails off too though.)
Time Chasers hands down. That movie is actually pretty good, by MST standards.