Movie: (1957) An unethical doctor turns a short-tempered teen into a monster.
First shown: 4/19/97
Opening: Mike is to be removed as captain
Intro: While camping, Pearl lowers the SOL’s shields, and Tom meets a face-hugging alien
Host segment 1: Crow’s proximity detector malfunctions
Host segment 2: Servo goes after the alien
Host segment 3: It’s alien egg omelets for everyone, but Crow is a critic
End: The alien is draining the SOL’s energy and Mike is forced to become really repulsive. And at camp, Pearl tells some scary stories
Stinger: “People bug me, too!”
(216 votes, average: 4.35 out of 5)
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• Get Mary Jo’s take on this episode here.
• References.
• This episode has not been released on DVD.
• This one is just irresistible. The riffing is great, the movie is an iconic bad movie with a great bad movie cast, the segments are some of the best “parodying the classic sci-fi conventions” stuff they did and the ending is a classic.
• This episode debuted just as the movie “Volcano” was gearing up to hit movie theaters, and after the opening segment, Sci-Fi ran a short bumper with the “Volcano” logo super-imposed over the door sequence. Which means somebody actually thought this movie would appeal to MST3K viewers specifically…
• Not-so-much-annoying-as-amusing commercial: A Radio Shack ad that takes credit for helping people “understand cellular phones.” What was to understand?
• In this, the first full episode with the new evil trio, Pearl clearly prefers Observer to Bobo. It’s a dynamic that doesn’t last very long.
• Tom is still wearing the alien facehugger when he comes into the theater for the first movie segment.
• During segment 1, Crow accidentally bumps the “Mousetrap” game Mike and Tom were playing and sets some of it in motion. Kevin and Mike just roll with it, so to speak.
• Movie observation: That song is weird. What is with the tempo of the lyrics??
• In segment 2 we get another recall of the “Tom did some stuff while on his own in the universe…” backstory, but I think maybe this is one of the last.
• Daleism: [As Michael Landon looks at his hand] Mike: “I thought I was Dale!”
• Then-current reference: The first of several episodes to make reference to Richard Jewel. Now largely forgotten.
• This is the third straight movie featuring psychological regression!
• That’s Beez in a now-rare appearance as Magic Voice.
• Most of the time, when an actor or actress from a popular TV show appears in a movie, they purposely limit themselves to only one or two jokes about it. They did that here with Guy Williams of “Lost in Space” present: they limited themselves to “You’re worse than Dr. Smith!”
• Malcom Atterbury plays almost the EXACT same suicidal dad character he played in “High School Big Shot”!
• Tom enters the theater from the left after segment 2.
• In the ending segment, Tom uses the phrase “sour its milk,” a direct reference to a Star Trek: TNG plot line.
• Once again in a moment of extreme stress, Mike’s preternatural ability to transform himself comes in handy. I gotta say I did NOT see the Adam Duritz slam coming. I consider myself a Counting Crows fan, but Mike was hilarious. Does anybody know if Adam ever commented on it?
• The camping planet story arc — such as it is — begins with this episode, and the stingers thankfully returned.
• Cast and crew roundup: I will not go through the Arkoff/Nicholson litany again. Director Gene Fowler Jr. also worked on “The Rebel Set.” Assistant director/production manager Jack R. Berne also worked on “The Amazing Colossal Man.” Costume guy Oscar Rodriguez also worked on “The Magic Sword” and “Phantom Planet.” Set designer Morris Hoffman also worked on “War of the Colossal Beast.” Score composer Paul Dunlap also worked on “The Rebel Set” and “Lost Continent.”
In front of the camera, Yvonne Lime also appeared in “Untamed Youth.” Whit Bissell also appeared in “Lost Continent. Malcolm Atterbury also appeared in “High School Big Shot.”
• CreditsWatch: Jim gets a producer credit only. Kevin gets a director credit and is also listed as associate producer. Interns Elliot Cobb and Mytch Parks finish up their final stints as interns.
• Fave line: “Um, mistakes were made?” Honorable mention: “Boy, does he ever!” “Sir, I gotta get back and transfer Oswald.”
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“Tova Borgnine, you’ve done it again!”
trickymutha says: A catholic werewolf?
Could a werewolf possibly be anything else? Except perhaps for Greek or Russian Orthodox. The idea of a Universalist Unitarian werewolf is too ludicrous to contemplate.
This episode doesn’t do much for me, either. The movie doesn’t give them much to work with, because frankly, it’s not bad enough.
And I thought the host segments on the camping planet were some of the weakest ones of season 8.
I like the episode, of course, because any episode of MST3K is better than 90% of anything else on television, but, all in all, “meh”.
Two stars.
During the search for Tony: “Look, ‘For Sale by Hobbit. See Samwise Gamgee.'” Classic.
And a running joke meets its climax: “Oh no! Mike’s become the most repulsive thing in the universe: Adam Duritz of Counting Crows!”
One of the great all-time episodes.
Not really one of my faves, but very witty writing throughout this episode … the movie is once again boring, but the host segments and riffing are top-notch.
I love how Crow is all excited about using his credit card to buy the ‘proximity detector’ and forgets what the point of the conversation is
“All for 10 monthly payments of $19.99, I put it on my Discover card, I didn’t know Daymark took Discover! Lillian-Vernon doesn’t, Fingerhut – no way, so uh, the gal said to put it on my Discover …… yeah …. uh you were saying?” I can’t explain why this is so funny, it’s all in the delivery, which is just perfect.
Uhg, the “eenie meenie miney moe” song the bongo-playing fake beatnik kid sings is horrible! ouch!
Crow “it’s the wet deformed elf competition”
Tom” It’s thirsty thursday here at the doctor’s office”
Victim in woods calls out into the darkness “Hello? Who’s There?”
Tom, Crow & Mike “Judge Crater … D.B. Cooper .. Madalyn Murray O’Hair”
Sheriff “Animals are afraid of fire, maybe Werewolves are too”
Crow -“Animals are also afraid of vacuum cleaners sir, should we bring a bunch of those?”
#44 “Turns out he had to sing and dance without music, and when the music was dubbed in later, it was out of sync and the producers never fixed it.” Thanks for the info. I’ll cut Mr. Kenny Miller a bit of slack from now on.
#44: Finnias Jones – Thanks for the link to that article. Interesting to hear about the film from the poor musician’s perspective. Sounds like he’s a lot more talented than the film indicates, but was massively held back by ridiculous regulations and technicalities. I mean seriously, he wasn’t allowed to actually touch the bongos because of the bongos-player’s union!!
This is one of my alltime favorite MSTs and one of the best of season 8. I never tire of the milk-tossing jokes and crow’s add-on when they show the title, “…until that summer of passion when I became a man”, cracks me up every time.
Gypsy: “I can’t be captain – I have to run the ship.”
Mike: “Well, that makes sense.” :mrgreen:
That was the funniest exchange in the whole thing for me.
This one is pretty boring overall. Didn’t like the host segments (except that part I just wrote up top). The riffs were so-so, the movie was okay but dull.
Not great.
Definately a creme de la creme episode for me. The host segment when Tom gets ummm “stuck” and starts crying cracks me up every time. A great bad movie and great riffing!
“He’s Johnny Depp-ing!!!”
I have no idea why, but the reoccurring milk-bashing theme always killed me in this episode. Go fig.
I agree with RM @ 21 relative to the quality of the movie itself. For its time, the make up was great, especially the drool! It may have been a break through moment in film making (a very minor one!) but I remember kids all talking about how cool the woof drool was. Landon had a few good acting moments also. I remember those milk bottles were incredibly sturdy so if he threw one at a store clerk he could have charged him with attempted murder.
Drab dad, depressed dad, widowed dad, HS Big Shot dad?!, “Jive talk’, HS teens on Medicare, lumpy cops, launching lactose, spastic gymnastic, spousal abuse (boo!), wooly booly, hypno-science (yet again), Whit Bissel, Janitor from old country/accent from no country, woof drool all add up to a 4.5 for me.
I mean seriously, he wasn’t allowed to actually touch the bongos because of the bongos-player’s union!!
Well, the American Federation of Musicians anyway. For a couple of decades it was run by a tyrant named James Petrillo, who (among other things) successfully led a strike against record producers that stalled the recording industry for something like two years before a settlement was reached. Jack Benny and Phil Harris got a lot of mileage out of jokes at Petrillo’s expense. I can easily imagine that AIP was bound by some kind of harsh contractual obligation with Petrillo’s union.
#24: For an explanation of the Daleism items, see this entry: https://www.mst3kinfo.com/?p=3693
I’m in agreement with Sampo, wonderfully bad movie with a great cast. My favorite line has to be when Michael Landon is holding a milk bottle in the kitchen, and as the dramatic music swells Servo says “Here’s the wind-up”…and when Landon launches the bottle against the wall..”and there’s the pitch”. Talk about telegraphing! :roll:
4 out of five stars as we now enter the period in Season Eight which I consider among the very best ever done in the show’s history.
I think this is the first one I ever saw-so it seems amazing that I had a Crow “bite me” T-shirt within 6 weeks of the airdate 4-19-97. I guess I just got pulled in very quickly.
People bug me too.
“Does just walking through it make you want to kill yourself? Well then it’s a high school!”
Got to be my favorite high school riff.
A solid ep that has plenty of dark riffs because of Dad and milk and troubled teen. I like the darker riffed eps.
But, as has been noticed by several already, maybe this film is just a little too competent in its incompetency, or whatever, to make an all out inspired assault by the Brains possible.
I am not as enamored of Alien parody as some here.
I was a teenage Frankenstein gets mentioned a lot but don’t forget How to Make a Monster which brought both AIP monsters together.
Season 8 really gets cooking at this point with only one misstep toward the end.
B+
I remember not being overly thrilled about this episode, but after watching it twice recently, I actually enjoyed it alot! The riffs were very good, the host segments had a theme-based plot to them (ending in one of my fave Mike moments, ripping into Adam Duritz). Not a classic episode, but it was a further indication that they were getting their timing back, and Bill in particular was finding his comedic comfort zone.
Still, next week’s experiment will be a breath of fresh air! Color finally makes a comeback within the SOL’s movie theater!
>>>I mean seriously, he wasn’t allowed to actually touch the bongos because of the bongo-player’s union!
Also mentioned in the “Dead Talk Back” riffing…
A great fun episode….Season 8 is some of the best ever done on the show.
Let me get this straight. Gypsy couldn’t take over because she was too busy running the ship?!?!?!
During much of this episode on the camping planet Pearl’s skin looks as white as Observer’s.
The Rambo Tom host segment is a strange one. On the surface it seems like a dictionary definition long walk for a brief joke sketches. Yet I do enjoy it. Maybe it was the meta element to it as Crow and Mike are betting on the obvious punch line.
Nice Jungle Goddess French fried potatoes call back.
Okay Mike’s Adam Duritz is disturbing. But personally I found his Urkel much more repulsive.
I have to say if I wasn’t told Michael Landon was in this movie I would not have recognized him. Then again I’m not a really a fan.
Favorite Riffs
Michael Landon throws a fistful of dirt during the opening fight. Mike “He fights dirty.”
Crow “Remember what your mother said about what I said.”
The wolf kills the gymnast. Crow “um, mistakes were made.”
A posse forms up to hunt Landon. Tom “Ed, this is Jed, Ned, Cleatus, Scooter, Cooter, Jim Bob, Joe Bob, Clem, Clay and Bocephus.”
The posse hunts in absolute silence. Tom “You know the Bernard/Norman score really heightens the tension doesn’t it?” Mike “Oh man.”
Since I made those statements in #8, I’ve reluctantly succumbed and gotten a basic cell phone. I still refuse to get a smartphone, as I don’t like the idea of an appliance being smarter than me.
@ #23: Perhaps Lovejoy doesn’t count as a popular TV show.
Playing the part of Arlene, was Yvonne Lime, born Yvonne Glee Lime on April 7, 1935 in Glendale, California. She was the daughter of a music teacher who encouraged her to study acting. After attending the Pasadena Playhouse and acting in its production of “Ah, Wilderness!,” Lime attracted the notice of an agent who landed her a recurring part on TV’s “Father Knows Best” (1954). The blonde actress appeared in many television shows and movies of the era, including Elvis Presley’s Loving You (1957) and AIP’s I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) (co-starring as title character Michael Landon’s girlfriend). She later married TV producer Don Fedderson (“The Millionaire” (1955), “My Three Sons” (1960), “Family Affair” (1966)) and retired from acting. According to Lime, one of the most important (and rewarding) parts of her life is her charity work: beginning in the 1950s, while entertaining U.S. troops in Japan, she and her actress-friend Sara O’Meara became concerned with the plight of orphans and took the first steps toward founding International Orphans Inc., an organization that built and maintained four orphanages in Japan, as well as five orphanages, a hospital and a school in Vietnam. Lime and O’Meara later redirected their efforts toward abused and neglected children in the U.S. and changed their organization’s name to Childhelp USA.
Favorite Lines:
[school yard fight] And the thirty-five year old High School students look on…he shouldn’t be fighting his own Dad.
[Arlene/Yvonne Lime] Edgar Winter’s little sister…and she likes him because?
John Carradine has major booty compared to Michael Landon.
[Mr. Logan/John Launer] Dad played by H.L. Menkin…Jabba the husband.
Bruno Hauptman and Julie Nixon cut up on the dance floor.
[clown girl] She makes Sandy Duncan look like Bette Davis.
[Dr.’s assistant Hugo/Joseph Mell] Eric Von Stroheim, nurse’s aide…I directed “Greed” now this.
[Tony/Michael Landon under hypnosis] He studied mumbling with David Duchovny.
[Frank/Michael Rougas] So this guy’s shortcut home is through the Carpathian Mountains…I’m probably pretty tasty and well marbled. Ralph Fiennes is Li’l Abner…I was a teenage werewolf snack. Prelude to the disemboweling of a teenager. The medical definition of this is spaz attack.
[old Pepe the janitor in overalls] Boy, Dennis the Menace’s later years didn’t go too well.
“The savage beast somehow gets inside and controls you.” Rush Limbaugh.
Rosa Kleb, Gym Coach.
J. Edgar Hoover, grief counselor.
He looks like Paddington [bear] on a bender…Ted Danson.
Get in your pet taxi.
Remember, only get injections and past life regressions by a licensed Mad Psychiatrist.
Final Thought: Was that James Best getting slapped on the couch? I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.
MSTIES have a tradition of watching SSCTM and Santa Claus around Christmas, I watch this one, along with Werewolf on Halloween.
Good episode, but I was surprised that, when Michael talks to the cop at the beginning, nobody asked what happened to the cop’s third eye.
As much as I can’t stand duritz’ voice, that setup was probly the lamest joke I’ve seen on MST (to me).
This is a classic episode. A famous movie that is also pretty goofy. Running gags (dairy products) and the glorious return of Depressing Dad. A few lame HS, and a few great ones; first and the last being the best. “Fish in a barrel…”
Best scene is Tony’s first visit to the doctor’s office:
“It’s Thirsty Thursdays at the Drs office …
Well, that’s the needle and the damage is done, now make an appoint with the receptionist for your next visit …
(‘only a mild sedative’) It’s called MegaWolf 2000.”
@ #77- I think of that Twilight Zone EVERY time I watch this Episode. People bug me too. Also, that TW had MST alum creepy Jessie- Jack Elam, speaking of EYES.
The “werewolf in jeans and a letterman jacket” image seems to have started with this flick. It appears in the movie that Michael Jackson and his date go to see in “Thriller.”
i wanna end up in a booby patch.
I’d probably be so excited, that I’d beef.
I wonder if they should have made a riff about how Michael Landon, as a werewolf, was almost as hairy as Victor French?
This was an unusual take on the werewolf mythology. Rather than be bit by another werewolf, some sort of drug is used to unleash the rage within the title character and that turned him into a werewolf. I don’t how that works, seems more like a precursor to the Incredible Hulk TV series. Shouldn’t this movie really be “I Was a Teenage Man-beast” or something?
This is a classic episode, fun movie with great riffing and great host segments. The omelette one is my favorite with Crow’s constant babbling – when he begins reading the “history of Eggapalooza” with Grandma Smearker I lose it every time.
Best riff: “We are not getting rid of Goosebumps in the library!”
Also: “I’m being attacked by a Berenstein bear!”
I could come up with lots more. There’s too much to choose from. A+ episode, fantasic way to finish the season 8 black and white stinkers. Pity Susan Hart owns the rights, I’d love this on DVD.
I must say I disagree with the stinger, though. I would’ve picked WereTony tripping in the gym. “I was a teenage dork-wolf.”
Silliness aside, I think this is a pretty good movie. In fact, I’d say it’s one of the two or three best movies ever done on MST (take that low bar for what it is). Landon’s performance is solid, his anxieties and frustrations are well-defined, and the whole thing plays like Rebel Without a Cause Plus Lycanthropy.
I vaguely remembered that episode, too, and it turns out you’re right. From IMDB:
I saw a rerun of that episode of Highway to Heaven some months ago. I had no idea it existed but it sure was fun, in a self-referential sort of way.
This is the first show I ever saw on SCI-FI channel. We didn’t get it on our cable system at the time and I was lost without my MST. Then we went to R.I. for a weekend with friends and when I saw the SCI-FI channel on the hotel cable I couldn’t wait for Saturday night. That night my wife and friends went out for dinner and drinks, and I stayed in the room with beers Smartfood and room service. So this is a real special show for me and I think I only saw it one more time after that. We had the SCI-FI channel after that and I did tape it but it’s one of those I lent out and never got back or is packed away in some box I have yet to find with a lot MST stuff from that SCI-FI era. That’s why I love the SHOUT sets because some of the movies I have are okay but the sound is muddy or got packed away and I have never found them. I do hope to see this on a set someday because it’ll remind me of that time 16 years ago.
Great episode with familiar character actors making it watchable. I’m a little surprised that Whit Bissell only appeared in two MSTed movies. I like the host segments, “Captain James T. Jerk” always gets me.
Fave riff: “Sock-hop of the damned.”
when clowns mate
A while ago there was a Weekend Discussion Thread about the “moment you knew the show was going to be okay after it moved over to Sci-Fi Channel” (or whatever) and I can’t remember if I commented or not, but this episode is where I knew that the show was going to be fine. To be fair, I liked some of the earlier eps, like Revenge of the Creature, The Mole People, and Deadly Mantis, but after the deadly dull stretch of #805-808, I was getting worried that the show might not be able to reclaim its greatness.
I consider I Was a Teenage Werewolf to be the start of what would become a stellar back-half to Season 8 and the Sci-Fi years as a whole. (The true start of the great Season 8 period is next week’s Giant Spider Invasion, but I like to think of IWATW as being a “soft start”).
The riffing is solid, the movie is watchable, and the Mads are used sparingly and effectively. Both the opening and closing bits with them on the camping planet are well done and Brain Guy getting scared by Pearl’s story is great stuff. The Host Segments are pretty good too, except for HS#2 which is one of those “go-nowhere” type of skits (although Servo with all those guns is kinda neat). I love that HS#1 features Moustrap! I used to love that game as a kid! HS#3 is silly. I like it.
As for the movie itself, I Was a Teenage Werewolf isn’t that bad of a movie, some of the “teen” actors aren’t that great and the scenes with the mad doctor are pretty hammy, but Michael Landon is fairly solid as our tortured hero and he’s interesting enough to watch while you’re waiting for the wolf-action to start.. I like depressing dad and the “people bug me too” cop as well. The makeup isn’t half bad either, as far as werewolf makeups go. The transformation is a bit wonky, sure, but the “wolfman in a letterman’s jacket” look is iconic.
Mike’s turn as Adam Duritz during the ending is great. I liked Counting Crows when that first album came out (and I still remember all the words to Round Here and Mr. Jones, which is kind of sad), but was turning against them by the time I saw this episode back in 1997. Mike’s impression, to be fair, is kind of terrible, but it gets the job done.
RIFFS:
Servo: “I’m getting satin-vertigo.”
Crow: “And she likes him because…….?”
Crow: “Jabba the husband.”
Mike: “You can smell reefer, Tide, and mildew down there.”
Crow: “Mike, I’m going to ask you to kill me now.”
Servo: “We’re now entering a genital free zone.”
Mike: “The Carnival of Souls boyfriend.”
Mike: “Sock-hop of the damned.”
Crow: “Eenie Meenie Miney, WHOA!”
Mike: “Man, I’m sooo baked..”
Crow: “I was a teenage dork-wolf.”
Crow: “TED DANSON!”
Crow: “Everybody’s barking at me, I can’t hear a command they’re saying…”
Mike: “Oh jeez, I forgot I’m wearing clothes and I’m piddling.”
–
Hypnotism and past life regression sure were popular in the 50s….. weird.
This is a solid episode,
with more to come.
I like it.
I give it a 4 out of 5 glasses of thrown milk.
This is one of those episodes I watch over and over and over regardless of that lame Donny Most wannabe. The movie and segments jokes are radically hilariously awesome! And Guy Williams, HEART!!
I am a huge, huge HUGE Warren Zevon fan, so this episode has a very special place in my heart for all the “Werewolves of London” riffs. My favorite is “A little old lady got mutilated late last night, you kids know anything about it?”
Zevon’s gone now; died in 2003 from lung cancer. “Excitable Boy,” if you’ve never listened to it (or only know “Werewolves of London”) is an incredible album that I recommend to everyone.
This was one of my favorite episodes of the Sci-Fi era. Good film, good riffing, good host segments. However, for some reason they never showed it much after this airing. Did they loose the rights that fast?
Fave Riff: Just after the first father/son meeting in the kitchen;
“And that’s all the fore-shadowing we can afford.”
It is amazing how often that line is repeated when my family watches movies even to today. It is almost as funny as “Plot point! Plot Point! Plot Point!”
Dad Noir’s scene is an interesting juxtamaposition against his role in HS big Shot, where he plays the same character (no wife, crappy job, full of despair, advice is full of despair as well). BUT this time, instead of sharing a can of beans, they eat well. Which leads to a favorite riff: “Seasoned pork chops? I wanted lime-grilled brook trout!
I missed this one. They actually did a Volcano promo on this. They released that movie and Dante’s Peak within a year of each other. Both were pretty stupid, but atleast Dante’s Peak had some cool effects and stuff going on. A couple kids from my High School were extras in the crowd scene, too. It was made in the neighboring state. Didn’t see either one in a theater. Lucky me.
Watch-out-for-Snakes I salute your thorough and consistent comments that border on being all out reviews. I like to put my 2 cents in, but you seem to writing your own Amazing Colossal Guide. Thanks (said in the voice of Mary Joe Pehl).
Before the lycanthropy kicks into high gear the movie seems determined to convince us that soul destroying conformity and mindless rage are the only ways a person can respond to life. If it weren’t for the main character’s psychiatrist using hypnotherapy to turn him into a wolfman, this movie could have turned into another High School Big Shot. They even had the dad. For once we can be glad for Hollywood’s tenuous grasp of science rearing it’s ill defined head.
@ #82: Mad Monster also featured a werewolf created through Mad Science rather than an infected bite. Though I’ll point out again that the bite infection concept is a Hollywood invention with no basis in real world werewolf lore. There are a variety of ways you could become a werewolf (many of which don’t involve the lunar cycle). Some of them seem pretty easy to avoid, like drinking water from a wolf’s paw print (The hell?!?!?).
Too many good riffs to count in this outing. I would like to see a mash-up between this and “Teenagers from Outer Space” — “Teenage Werewolves from Outer Space” ??
I also doubt Shout Factory will ever get the rights to this one, so I say thank goodness for CheesyFlix.
I love this episode, pretty funny. The first time I watched I didn’t know who Alan Duritz was, so I assunmed he was a member of Motley Cyre, for some reason. The only question I have is a simple one: what the Hell was this mad scientist trying to accomplish? At least Carlo Lombardi used turned the gal into a monster to removed people that bothered him. His evil plot was as farfetched as the Yuri guy from Werewolf.
@98- You say that now. Watch it be on Vol. XXX!