Movie: (1983) A nameless hero and his talking motorcycle fight an evil dictator in a post-apocalyptic world.
First shown: 7/24/93
Opening: Servo attempts a formal welcome but Crow rattles him
Invention exchange: The Mads demonstrate the Square Master, J&tB show Bittersweet Hearts
Host segment 1: Joel retrofits the bots to be slot cars, but Tom still needs some work
Host segment 2: J&tB put on a sketch: The warrior tries to get a driving permit
Host segment 3: J&tB discuss things you could do after the apocalypse
End: J&tB get a phone call from Megaweapon, Joel reads a letter, the Mads enjoy an active lifestyle
Stinger: The Paper Chase Guy checkin’ out Persis
(229 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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• This episode has its moments, I’ll give you that. The movie is all over the place, from the whiny, chipmunk-cheeked hero and his air-headed onboard computer, to the squeaky spiders, to guerrilla leader Jimmy Carter/Ronnie Cox, to hapless Persis Khambata, to perhaps Donald Pleasance’s creepiest performance (and that’s saying something), to the “Road Warrior” rejects, to the raw star power that IS Megaweapon. The riffing is solid for the most part, and the host segments are decent. It doesn’t quite add up to a classic for me, but, yes, it has its moments.
• This episode is in included in Shout!Factory’s “Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol. XVI.”
• The stretch between the end of season 4 and the beginning of season 5 was 168 days, the sixth-longest amount of time MSTies had to wait between episodes.
• That said, longtime fans will recall that, although this is episode 501, it is NOT the first episode shown in season 5. That honor went to episode 502- Hercules, which aired a week before this one. Why? They’ve never said, I don’t think, but my guess is that the Comedy Central suits decided the Hercules movie was a more marketable opener. In any case, as we’ve done in the past, we go by episode number.
• I wonder who Dickie Schnable is.
• Joel’s bittersweet hearts invention has since come true. You can now buy little chalky hearts that say all sorts of weird things.
• Joel makes what I always thought was an astute observation: that the afterlife would be a little like Ellis Island. I’d never thought about it like that…
• Callback: “Ator? Tong?” (Cave Dwellers) “Old Time bus driver Billy Slater…” (Junior Rodeo Daredevils) Crow mentions “Hangar 18” “He hit Big Jake” (Sidehackers). “I Accuse My Parents.”
• How are they controlling the robots during the slot car host segment? Are puppeteers crouching under the track?
• Everyone loves that bit during the movie when Joel and Tom Servo get into a little dual-riff that is, I guess, a parody of Robitussin commercial–one I don’t remember ever seeing. Maybe that’s why I don’t find it as hilarious as everybody else seems to…
• It’s nice to see Tom Servo forthrightly admit that they never bothered to write an ending to bit in segment 2–having movie sign happen is a little like when Monty Python “drops the cow.”
• I believe this episode contains the very first reference to then newly elected President Bill Clinton.
• Do you think that the odd, pointless little comments of the onboard computer were the inspiration for the bittersweet hearts invention?
• Persis Khambatta’s character gets called Natasha and Nastasia, depending on who is addressing or referring to her.
• Then-topical: The “woo-woo-woo” thing audiences of the Arsenio Hall Show did.
• Probably my favorite moment of the episode is toward the end when the camera does that long pan of all the revolutionaries celebrating and Tom Servo has a celebrity name for every single one. Amazing and hilarious.
• That’s Mike, it hardly needs saying, providing the voice of Megaweapon. The raport all the actors have with one another at this point in the show is really remarkable.
• Cast & Crew roundup: Cinematographer Giancarlo Ferrando also worked on “Devil Fish.” Make up person Otello Fava also worked on “Danger: Diabolik” and production designer Massimo Antonello Geleng also worked on “Devil Fish.” In front of the camera, we’ll see Donald Pleasance again in “The Pumaman.”
• CreditsWatch: The writers list is now: Trace Beaulieu, Paul Chaplin, Frank Conniff, Joel Hodgson, Bridget Jones, Kevin Murphy and Mary Jo Pehl (Michael J. Nelson is still head writer). Contributing writers: Colleen Henjum, Jim Mallon. Host segments directed by: Trace Beaulieu. New credit–Utility Infielder: Patrick Brantseg (which I think means Patrick started getting paid for what he was already doing). Hair and make-up: Andrea J. DuCane (she will do it for all but five episodes this season). New interns: Stephanie Hynes, Peter Keffer, Michael J. Sheehan and E. Jane Shortt.
• Fave riff: “Heeeeyyeee, it’s the crazy Guggenheim museum!” Honorable mention: “They love it when he signals a left turn!”
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Seriously, are there any good post-apocalyptic movies? Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is the only true post-apocalyptic film I can think of that has any merit.
Someone says “I accuse my parents,” a preview of things to come in episode 507?
Favorite Riff
Tom’s rollcall of all the celebrities in the stadium.
Do you have any fruit to declare?
There’s only one Wizard of Oz reference in this episode, and it’s a little obscure. Our “hero” tosses the dwarf during the brawl scene, and as the dwarf picks himself up, Tom asks, “Don’t you have to get to the end of the rainbow set?”
Is it just me or are the jokes in this one especially political? I mean, they generally stray away from a bunch of references to political figures and I remember that this one was particularly rich with them.
I guess this is a “Love it/Sort of Love it” episode, because this is totally one of my favorites too. The fifth season is one of my favorites straight through and I think this one sets an awesome tone for the following episodes.
Also, the Mads invention always makes me giggle.
It’s not the apocalypse so much, it’s the humidity.
I had pretty much completely wiped this one from my memory banks and when I watched it yesterday was pleasantly surprised. I really loved the Jimmy Carter lines, particularly “have some malaise, suckers” and the reference to Hamilton Jordan. Also, the “Do you have any fruit to declare!” lines have a special place in my heart given the amount of traveling I do. With the Jimmy Carter guy and the helicopter escape, I kept expecting a reference to the failed attempt to get free the hostages in Iran, but maybe that would have been in poor taste.
…and I will lie awake at night wondering what the deal is with the black gestapo guy.
The other thing that really stuck out from this episode for me was the lame gang fight–this really reminds of a (fittingly) mediocre late 80s early 90s video game called “Pit Fighter.” To my memory the video game’s martial artist and female fighter are VERY similar to the movie characters. Anyone else remember this game? I may need to look it up to see other characters.
Sampo: “I never met a Talking Heads song I didn’t like. LOOK AT THESE HANDS!”
I wonder how many viewers recognized that riff (I forget which episode it was in) as a TH reference. I also wonder if anyone else caught the quotes from The Clash’s “Ghetto Defendant” among the puns about Lakopolous in Catalina Caper, or that Prefab Sprout reference in one of the Gamera or Godzilla movies.
Sampo, You have Ator and Tong as a callback to Cave People, but it should be Cave Dwellers. Otherwise, awesome! :)
I find Donald Pleasance’s character in this eerily similar to his character in Puma Man. I mean, the characters themselves are similar, but even his line-reads are similar. But for his drab wardrobe in this movie, I might believe that they had spliced in unused Puma Man footage.
My favorite riff is when the computer screen on the motorcycle reads “BEEP” and Servo (I believe) says, “Oh, the motorcycle is closed captioned for the hearing impaired!” because that is exactly what I was thinking.
Oh, and I definitely think the motorcycle read-outs inspired the bittersweet hearts invention exchange.
It’s a bit jarring that Hercules was shown first. The opening to Warrior of the Lost World actually felt more like a proper season premiere what with Tom trying a “formal” introduction to the episode.
For my part, I think this IS a classic episode, one of the best “Joel” episodes. The Square Master bit at the beginning is so perfectly in synch with the soloflex commercials of the day, Trace’s narration of the “commercial” is perfect…Now, you’re really working out.
And the riffing is rock solid and rarely is an actor treated with as much disdain as the Paper Chase Guy, or High Plains Loser as Joel calls him during the opening scene. But beyond everything else, it features the chilling, provocative performance of Mega-Weapon whose biography should be available on Amazon any day now. I hope they release this one on DVD!
Are Best Brains getting a cut of this action?
http://despair.com/bittersweets.html
And if not, why not?
President Jimmy:”Eat Malaise, Sucker!” :grin:
I think I got the best laugh out of the “OM NOM NOM NOM” sounds they make when the camera cuts to the fat woman eating the chicken :D
Also, white ninjas but not ONE Hi-keeba!?
And on that note, what the hell was up with the black Nazi?
Pretty much concur with Sampo’s take on this episode. It has its moments and the riffing is solid throughout but this isn’t a classic episode. Love the scenes where Joel and the ‘Bots riff on the Paper Chase guy during his motorcycle scenes. (“Any fruit to declare?”).
To me, the real stand-out STAR of this movie is the director of photography (whoever he was…). Despite the sea of inane drivel, and the embarassingly clownish 80’s wardrobe that many of these poor schmucks were forced to be seen in, it seems that there are quite a few moments during the movie that show there was, thankfully, ONE individual involved who was actually making an earnest attempt to do SOMETHING that was at least vaguely artistic. While the “Obsession” advertising comments hit the bullseye, much of the composition and creative camera angles contained in the film are the only thing that even come close to raising the…ahem….”artistic” level of the whole project up a notch or two.
My favorite bit was at the end, when Servo gave celebrity names to all of the characters. Genius! I wonder how long it took them to write this part of the script, and how many takes they had to do to get it right. That’s a lot of names to read off without flubbing.
Talk about synergy! At about 07:40, Crow says in reference to the synth-heavy score: “Music by Hawkwind! Or Genesis! Or Tangerine Dream! Or King Crimson! Or Uriah Heep, or Synergy, or Rick Wakeman, or Alan Parsons Project…”
By complete coincidence (Carl Jung would argue otherwise) I just downloaded the album Electronic Realizations For Rock Orchestra (1975) by Synergy (led by Larry Fast who worked with Peter Gabriel on his early solo albums) and am listening to it now. Someone in Best Brains knew their 70’s prog-rock cheese flavors very well. Earlier episode references to Robert Fripp, Wishbone Ash, and Eddie Offord (sound engineer for Yes, named in Santa Claus Conquers The Martians) bear this out. Someone on the writing staff hated Emerson, Lake & Palmer (besides Gypsy), but knew the burbly Moog coda of “Lucky Man” well enough to repeatedly reference it.
Yes, Donnie Pleasence is cooler than the marble-mouthed hero, with the annoying bike computer Einstein (that name is meant as a joke, right?) being 2nd. Persis alternates between hot and not: “She looks like Gandhi” But Megaweapon trumps all.
I just saw this for the first time and must say WOTLW was the first movie that made me flip off the screen. That damn repetitive computer, Einstein! It made me want to kill puppies. Pure evil comes in threes, in threes, in threes. ARGGGHH!
Randy
For some reason I cracked up when the computer screamed, “LEAVE IT TO ME, LEAVE IT TO ME”.
Love this episode and I’m so glad it is finally out on dvd.
This clip is pretty funny about the movie, especially when Einstein meets Megaweapon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7NDxr0_pSU
Tuuuubular….
I agree with Sampo, “crazy Googenheim museum” is the best riff.
In response to Finnias Jones – I’m pretty sure that their comment about Persis isn’t “She looks like Gandhi”, but rather “She looks like Dondi”. Dondi was a comic strip that ran in newspapers from the mid-50s through the mid-80s. The title character as a young boy who had dark hair and big eyes; Persis in “Warrior” looked a bit like him. I used to read the comic when I was a kid, and I made the same comparison in my mind shortly before Crow (I think) says it. Do a Google image search on “Dondi” and it should turn up the cartoon character.
First I have a question: Whoooooooo Arrrrrreeeee Youuuuuuuu?
Season 5 is tough to watch. The Joel portion of this season is on par with if not a tick below personal favorite season 4. In many ways it is a continuation of season 4. But it is just so bittersweet because starting with this episode it is the beginning of the end of Joel. (Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a Joelite. I like both Mike and Joel equally for different reasons.) So let Joel’s victory lap begin.
That is some great puppetry by Kevin during the opening. He really sells Tom reading from his notes then struggling as he “lost his place.” Who would have thought a robot with no eyes or facial expressions could still portray reading and struggling so well?
Speaking of beginning of the end, we have a pretty good invention exchange here. The Squaremaster is classic. Clayton really sells this one. In fact Trace could have legitimately delivered an exercise machine infomercial just they way he did the Squaremaster and it would have fit in fine. Now Frank of 2012 really needs to dust off his Squaremaster. He’s a bit bigger today than he was in 1993. Plenty was said about Joel’s Bittersweet hearts getting ripped off last time this episode was discussed four years ago. I’ll just say ditto. Crow sums it up well. These are “perfect for interventions, counseling sessions or awkward dating situations.”
The crawl is just beginning in the movie and I’m already driven mad by the soundtrack.
Some of the captions from the Omega vehicles and the Omega building interiors reminded me a lot of THX-1138
Missed Riff: When the cop car goes over the cliff someone should have yelled out “Tounces.”
I’m with Joel. I had a slot car track when I was a kid and had a lot of fun with it. But I grew up a racing fan so it was a natural fit for me.
I don’t mind that no ending was written to the driving permit host segment. But there is an awkward pause between the end of the sketch and the movie sign. If they’re going to do it this way then movie sign should be sounded as the last written line is being delivered.
My favorite thing about the apocalypse? I like Joel’s idea of walking around naked with a Terminator 2 big gulp. But I like Crow’s “I could see you doing that” remark. So well delivered.
The bonus interview with David Worth is fun. It is great to see the guy has a sense of humor about it.
Favorite Riffs:
Joel “You know it’s not so much the apocalypse, it’s the humidity.”
Crow “The motorcycle is closed captioned for the hearing impaired.”
Nastasia “you want survival?” Joel as Sally Struthers “sure we all do.”
Joel “Wednesday is Nazi night. Germans drink free.”
During the fight melee someone is slammed into an emblem on the side of a van. Tom “Right in the Ying Yang.”
Guy falls off a motorcycle: Joel “Ouch my finger.”
Tom as woman about to open fire in Omega Building “Boy I sure have a lot of paperwork to do today. I sure am glad I came in early so everybody here can DIE”
Persis Khambatta was born on October 2, 1948 in Bombay, India. At age 17, as Femina Miss India, she entered Miss Universe 1965, dressed in off-the-rack clothes she bought at the last minute. Khambatta became a model for companies such as Revlon. Her biggest acting break was getting the role of Lieutenant Ilia, the bald Deltan alien in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). This led to roles in Nighthawks (1981), Megaforce (1982), and Warrior of the Lost World (1983). She was considered for the title role in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983), but was passed over for Maud Adams. In the early 1980s, Khambatta had to have a heart bypass. On August 17, 1998, she was taken to the Marine Hospital in south Mumbai, complaining of chest pains. She died of a heart attack on 18 August 1998 at age 49, her funeral was held in Mumbai.
Favorite lines:
It’s not so much the apocalypse, it’s the humidity.
The motorcycle is closed captioned for the hearing impaired…humor impaired.
[a motorcycle explodes] Mr. Busey, lookout! Sorry.
Tova Borgnine, no. Grandma get dressed.
[the chief healer starts to float] A little light in the loafers.
[of Persis Khambatta] I liked you better bald. You didn’t get work after the Star Trek movie, did you?
Wednesday is Nazi night. Germans drink free.
You know, when you’re making a low budget Sci Fi movie you can film it almost anywhere…Land O’Lakes plant, deserted carpet warehouse…
Jimmy Carter…Missing in Action.
Jerry Mahoney, Knuclehead Smith, oh, the ventriloqy.
Jimmy Carter is the Enforcer…feel some malaise sucker.
[Paper Chase guy beats up Leopard Skin girl] Who does he think he is, Danny Bonaduce?
Jimmy Carter in Rat Patrol.
[Megaweapon crushed annoying motorcycle] Yes, Yeah! Make it last. Make it slow, Megaweapon. Our long national nightmare is over. Now do the Paper Chase Guy. I can’t tell you how richly satisfying this is.
You know, if you’re going to see the apocalypse, you should spend the money and take the helicopter tour, you see it all.
One false move and I’ll shave her head. I shaved mind and I’m just crazy enough to do it.
[Persis kissing the Paper Chase Guy] This is the scene where she really earned her paycheck…the whole 200 bucks.
She’s gonna cough up a furball…somebody get her a towel.
Final Thought: The “Golden State Freeway” sign was a nice touch, considering this was filmed in Italy. I give this one 3 out of 5 stars.
The password is: Circulatory. (DING!)
I’m not saying this movie is good–far from it. But I watched the first Mad Max film last summer; and, I have to say, I think Warrior of the Lost World is a better film. It has better pacing (at least in the edited MST3K version) and more action. Oh well, that’s my two cents.
I can’t believe I didn’t comment on this episode the last time it came up in the discussion rotation.
Anyway.
This is another one where I am fond of the music, especially the theme. I wish I could get that as an MP3.
Another thought about the movie – honestly, this is a concept wherein nothing fundamentally is wrong with it – it is simply undermined at every point by the actors, special effects, sets, camera work, and plotting (although I suspect the MST print is chopped for time, and I have never bothered to watch the unMSTed version). If you put quite a bit more money and talent into it, you’d have a TOTALLY AWESOME movie on your hands. It’s too bad post-apocalypse movies have gone out of vogue. They’re a lot of fun.
“Any fruit to declare?” cracks me up every single time. That, and the Jimmy Carter dialogue for Persis’ dad.
#77 – and while I echo your seemingly grudging admiration for Warrior, if we’re talking post-apocalypse movies, then really we must all bow in obeisance before Road Warrior (or Mad Max II, for you non-Americans). Mad Max is awright, but the real deal is still the sequel.
Reek #59: And the riffing is rock solid and rarely is an actor treated with as much disdain as the Paper Chase Guy, or High Plains Loser as Joel calls him during the opening scene.
An interesting riff to make, seeing as how Mr. Worth remarked in his interview on the Shout Factory DVD that his initial pitch was High Plains Drifter on a motorcycle.
Sanpo, you missed a callback. It occurs during the scene where Megaweapon crushes the annoying motorcycle. “He tampered in God’s domain.”
This is one of two movies that I saw before they were MSTed. I think I caught this one VHS rather than the theater. I didn’t recognize it until the annoying onboard computer start chirping. “Oh, it’s THAT movie.”
So the Brains always boo when a woman gets hit, even after she’s been slapping around a full-grown man? The “Ike and Tina” riff was pretty funny, though.
Loved the humidity riff as well.
Four Stars
Re: MST references in Rifftrax
In a recent VOD title (Frankenstein Island maybe?) & short (or maybe it was another VOD… can’t remember at the moment) they did Johnny Longbone’s stew ingredient speech from Track of the Moon Beast.
This was a great ep. The Jimmy Carter ‘Feel the malaise, sucka!’ line is still one of my favorite of all time.
Schippers #78> Road Warriors?!?!? What does Hawk and Animal have to do with it? :-))
Hmm, pretty decent episode. Love the opening, invention exchange, and the beginning of the movie – riffing is very strong – but it peters out half way through for me.
Much better episodes coming up soon. :-D
#54: …and I will lie awake at night wondering what the deal is with the black gestapo guy
FWIW, there’s another one in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel “Mother Night.” FWIW.
I love this episode. Any fruit to declare ? A favorite riff of mine.A good start to season 5. I know this aired in July of 1993 but I swear this was shot shortly after Manos. I was looking at Joels hair and it looked very similar to its style in Manos. For some reason I think the show shot a few more episodes for the following season at the end of the current season and took a short hiatus
I wonder if anyone would use a square master ! :)
Oh well
Joels Hair
Joels Knees
Crows Voice
Season 5 therapy – Megaweapon !! :)
My favourite Joel episode. Everything in it is funny. For me, it’s the Joel equivalent of Riding with Death.
As for Rifftrax referencing Mst3k, they have some call backs, when the Joker appears in the Dark Knight, Bill says: Krankor? In a Chrtistmas short there is some guy in a space outfit and Bill says: Santa, and his new helper: Prince of Space. In the live riffing of Plan 9 Kevin said Time to go to bed, in a Tor Johnson scene. In a short, I can’t recall which, Kevin imitates Coily. In Frankenstein Island there is a reference to Space Mutiny (Cameron Mitchell in a Santa costume). Call backs to Johnny Longbow appear in Mesa of Lost Women and the last short they did. In Battlefield Earth Mike makes a remark about the year 3000. In Batman and Robin they talk about the idea of sending people into space and force them to watch bad movies. That’s all the Mst3k references I can name now. A shame there wasn’t any in Lasser Mission, with Ernest Borgnine and the Australian captain of Space Mutiny as the Russo-Cuban-German villain.
Favourite riffs: Any fruit to declare, fell some malaise, suckers! Our long national nightmar is over, all the gummy mints have collitis, Achtung, mein baby! We are the good nazis!
It’s me, or you can switch Prossor with Kobras, and you wouldn’t notice the difference?
As far as sharpshooters, Annie Oakley and Wild Bill Hickock had
nothing on the Paper Chase Guy. He just had to point a gun vaguely
in the direction of a bad guy m(no need to aim). Best (or worst
was the arcade picking off of the three EVIL guards on top of the building.
While the bad guys shooting was lukicrously bad, it may have been
equaled by the bad guys in Space Mutiny.
Is it a requirement to be a bad guy henchman to have really bad
shooting ability?
3 stars for me, I just find the movie terribly dull and of course Einstein is annoying beyond words. Unfortunately I remember this type of movie was common to see in video stores at the dawn of the VHS rental age where stores didn’t have much selection and would get anything and people would rent anything just because it was cool to see a movie in your very own house! The high point was definitely Megaweapon running Einstein over. Except for the Bittersweet Hearts invention and Einstein, I can’t remember much about this dull movie at all. I do love the “He tampered in God’s domain” line, that gets me every time.
I like this movie. It’s not at the top list of favorites, but it’s a good one that I’ll take off the shelf to watch, just because.
Some things I noticed that other people didn’t mention: Donald Pleasance’s outfit for this movie seems to be very Blofeld-ish. in fact, in my notes I said that it seemed like the only thing missing was the eye scar.
I happen to like the Teenage Warrior sketch, most particularly, how it ends. I love those kind of sketches, where the joke is finished, but they couldn’t find a way to end it, so (as Joel does here) they just shrug. I loved it when Monty Python did it, as well. I think those types of endings are hilarious, and work just as well or better than a practical ending.
Another thing I wrote in my notes was the riff about who they called for the part of Ginty *before* the Paper Chase guy. It was “David Hasselhoff, Edward Herman, Tony Randall, Maury Amsterdam, Richard Simmons, Garrett Morris, Dag Hammerschall [sp?], Jm J. Bullock, Norman Thell, Willy Ames, Peter Allen, William Conrad and many more!” Also, the riff about the cameo appearances in that arena was just brilliant. I didn’t bother to write that one out.
During the S&M bar scene, Joel says: “If you can’t put in 30 minutes a day, you don’t deserve a hot date.” I can’t remember what gym used that line in their commercial. But it brings up the subject of commercials. I don’t mind the discussion of these, because, like that riff, it sets the tone of the era. My Operation Double 007 DVD is filled with commercials, and I don’t skip them because it’s funny (to me) to watch what was relevant back then.
Speaking of, I looked up The Paper Chase, and found out that John Houseman starred in that show. If you remember, he was in that Smith Barney commercial, wherein he says “We make money the old-fashioned way — we EARN it.” I always loved that.
It’s always interesting when a movie has name actors, and somewhat decent production value, yet still manages to be absolutely crappy. The Paper Chase Guy doesn’t seem to be acting; he really seems to have a chip on his shoulder about being in this movie, period. He has zero chemistry with Persis, and that kiss at the end is really difficult to look at. Like someone else mentioned, she earned her paycheck with that kiss. I bet she was still wiping her mouth years later. Ugh. Donald Pleasance is deliciously evil in this, and that bitch-slap is particularly ugly, but it works. Everything else — the environment (what’s the point of this dystopian society, anyway?), the people, the “hero” (who is completely unlikeable in every way, including those chipmunk cheeks) — just falls flat.
This is one of those episodes where I had to watch it at least three or four times before I finally understood what was going on in the movie. And then I promptly forgot after it was over. They really should have made it all about Megaweapon.
The chase scene at the beginning is absolutely hilarious. Right from the top, when Joel “runs” down the highway, I know I’m in for one of those long goofy scenes where the Brains just lob riff after riff at the screen without stopping. “Watch out for the squibs!” “This image copyrighted by the Disney corporation.” “Oh it looks really futuristic, see, ’cause it’s got bumpers like there are none like that right now.” “Ugh, is it too early to kill myself?” “I had the right of way. I did.”
Donald Pleasance is easily the only decent actor in this movie. Persis Khambatta moves through the entire thing like she downed a bottle of horse tranquilizers before shooting, and the Paper Chase Guy has all the charisma of a kitchen sponge. I still find it funny that Joel and the bots go through the entire episode without being able to remember Robert Ginty’s name, yet they still riff his name in the credits (“He’s the gintiest!”).
I love that host segment where they all discuss what they’d do after the apocalypse. It’s that classic MST3K spirit of taking something bad and making it fun. I think I’d rather enjoy playing stickball on I-94, now that they mention it. :)
“It’s the story of Jack the great Pumpkin King
and four cool new watches at Burger King.”
Nice to remember the staff poets at the Burger King Advertising Agency stretching their prose to rhyme “King,” with “King.” Simpler times. “Any creativity to declare?”
I love this episode, but I love all the post-apocalyptic/dystopian movies that they did (City Limits, Robot Holocaust, etc). Kinda makes me wish they had done Logan’s Run, or Damnation Alley. Not that either of them are the stinker that is Warrior of the Lost World. There’s so much to riff on, and being an 80’s film doesn’t hurt either. The costumes by themselves are hilarious!
So in regards to some earlier posts, I have to defend what I humbly think is the finest post-apocalyptic film ever made: Mad Max. Sure, the Road Warrior is awesome, but Mad Max has more to say about society and where we’re headed. And I know this sounds trite, but you couldn’t have Road Warrior without Mad Max. It took guts for George Miller to make that movie, and by doing so it allowed him to follow it up with a bigger budget action flick. I know it all comes down to personal preference, but I like dark-as-hell revenge fantasy with the underlying theme of what separates the lawful from the lawless over what is basically set piece to set piece with some filler in-between (albeit awesome set pieces!). To draw a comparison, it took the courage of Ridley Scott’s Alien to pave the way for James Cameron’s Aliens. Does that make sense? Or am I just rambling? Anywho.
I’m your private dancer! :-D
I have to say on my first viewing of WoLW I recognized Rob. Ginty as the likeable young pilot from Baa Baa Black Sheep. What he was doing in this was a head-scratcher. (both Why he was cast and What he was saying/doing to actually act.)
A few years ago I was lazily rummaging through an old box of tapes at a crappy townhouse yard-sale. It was hot, and I wanted to go home. Then my fingers unearthed a VHS copy of Warrior of the Lost World. How my heart was lifted, what joy it brought to my soul, to be holding in my hands a battered plastic genuine treasure of untold 80s postapocalyptic cheese. I wanted to cry out–but dared not; or else others might guess the inestimable value of my new find. I probably payed a dollar, which is 75¢ too much, but its amazing how it changed my whole day. Thank you, Megaweapon!
Joel – “You know, early David Worth is very interesting in light of his later films.”
Servo – “Who?”
Crow – “HUH?”
That line cracked me up.
This episode is one of those where it was very good the first time I saw it, and now I just have to be in the mood for it. (Just what that mood IS is beyond my ability to put into words).:-?
The riffing is still very funny to me, but the movie is tough to sit through.
I have a Square Master. But, it’s just collecting dust like every other piece of excercise equipment I own. Which is none, ’cause, c’mon, all you really need is a Square Master, am I right, folks?
There’s WAY too many good riffs here to list all my faves. And you know the movie sucks when people can only think to quote their favorite lines, as we are all wont to do, rather than “discuss” the, um, the – nuances? – of the “film”. UHHhhhHH… Oh, it sucked.
And of course we’re discussing the brilliance that is MST3K more than the movie anyway. I liked all the host segments. Loved the sketch where Joel played our “hero” if he didn’t have a license. #74 – I think it was good that there was that pause before movie sign. I’m guessing that was what they were going for and that they were emphasizing the fact that they had no ending. If movie sign went off right after the last line, that would have been more like they had just been interrupted before they were finished, so I think it worked.
And what WOULD you, the posters, do after the Apocalypse? Perhaps that should be a Weekend Discussion? I mean the end is coming up on us pretty quickly and all, so we may as well think where we’ll be in 7 months. Me? I’d uh… Oh, I’m such a procrastinator.
Okay, here’s a few obligatory:
C: “Who are they? Who cares?”
J: “Well, he’s a well organized Warrior of the Lost World, he is.”
C: “Gee, Ohio looks great after the Apocalypse.”
C: (In his Fred Sanford voice) “Grady, the Paper Chase guy is here.”
C: “Real weird package, Dave.”
J: (In his Minnesota type voice) “Oh, the future’s so REAsonable.”
J: “You know, when you’re making a low-budget sci-fi movie, you can film it almost anywhere.”
C: “Yeah, Land-O-Lakes plant.”
S: “Deserted carpet warehouse.”
J: “Yeah, some field in Ohio.”
S: “Old quarry.”
J: “Yeah.”
C: “More inaffective authoritarians on the way.”
C: “Pippo – the Marx Brother that NOBODY LIKED.”
J: “Hey, c’mon, lie down, you were killed six times already!”
J: “He hit little Jake!”
C: “There’s about eight different movies being filmed here.”
J: “Oh, I hate his ever-lovin’ guts now.”
C: “Did you have to go to school to learn how to act like that?”
J: “Oh,you know I always get caught behind militant leftists when I head up North.” (great line)
C: “The few, the proud – the extras.”
J: (when a line gets mumbled) “WHAT? Skip Dionne Warwick and eat a pastry?”
C: “Let’s all stop and look at the big truck!”
J: “What, is his jaw wired shut?”
J: “Our long national nightmare is over.”
C: “Vandal of the Lost World.”
J: “Bet this kinda reminds you of when we left your daughter.”
C: “The Mall of America was the scene of a violent coup today.”
J: “Oh, let the baby have his way.”
J: “Shot your father, I did.” :)
C: “Boy, what a great plot twist.”
Oops, I guess that is a rather long list. Sorry, folks.
And finally:
C: “WhoOOoo werrreee youoouou!!”
Middle-aged Chucky:
I agree with you about Mad Max, although by this point I thought we’d be able to get beyond Thunderdome.
As for our present movie…I’m with Sampo: nothing I really dislike, but it’s just a basic really good episode (if that makes any sense). The host segments are actually the winners here–who doesn’t love the Hot Slot Bots? And the Paper Chase Warrior Guy going for his driving test is hilarious–all the better since they note the fact that they didn’t have an ending.
Probably the goofiest thing in the whole movie are the Omega security guys–Prosser really needs to do some better recruitment and training, since none of these guys is remotely competent with a gun, seems to have any physical strength at all, or any common sense (there’s a scene in the original–cut out of the MST version, where the fuzzy-haired emo girl comes upon an Omega guard relieving himself by the roadside. She offers to “shake it for him,” at which point he stares at her blankly without even bothering to…um…re-adjust his uniform. In his few seconds of indecision, Guy With Yellow Nylon Over his Face garrots him–which is how they end up with the cop car). I swear, these guys go down more easily than those stupid battle droids from Star Wars eps. I-III.
I actually like this film a lot more having seen the director interview on the Shout! disc–David Worth gets my respect not only for being a fan of the MST treatment of WOTLW, but also for being totally honest about the merits of his little Italian opus. Hey, he even invites MSTies to contact him (has anyone taken him up on his offer?)
For those who care, the original version is available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSSj28sA-no
#95 – How’s THIS for nuance of the film?
During the long brawl scene (which inexplicably follows the somewhat flubbed rescue attempt, during which Jimmy Carter is saved but Persis is not), the movie suddenly slips into wuxia territory with the exaggerated sound effects that accompany the kung fu guys. Those are fun sound effects. It’s actually a fun brawl, and despite the fact that J&tB complain when Paper Chase Guy throws the midget around and smacks the lady, the whole sequence is pretty much the post-apocalypse genre’s answer to the “good-natured brawling” often found in peplum (when Herc or whoever is happily bopping bad guys, who don’t seem much the worse for wear for the bopping).
As far as the whole Mad Max vs. Road Warrior thing – the two movies are very clearly an example of a filmmaker who gets to make the film he REALLY wanted to make the second go-round. This doesn’t happen very often in low-budget filmmaking (for lack of money, obviously). The ambiguous decay of society in Mad Max IS interesting, I grant that. You just can’t top the bad guys in the latter film for overall awesome.
Sort of a tangent here, but one movie I’d have loved to see remade according to the filmmakers’ vision is DEFCON-4. Actually, what I’d love to watch is the MOVIE POSTER of that movie. DEFCON-4 has the most awesome movie poster of all time. Just to watch a movie with that ruined city, and that awesome satellite bristling with nukes. Gives me chills.
Despite the paper chase guy and despite the INSANELY annoying computer, I always enjoy watching this episode. The guys are so in the zone with their jokes and there are some parts in the movie that I actually like. Go figure.
96 Blast Hardcheese: you owe me a new keyboard, I just did a spit-take all over mine after reading your first line.
Really, Road Warrior was just another 80s apocalypse movie. Mad Max was a ground-breaking and independent in its raw awesomeness.
I didn’t read all the above comments but I think Joel referring to the Mads as “the Buttafucos” qualifies as the ultimate dated reference.