Movie: (1987) A young boy, alerted by Bigfoot that his forest ranger father is in peril, travels to the woods to save him.
Opening: Gypsy is working on some overhead wiring and is dropping objects on J&tB. Crow tries to catch one and fails.
Invention exchange: Jonah uses a theramin for Thanksgiving music; the Mads have rotating Carvel Ice Cream characters.
Segment 1: The bots are laughing raccoons and Jonah is a laughing dad
Segment 2: Jonah explains how the movie got made
Segment 3: Brain Guy, Bobo and Pearl visit Kinga and Max
Closing: Crow & Tom, wearing a Red Hawk disguise, try to trick Max into giving them the keys to Jonah’s ship.
Stinger: Big game hunter guy chows down.
(59 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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• Jonah explains that he is required to act out the show open each time. I have to say I don’t really get it, but then I don’t really get the whole “liquid video” thing.
• This episode features the first appearance of Rebecca Hanson as Synthia, the clone of Pearl. She was a big hit during the 2017 live tour.
• Interesting riff: “This looks like a state park.” In the ACEG, Mary Jo denigrated this very type of riff. Did Joel and the writing team know that?
• There is a long quiet space of no riffing during Red Hawk’s monolog
• Increasingly obscure riff: “I also have dental practice in Minnesota.”
• Callbacks: “Rowsdower?” (Final Sacrifice), a mention of an interociter (This Island Earth).
• This film shares a writer and several cast members with the 1977 Brigham Young biopic “Brigham.”
• The film was Jay Schlossberg-Cohen’s only full feature. According to his website, he once served as director of the Maryland Film Commission and now works as a fine artist.
• Puppeteer Grant Baciocco shared a story about a connection to Cry Wilderness on the MST3K Discussion Board:
“When we were filming this, I instantly realized that the cinematographer listed in the credits lived upstairs from me in my first apartment. By chance, I saw him walking down the street a couple months ago and told him they’d be riffing this film and he flipped out. He said, “I didn’t think anybody remembered that film.” He said it was the first project he worked on in Hollywood and the whole crew thought that the director was going to be the next Spielberg … until they started filming.
Grant also revealed he was Kevin’s virtual hands in the grooming of Patton.
• Fave riff: “Wikipedia, the print edition, at last.” Honorable mention: “Let’s head out to supercuts, son. I’m buyin.’”
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Anybody wanna see the kid from Cry Wilderness and the kid from Over the Top in a movie about them arm wrestling with woodland creatures?
I liked this one a lot more the 2nd, 3rd, 4th…times around. This is one where the movie and riffs outshine the host segments by a pretty wide margin. As a Patton fan, I was already extremely familiar with the Carvel Ice Cream Cake bit (it’s from his first comedy album, in 2004). And while I was initially excited that Pearl, Bobo and BG were making an appearance, I found their makeup distracting (especially Bobo’s, as many, many others have noted).
But the movie: stupid kid character, bewildering mysticism elements, a scenery-chewing villain, amateur acting…it’s perfect fodder and the crew delivers. 5 stars.
All right. The invention exchange is here to stay! This time both parties have one so the old tradition is really back. Thing Kinga foreshadows the next few weeks when the Mads will do a season 2esq stealing of the SOL inventions.
I get know how the bubbles during the Mads invention presentation could be covering up post production take splicing. Given the prevalence of Kingachrome over all this really doesn’t bother me.
Mr. Douglass sure seems to be a very angry man for no real reason.
Morgan Hicks may be a despicable character. But let me ask you all seriously, how many have walked into your dark family barn at night and ever inadvertently cornered a wild raccoon or two? They are not the friendly animals depicted in this film. It can put the fear of god into you when they start hissing away at you. I sure don’t feel like catching rabies from something hidden away in a darkened corner acting like I’m the aggressor by walking into my own building. I’ve been having trouble with those vermin for years and have no patience for them.
I’m really not sure what the writers were going for by having Paul constantly told to stay put and constantly disobeying. It might have been cut the first couple times but that quickly changed to annoying. Then by the end it really and truly made me hate what was supposed to be the protagonist.
I enjoyed the cameo by Pearl, Brain Guy and Bobo. It’s clear they still have their chemistry and they remember exactly what to do with their characters. Now what is the deal with Pearl’s makeup? Especially her hair? She looks like a plastic doll instead of human? Oh I loved the large size tractor feed printer paper Kinga and Max are working with. There’s a dated reference.
The ending reminds me of the time Mike conned Frank out of the keys so he could help Joel escape in Mitchel.
Favorite Riffs
Will Cooper calls after his fleeing kid. “Paul” Jonah “I’m going to have to wing him to stop him. Won’t be the first time. BANG!”
Tom “Product placement. Heinz paid for them to use Hunts in this scene.”
Morgan reads a book. Crow “Ah yes, Wikipedia the print edition. At last.”
Jim tells Paul to stay put for the billionth time. Jonah “Why do adults keep leaving me alone? They know I’m incapable of following instructions.” Paul follows Jim anyway. Jim turns around angrily and points his rifle in Paul’s direction. Jonah “BANG! The end. Roll credits.”
Paul is caught in a net. Tom “This might work out. Paul will be eaten by Ewoks and the movie ends.”
The dart sticks out of the throw rug, I mean tiger. Crow “It’s a promotional dart from Citizens State Bank and Trust.”
Paul tries to dig out his dad. Crow “Remember Paul, pretend to not be able to lift Styrofoam with your knees, not your back.”
Crow “Wait, why am I running? Nobody told me to stay anywhere.”
Rebecca Hanson: Confirmed Timelord.
“Wilderneeeeesssssss!!!”
I LOVE how absolutely all in they are with the joke that Jonah and everyone has to redo the intro every time. It’s just absolutely bonkers. While Jonah explaining how the movie got made was underwhelming, I really enjoyed everything else. Laughing raccoons is just silly, Jonah and the Bots tricking Max and going too far, and of course Pearl, Brain Guy, and Bobo. Though Bobo looks odd and part of me is sad Brain Guy’s pan is nowhere to be seen (ever).
There’s a certain type of movie we see from time to time, where a foreign writer/director creates what they think is an American movie, but NO ONE acts like a human let alone an American. I’m talking your Troll 2, Birdemic, and The Room. Cry Wilderness is a whole other level of that (probably without the foreign director aspect?). Nothing makes any sense. Super early on when Paul is being forced to just sit in that library(?), the teacher eventually sends him away after a verbal scolding. Then when Paul is halfway up the stairs the teacher stops him to tell him he’s in trouble. Yeah, everyone knows that already. And then the last scene of the movie is that teacher inexplicably acting like Robin Williams in Hook when he forgets he’s an adult. You could literally take this movie scene for scene and spend a good hour just breaking down everything that doesn’t track. Oh, and Paul is an absolutely insufferable character.
The riff pacing is already better, and it leaps forward from here on. There’s more warmth and calmness, removing the understandable observation that it sounded like none of the guys were even in the same room riffing for the first episode.
The movie is so hard to watch I don’t sit through this episode often. But one of my favorite riffs is:
Mr. Douglas: “No such creature as Bigfoot has ever been discovered.”
Tom: Hence the exhibit.
Love this one, probably my second favorite of the season, after “Avalanche.” It’s got such a crappy ’80s earnestness to it, a time when all the kids in movies were cute but absolutely obnoxious. I believe they thought we’d all think, “What adorable little scamps!,” when in reality we hoped they’d all die horrible deaths.
I laugh every time I see one of the poor rent-a-critters tethered in place. Yeah, real wild looking. I laugh every time the scenery switches from forest to desert to tundra or whatever and back again. I laugh at the ubiquitous bowl cuts (“Let’s head out to Supercuts, son. I’m buyin’.”)
Rewatching the episode, it’s clearly presented that the characters have no idea what sort of critter they’re trying to capture/kill early in the film. So later having them act as if they knew it was an escaped tiger all along is rather jarring. The only possibility I can think of is that a scene where the circus contacted them about it was cut.
Compared to Paul, Kenny of Gamera is a model child and generally functional human being.
There’s also when Joel and the Bots attempted to trick Frank into bringing them down to Earth on his first day on the job in Rocketship X-M.
Favorite riffs
Made possible by a generous grant from the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Foundation.
So far, this is the worst ninja training school ever.
Is that bed empty? Oh no, it’s just a really white kid.
I’ve shouted at three different boy’s schools. Is this the right Paul?
“It’s our job to teach you about the real world you’ll live in someday. You’re too old to believe in fairy tales.”
He is? What a terrible way to find out.
I sure hope that trucker escaped the fiery wreckage.
My voice may fade out, but I’m still going to be very angry with you.
You can’t spell dad without ADD.
The interocitor is calling. Everyone look busy.
Weird. I was just dreaming my son wasn’t creepy.
Oh mighty Bigfoot, I summon thee.
Sad really. Some poor hipster will never read the liner notes of a Tame Impala record again.
Embrace the prophecy of Time-Life Books.
“The deer is gone!”
And his cage has been horribly murdered!
“Look at these tracks!”
You look at them. I’m bitter.
Bigfoot rides a chopper? I always pictured him driving a monster truck.
The kid was the real villain all along. Clever.
Tiger woods. There, I said it. I’m glad.
“We’re out of gas.”
Why don’t you put a tiger in the tank? Ha ha. Been waiting all day to say that.
The tiger attack filled our gas tank. It’s a Christmas miracle!
It’s the Forest Ranger Action Set. Paul figure may get lost immediately.
The wonderful thing about tiggers is nothing. We’re tigers. We maul things.
Dr. Zaius, you’re nude!
Dad’s allergic the Styrofoam. I’ve got to save him!
He’s going up to the projection booth to turn off this movie. We’re saved!
The tiger was later acquitted of all charges other than killing the deer, but come on. Tiger’s got to eat, right?
I thought my soul was thoroughly crushed by this movie, but now this song is squeezing out the last little bit.
If Jonah knows that he’s reliving the intro every time, why is he equally confused every time? How does THAT work? Yeah, I know, relax.
So, did Gizmonics ever receive the meteors? What’s THAT about?
No reason? He’s an authority figure at a boys school. That’s kind of like being a prison warden without access to effective disciplinary measures. I suspect that not very many academics ASPIRE to that.
And where were the Green Acres riffs? I didn’t notice any, anyway. All those goofy voices they could have used, WASTED.
“Ah! Mr. Douglas! Well, you must realize that Bigfoot, well, the name is admittedly a bit of a misnomer, his entire personage is big, although it’s possible his feet may indeed be disproportionately big, I’ll admit I’ve never seen any reputable statistics on the matter –”
I’m sure you realize that that’s not how the raccoons perceive it. In the animal kingdom, possession is 100% of the law and everything within paw’s reach is theirs and wherever they stay is their home. “You weren’t here when we came in and that PROVES it’s ours!” To them, ALL of us are the aggressors so one must be prepared for that sort of thing.
Kids who obey adult instructions tend to lead rather unadventurous lives. Did the Famous Five obey adult instructions? Did Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn? Did Nancy Drew? Did Harry Potter? Did the Explorers from the 1980s film of the same name? Did…?
Still, IMHO guest appearances as early as the second episode indicates a certain lack of confidence…
I don’t much care for riffs that mock the past for not being the present. That’s just me, of course.
If Short Round shows up I’m throwing myself out the airlock.
With last week’s debut episode I was more distracted by getting used to the updated sets and show structure. Seeing this episode, I felt myself begin to relax. Ridiculously off-beat movie, my question about how they’d do the opening sketch with no more strict need for commercials was answered, and an unexpected guest trio. I just had a wonderful time and it’s only gotten better as I get deeper into the season.
Part of me does feel they spent the cameo nickel a bit too early, but it is great that Joel and company were willing to let characters from the Sci-Fi era be the first major homage to the original run. Even more amazing, the trio had lost none of their chemistry, so I’m definitely looking forward to them turning up again.
One thought, since they have Max’s little recaps leading into (or is it out of?) what would be commercials if this was airing on regular TV, why didn’t they keep the Commercial Sign? It seems like the two elements could easily coexist.
Fave riffs
The last Borders bookstore customer.
Well here’s your problem, you got a Stallone!
I’m gonna be pissed if that tunnel is just a painting by Wile E. Coyote!
Paul, the people who love you HAD to tie you up. You’re nuts!
“Paul! I know you’re in there!”
In where? He’s outside.
Who’s gonna tell him the gun isn’t real?
I love love LOVE how the kid’s dad wasn’t in any danger at all until he showed up.
What the heck?
That’s how I view it. Heck, Season 1 of the Comedy Central era wasn’t all that amazing(actually, it’s rather terrible) so I’ll give Jonah and the gang some slack for being new at this and needing time to grow into their roles and become more comfy.
that is how i view the KTMA season too (its hit of miss with me).
I’ve not seen any of the KTMA shows, and the ACEG even says I’m better off that way
If you’re a big fan of the show, the least you could do is have them on in the background while you’re doing something else. It’s not like they’re known to be actively harmful to your health.
To me, MST3k works best when you have a good bad movie. Like the 1950s monster movies or their ilk, like Reptilicus.
This has obnoxious children and is completely nonsensical
When you get a This For Truth from me, consider it a high honor. :)
And then we get back to the “Is this a sequel, or isn’t it? When DID Paul share all those Cokes with Bigfoot?” argument, which brings up that maybe there is a first movie in the director’s home country. (We get a lot of German and Norse live-action kids’ films popping up on Netflix, and they’re only marginally better.)
Certainly no American director would try the “Mystical spiritual Injun chief and his pet eagle” trope today in the hopes of getting away with it; that, like the aforementioned Fragasso, Nguyen and Wiseau, is squarely in the “Festrunk Brothers’ America” version of cinema.
When you’re suitably mystical, past present and future can get kind of mixed up in your head. I guess.
Yes, because your opinion is obviously of such high value around here.
Well, that’s because it’s no longer the 1970s. By the standards of its time, this film’s approach almost qualifies as subtle.
Wait, Sampo, what do you mean this is the first appearance of Synthia? She was present at the start of Reptilicus.
KTMA and Season 1 are great. You’re only denying yourself fun by not watching them.
And while this may be the official introduction of Synthia by name, she is clearly in 1101 also.
I can’t get into the reboot. It’s all wrong. Anyway I got halfway through this movie and then said no more. I have never seen a movie that made me as angry as this one. It is so excruciatingly bad and hokie. It angrys up my blood just thinking of it. God I hate this movie.
And if this movie was from the 70’s, that would mean something.
That may be true. However, Dan’s point about the misleading nature of presenting raccoons as whimsical scamps straight out of a Disney animated feature is still valid.
I love all this KTMA talk in relation to this season, which does feel like a step back to the KTMA/Season 01 era of the Original Series (and yes, I am seeing this as The Next Generation of MST3K). Like most fans of the show, I only discovered the KTMA episodes long after having become a fan of the show during its best years, literally after having seen every single episode. In every subsequent run-through of the series that I do, I always make sure to watch the KTMA episodes, because it helps me remember and appreciate from where the series came. In fact, receiving the surprise gift of the first two “lost” episodes of the KTMA season was as wonderful a thing as getting the new season, not unlike finding a long lost tape of your child’s first day on Earth. I won’t argue that Season 11 was the series best, but I don’t think anyone will argue against the sincerity of everyone involved in making it, a sincerity and enthusiasm that was there from Thanksgiving weekend 1988.
You’re correct. My mistake. I just presumed it was from the seventies because it had a very strong seventies vibe. :-|
Your Zefron Wars from Beta 3
Are the KTMA DVDs generally easy to acquire? I bought mine as part of a set on Ebay.
I can understand why The Brains wouldn’t want to release KTMA episodes (presuming that’s even legally feasible; I’m guessing copyright issues might be different since a separate party, KTMA itself, was involved) in 4-packs like the more familiar episodes — such a 4-pack could conceivably be someone’s first exposure to MST3K and probably not be suitably impressive — but I wonder if they’ve considered releasing 1 KTMA episode with every 3 “better” episodes so a viewer wouldn’t be exposed to KTMA-era MT3K in a vacuum (so to speak).
After all, ultimately, pride shmide, There’s Money to Be Made. ;-)
You’ve pinpointed the precise parameters of human behavior AND of American behavior? You’ll win TWO Nobel Prizes. ;-)
Oh Colossus Prime, you must be soooooo honored!!!
Sheesh.
Delete your account. (Not you Col.. the blowhard..)
Gare
Some of the KTMA episodes are quite good, particularly Phase 4, SST Deathflight, and City on Fire.
It’s strange to me that even when someone literally says “Hey, Paul” we don’t get a Paul & Paula riff.
“Hey Paul!”
I’ve been waiting for you! Hey, hey, hey, Paul! I want to marry you too!
Another possibility…
Tall Paul
He’s my all
He’s my mountain
He’s my tree
And of course they’re surrounded by trees, which leads into, uh, something else.
The early KTMA’s are kind of a slog because the riffing is so sparse that you are forced to watch the movies practically uncut. It’s not good.
But you do actually see more of the actual movie itself, being uncut by the Brains. It actually makes Mighty Jack more comprehensible.
And there are some good KTMA’s. Mostly from later in the season. SST Death Flight. Superdome. City on Fire. The Last Chase.
And Josh really shines. Joel has to hush him many times because he is so manic and quick on the riff. Josh is underrated and underappreciated, I think.
I recommend watching the available ones. I purchased mine years ago for $80.00. Forget who from. Just ignore the VHS lines and such and you’ll be happy you watched them.
Piece owt!!!!
That’s quite a set of presumptions you’re making about their intentions…
;-)
Besides, lots of people who should know about basic gun safety just…DON’T.
Well, IMHO that’s not so much a “Werewolf” callback as an example of an identical riff from an outside source being used in both “Werewolf” and “Cry Wilderness.”
Different tastes. I put up with them in Seasons 8-10 because I really didn’t have a choice in the matter, but I’d have been fine with never seeing them again. Different tastes.
No, a Megaforce reference. Megaforce is not unique to Rifftrax, just as Paul and the Book of Corinthians did not originate in “Werewolf.” C’mon, people, think. ;-)
I wouldn’t have thought “Catching Trouble” was something many people would want to remember. Shrug.
Because that is in fact how orphanages operate. I’ve seen that setup in any number of other films involving orphanages. That’s one of the reasons orphanages tend to be notoriously overcrowded, because they rarely have much extra space.
Because if he wasn’t, he’d leave far more trace evidence and there’d be much less room to doubt his existence.
Just please be sure to in fact NAME all of the characters. Some movies can’t even manage that much.
And if the film had depicted his entire trip, how many people here would be b|tching about it? ;-)
Apparently some others did, but it didn’t for a moment occur to me. Every film character has a backstory…except for the ones who are born/created DURING the film(s), I suppose.
“The dog had a gun.”
Anyone recognize that? Anyone, anyone? ;-)
The movie lives in a bizarre world – it reminds me of the same world as Mr. B Natural. You are either good (approved by Paul) or bad (you try to prevent Paul from getting his way over everyone else’s will). Apparently no one at the school cared that Paul was missing or worried that something sinister happened to their charge. Whatever trucker stopped to give him a ride must be a good guy – he is Paul and he is special. Any adult that caved in to whatever Paul wanted must be good. It is true that the father was not in any danger – until Paul arrived. How was it that he had to make this journey to save him? And is the “villain” so awful that we should cheer when he gets his just desserts: attacked and killed by the hawk? Is that really a feel good moment?
This is a ‘tries-to-be-heart warming but is really just creepy’ kind of movie that deserves the MST3K treatment. Let us hope that the director had all of his cameras confiscated and is resting in a comfortable padded room.
As for the episode, I was able to keep up with the riffing more so than ‘Reptilicus’. And I was glad the bots had as much disdain for Paul as I did. Loved it.
I agree about Josh. He was just a kid when MST started but still very clever and talented. I think his work in Cinematic Titanic bears that out. I had heard he put together the atmosphere music for their tours and when I heard Elvis Costello followed by Alan Sherman, I knew he was a kindred spirit.
Agreed, especially SST Deathflight. That’s one I wish had been revisited. Here’s hoping it gets a second chance in Season 12.
A tiger? From Africa?
What’s convenient is that it works no matter which character you attribute it to.
Too bad so many people in here don’t use their real names, or we could Facebook-friend each other. Then again, maybe that’s for the best.
NOBODY expects a tiger!
Particularly in Africa.
You nailed it on the head with the kids movie thing. I hated that whole “KIDS RULE!! ADULTS DROLL!!” garbage. :P
Is KTMA comedy gold? Not by a long shot. But I’ve always enjoyed them as a student of history. If you want to see the germ of the idea that evolved into the show we love then they are a must view from that perspective. It really is amazing how this show grew and changed.
Though I will say this. Since the raccoons do come off as whimsical scamps and completely lovable that easily makes them the best actors in this movie. If I didn’t know better (but I do know better) I’d want to rush right out and get one of my own as a pet. Again: that is some good acting!
And look at the thanks that at least one of them got for it…
Oh, and another one:
“Hey, Paul!”
Paul Bunyan! He’s sixty-three axe handles high with his feet on the ground and his head up his —
“CROW!”
Oh, my heart was all a flutter. It was as if the stars finally aligned for me. Honestly I’m now contemplating ending it all because there’s no up from being told I should be honored to be complimented by someone whose opinions I find puerile and pedantic.
TheOriginalEricJ
Is He A Psychopath?
Is He A Sociopath?
Or…
Is He Both?
Discuss. Or not. It’s up to you, I can’t make all your decision for you. ;-)
It’s also a reminder of where the show came from–
By the end of the 90’s, local indie UHF stations like KTMA had all been bought out by Fox and UPN, and cable had already found its movie-rerun niche. So by the time the SciFi series arrived with its head up its own, er…concept, nobody was even alive to remember local-station movie hosts, and the minimum-wage actor who had to spend Saturdays making the same package of library movies interesting to run one more time.
But in KTMA’s day, that’s EXACTLY what it was: It’s not like they searched the world over to find Phase IV, Gamera and Cosmic Princess, they just had to fill two hours with what they had.. Joel just happened to pitch a better idea.
Still, like S1, things get better and the lulls get shorter, once they started scripting their riffs.
Or is he just–muahahaha!!–a naughty boy! Naughty, naughty, naughty!
The correct answer, of course, is that I happen to be a Pepper. Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too?
I don’t know, I’ve never pepped.
Well, should’ve been on the Pep Squad, then.
And the cat had a shot of rye. :)
Correct. From one of Hoyt Axton’s non-Mitchell pieces. ;-)
So…why was Joel a FACE in a jumpsuit but Jonah is a MUG in a jumpsuit? What’s THAT about?