Movie: (1955) Sequel to “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” in which the creature is at last captured and taken to a Florida aquarium for “study.”
First shown: 2/1/97
Opening: Mike, Tom and Gypsy reappear on the bridge of the SOL. They find Crow already there, but he seems different. As they are about to crash into Earth, Mike saves the ship but cripples it. They contact the planet, and it’s NOT Dr. Forrester who responds
Intro: After a good scream, Prof. Bobo and Dr. Peanut explain just what’s been happening on Earth lately. Bobo sends a bad movie because it’s “Ape Law”
Host segment 1: Servo tries to repair the SOL’s engines with a little help from the nanites. Crow still seems different
Host segment 2: An irate Phil the alien demands to speak to Servo
Host segment 3: Crow may be different, but he makes a great espresso
End: The bots make an embarrassing discovery about the love lives of Mike’s descendants. Then they learn who The Lawgiver is
Stinger: John Agar swims softly and carries a big stick
(257 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Loading...
• When the show was canceled (by Sci-Fi), we learned that Sci-Fi was simply going to delete the MST3K section of their web site including the episode guide entries the cast had written. We asked if we could have them. They agreed, as long as we designed new web pages for the text. We took the stuff and ran. The upshot is that you can still read the episode guide entries they did for seasons eight through ten here. You’re welcome. Bill offers his thoughts on this episode here.
• This episode is included in Shout! Factory’s Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol XXV.
•The stretch between the end of season 7 and the beginning of season 8 was 259 days, the longest amount of time MSTies had to wait between episodes (not counting wait between seasons 10 and 11, of course),
• I was incredibly nervous about this episode. I guess I should have had more confidence in them, but, at the time, I really didn’t know what to expect. All that long summer, fall and winter I began to wonder if maybe MST3K was just a ridiculous chance thing, and whether they could catch lightning in a bottle again. And it seemed to me that in the last CC episode the writers had painted themselves into a pretty tight corner. Could they get out of it with their usual aplomb? Sci-Fi Channel sent me a preview tape of the first show, and on the day it arrived I practically dashed to the TV and shoved it into the VCR. I was pleasantly surprised and hugely relieved.
Using the narrative economy this show is known for, it took them less than five minutes to extricate themselves from that corner, set the premise back up and get back into the theater. Was the opening bit terribly funny? No, but it was silly, and that was enough. I think that segment was much more about pushing the reset button than about the big yuks. And once they were back in the theater again, everything started to click into place. Almost immediately the riffs got funnier and funnier, and when Crow sings: “Egrets, I’ve had a few…” I cracked up and said to myself: “They’re back.”
• Of course, with this episode, we have another new version (or verse, as I prefer to say) of the theme song, and all-new visuals. But the new lyrics were a bit of a problem. They set out the new “endless chase” premise, including the Widowmaker space ship, etc. The problem is that in this episode, the “endless chase” has not yet begun, and after coming to grips with that premise, viewers then have to re-adjust to the whole “Planet of the Apes” thing that we are introduced to here. When this show first aired, more than a few viewers expressed confusion at this, wondering which premise the show was going with — the endless chase or the ape business. It would take several episodes before they figured out that the Ape premise was only a temporary sub-plot to the larger endless chase scenario.
• And, of course, with this episode Bill Corbett took over as Crow. Erhardt and I visited the studio the week before the show aired. See our report here.
It was there that Bill forthrightly said to us: “Crow has had a stroke.” And, yes, there definitely was a settling-in period for Bill’s Crow (those with long memories will recall that it also took several episodes for Kevin to settle into the Tom Servo character and voice). But the process was already under way by the end of this episode.
• And there are an array of new characters: Drs. Bobo and Peanut, the nanites and a completely revamped Pearl. I really do give Mary Jo a lot of credit for finding the funny in her character. Even when she was essentially a straight woman, setting up punch lines for Kevin or Bill, she did it well.
• Younger fans may perhaps wonder why one of the apes is playing with a suitcase in the background. That’s a reference to an old American Tourister commercial, in which they demonstrated their suitcases’ strength by throwing it into a cage with an angry gorilla.
• Gone, of course, is Deep 13. In its place (for now) is a set the cast called “Deep Ape” though it was never called that on the show.
• On the SOL, things are, well, darker. Gone for good is the brightly lit SOL of, say, season three. It’s just part of the look of this later period, largely the creation of Jeff Stonehouse, who liked it better. It took some getting used to.
• I have to say that I was never really comfortable with the whole “Crow doesn’t remember Mike” concept and I was glad when it only lasted a few episodes.
• In the opening, Crow is reading George Magazine, a “politics-as-lifestyle” glossy co-founded by John F. Kennedy Jr. It folded in 2001.
• Mike is almost unrecognizable in the ape makeup as Peanut, but the voice is a dead giveaway. That’s Jim and Bill in the background in the ape costumes — the first time Jim actually appeared in a sketch in several seasons.
• Bobo says he is descended from Godo. Unfortunately Godo is a character in “Time of the Apes” who was NOT an ape. Oops.
• There were some complaints, I remember, following Mike’s line: “Crow, this is what we’ve been doing for seven years!” That’s certainly not true of Mike’s character, but then again, it’s just a show, I should really just relax.
• Callback: During segment one, Tom says, “jerking around must have cause a flameout,” a line from “This Island Earth.” I also thought it was interesting that one of Mike’s first segments when he started as host had him on the floor helping the bots who were digging around in the wiring below the deck, and that’s again what he’s doing in one of his first segments on the new channel. Coincidence? Possibly.
• Segment 1, in which the nanites are introduced, is a lot of fun. Of course that’s Kevin and Paul as Wade and Ned, respectively. It’s another tightly written, very funny, spot.
• Segment 2 introduces yet another running gag — the notion that Tom has had all sorts of wild adventures out in the galaxy. They kind of toy with the idea but it never really pays off. That’s Bill, of course, as Phil the alien.
• Again and again in this episode, all sorts of odd fish float into view and the riffers give them all sorts of weird and silly voices. Funny stuff.
• Segment 3 is kinda silly but doesn’t go much of anywhere.
• The final bit is carried entirely by Mary Jo’s energy. Her explanations make no sense, but she makes them with such bravada that it works.
• Cast and crew roundup: Okay, now begins a stretch of Universal B-movies, most of which were created by the same bunch of people. So strap in: producer William Alland also produced “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis” (for which he also got a story credit) “The Space Children” and “This Island Earth.” Director Jack Arnold also directed “The Space Children.” Scriptwriter Martin Berkeley also wrote “The Deadly Mantis.” Somebody whip up some gowns! Jay A. Morley Jr. did for this movie and also did for “The Mole People” and “The Deadly Mantis.” Makeup guy Bud Westmore also worked on “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis,” “The Leech Woman,” “San Francisco International,” “The Thing That Couldn’t Die and “This Island Earth.” Hair stylist Joan St. Oegger also worked on “The Mole People,” “The Amazing Colossal Man” and “This Island Earth.” Art director Alexander Golitzen also worked on “The Leech Woman,” “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis,” “The Thing that Couldn’t Die,” “Kitten With A Whip” and “This Island Earth.” Set designer Russell A. Gausman also worked on “The Leech Woman,” “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis,” “The Thing that Couldn’t Die,” “The Brute Man” and “This Island Earth.” Set designer Julia Heron also worked “The Thing that Couldn’t Die” and “This Island Earth.” Sound person Leslie I. Carey also worked on “The Leech Woman,” “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis,” “The Thing that Couldn’t Die” and “This Island Earth.” Music director Joseph Gershenson also worked on “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis,” “The Thing that Couldn’t Die,” “Kitten with a Whip,” “This Island Earth” and he produced “The Leech Woman.” Score composer Herman Stein also worked on “The Mole People” and “This Island Earth.” Score composer Henry Mancini also worked on “The Mole People,” “The Deadly Mantis,” “The Thing that Couldn’t Die” and “This Island Earth.”
In front of the camera: John Agar also appears in “The Mole People,” and “Women of the Prehistoric Planet.” Nestor Paiva also appeared in “The Mole People.” Robert B. Williams appeared in “This Island Earth.” Brett Halsey also appeared in “Girl in Lovers Lane.” Ned LeFevre also appeared in “The Deadly Mantis.” Don C. Harvey also appeared in “Beginning of the End.” Bob Wehling wrote the script for “Eegah.” Robert Hoy also appeared in “The Mole People” and “Master Ninja II.” Sidney Mason also appeared in “Teenage Crime Wave.” Lori Nelson also appeared in “Untamed Youth.”
• CreditsWatch: The “produced and directed by,” “directed by” and “produced by” credits will change hands all season. This week the show was produced and directed by Jim, with Kevin listed as “associate producer.” Jim is also listed as a contributing writer. Something called “Blue Thumb Scenic” gets a set design credit. Patrick Brantseg — intern in season 4 and “utility infielder” in seasons 5 and 6 (he doesn’t seem to have worked on season 7) — now takes over as “art director.” Brad Keely returns as “technical supervisor.” Beth “Beez” McKeever takes the place of Jef Maynard, taking the title of “prop diva.” Barb Tebben takes the place of Julie Walker as “Info Club poobah.” We say hello to production manager Jill Roozenboom, grip Mike Parker and interns Elliot Cobb and Mytch Parks.
• Fave riff: “Of course, a couple of the chimps drowned…” Honorable mention: “Does he got a thing?”
) to help our users cope with "trolls" and other commenters whom they find annoying. Go to our
If there is ever to be a true division of MST History, it isn’t Joel vs. Mike, it is Comedy Central vs. Sci-Fi eras. They really are (almost) drastically different. The cast has changed, most notably in Crow and the Mads. The Satellite of Love set is darker and has moodier lighting (dig those blues, man!). There is a decidedly “edgier” or “darker” tone to the riffing as well, but you know what. . . . . . . none of this bothers me. Even though I still prefer the Comedy Central era of the show, I love the Sci-Fi era as well, as there are some true classics during these three years.. . . .just not quite yet; we’ll have to wait a few weeks.
When this episode first aired, I have to say I was a little let down. In fact, early Season 8 isn’t really that strong, or at least I don’t recall them being, I haven’t watched some of them for a long long time, so re-watching them over these next few weeks should be fun (it better be!). Having a deep run of black and white Universal movies was a bad choice, everything was too drab and dreary, to “samesy.” Season 8 started to click for me with I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF, which was then followed by the first classic of the Sci-Fi era, THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION. After that, it seems they stated to dip into a groove and Mike, Kevin, and Bill really started to click as performers.
Speaking of Bill: I like him, but it took some time. His version of Crow (in this first episode at least) is practically screaming his lines. Why is Crow so angry? His voice is so harsh and raspy. Bill would get a handle on the voice later in this season, if I recall, but it took him longer to get the puppeteering down. During the Host Segments, Crow’s eyes never move, Bill has to turn the whole head to turn around and look at Mike in HS#3 (for example) and I can imagine what Trace would’ve done (a half head turn with the eyes darting over in Mike’s direction) and how it would make Crow much more lively and less a puppet on a stick. Oh yeah, and you can see Bill’s head a couple times in the theater segments popping up between the seats.
Bill does get considerably better, and I LOVE Brain-Guy, who was easily my favorite of the new Mads.
Speaking of the Mads….I don’t really like Bobo. I find his stupidity to be annoying (usually. I will admit he’s got some good moments, so I’m not a hater), but I was surprised to find that he is less stupid in this first episode than as the show goes on. I do have to admit, Kevin is a great performer in costume, he really commits to the character. (NOTE: this semi-negative opinion on the character of Bobo is something I’ll be reevaluating as I re-watch the Sci-Fi era of the show, so don’t vilify me or treat me like EricJ, okay??)
My biggest problem with the Sci-Fi era, specifically Season 8, is the Host Segments and the whole “lost in time” thing. I don’t like that there is a “thru-storyline” connecting all the episodes of S8, meaning you have to watch them in sequential order if you want to understand what the heck is going on. The episodes with the Trial of Mike Nelson, Destroyer of Planets don’t make a lot of sense if you haven’t seen Mike, you know, blow up any planets. I like the show much better when there is an “anything goes and can happen” kind of feel to the Host Segments, just random humor and solid skits and sketches, instead of a “plot” or anything like that. The show is much freer to do anything and everything when not constrained to a plot device of “traveling through time and space.” Once they settle into Castle Forrester, the Mads (Pearl, Bobo, Brain Guy) start to develop as characters and start doing wacky random things, like telethons and the like. But I guess you got to establish who everyone is and all that first. . . .still, it’s no excuse for Roman Times….
On to the episode at hand: REVENGE OF THE CREATURE!
This is a pretty good episode. They link up with the finale of LASERBLAST nicely, with Mike and the others returning to the ship (only to find angry-Crow), and the reveal of Deep Ape is nicely done (the back and forth screaming is a hoot). Also, the intro of Pearl in the finale Segment is well played as well; she gives a good speech and I dig her new look (for the record, Pearl used to bother me as a character, but she gets better and better as the show progresses and as I watch it more).
The Host Segments are. . . so-so. HS#1 introduces the Nanites, which never where that great (in my opinion), HS#2 isn’t that funny at all, but Mike is wearing the Metaluna shower cap from MST: THE MOVIE, as pointed out by DON3K up at post #39 & 42 (double post!). HS#3 doesn’t really do anything either, but I do like how Crow alternately calls Mike “Mark” and then ” Mike” just a few seconds later.
The movie is kinda dull with not enough creature action for my liking. Not enough Clint Eastwood for my liking either. The riffing however is solid, whatever misgiving I had (or have) about the quality of the Host Segment during the Sci-Fi era, I can’t say the riffing suffered. Kevin, Mike and Bill have a great chemistry, and it only gets better as the show continues on.
I once saw the original CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON on 16mm in 3D at a Christian music festival in Northern Illinois, easily one of the highlights of my trip there. I think it might of been the first time I ever saw a 3D movie, it was great. I kept thinking of the riff, “ladies and gentlemen: Miss Diana Ross!”
–
RIFFS:
Crow: “Gowns! There’s gonna be gowns in this movie? YAY!”
of all the “Tributary to the Amazon” jokes, I like this combo the best:
Crow: “Don Rickles!”
Mike: “and Beck!”
Crow: “Ah, cram it, nature!”
Servo: “Vince Gillman?”
Crow: “Just flush, ’em!”
Mike: “I want Joe Frazier!”
Mike: “And here is my area.”
Mike: “Well, this simplifies Helen’s life.”
Mike: “The woman in limbo is terrified!”
John Agar is calling for the dog named Chris,
Crow: “Here, Chris-the-dog.”
Crow: “Creature has a nice rising fastball.”
flare shot in the air,
Mike: “Jay Buhner hit a home run!”
–
I like how Big Stupid (Brett Halsey) show up late in the movie. He would be uncredited for the part, but it was one of his last uncredited roles, and 4 or 5 years later he was in stuff like The Atomic Submarine, The Return of The Fly, and (of course) The Girl in Lovers’ Lane. He would later star in Mario Bava’s Roy Colt and Winchester Jack and Lucio Fulci’s Touch of Death and Demonia, and he even voiced Bolivar Trask on the X-Men animated series from the early 90s (I only bring up the last one because apparently Trask is going to be in the new X-Men: Days of Future Past movie, played by Peter Dinklage (!!), apparently).
–
First episode of the new era of MST3k,
they got some growing to still do.
I give this one 3 out of 5, good but not great.
Goodbye letters :( goodbye Deep 13 :( goodbye Trace :cry:
Season 8, or as I refer to it, KTMA version 2.0
So many changes in such a short period of time delivered us what I feel to be the clunkiest season since the K’s. And it makes sense; they had to find their footing again. For my taste, it took until season 10 for things to really gel and get going strong again, and wham, cancelled again. These are the birth and early years of Rifftrax, as it were, which I enjoy infinitely more than the Sci-Fi era.
As far as this episode goes, it’s not bad. A fun follow up to Laserblast with entertaining introductions to the new cast line-up/premise. Although, unlike earlier seasons, the more I watch the Sci-Fi episodes, the less I like them. We start to stray away from what I loved about the show in the first place. You know, the little things, like letters, a brightly lit SOL, general tone, subversiveness masquerading as a “kids show,” etc. But it’s not all bad. Just not my preferred “go-to” seasons. Maybe every once in a while. Like any other program, by season 8 the shark has been jumped, but if we loved the show, we stick with it until the end. The Sci-Fi era for me is three seasons of falling action; we climaxed long ago.
Fun, light riffing in this episode. My favorite part has got to be “Your movie today is…” What? After all we’ve been through we still have to watch movies? Good stuff.
I may have a little more to say about this episode after I watch it again sometime this weekend.
No so fast with that change, Sampo! I think #139 is correct that they mean Koko the talking gorilla, not a character from Time of the Apes.
/could be wrong, but…
Also, this episode kind of feels like a sequel to “The Movie,” being Universal Pictures and all.
And here we go onto the biggest of the big changes: the Sci-Fi (RIP) channel.
Count me among those who actually like the Sci-Fi imposed story arcs even if the Brains did not. Now I’ll admit I’m a fan of the show and there’s no real chance I would have given up on it. But all the changes we have here are a bit jarring and the story arc did a small piece in helping me look forward to each new episode. I also thought they were naturally written. It didn’t feel like anything forced on the Brains even if it was.
In the “to each there own department,” I like this upcoming run of Universal sci-fi movies. For my money I always thought this was the stuff they did their best work with. But I’ll also concede since this a genre I like anyway it has a more personal draw to me. One thing I’ve noticed that (though there are exceptions to be sure) one’s favorite MST episodes are usually from there their favorite movie genre so I can see how this would be a tough stretch if you don’t like Universal sci-fi movies.
It would be years before I actually saw this stretch of episodes. I for one never had the appropriate channel in my home to see a single episode of MST. I became aware of the show through some friends I had at the time during season 4 when I had no cable/satellite at all. But since I hung out with them often seeing the show and the plethora of Comedy Central reruns at the time was not much trouble. Then in 1994 I went away to college and that town did not carry Comedy Central. They did have the Sci-Fi channel for all the good that did at the time. So when the show moved to Sci-Fi I graduated college and got my first place near my first job. I couldn’t tell you if that area had Sci-Fi or not because I was too poor to afford any kind of cable/satellite since I was just starting out. It would be 10 + years before I saw most of the shows of the Sci-Fi years.
My favorite part of the newest theme song is Crow’s introduction during the Robot Roll Call. His line “I’m different” works on two different levels. In light of the casting change the “I’m different” is applicable in a topical way but in the broader sense that line sure sums up Crow no matter who is portraying him.
Obviously the setting of the new premise is a send up on Planet of the Apes. But there is definitely some influence from Time of the Apes as well.
I’ll echo what others said four years ago. The Tributary of the Upper Amazon really showed that despite the major premise change of the host segments the movie riffing is the comfortably familiar same old same old.
I didn’t mind the reveal of Pearl as the lawgiver at the end. I’m okay with the story as well. But then I never disliked her like some. But I find the in-movie host segments random. Given the debut on a network, which enforced story arcs, I always found that odd. I guess I just expected the entire episode to be a part of setting the new premise.
Listening to the Mike Nelson Shout Factory intro to the episode begs the question: Which was costume more uncomfortable the Mole Men or Ape costumes? There wasn’t a lot of new ground covered in this intro but Mike does admit this isn’t the worst movie ever and without coming out and saying it does suggest their riffing okay and big budget (for their time) sci-fi movies during the Sci-Fi era kind of builds the bridge to what they would later do with Rifftrax.
The Bill Corbett “Life After MST3K” was probably the most informative of the ones I’ve seen so far. But Bill not being an original Brain was always the most mysterious. Through this feature I learned of “Max the Hero” and “Poker Night” for the first time. This was also the first time I’ve heard the MP3 element of what would become Rifftrax be attributed to Kevin Murphy.
In closing, remember when we thought we’d never see a commercial release of this episode?
Favorite Riffs
Tributary to the Upper Amazon (see Ward E for complete transcript)
Lucas “Now I tell you what I believe.” Tom “I believe I look good in a thong.”
While old people are dancing Tom sings “Rock the Casbah.”
Radio newsman reads out a lengthy creature report. Then Mike riffs “5…4….3….2….1 you’re on the air.”
One of my all time favorites. I remember my excitement at the return of the show, I was very giddy. I have probably turned to this episode more than any other. I was caught completely off guard by Crow’s new voice and racked my brain to figure out who was the new Crow, I incorrectly thought that it was Mike Dodge.
Crow makes a reference to Warren Christopher that was cut on the youtube version. Did the network or the Brains edit it out?
By the way, Sampo, Jim Mallon did appear on screen in season seven in the focus group sketch.
Fave riff: “Here, Chris the dog!”
Pretty sure that’s Paul and not Jim as one of the extra monkeys (at least, that’s what the episode’s credits say). Jim would start donning an ape suit in the next episode.
Over the years, there were a lot of changes that this little show handled very well. major cast changes (usually the death rattle of any normal show), network changes, and even tone changes. the migration from CC to SCI-FI was a different type show outside of the theater. People new to the show won’t think so, but it was. CC was about world domination. SCI-FI was about revenge, sure pearl always talked about world domination but she was relying on legacy. it was really just about tormenting mike, but at times there was an understanding that “you complete me” kind of thing. the SCI-FI years, i’m assuming because they knew this would probably be the last network run, really streched its legs and strolled casually into new territory.
I truly appreciate both eras… and all the cast changes. I never felt like they were wasting my time. still don’t to this day.
An above average episode and a good return, 4 stars. I didn’t see this episode when it originally aired, I got into the series starting with Projected Man, so didn’t have a “getting used to Bill” phase.
When the creature is peeping on the lady undressing:
Crow: Braaaaa. Braaaaa. Braaaaa
Servo: Tributaries to the upper Amazon!
@cheapskate#
Well,I admit,my realm fell because I was watching MST and not paying attention to Orodruin. At least in the outer void you still get basic cable,so I didn’t miss an episode.
Morgoth says ‘hey’.
Aw! Look at all the wildly varying opinions on this episode and Sci-Fi eps in general! But all the changes, well, I’m pretty easy about them. The show lasting as long as it did, with all the changes, didn’t get on my nerves the way say “Fringe” did with its changes (in a much shorter period of time, does that have something to do with it, hmmm).
Anyway! I love Pearl in this era. To me, Gypsy–who was voiced by men–had always been the annoying one, what with the irritating voice(s) and her shifts from rock-stupid and patronized by the others, to able to “run the higher functions of the ship” with all variations in between and back again, at least in the pre-Sci Fi era.
As for Bill’s Crow, I’m totally fond of him. He had that cartoon-character-like voice at first but he lost it soon enough.
@82 Thanks for mentioning Pearl’s weird necklace. That explains it nicely!
Mike’s hand-me-down shower cap: way too big for his human head.
I first saw this episode with my parents, and such a thing had never happened before or since. My dad got a kick out of Tom’s interaction with Phil the Alien (that makes one of him I guess?) and my mom talked over Pearl’s closing explanation of her new status as Lawgiver (oops).
Fave line, from Crow: He seems to like Honey Nut Cheerios.
(I like the idea of a creature who lives under water preferring breakfast cereal to fish…)
I love this episode. John Agar at his smarmy best. And a cameo from Clint. Tom is especially funny in this one. “What is taboo, really?”. Genius. I have a question. Two guys get killed on the beach near the end. Do my eyes deceive me or is one of them Big Stupid from “Girl in Lovers Lane”?
“Oh wow a fish. Boy am I stuffed.”
I don’t understand the deal with shocking The Creature? I mean are they just deliberately trying to piss it off?
I love that the woman loses her shoes when the Creature takes her into the water. That actress has some fine feet!
See #121 for last time round’s comments.
I hope the people that taught Koko sign language didn’t use the same methods that the scientists in this movie used. Talk about fertile ground for a simian uprising. The whole Mengele Institute for Marine Research was really dead on. I don’t remember any of my English teachers giving me electric shocks(except for that one time, but the charges didn’t stick. Get it? The charges? Never mind. The less said about this the better.)
Re: #160
Sauron, welcome to the neighborhood. I thought that was you, but I wasn’t sure since the lighting here in the Outer Void isn’t that great. You know my full title is Cornjob: Master of Darkness. I usually don’t go by full title since it makes me sound like like the kind of pompous ass that insists on being addressed as “Dr.” or “Sir”. And as long as my Netflix get here in the Outer Void I’m all right.
Egrets,I’ve had a few!! One of my all time favorite riffs of the whole series!! I live in Ft. Lauderdale so I get to use it all the time on the golf course!!
Now my take on the whole CC/SCI FI. JOEL/MIKE. PEARL/DR.F. CROW/CROW. Who gives a bleep!!! The show was back and it’s all about the funny, isn’t it?? It’s almost like sports when fans take things more seriously than the players! Relax enjoy the show/game. Win or lose. Laugh or not. The sun will rise [hopefully] the next day!!
I was excited to see MST3K on the Sci-Fi channel for the first time and to see them doing this movie,but I couldn’t stand Bill’s Crow.The voice was grating and hard to warm up to.I think it took me 2 more episodes to get used to it.I understand it was Bill’s debut,but after enjoying Trace’s Crow for so long,I wasn’t used to the change right away.I did,however,like the riffs and thought it was a very good effort..I was glad MST3K was back.
I wish I could change a thing at my post@161. My “Aw!” really doesn’t work. Lately I’ve been using that as a “Wow!” kind of interjection. And I shouldn’t; most people use “Aw!” to say “How cute.”
Sorry about that. I was definitely not sciencey.
Always good to connect Cornjob,the outer void reall isn’t that bad….
I agree Sauron. The Outer Darkness is underrated. Rents are reasonable. Internet access is cheap. Lovecraftian abominations don’t cause nearly as much trouble as the press would have you believe. It’s true that utility bills for lighting are pretty high, and it’s a long commute to my day job as a wacky Japanese policeman. But hey, there’s always tradeoffs.
Re: post #163
That whole bit where the creature puts the woman up on the tiny oil rig, only to pull her right off, seems to be there only there to let the audience get a pin-up style look at our damp shoeless heroine.
I’m watching Phase 4 right now, and if asked I think I’d give the Tarantino special award for best performance by a barefoot actress in an MST episode to Kendra from Phase 4. What a babe. For a lot of reasons. I suppose the Fire Maidens of Outer Space would collectively place second.
Speaking of Lovecraftian abominations, I’m not sure anyone has mentioned the Creature’s resemblance to a Deep One (including the desire to mate with humans).
“This guy sucks, this is first and last role.” (quoted from memory)
The actual movie riffing is pretty good, which is most important IMO. The host segs are better than expected despite Bill finding his way and the general forced-rushed aspect brought on by Sci-Fi. Still, for all the SFC-induced mistakes they had an exec who was a fan, unlike Bonnie “I’m going to cancel those ****ing puppets” Hammer – WORST EXEC EVER (and to beat Doug “I cancelled it first and still won’t let one of my top stars have the Brains as guests!” Herzog and Stuart “Thought me killing WCW and passing on Mad Men was bad? Well I’m gonna try to make Cartoon Network a Disney/Nick clone and shove myself into an anti-bullying special!” Snyder is something). I swore off Deadline Hollywood after a one-two punch of showing an anti-horror bias by trying to portray Saw 6’s box office as disappointing (it wasn’t, and while I don’t like torture movies I like anti-horror snobs even less) and kissing Hammer’s ass as she left Sci-Fi (technically she did make it bigger but at the cost of it’s soul, which deserved at least a line or two even in a “despite fan protests” way).
@132 I could not convince my first stepmom Clint was in Tarantula. Just the tip of her many stupidities. To flash-forward a bit, “You must have a very wicked stepmother. Yep standard issue.”
@135 That’s why I was peeved they were cancelled, as great as the show always was they seemed to be entering a second golden age when that dumb… person who ran Sci-Fi cancelled them.
@146 Nailed it. It’s occurred to me my two favorite TV shows share that quality of being able to change casts but make it work, the other being Doctor Who. Who may have it’s eras that are better than others, but in both cases I find something to love about them even if I prefer others. And yes, early-season 8 Bobo is great.
@151 I like Bobo but came to prefer his early S8 characterization when he had a brain. I saw later S8-S9 episodes first so that’s probably why I could handle his dumbing down better.
And while S8 has some good moments re Host Segs I say it didn’t hit it’s stride again till S9 and S10 because they were able to return to the show’s roots then, wheras S8 feels forced (and there’s some hints they felt constrained – look at the sketch where the bots tell Mike he has to go further back explaining the premise to the point he gets vapor-locked on his past as an intern). Still, I like Mike Nelson Destroyer of Worlds, but while Roman Times were weak it was a better arch than Brain-Guy Planet (other than Servo becoming one and Bobo accidentally eating Brain Guy’s brain).
@166 Noted For Truth.
@168 Totally understood, I’ve done worse online.
@171 Never thought of that despite being a Lovecraft nut, but it fits. Guess I prefer my Deep Ones gothy and hot like in Dagon (which for all it’s flaws is one of the better adaptations IMO, even if it missed the point by making the Deep One girl cute).
Most essays or discussions of Lovecraft in Cinema that I’ve read/heard usually touch on the Gillman/Deep One connection, even though the Creature movies were not Lovecraft adaptations. Similarly, John Carpenter’s The Thing wasn’t a Lovecraft interpretation, but I can’t think of a better movie version of Lovecraft’s Shoggoth entity.
Re: #170: “I’m watching Phase 4 right now, and if asked I think I’d give the Tarantino special award for best performance by a barefoot actress in an MST episode to Kendra from Phase 4. What a babe. For a lot of reasons. I suppose the Fire Maidens of Outer Space would collectively place second.”
I’m tempted to get a copy of the Phase IV episode….
The actress who plays Kendra’s name is Lynn Fredrick. Since Phase 4 is a KTMA episode there are no commercial copies. DVD transfers from old VHS tapes can be had ever the internet (check the cheesyflix! link at the top of this page). It’s a fantastic episode, one of the best of any season, but the tranfers have very low visual quality. You might want to get a copy of the original unriffed film from Netflix as well. The movie is an interesting and ambitious failure. Somewhere in the archives of this site you should be able to access the weekly discussion we had about the Phase 4 MST episode. I think it’s number 9 of the KTMA episodes.
While much has been made of the cruel experiments performed on the Creature, they arguably pale in comparison to the stuff Harry Harlow got up to. Considering that he employed a rape rack and a pit of despair, a cattle prod seems almost benign in comparison.
With the exception of “Hamlet”, most of the movies during the Sci-Fi era were easy to follow and watch without the riffs.
I would like to know more of a back-story of the time frame of events when the show was canceled from Comedy Central to Sci-fi picking up the show.
259 days seems like a short period of time to get their feet going for a new season and network, but they pulled it off.
Re: 21. I can relate. I never saw the show on CC. In fact the first episode I saw was “The Deadly Mantis”. I just remember cracking up when Crow said “screw you Greenland”. By the way I love that both are screen names are from “The Sinister Urge”. One of my favs. “could you scratch my back with your voice”.
Great list of celebrities in the Tributary gag. I particularly like the inclusion of Niccolo Machiavelli and St. Thomas Aquinas among Celine Dion and Vanilla Ice. The event organizer obviously has some pull. As well as a time machine.
Re: #175
The actress name is Lynn Frederick. I misspelled it slightly, and I happen to have come across some stills of Phase 4 on this page:
http://www.wikifeet.com/Lynne_Frederick
Are you paying attention Brandon?
And the lost ending of Phase 4 has been found is on you tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beLpsWaUDNk
BTW Revenge of the Creature fails the Bechdel Test. At no point in the film do two female characters converse.
Sitting Duck, I personally would love it if you’d update your MST3K/Bechdel Test list. I find it strangely fascinating. Thanks.
Anyhoo, just watched this episode again last night and was mostly bored. The Creature didn’t get nearly enough revenge. I was reminded how horribly ugly and unflattering men’s bathing suits of the 1950s were. Hated the host segments, although the extras on the Vol. XXV disc include an interview with Mike about all the crap that the SciFi Channel forced into the show, including that storyline. Finally, did anyone else catch the ultra-brief Leon Redbone reference in the riffing, or was I the only one?
Since I don’t think I’ve commented on Pearl before, let me just say I vastly prefer the Sci-Fi iteration of the character to the Comedy Central version. I think Mary Jo really nailed the essence of Pearl from season 8 on.
This movie stars John Agar. He is one of my favorite actors. I can say that both ironically and genuinely.
Single ladies should not have dog boyfriends. Just sayin’.
Just because he’s not an ape doesn’t mean Bobo isn’t his ancestor. We learn 3 episodes later that even Mike’s family dabbled in some monkey luvin’.
Absolutely. I mean, Godo spent a LOT of time all by his lonesome on Green Mountain. No magazines, no DVDs, no Internet. Plus, I think it’s established he paid visits to Pepe’s house. Perhaps when Pepe wasn’t home, but Mrs. Pepe definitely was…
Or perhaps there’s simply an ape Godo named after the human one.
Or perhaps IJASISRJR? :-D
Hmm, would that fit on a bracelet, you think?
Whoa. Dude. This makes the light trip sequence from 2001 seem completely lucid.
Ok, back on topic, I remember my excitement seeing this featured in the Sci-Fi promos for the renewed show. CFtBL was always one of my childhood favs… and the fact that this was filmed in my stomping grounds (Jacksonville, Florida — the Lobster House restaurant downtown; and of course MarineLand just south of here where I’d visited many times) made this one really special.
Oh… and I like Lori Nelson VERY MUCH!
A while back, I had obtained a copy of The Golden Turkey Awards (one of the works that helped inspire MST3K). Not surprisingly, one of the nominees for the Worst Actor Lifetime Achievement Award was John Agar. At one point, it recounts how Agar was in court for some minor offense like drunk and disorderly (I don’t have it with me, so I’m doing it from memory). In seeking clemency, he stated that he was having trouble with his marriage. This enraged the judge, who proclaimed, “HOW DARE YOU DRAG SHIRLEY TEMPLE INTO THIS!!!!!”, and it went downhill from there.
IMHO the “Your wife just called!” for Joe would’ve worked better as “Your pregnant wife just called!” Better sense of rhythm. Shrug.
I can’t see the post numbers and have no idea why that should be.
Here’s a nice promo photo for this movie that features the lovely Lori Nelson, and unfortunately also features John Agar mashing his gigantic face into hers. Good with the bad I guess.
https://pics.wikifeet.com/Lori-Nelson-Feet-1487205.jpg
The last movie (I believe) John Agar worked in was the apocalyptic thriller Miracle Mile in 1988. Word to the wise: don’t watch it unless you’re in the very peak of mental health. I can’t think of a film with a more downer ending.
No, that would be this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Naked_Monster
In which he plays the very same role that he plays in R of the C.
Can this thing kick me out a steak, dollface?
It’s good to be back, in more ways than one (I had to go through the new registration process to comment again). I became a solid MSTie during the Sci-Fi era, but I didn’t start watching the show regularly until about midway through this season. I seem to remember starting in the middle of the Roman Times arc, and had to play catch up through reruns for the Observers and the Camping Planet. I don’t think I saw this episode (and the other Deep Ape-centric shows) but once before Sci-Fi ended the reruns, when they had one last sequential run on Saturday mornings.
As for the episode itself, I suppose I feel about it like I feel about ‘Mitchell’ or ‘Laserblast’. I didn’t see it in real time, so it never had the chance to affect me as deeply as it did for others here. For a return to form it’s perfectly fine. Not a nonstop laugh riot, but enjoyable enough.
I must say though, I’d forgotten Eastwood’s part in this. I’d remembered this was an early role for him, but I expected him to be a nameless stevedore or aquarium worker with maybe two words of dialog, not a white-coated lab tech who gets a whole comedic bit to himself. Ah well, this was his first and last movie anyways…
Fave riff
With Mel Cooley on sax…
“This is so racist!”
That riff always cracks me up.
Oh me, oh my, I was like others very nervous about the transition to Sci-Fi, but I soon learned that there was no need to worry as the show proved that it could survive a network change just as it survived casti changes. It took me a little while to get used to Bill’s Crow but I learned to love his interpretation of the wisecracking gold bot. I didn’t mind the story arcs per se , but they did make watching the show confusing when the Brans lost the rights to a film and couldn’t show the episode. As for this episode, it isn’t one of my favorites from the Sci-Fi era, but it isn’t one I avoid either, pretty middle of the road, in my opinion, which considering all they had to plan isn’t too shabby.
“Why is Crow so angry?”
He’s more than 500 years old and he’s spent the entire time in ONE PLACE (and it’s no one’s fault but his own, he got bored too quickly with being pure energy and returned to the SOL and corporeal form). Like the storekeeper in “The Brute Man,” he’s basically mad about being alive. He’s a warped, frustrated, old…bot.
Besides, the place is decorated like a low-budget BORG SHIP, for heaven’s sake. The old SOL was at least bright and cheerful IMHO but how can anyone be expected to be A Happy King on a Borg ship? Really, when you think about it (“So don’t think about it.”), the Borg were probably so obsessive about assimilating outsiders into new Borg because the old Borg kept getting so depressed that death could have been nothing but a welcome release.
Yes, the Borg: A bunch of humorless old white guys who want to use their technology to make everyone else just like them. Gee, wonder what THAT’S a metaphor for…
THE CREATURE FROM PEPPERMINT BAY
Also:
From Wikipedia: stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock laborer, wharfie, wharf rat, lumper, whombler, longshoreman
Now, who doesn’t think it’d be more fun to say “wharfie” or “whombler” than to say “stevedore”?
“There was an intense interest in wharfies…”
I had a friend named Steve (one of many) who worked as a human door. I’d introduce him saying, “meet my friend Steve, a door.” Like my friend Fred, a stair.