Movie: (1966) A scientist builds a teleportation device and tests it on himself. It doesn’t go well.
First shown: 3/14/98
Opening: The SOL exits the wormhole; they’re back orbiting the Earth in the present
Intro: Pearl arrives at Castle Forrester, the Forrester ancestral home; she decides to move in
Host segment 1: Crow and Tom have invented a projecting machine–or have they?
Host segment 2: Mike tries to convince Lembach to stay; Pearl learns more family history
Host segment 3: Crow acquires the Touch of Death, and accidentally kills Mike
End: Tom and Crow vie to get funding from Mike’s new foundation; while in Castle Forrester Pearl rededicates herself to taking over the world
Stinger: Lembach is staying!
(254 votes, average: 3.98 out of 5)
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• There are many terrific episodes ahead of us in season nine, but, in my view, this is not one of them. The riffing is steady and most of the riffs make me smile, but there are too few real gut busters. The host segments are clever but not really memorable. And the movie … you know, it may actually be a little TOO good. Plus, there was a terrible technical screwup for the debut. All in all, a less-than-rousing start to the season.
• Paul’s take on this one is here.
• The stretch between the end of season 8 and the beginning of season 9 was 98 days, the shortest amount of time MSTies had to wait between seasons.
• This episode is included on Shout’s Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol XXX.
• References.
• One reference not in the list: Rosemary Woods.
• During the debut of this episode, as soon as M&tB headed into the theater, viewers could tell something was wrong. Essentially, it sounded like their individual mics were off, and all the riffing was being picked up by one mic that was about 10 feet away. Surprisingly, it took online fans a couple of days of complaining before BBI or Sci-Fi Channel would even acknowledge that there even WAS a problem. Eventually, the problem was fixed, but it would be 4-and-half months before the cleaned-up version made it to air. (Incidentally, somebody in the comments said that he/she recalls that “getting warned a day or so ahead of the premiere that there was an audio issue in the theater” and that it may have come from this site. I don’t have any memory of the former and I very much doubt the latter.)
• This movie is a bit overwrought, and the premise is wacky, but it’s not dreadful. Perhaps the worst aspect, in terms of watching it on a regular TV, was that it was that it was a wide-screen movie, forcing the print to resort to some major “pan and scan” — as Tom mentions at one point. You can tell what you’re in for with the very first frame of the movie when the studio logo is seriously elongated.
• Of course, the most notable plot development of this episode was the arrival of the Castle Forrester premise. I remember thinking on a previous viewing that the bit with organ — in which Pearl sits down to play but can only pound out baseball stadium tunes — went on a bit long. But on this viewing, it seemed okay and pretty funny.
• Callback: “Mitchell!” “And bring some ham” (and several other lines from Devil Doll).
• Turns out St. Blaise really is a patron of the throat, but who knew Mike was Catholic? Or maybe it’s just his relative that is?
• After Mike is killed by Crow’s “touch of death,” the bots drag his lifeless body back into the theater and prop him up for some of the riffing.
• There are not one, not two, but three Pink Floyd references: a mention of “Mister Floyd…”, a little chorus of “Pigs” and an observation that a shot of a factory belonged on a PF album cover.
• A character says “You cahn’t!!” in a very English accent and Tom asks: “What’d she call him?!” Pretty spicy!
• You can clearly see there’s no wine in the bottle during the last host segment.
• As the final segment ends, Pearl firmly re-establishes why she’s sending movies to Mike. I have a suspicion the suits asked for this.
• Cast and crew round up: Surprisingly short, considering how many British movies they did. Sam Kydd was also in “Moon Zero Two.”
• CreditsWatch: Directed by Mike. For many seasons there was a post production “coordinator” but beginning with this ep Brad becomes post production “supervisor.” (I suspect he was the one stonewalling — and eventually taking the blame — for the audio snafu.) The entire season of episodes is produced by Kevin. Jim is executive producer and that’s it.
• Fave riff: “Oh sir! Finally!” Honorable mention: “I declare this movie suddenly great!”
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Check out my full review of this episode here…
http://romansreviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/projected-man-mst3k-review.html
Some memorable and fun stuff in this episode, but overall not much going for it. “Slow” is the word that comes to mind.
As to the multiple questions of why the shadowy bad guys wanted the project to fail . . . isn’t it obvious? If you can beam stuff at long distance, then every company that uses trucks, ships, or airplanes to transport consumer goods is going to go down the toilet as soon as viable projection technology renders them inefficient and obsolete. That’s a huge amalgamation of industries that would suffer if the project continued to have funding.
It’s just like in Riding with Death where (albeit used as a cover) the oil companies don’t want a new, more efficient fuel to supplant their source of profit.
Hmmm…I seem to like this one a lot more than most and not much less than some…
I mean, I think this is a pretty fun ep…solid stuff.
It does start slow. I think one of the problems is, in the first half of the ep, most of the riffs are “action-based” as in making fun of the effects, and other observational type jokes. Really they should have gone for more character-based jokes as they do so well in The Deadly Bee or a “stagey” type film like Teenage Crime Wave. The Devil Doll call back stuff is weak, though they do a good job of picking on the weak other guy, the “hero.” Things perk up with the Lembech business (really hilarious stuff). Then when PAUL ISN’T PAUL ANYMORE they have something to latch onto the ep takes off.
The last ten or fifteen minutes or so are fantastic. Maybe someone mentioned this, I don’t know, I didn’t see anything, but the whole explanation that Paul is killing all these people because he panicked is really rich fodder for the Brains in the last part of the picture. Hilarious. Really, I don’t understand why this isn’t famous among Msties. He panicked!? Robert Block what were you thinking?
Tracey Crisp is lovely, and I like the Beatle fan jokes. I guess I just love Beatle fan girls circ 1966…Tracey really had a hard day’s night though, didn’t she? She looked like she could use a little–help. If someone had just handed her a revolver. Um, I guess I better just let it be…
The Lembech call sketch (host seg) is a real fav of mine.
I guess I’m just partial to British movies where the Brains like to make lots of sex jokes. Still, don’t get me wrong, they don’t exactly hit it out of the ballpark. Just like this one a bit.
And, oh yeah, I think that really is the factory in London featured on the Animals cover…”a call from Mrs. Floyd to Mr. Floyd…will you accept the charges?”
B+
I am one who liked Pearl (it helps that I really like Mary Jo, hi Facebook buddy!) Just because one isn’t the best version doesn’t mean I won’t give them a chance. (Dr F & Frank will always rule, but I won’t sell Pearl/BG/Bobo short) If it entertains me, then good for me. I like what I like.
MST3K always did a good job of making lemonade when (Joel says) they got lemons. From gaining Mike to losing Frank to losing Dr. F/Trace, and gaining Mary Jo & Bill, I almost always love the show! That has to say something…
So, the reverb effect…was that intentional or a glitch in the audio?
@ touches no one’s life…was your SFC-era comment meant to compare it to the CC one, or were you commenting on from mid-Season 6 on, both SOL sets were darkened? Never quite got that (aside from trying to look less Joel-like)
The thing that stands out the most for this episode was waiting for it to rebroadcast so I had a clean audio copy of it. I would never watch this episode because of the poor sound, and I remember actually leaving extra room on my tape at both ends, just so when this was replayed, I could record the improved version over the original one. I don’t remember it taking Sci-Fi THAT long (four+ months!) to replay it, but Sampo would know about dates like that better than I would.
As for the show itself, I liked that they would have a constant place for Pearl, Bobo and Brain Guy to inhabit. The “chase in space” premise for me just wasn’t all that endearing. And while it wasn’t as eye-catching as Deep 13 or Gizmonics Institute, at least it gave that part of the show more consistency, and having Castle Forrester didn’t stop from bringing on one-off characters like Steffi or Paul Chaplin’s Institute of Mad Scientist character.
As for The Projected Man…good riffing, above-average host segments, and a movie that was ridiculous enough to keep one’s interest. Four stars overall.
Okay so if the SOL emerges out of the wormhole at Earth at the exact time they left it, wouldn’t that be right after Mike blew it up in the Planet of the Ape times? Maybe he should just blow it up again since it didn’t stick the first time.
Pearl’s complete inability to fake playing organ aside, I love the bit especially with the interaction from Mike and the Bots at the appropriate times. I really love the appearance of Rock & Roll Part II when Pearl plays and Mike and the Bots respond with the “hey” and Part I when Bobo runs in and sings the lyrics. Few people seem to know there is a part one with lyrics.
Bill really channeled Trace in the introduction of the movie this week.
“Your movie this week is a tepid little serving of British cuisine called The Projected Man. It’s quite bad.” [evil laugh ending in a weak cough]
While nothing really stands out, the vibe I was getting during the riffing of the opening credits had me thinking second season Comedy Central.
Favorite Riffs:
Unknown voice while talking over the cadaver “Can I get on?” Tom “Well he’s dead but knock yourself out.”
Crow “Well this is kind of an ambiguous ending. Is this film horrible or did it merely suck?”
Tom “Yeah, now that I’ve seen it should I kick a dog or a cat?”
Crow “Do I want the director just killed or should he be tortured first?”
During the flames Crow “Ah so the movie and all the actors in it roast in hell!”
Mike “ex-genius” Kelley #42: And I do like Pearl — I understand how she’s a bit too much to take at times, but she’s grown on me over the years.
Not to worry. I believe there’s an ointment for that, so surgery won’t be necessary. :P
Maybe its because this is the first MST3K episode I ever saw, but this has a special place in my heart. The jokes are pretty good and there is the benefit of Sheila in her underwear. I’d rate this as above average, 4 stars.
Favorite riffs:
(Police are investigating Latham’s murder.)
Inspector Davis: Can I get on?
Servo: (as Dr. Mitchell) Well, he’s dead, but knock yourself out.
Mike: (as Dr. Hill) Go away! I’m chatting up the freak!
Mike: (as Dr. Steiner) Don’t force me to go to the larder and unseal a tin of whoopass.
This is one of two episodes that I don’t own and have never seen (the other is The Deadly Bees.) I do kind of like knowing that there are a couple episodes out there that will be completely new to me when I finally watch them. Really hoping Shout puts these two out on dvd soon.
#106
I thought they’d come back to Earth as they’d left it at the end of Season Seven.
They can’t have been back on “Earth-Ape” because Pearl kept trying to conquer the world and she ALREADY ruled “Earth-Ape.” Plus the villagers, the delta knights, and almost every other visitor to the castle in later episodes were humans.
Sampo, I’m sorry to be contradictory to your claim that “it took a couple of days of complaining before BBI or Sci-Fi Channel would even acknowledge that there even WAS a problem”, but I distinctly remember getting warned a day or so ahead of the premiere — I think right on this very site — that there was an audio issue in the theater (supposedly an experiment which had gone awry) that would be fixed for the reruns.
As for the episode itself, I’ve never found it very interesting, save for the mysterious obsession by M&tB over the throw-away line about Lembach staying. It wasn’t THAT memorable a moment.
Shout! can leave this one off of any future DVD sets, as far as I’m concerned.
When British sci-fi is good, it’s GOOD (e.g., the Quatermass movies). When it’s bad, it’s BAD, and not in an amusing way. This is Projected Man in a nutshell. There’s just not much amusement to be had from watching this movie, and for me, I gotta be amused by the flick in order to go along with J/M&tB.
Sad to say, it does get worse this season. The Deadly Bees. Oh my God.
Yeah, but it did give us Tom singing “The incredible, edible Earth,” which still makes me laugh.
Also, it’s funny how the Brains want to get into the British-ness of this film, yet make a riff about something being “three for a dollar.” It’s a POUND, guys.
“Here’s what we’ll do.” “Drink, then drink some more.”
@111 – I, too, remember being warned in advance about the sound glitch. When the ep first aired, I remember thinking, “Wow, they’re not kidding!” It was hard on the ears.
This isn’t one of my favorite episodes. I was initially thrilled by the appearance of Bryant Haliday as I really enjoyed his cheesy performance in Devil Doll, but this film is really dull, so much so that M&tB never quite overcome it, in my opinion.
Fortunately, there’s a lot to look forward to in this season…
Here’s how I’d rate Sci-Fi’s Pauls:
1. Moonbeast Paul
2. Warwilf Paul
3. Projected Paul
Tom: Just because you show us a projector doesn’t mean we’re convinced there’s a projected man.
Mike: Because I can, by the way, if you must know the answer.
Tom: I’m gonna fax my butt over to Lembach’s!
Mike: Can’t get used to driving on this side, and I was BORN here!
Crow: She tried to buy turtleneck panties, but they were all out.
Not a great start to Season 9, an overall okay episode, but it lands in the bottom three of the season for me. The back half of the movie (after the second Host Segment) with monstrified -Paul and underwear-Shelia is the best and most entertaining part, while the rest of it, well, it’s really just mucking about now, isn’t it?
The Host Segments are mild-to-weak. I for one like the setting of Castle Forrester, even if it is a poor substitute for Deep-13. It’s better than being lost in space with a studio mandated storyline…
HS#1 is another skit where the Bots destroy Mike’s stuff, but it was nice to see Mike turn the tables on Servo. HS#2 is pretty meh and HS#3 is okay but not that great, although it does result in the Bots dragging Mike’s body into the theater and propping it up, “Weekend at Bernie’s” style…
–
RIFFS:
Mike: “Hey, a jaunty jalopy.” —–that term is one that Joel used a few times. A callback?
movie: “…needs a receiver.”
Crow: “Like Chris Collinsworth?”
Crow: “Old ‘Tinpants’ Hill?!”
Crow: “Yes, no more tedious carrying cats across the room.”
Crow: “My Uriah Heap compilation tape is almost done.”
smoking officer,
Servo: “Legalize it, then. Right-O.”
Mike: “And the plot thin-ens.”
Servo: “Smell the glove!”
Mike: “Gimme some skin!”
–
I’m going to project a 3/5 all over this episode
***** to: Sheila in her underwear. Never get tired of that.
With a diaper on my own face I look back fondly on a great episode!
Re:#116
I think the man-bat from It lives by Night was a Paul monster as well.
I checked– Bat boy was Johnny. But if he were named Paul, I would definitely rate him over the petulant Projected Paul. :)
I never understood why the wolfman’s boss wanted to sabotage the experiments. What did he have to gain? Was it personal? Was it edited out of the MST version?
But I’m sure we’ve all panicked and killed people. If it happens to me any more often they’ll have to name a wing of the cemetery after me.
RE: #122
They wanted to take all of the information and use it for their own gain. I suppose they had their own scientists that they wanted to have the credit for? I doubt that anyone would believe a couple bureaucrats would have the wherewithal to invent a teleporter. And Steiner could still dispute their results and sue them for infringement on his ideas, which he and the organization likely had a large amount of documentation on.
Well, I’m off to go wash my eyebrows.
I’m finding myself enjoying this episode more this viewing. I had previously dismissed this one. This time, the movie seems breezier to me. Tom’s not in the mood for visiting more planets, and neither am I. Castle Forrester is a welcome presence, you can tell The Brains are happy to have their premise back. Love hearing 500+ year old Crow making Mitchell callbacks. Burning up Mike and Tom’s stuff was great. And Mike dead in the theater for a portion? That’s just wacky! Even with the relaxed riffing, there is a lot going on in this episode.
My opinion on this one remains the same, despite the fact that I found Devil Doll to be a great episode when I first saw it (after seeing this).
The trouble with this boring is not that it’s too good, but that it’s boring.
It’s essentially simply just a ripoff of The Fly, with a ridiculous subplot of the boss and assistant trying to sabotage the project.
I mean, really, someone invents teleportation and you try to steal it? How would that even work? Surely the original inventor has dozens of patents relating to the device, even if it doesn’t fully work yet.
People are stupid and they do stupid things. Because they’re stupid. That’s probably the explanation for at least 78% of all plot holes. :-)
Fun fact: If you translate Tracey Crisp to American English, she becomes Tracey Chip. Then if you translate it back, she become Tracey Fry.
The more you know.
The only really obvious riff starting point for “Lembach” that occurs to me is something-something-something about Buddy Lembeck (Willie Aames) from Charles in Charge. But apparently it wasn’t obvious enough. Shrug. ;-)
This kind of begs the question of what WOULD be a “traditional” monster (first) name. Freddy, Jason, Michael? Or something noticeably more obscure?
This kind of begs the question of what WOULD be a “traditional” monster (first) name.
All traditional monster names begin with either a consonant or a vowel. If they are Japanese then they end with N or a vowel. Paul both begins and ends with a consonant with two vowels in the middle making it perfectly symmetrical for monster naming purposes. I rest my case.
Are you referring to human-sized monsters? Monsters who were formerly human beings? Because unless I’m mistaken that’s what all the Pauls are. :-)
Interestingly, about half of season 9 is made of movies from countries outside the U.S.: This, “Gorgo” and “The Deadly Bees” were from the U.K., “The Pumaman” and “Devil Fish” were from Italy, and “The Final Sacrifice” was from Canada.
The Projected Man fails the Bechdel Test. Both conversations between Dr. Hill and Sheila are about Dr. Steiner.
Dr. Steiner seems a bit more justified in his persecution complex than most mad scientists, since there are active attempts to sabotage his research.
On a related note, I suspect Blanchard’s attempts to discredit Steiner comes down to a petty feud. Though such antics are more popularly associated with academics from the humanities, I’m reasonably sure those from the sciences are just as prone to that sort of thing.
While Steiner’s Harvey Dent look wasn’t pretty, at least it wasn’t as bad as the Incredible Melting Man.
Pardon? All four of the post-Movie Sign segments in this episode have an association with the movie. Though I would argue that the one you cite is the most tenuous in its connection.
First episodes are like that. Mine is Wild, Wild World of Batwoman.
Does that make her related to Stephen Fry?
Favorite riffs
Is this the Rite of Spring. Should we be rioting right now?
And bring some ham. I love it!
“Yesterday, I achieved my first projection of a living creature.”
You’re drinking it.
Are we not blokes?
Don’t make me go to the larder and unseal a tin of whooparse.
Warm and cozy private life? Does he know of my strolls by the ducky pond, and my Sunday visits with Mummy?
Now he’ll come out half man, half wristwatch.
Even when stuff’s happening in this movie, stuff doesn’t happen.
Wait, there’s a fly in there.
It’s a Bib Vila Halloween Special!
It’s the Queen Mum. And she’s nude!
Purveyors of rubber gloves to Her Majesty the Queen since 1673.
Now this is one of my victims.
You could have told me about your stinky gym bag back here.
How do you lose a whole naked woman?
Oh, I’ve done it many times.
A kiss with all the passion of a grey Brixton afternoon.
Sorry I kneed you in the groin when you tried to kiss me.
“What was on those computers?”
Porn. No, wait!
So the lesson I get from this, Mike, is to never cut off someone’s research grant funding without a proper hearing. Reconvene the board and give it the time and respect it deserves.
I always kill when I panic.
Think of him as a man with a face like a rolled pork roast.
Well, let’s let him go. He’ll apply for another grant soon, and we’ll turn it right down.
He’s taking a lorry to the lift to the loo!
I must have missed this episode’s original debut, because I don’t remember the sound problem at all. I’m ambivalent about this episode. I suppose it’s a good piece of filler while the Brains got their host segments figured out and took a bit of a breather from the one-two-three knockout punches of the last season 8 episodes. Knowing what’s to come over the rest of this season I can’t hold it against them.
Fave riffs
An exhaust system she may need…
I want you but not you!
Best episode since Riding With Death. After the disaster that is the last half of Season 8, Season 9 begins with a pleasant and funny episode. We get back to the roots of the program as the Mads settle in to Castle Forrester, and the show begins to reclaim itself. While it never again reaches the heights of it’s glory days from Comedy Central, Seasons 9 and 10 show the Brains becoming at least somewhat happy again performing their show.
I like this episode quite a bit. It’s light and goofy, and even a bit morbid (Mike dies and comes back!). And Lembeck is staying! Who couldn’t love that?
I also remember reading on this site that there was an audio issue before the episode aired – thus I was surprised to read here that it took a few days for fans to complain.
Maybe the Mandela effect??
Yes, with the Projected Man/Deadly Bees package, and Final Sacrifice still to go, S9 brought in the last of the International SciFi-Channel World Trolling…
After they’d gotten that little slap from their US masters, we didn’t get as much of it in S10’s Gorgo, to sully up the episodes.
Gave this a fresh look when released by Shout! I laughed a lot. I liked Sheila in her underwear. I was sad when Lembach didn’t stay. I watched a man with a diaper on his face. I enjoyed Kevin’s singing. Yeah- it was bloody good.
“US masters”?? Don’t you mean the Illuminati? Your tinfoil hat must be slipping.
I like this ep. The movie is a bit dull but they make the best of it, and as others have pointed out, the Sheila in her underwear scene does improve the viewing experience substantially. Also, it has one of my favorite riffs: “Don’t make me go to the larder and unseal a tin of whoop ass.”
There’s a British film called Those Daring Young Men in their Jaunty Jalopies, aka Monte Carlo or Bust. So it’s not so much a callback as Joel and Mike just making the same pop culture reference, and that sort of thing happened countless times. :-)
You did mean S9’s Gorgo, right?
Delete your account.
Try Apathy. It Works.
I googled Sheila in her underwear, and while I didn’t find the right photo, I realized Sheila is a more traditional name. Found some “seasoned” models. I have to lie down for a bit. :###..
“Oh hey, my grandma’s legs…”
The commenter who mentioned having been warned about the audio problem is correct. I remembered it too and found it in the Usenet archives, see here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc/901/rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc/NuVmJJEKo8o/TxTLev0ZW0EJ
It was also resolved quite quickly: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc/901/rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc/cs8mq7lLwuY/WyLNJccxLTAJ
I tweeted this but I’m posting it here in case it got missed.