For those of you who didn’t read it, with the exception a few deeply disturbed fans, it was the general consensus that “Manos” is not, as one commenter put it, a “bunny slope” episode. Not for newbies, in other words.
Which begs the question: What IS a good episode to use to introduce people to the show?
Before anybody says it, let’s just agree that the winning answer is: “pick almost any short.” The reason: The two-hour length of the show (or 90ish minutes if you’re cutting out or fast-forewarding through the commercials) is one of the things people have to get used to.
My experience is that newbies have a great time with the show for about 45 minutes, their patience starts to wear thin at about 60 and they start to get really antsy at about 70.
To get over that, the movie needs to be visually interesting and yet stupid, the host segments, for the most part, need to be sufficiently wacky and the riffing needs to be strong.
So, let’s not only hear what your favorite introductory short(s) is/are, let’s also hear the full episode you have had the most success with.
As for shorts: I find “Home Economics” and good ol’ Mr. B do well for the Joel era. In the Mike era, I’ve had success with “A Date with Your Family,” and “Last Clear Chance.”
As for full episodes, I noted recently, for a while, it was “Day the Earth Froze.” After the Joel era ended, I had a good deal of success with “Outlaw.” “Girls Town” also has worked well.
As for the Sci-Fi era, I’ve found “Werewolf” and “Puma Man” both do the trick nicely.
What about you?
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One thing we should all remember, I think– there are a few people who just won’t get it, no matter what we do. I had two friends who not ONLY couldn’t get into the show after I had tried repeated sessions (you know the ones, where you say “Well, if you didn’t like this one, maybe this one. No? Well, howzabout this one… No?”), but they ALSO spent the whole time complaining that they couldn’t follow the original movie because J/M and the Bots were talking. Sad, really.
Jane: Well, I have to admit I’m a bit surprised. I figured the combination of brilliant riffing and “Pearl! Pearl! Pearl! Pearl! Pearl!” (Did I get that right?) would have a potential MSTie in stitches. Just no pleasing some people, eh? :smile:
Anyway…I thought I’d mention a few of my favorites that have worked for newbies, as well:
Time Chasers: Almost a tradition in my home, now. That chin works wonders, I tell ya’.
Space Mutiny: I’ve placed my faith in Blast Hardcheese many a time, and he has yet to fail me.
Pod People: Chief? McCloud!
I’ve also had success with Women of the Prehistoric Planet. The opening segment with “Clay & Lar’s Flesh Barn” and the “Hi-Keeba!” guy pretty much sealed it. If you don’t come away from that movie with a seething hatred for that insufferable moron, you don’t have a soul.
Killer Shrews / Junior Rodeo Daredevils
A. I’m a committed Nelsonion, but for newbies I would stay away from Mike episodes, and especially SCI FI episodes. By the time we get to Mike there is more and more self reference… the more history the show has the more the humor relies on that history. SCI FI : The story arc just confuses things further… for the newbie this might be a distraction from what the show is about.
B. As I mentioned earlier, older movies are simpler and more fundamental. The riffing experience is purer ( Jeez, who the hell do I think I am ). The idea that youngsters are less engaged by B&W films is so upsetting to me that I refuse to aknowledge having read it… colorized Monster A Go Go anyone ?
C. By season 4, the crew really knew what they were doing. They were comfortable and confident. They had defined their context and were running with it.
D. K. Shrews / JRDD are good seperately and pair well. If I were slightly more ridiculous than I already am, I would point out that Televised Professional Bull Riding, Genetic Engineering and Food Shortages make this ep very timely.
( E. As an old man and a bit of a purist I don’t like the idea of breaking up the features from the shorts. )
anyway, what point was I trying to make… ? Oh yeah : Killer Shrews and Junior Rodeo Daredevils.
I use MST3K:TM. It helps that This Island earth is actually a decently watchable film and the riffs are great for newbies
I’m with Travis.
I’ve converted more newbies with MST3KTM than any episode. It clearly describes the show’s plot (why there’s a man in space watching bad movies), it’s hilarious, and- if they’re not digging it- SHORT. From that jumping off point you can show them Pod People, Cave Dwellers, The Touch Of Satan, Overdrawn At The Memory Bank, Santa Claus Conquers The Martians or Angel’s Revenge.
Good question. IMO, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank and Teenagers From Outer Space make good introductory material.
Skits can be difficult for newbies. But Dangerface is so right on Pearl! Pearl! Pearl! Pearl!
–I’d love to have Brain Guy’s & Pearl’s rendition of “When Loving Lovers Love” sung at my funeral.–
Also, the swing choir entry by Dr F and TV’s Frank is great for newbies.
I didn’t see “Time Chasers” mentioned anywhere. That’s a good entry level for the movie and skits: Crow going back in time to the Mike’s dairy temp job resulting in Mike’s pun-hating brother Eddy on the SOL. Great stuff, that.
Does everyone categorized by Joel and Mike? I really don’t myself. It’s all good with me.
Re : “Does everyone categorized by Joel and Mike? I really don’t myself. It’s all good with me.”
One can use Joel and Mike as mileposts along the 3 kilometer Mystery Science Journey without passing value judgements. The show evolved : the Joels are different than the Mikes. And Season 1 is different from the rest of Joel, and Comedy Mike is different from SCIFI Mike.
I started watching in real time while Joel was hosting and I weathered the transition without developing any ill will towards either.
( Hey SAMPO how about a road race : The MST 3K ? )
I host MST3K parties from time to time. I always caution my guest to not bring non-fans as we weren’t about conversion but enjoyment. Now I do try to bring people into the fold that are casual fans or did “like” the show those few times they saw it back in the CC days. – Though I would recommend either Kitten With a Whip or I Was A Teenage Werewolf. Both movies fall in that category of film that was probably decent when it came out but didn’t stand the test of time so well. I believe that Teenage Werewolf was among the top ten grossing films the year it came out.
i accuse my parents….
and a sci-fi episode…
giant spider invasion.
oh, wow–giant spider invasion!! “its befuddling my dumb cracker-mind”! YES!
Agree that the the geographic link is good.
I once gave a copy of Final Sacrifice to a Canadian sales rep at work who had 2 kids. A week later He told me he enjoyed it and his kids liked it so much they watched it like five times already.
So that was a successful episode in that case. I bet Final Sacrifice would work well regardlesss of the geographic link though.
I, like many of you, have had unsuccessful attempted mst3k turn-ons as well.
Its a shame to say, but I almost lose respect for these people, as I have to believe they are lacking in intelligence to not like such a great display of comedic genius.
I mean, what is it with these people?! if I became ruler of the Earth, first thing I would do is have all non-mst3k fans removed from society….or at least knocked in the head a couple times.
Oops, I wrote the the.
I’m just as bad as the the Eye Creature people.
Yup, Dangerface, I guess there’s just no pleasing some people. I think “OATMB” is a great episode. The host segments — especially “When Loving Lovers Love” — crack me up, and there are so many hilarious riffs. Fortunately, though, the people who didn’t like that episode did enjoy others, including “Hobgoblins” and “Manos” — they just won’t let me show them “OATMB” again! Can’t win ’em all, I guess. I’m just glad they gave the show another chance :)
I always start out MST3K newbies with the shorts. They’re brief, the riffing is almost always great, and they loan themselves to parody very easily. I think it’s a good way to get them used to the base premise of the show.
Moving them up to entire movies is a bit more difficult. I’ll echo the sentiment of those that said the best ones to start out with are the ones that have the comprehensible plots. There aren’t many though, and sometimes it’s hard to discern the plot because of the riffing, or because of the way the movies are edited down to fit the show’s 90-minute format. Still, the simpler the better, and star power (when available) never hurts. Based on this criteria, “Space Travelers” is a good place to start. The move makes sense on its own, and most folks would recognize Gregory peck and Gene Hackman if nothing else.
Lacking that, the visually interesting (or visually goofy) ones are a good second choice. Almost any of the Japanese movies (the Godzillas, the Gameras, Time of the Apes, the Fugitive Aliens, Prince of Space or Invasion of the Neptune Men) are good candidates in this area (though I didn’t care for Mighty Jack — I may have to re-watch that one sometime). The wannabe spy movies (Secret Agent Super Dragon, Operation Double 007, Agent For H.A.R.M. or Danger! Death Ray) are also highly watchable for camp value.
I find that, as far as introductory episodes go, despite the possible confusion from the characters and story arc, that the Sci Fi episodes are the ones I have success with in introduction. I think the show had (suprisingly) more of an audience then that may or may not have heard of the show before. Most people seem to have an aversion to the Joel-era episodes before they become hooked. I don’t now why.
I think “Prince of Space” is a good introductry episode.
We like it very MUCH !
The one I always start people with is “Time Chasers”. It hasn’t failed me yet. Yes, it’s from the Sci-Fi era, which is known for having weaker host segments due to the lame network-induced continuity arcs, but this episode even deviated from that and had great host segments thanks to the whole bit with Crow time-traveling back to the 80s to stop Mike from fulfilling his eventual destiny on the SOL. Then when they are ready for more, I hit them with “Boggy Creek II”. Flat-out hilarious.
And basically the ENTIRE VOL 2 from Rhino is perfect for a newbie: plenty of shorts and great early Joel episodes like “Pod People” and “Cave Dwellers”.
I introduce all newbies to mst3k by showing A Date With Your Family. I’ve used it in the classroom to introduce or complement a wide variety of concepts and subjects (family values, the 1950s, propaganda, gender roles). Although I know what’s coming, I still laugh loudly knowing that the first-timers enjoy it.
Yes! Neptune Men! Once you’ve built up a tolerance to cinematic pain like I have (bring me Corman, I. Gordon, anybody…I can take it!), that turns out to be one of the most genuinely funny Japanese episodes, especially since it’s rockin’ the whole proto-tokusatsu vibe. Now, if you’ll all excuse me, I hear H.A.R.M. calling from the Judo Range. HI-KEEBA!
THE MILLION EYES OF SU-MARU
Space Mutiny is money in the bank for newbies…my Wife and I tested it out on her sister and she loved it.
I think Mike’s movies are more accessible than Joel’s for some reason, but Eegah is a good starter. I would also strongly recommend Mike’s Riding With Death (814), one of the funniest and most under-rated MST3K episodes of all time, in my opinion, because who doesn’t like unbridled mid-70’s humor??
In terms of shorts, I would easily say “The Home Economics Story,” “A Date with Your Parents,” “21st Century Calling,” or “A Case of Spring Fever,” as I think these were probably the ones with the most-inspired riffing that cut to the true essence of what MST3K is all about. I’d also suggest “Robot Rumpus,” simply because it features Gumby.
As for the movie, I’d suggest either one that might not necessarily be sci-fi related (“The Girl in Gold Boots,” comes to mind immediately) or one that either doesn’t take itself that seriously (“Hobgoblins”) or one that takes itself way too seriously (“The Final Sacrifice” or “Eegah!”). There are others that, while I love them, might not be a good fit for the casual viewer for a number of reasons (I think if the first film I ever saw was “Overdrawn at the Memory Bank” I probably would’ve been bored silly).
For people in my age group (say, mid-20s through mid-30s) it seems to be better to start with a relatively recent movie. Bar none, the episode I’ve had the best luck “converting” people with is “parts: the clonus horror.” If nothing else, the connection to “The Island” can be a good hook to get people to watch it.
“Overdrawn at the Memory Bank” is another good choice, partly because of Raul Julia – for non-MSTies, having a familiar actor gives them something to grab onto, even in a really, really, really bad movie.
Space Mutiny. No question.
“Hobgoblins” is a good one, almost every riff is hilarious (espically the “Garden Tools Fight” scene) and it keeps a good plot and funny host segments.
For a Joel era I must say “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.”
Million Eyes of Sumuru?!!
No offense, but no way would I start someone on that.
Agree about Space Mutiny. That has great riffing and enough action to hold the attention of easily distracted types. Danger Deathray is another good one.
The Legend of the Dinosaur is what I was trying to say not Sumuru thing
I’d say any of the B Movies, they move along pretty quickly, and often have stars we know from classic TV for the guys to mock. Girls Town, Untamed Youth, Catalina Caper, Daddy-O, The Beatniks, Bloddlust.