In this week’s episode guide entry, I noted that a few minutes of theater riffing from that episode was included on the “best-of” tape Best Brains used to sell the show to The Comedy Channel. And I wondered: was this three minutes or so really among the funniest moments from the KTMA era?
So, here’s the challenge for this weekend’s discussion: Let’s pretend that there is a chance that all 10 national seasons of MST3K could come back to TV. But there’s one problem: The network executive who is going to make the decision has been living in a cave somewhere. He or she has never heard of MST3K, never seen it.
And, let’s pretend that you, MSTie that you are, are being asked to help put together a “best-of” compilation that will convince him or her of what a great show it is. You have to select two three- to five-minute theater segments — one featuring Joel and one featuring Mike — that you think will show the executive what a funny show this is.
For the Joel segment, I’m going to go with the section toward the beginning of The Magic Voyage of Sinbad, right after Sinbad arrives home (“and nobody seems to care!”)
For the Mike segment, I would pick almost any moment from “Incredibly Strange Creatures…” but especially any of the musical numbers.
What would you pick?
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@ # 31: I guess that’s why it would be a good idea to include parts from the ending of the episode 512 Mitchell and the beginning of episode 513 The Brain That Wouldn’t Die somewhere in the clipshow.
Great thread idea! I have to chime in on this one.
My Joel pick would have to be from The Lost Continent. That episode always makes from laugh out loud. (“Hey, I can see my house from here!”) I might also choose the short Junior Rodeo Daredevils.
Others have already mentioned my two top Mike picks: Time Chasers and Space Mutiny. As Davey Death Ray stated upstream in this thread, Space Mutiny is pure gold from start to finish. It think that episode features Mike, Kevin, & Bill at their MST3K finest. If I was going to try to sell someone on the idea running the entire catalog of MST3K on their network then Space Mutiny would be at the top of my list for a sample sales reel.
The FIRST clip that came to mind, without even thinking, was any of the Ernest Borgnine segments from “Merlin’s…”
For Joel: I’d use the segment of “Sinbad” where Sinbad (or whoever he is) is trying to sell the merchants on his golden fish challenge.
For Mike: The two drunks in “Horror at Party Beach”
@39
The floating quiz was featured in an ep (can’t remember which one) wherein Joel and the bots take in a vapor treatment for their colds that has a side effect of causing flashbacks. You might have seen it there.
Hmmm…
This is actually pretty tough, as we have a true embarassment of riches to choose from.
For Joel, I’ll go with the opening minutes from “Operation Double 007”, where they add new lyrics to the already catchy theme song and we first meet the villain (and his “TV screen”). For Mike, I’ll go with the segment from “Prnce of Space” when they go to Beaver Falls and first run into the chickenmen of Krankor.
Seeing as how this was supposed to focus on riffing segements, will we be covering host segments next week? Or was that already brought up?
k, mst#k THE MOVIE: normal view. . . noormaal viieew. . . NORMAALL VIIEEWW. . . NOORMAAL VIIIEEEWWWWW!. Prince of space: servo “thats one crafty parcking meter” p.o.s “your weapons are useless- but scare the crap out of me anyway” Industrial arts: crow ” why take industrial arts? – Cuzz you suck at math?” Pod people: Dr. forrester ” it has nothing to do with pods or people, it has everything to do with pain” Cave dwellers: Crow “use the handrails- i put them there for a reason!” Space mutiny: Servo: “Hold on tight- well be approaching THE speed of THREE!” MIKE ” JEEZ, YOU WALK ON YOUR HANDS AND CATCH UP TO THE GUY!” Servo: “RAILING KILL!” oH YEAH, THE CLOSE UP OF THE DEAD GIRL WHEN SERVO SAYS ” im insaaaaane!” Lots more but these are a nice intro to MST3K.
I’d choose the segment of “Gamera vs Guiron” where the kids take off on their bicycles and encounter Officer Cornjob, and Tom and Crow sing the incredibly funny bicycle song.
For Mike I’d choose the scooter chase at the end of Space Mutiny. How could anyone not find that funny?
#58 is right on the money! In fact, anything from “Space Mutiny” would be the best way to sell MST3K! I don’t know what else could sell MST3K any better.
Joel?
Joel- For me the scene from Pod People in the cave. “What do they want from the gates of hell? Smuckers Raspberry Jam! With an name like Smuckers”
Mike- The Scene From the Sword and the Dragon where Illyiad (?) is moving the rocks.
And just for the record, anything trying to sell the show needs BOTH Patrick Swayze Christmas and the Canada song. I’m just saying.
The entire “A Date with your Family” short. It is some of the finest riffing they have ever done. I’d throw in “The Days of our Years” but I’d think the execs might give into the gray despire that is the Union Pacific(why can’t I spell?) worldview.
@#55 — Thanks for the assist, it was #209 The Hellcats where I saw the “what’s funny floating quiz”, and it must have been flashing back to #201 Rocketship X-M [one I have not seen or owned…yet].
Joel sell tape, in my opinion, any portion of #303 Pod People. You have to love “flying over trout”, “Trumpy, you can do stupid things”, and “those are ready to pop” riffs.
Mike sell tape, IMO, any portion of #904 Werewolf….crying Native Americans, the Where-O-Werewolf song, and the classic Crow, “Okay stop, everyone go up a shirt size.”
Many great suggestions bringing back faded memories, thanks everyone.
Joel- You gotta show the last few minutes in EEGAH before they leave the theater( that way the executive could get a look at Arch)and show Joel’s transformation to Arch Hall Jr. To me one of the funniest bits MST3K ever did.
Mike- I always like the ” Go Packers Woooo” which they did alot of with M&TB’s. I would throw together a montage of that.
Cave Dwelllers: The hang glider scene. “I’m the luckiest boy in the world! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of God.”
Eegah: Tom’s dune buggy is introduced. WHEE!
Horror At Party Beach: The rumble between our hero and the motorcycle gang. “Now back off or my gang will ram me into your stomach again.”
And if we want to go with a short, I must simply mention What To Do On a Date. “I need to know what NOT to do on a date!”
Technically this discussion is about movie riffing, but the host segmants are such an integral part of the show, I am expanding my picks (like many previous post have) to include host segments. But I atart with movie riffing segmants:
1. Any 3-5 minutes from “Assignment: Venezuela”.
2. The dance party before the night jump in “Skydivers”.
3. Any of the scenes from the cave in “Eegah!”, but in particular the one where Roxy shaves her dad and Eegah.
4. The climactic fight scene from “Godzilla vs. Megalon”.
5. The scene from “The Final Sacrifice” where Mike Pipper explains the history of the Ziox (“ah hates legends!”).
6. The opening scene from “Leech Woman”, where Paul Talbot is enabling June’s alcoholism (“geez, they should just put booze in squeeze bottles!”).
Host segments:
1. The whole cheating saga from “Wild, Wild World of Batwoman”.
2. The evil space children segments from “Parts: The Clonus Horror”.
No matter how many times I watch them, all of the above make me laugh out loud.
Thanks for reading- see ya!
I find that the Joel era theater riffing was only entertaining when forced into fast-paced riffing by the length of the shorts, so I would have to nominate “Mr. B-Natural” because as soon as he-she shows up in the kids room, the laughter is non-stop.
The Mike years are overflowing with great moments, but I have to agree with #50, that the trip to the “Food Court of THE FUTURE” from Time Chasers contains the line that any TV executive would love “So kids in the future are all gay agents?”
For Joel I have to go with Mr. B Natural too. The entire short is a classic from beginning to end. It sums up what the the whole series was about.
For Mike, almost any segment from Jack Frost, particularly parts with the mushroom guy.
#66
2. The evil space children segments from “Parts: The Clonus Horror”.
No matter how many times I watch them, all of the above make me laugh out loud.
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Well, I don’t think Uncle Bobo appreciated them all that much.
And as for Gramma Pearl…..
Joel: I would have to say the first minutes of “Why Study Industrial Arts”. The “I’m making this for the Grand Wizard” riff gets me every time.
Mike: Well, I’d have to go with the “sorry about the face” and “watch out for snakes” section of Eegah. Duh.
On a unrelated topic, while in community college back in 99/00, I gave a pursuasive speech in Speech class on why MST was the best show ever, and I totally nerded out in front of everybody and spouted off WAY too much information about the show and even got the “wrap it up” hand sign from a friend. I ended the presentation with 5 minutes from the opening theater segment of Girl in Lovers’ Lane.
—Maybe a good discussion thread? Have you ever just totally nerded out about the show in front of anybody and/or had an embarrassing experience involving the show?
Well I’m embarrassed, Eegah wasn’t a Mike episode, that was a Joel one. Whoops!! So I amend my previous vote, the Mike segment I show off for people is either Beast of Yucca Flats (any of it) or the “I’m a dumb scrawny cracker. Are you ready for sum footballll” section of Laserblast.
ck @69
Yes indeed- I just hope Tanta Bobo was able to hook up with Uncle Reconstructive Urologist!
#70 Watch-out-for-Snakes
Actually I thought you just reversed them because Why Study Industrial Arts is from 609 – Skydivers which is a Mike episode. So you were good all along.
Joel-Any moment from Catalina Caper or Cave Dwellers, both are great episodes.
Mike-Cowboy Mike’s Own Original Red-Hot Ricocheeeeeet (bang!) Barbecue Sauce!!! Need I say more?
—-Tickle me Carlo Lombardi— Yeah. I totally reversed that. I need a fact checker. My street cred is in serious question here.
Watch Out For Memory Loss.
I may have missed it, but i don’t see any love for “Alien From L.A.”. That’s tragic, man.
Perhaps the fight scene that’s capped with the exchange between Kathy and plaid shirt guy: “Were we just in an action sequence?” “No.”
Also no love here today for “Gunslinger”, which surprises me. “The Pony Express. When it absolutely positively has to be there in three or four months or so.”
The dance hall girls scene fits this bill nicely. Tight, compact, able to get a rise out of anyone. Oh, and the riffs are good, too. “Naughty, spank! and naughty spank! and we’ve been bad in the tushy!”