Customer Reviews

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Gunslinger

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the Joel episodes and their first (and only that I am aware of) western. This film is "bad" enough that the MST3K approach works just as well is it does for the sci-fi's.

The story is set in 1978 (we are reminded of dates continuously via subtitles) in a stock Hollywood facade western town. The whiney weak excuse for a marshal is fortunately disposed of within the first 5 minutes by a bad guy. His badge is then taken up by his wife, the somewhat hot Beverly Garland.

The plot plays out as Garland is oppressive toward the bad elements in town including "Erica's saloon" (Erica being the darkside equivalent of Matt Dillon's, Miss Kitty . . . hmmm, I never noticed that wordplay before). Erica hires a "gunslinger" to come to town and eliminate the new marshal. Gunslinger falls in love with marshal (it must be those painted on black slacks). A showdown finally occurs, etc.

Garland's character has an incredible propensity for picking up a gun and shooting anything that tickles her fancy. It's fairly ridiculous, as is her technique of kind of throwing the gun at the target as it goes bang. Also ridicuous is the dancing girl trio at the saloon (somebody must have been calling in a favor on the producer/director).

This is the first film I can ever recall with, so obviously framed on the screen, actors standing by off-scene waiting for a cue to action. It happened at least twice and I have no idea how it ever got by editing. Equally notable was the repeated instance of actors going off screen through a doorway or around a corner and instantly appearing in another part of "town". Joel and the Bot's lampooned this with Tom Servo jumping around the set, appearing at random locations.

This is an exceptionally bad and cliche' western (in color), so is great source material for Mystery Science Theater. It's not their best, but was a fun viewing (I'll save the 5 star ratings for projects like The Skydivers and Manos Hands of Fate).

Like the best of MST3K's work, it is smart without being intellectual, sarcastic without being snotty, silly without being dumb. It makes for a very funny experience.