Customer Reviews

Mystery Science Theater 3000

5 star:		(167)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

While various MST3K episodes have circulated over the internet and from companies like Rhino, the MST3K movie has long since disappeared from DVD shelves. Now, rather than rent a copy from Netflix and then "lose" it so you can keep one (or pay extravagant prices on Ebay), Universal has rereleased this great film to the delight of fans everywhere.

So what makes this different from any normal episode? Well, first of all it's set between the sixth and seventh seasons (right after the departure of TV's Frank and before Pearl joins as a regular), so Doctor F has the bad guy side all to himself. Fortunately, Trace is more than capable of making his every moment on screen a blast (there's even a funny "mini-origin" monologue that starts the film off to catch everyone up to speed). The set is finally expanded here and we get to see more of the ship finally. But, strangely enough, this is actually SHORTER than any of the episodes you see on television. This was done because the studio was afraid people who weren't familiar with the show would get bored in the theater--but of course, why would they go see it if they weren't familiar with the show in the first place?

The movie they choose to riff is "This Island Earth", which I always thought wasn't such a bad film anyway. However, Mike and the Bots do manage to squeeze in some great lines throughout. Definitely worth the time!

One small warning: they do use a few more colorful words here than they did on television. Not often by any means, but they sneak a couple in here and there.

I'm so glad we're finally seeing this gem return to DVD! Don't know what brought it on, but thank you!

The popular TV show that revolves around a man and his two robots heckling horrible movies in space has found its way on film (very hard to find, but it's there!). "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" gives you the rare opportunity of enjoying a bad movie as Mike and the robots are there to help you through it with their wisecracking and flawless delivery. It's true that anyone can heckle a bad movie... but very few can do it as good as these guys can.

The mad and evil scientist, Dr. Clayton Forrester, has created an evil little scheme that is bound to give him world domination... but first thing's first. He plans to torment Mike Nelson and the robots by sending them a real stinker of a film to watch called, "This Island Earth." He is convinced that this movie will drive them insane. And since the guys cannot control when the movie begins or ends, they are forced to witness the true horror that is this awful movie that has a lobster creature dressed in slacks. Will this be the ultimate cheese that breaks the boys' spirits? You'll find out once you begin this hilarious movie.

The movie isn't all that different from the regular show, which is a major plus. Sure, there is a little bit of a plot going on that concerns Dr. Forrester's plan for global domination, but there's always a side story like that going on in each of the episodes. The movie may look a little more professional than the show, but that's the only difference. We still see the three silhouettes wisecrack and mock their way through the awful movie. Their delivery is always constant and right on target. In fact, you're bound to catch something new that you didn't catch the first time around when you watch it again. "This Island Earth" was a good choice for the movie, although they have been through much worse than this (see the episodes "Space Mutiny" or "Manos: Hands of Fate," and you'll see what I'm saying). The DVD has no extras whatsoever. Not only that, but it is EXTREMELY hard to find these days, so good luck trying to find it (it's out there somewhere).

"Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" doesn't disappoint in any way. It's always funny, always fresh and always clever. Fans of the show will most likely love the movie. It can even be enjoyed by those who are experiencing MST3K for the very first time. If you're lucky enough to stumble upon this little gem, then I highly recommend checking it out. And remember kids, these guys are professionals; do NOT attempt this at home! -Michael Crane

MST3K The Movie got great reviews when it was in theaters in 1996 and deservedly so. Even after the studio chopped it down to a mere 75 minutes they couldn't destroy anything this funny. Siskel and Ebert at the time raved about it, as did most fans and critics. Sadly, the DVD has been out of print in the USA for many years, so it's great that this is available again for all the MSTies who missed out on it the first time around.

The movie being "riffed" is the classic color SF film from 1955, This Island Earth, starring Rex Reason, Faith Domergue (she was in the original Invasion of the Bodysnatchers), Russell Johnson (the Professor on Gilligan's Island), and Jeff Morrow. It's a great looking film that is reasonably entertaining and well-made. However, as the MST3K writers point out repeatedly during jokes in this film, there's still plenty to make fun of, such as futuristic looking props that don't seem to have an actual purpose, plot premise issues, and some general fantastic silliness. MST3K The Movie is a lot of fun.

Note that Frank Conniff and Joel Hodgson had both left MST3K by the time that this film was made, so the Satellite of Love (SOL) is helmed by Mike Nelson and Dr. Forrester is on his own in Deep 13. The jokes are top notch, though occasionally a bit more PG-13 than on the regular MST3K TV show. The SOL and Deep 13 sets constructed for the film are slightly more elaborate than those previously used for the TV show on Comedy Central to that point. There are even a few scenes in the SOL in more than one location! The movie does follow the same general format as the TV show, including host segments. Look for the "Manos" reference during one host segment. This DVD is recommended!

In spite of all it's misgivings, MST3K: The Movie is pretty funny, and if you are a MSTie who has always wanted to hear Tom Servo swear, well this is your movie. A few downsides to the film is that the folks at Universal told the MST3K boys that they had to pick one of their movies (obviously) but it couldn't have been a "bad" movie (What the hell? That's the whole point. Movie execs.. I'll never get them.) and while it is shorter than your average MST3K episode (And runs shorter the original version of "This Island Earth" which is the movie the boys riff) it's still an entertaining watch.
Be farwarned though, the movie has been out of print for quite some time and there are certain people out there in internet land who will try and gouge you 100 bucks and upwards for it (as of the time of this writing some knuckle knob is charging 415 bucks for a USED copy.. OBSURD!) I recomend you check EVERYWHERE before you finally open up your wallet.

I managed to find it online for a fairly decent price. Keep your eye out, and if all else fails and your not picky about VHS, get it on VHS as most dealers and getting rid of VHS like the plague.

I remember seeing advertisements for MST3k: The Movie when it came out on video and wondering what the hell they were talking about. When I read the movie summary I was even more confused. I didn't actually see MST3k until a year later when it came on cable. I thought it was going to be stupid when it started , but when Mike and the bots started watching "This Island Earth" I laughed my butt off! Then my aunt came in the room, said it was stupid, and changed the channel. But I was still hooked. I had to have more of Mike , Crow , and Tom. I didn't see the rest of this until about a year ago , and by that time I had already been a fan of it on the Sci-Fi channel for a year. I just realized I've only said one thing about this movie so far , and the rest is crap you could care less about! Great movie! Funny as hell! Shorter , but still better than an actual episode! I'm just mad at the Sci-Fi Channel for canceling the show. Bunch of idiots!

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT spend all your money on these bloodsucking bottom feeders who think making someone purchase a DVD is honest business. This DVD is easily found in most major stores like Walmart/Target/Kmart and if you're on the west coast Fred Meyer! Case in point, I found a bunch of these in a bin at Fred Meyer for $5.99. I only bought 1 but heck this movie isn't worth $100+! Studios know that when a movie is overinflated like this, it's only a matter of time before they release "a newly" released version. It's quite simple for them to do actually and they make A LOT of money instead of seeing these "bottom feeders" try to swindle unsuspecting customers and studios! Word of advice on DVD's OOP, no DVD is worth more than the initial suggested price. If it's too expensive, wait until the DVD is affordable again. A lot of DVD's that were released between 1996 and 2000 will be getting a re-release simply because the marketing audience of DVD's has literally changed 100-fold since the technology has become so available. The 30th Anniversary Edition DVD of Jaws is a good example. Save that money and use it for a new sound system for your current player and skip the bottom feeder!

If you have never sat down for an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000, the series, you are in for a real treat. Imagine going to a midnight screening of a "B" or "C" movie with couple of your best buds, cutting-up and goofin' on weak plot points, weaker FX and questionable acting. If you can imagine all that, then add the sci-fi genre to the mix, turn your two buds into puppet robots with some stinging-sardonic wit and you've got it.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie, is the post-mortem theatrical release following the series final run on Comedy Central. It is a polished presentation along with some primer origin info enough to help clue-in any newbies to the series. Mad Doctor Forester returns to throw bad movies at Mike, the temp, and his robots on the "Satellite of Love." But this time it isn't really a bad movie, so much as a retro-classic, "This Island Earth." If the title doesn't strike a cord, the crazy-bug-eyed, bulbous brained big clamp alien monster will seem familiar, at least.

The boys are on their game in this one, including Dr. F., the jokes fly fast and loose, some of which I still quote to this day. The sets are theatrical release quality, as are the edits and music. If you're a fan of the series, it will feel like the typical small screen to big screen transition, in fact, that very transition feels like an extension of the genre satire indicative of the MST3K brand, in it's classic form!

The MST3K movie has been long overdue for release, now we can add this to the increasing releases of 7 years of the original series, or you can start with this one. Either way I'd recommend it.

One down side...unlike some of the TV series DVDs, this one doesn't have both the MST3k version and the original version of the film. This DVD doesn't really have any extras at all, but I'm still happy to have it.

I have always loved the MST 3000 TV show. I believe this movie to be the best work they have ever done. I just want to vote for the re-release of the DVD!

MST3K:TM on DVD is very good. You get the standard excellent picture and incredible sound, and of course, the funniest movie of the decade. But what is missing here is the extra added features which would have warranted this receiving 5 stars. Think of all the fun things which could have been added: a blooper reel, comments from Jim Mallon, Mike Nelson, Trace Beaulieu, and Kevin Murphy about their film, extra scenes which were excluded from the final theatrical version and much more. All you get with MST3K: TM on DVD is the standard jump-to-any-scene-you-wish interface and widescreen presentation.

Granted, if you are a fan of Mike and the Bots, you don't need any extra features to keep your attention, however, the lack of extras may scare off potential buyers, especially those who are not fans.

If you don't know by now, MST3K:TM is the story of a mad scientist marooning a janitor in space with 3 robot pals on an orbiting satellite. Mike Nelson, and two of his bot pals-- Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot are forced to watch an edited down version of the 1955 sci-fi magnum opus "This Island Earth." The mad doctor Clayton Forrester monitors Mike's, Crow's and Tom's minds while they are watching the film so that he can unleash the result on the unwitting public and rule the world. Mike and the bots do not go quietly, throwing a bunch of witty and often humorous insults back at the screen. What you get is a product which has propelled the TV series to a ravenous cult following, boasting a 100,000+ member fan club, numerous internet websites, a book and even a Peabody award.

MST3K:TM is truly unique and it is truly incredible to see the "cow-town puppet show" unleashed on DVD.

In Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie, we rejoin our favorite quirky captives from the TV show, Mike Nelson and his homemade robot friends, aboard the infamous Satellite of Love. At the mercy of the evil Dr. Forrester, Mike, gumball machine-headed Tom Servo, and the world's second most famous golden droid, Crow T. Robot, are repeatedly forced to view horrendously bad movies in a sadistic experiment to test their breaking points. But Mike and the bots are too clever to let bad movies get them down. Though it can be tough at times, they always pull through by turning torturous films into hilarious ones. As they sit in their own private theater, showing us only their silhouettes in the lower, right-hand corner of the screen, we overhear their smart and sarcastic comments and insults about virtually everything the currently playing movie shows us.
This being the MST3K theatrical offering, we are actually getting a shorter version of the usual program, a slightly bigger budget, and a slightly more tolerable and much better known film to poke fun at. The feature this time around is the campy sci-fi classic, "This Island Earth," about a dying alien race that kidnaps the Earth's brightest minds in order to help them save their war stricken planet. Mike, Crow, and Servo give their commentary with their usual gusto and comic genius, and they even manage to slip in a joke here and there that wouldn't have made it on TV. Mystery Science Theater 3000 is definitely a must own for any fans of the show, or for anyone who likes to kick back and poke fun at whatever movie happens to be playing on the screen in front of them.