Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese [Paperback]

Michael J. Nelson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 20, 2000

You might think that after ten seasons on the Peabody Award-winning TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000, Mike Nelson has seen enough bad movies for one lifetime. As the guys at Cahiers du Cinema say, au contraire! Hollywood's spigot of stupidity shows no sign of slowing, and cheesy films continue to flood our multiplexes and gunk up our home entertainment centers at an alarming rate. This dire situation calls for a specialist. A professional. An expert in wading through motion pictures so vile that they aren't released; they escape. We need Mike Nelson! Hey, settle down there, pal--you got him!

In more than sixty laugh-out-loud reviews and essays featuring his unique combination of erudite wit and shameless clowning, this screenscarred veteran takes us deep into the recesses of cinematic cheese. He examines legendary showbiz families like Culkin, Baldwin, and Estevez; uncovers an ancient quatrain in which Nostradamus foretells the coming of David Hasselhoff; makes the case for the Food Network and the Three Stooges; and skewers all kinds of movies, including Lost in Space, Twister, Anaconda, The Postman, Spring Break, My Best Friend's Wedding, The Bridges of Madison County, The Blair Witch Project, and many, many more. Here is a film critic for the rest of us: the outrageous, hilarious Mike Nelson.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Funny...in the land of suckitude, Mike Nelson is king." -- Time

"Funny...in the land of suckitude, Mike Nelson is king." -- --Time

"Hilarious!" -- --Associated Press

"Hilarious...a spray of insightful pop-culture commentary." -- --E! Online

"Hilarious...the book more than lives up to its uproarious promise." -- --Cinescape

"Mike Nelson has a hopeful taste for hopeless movies. He writes about his endless disappointment with them the way most people think about them, with shrewd, genial, populist contempt." -- Richard Schickel

"Mike Nelson just might put some 'legitimate' film critics out of work! His writing is both film-savvy and very, very funny." -- Leonard Maltin

"Nelson is funny and on the mark throughout." -- --Illinois Entertainer

"Nelson's writing is sharp and clever...a must for all of us who love bad movies simply for their sheer badness." -- --The Decatur Daily

"Snort-out-loud funny...sure to make the cheeks of many a Hollywood mogul blaze with shame, provided somebody reads it to them." -- --Minneapolis Star-Tribune

About the Author

Michael J. Nelson is an actor, writer, director, and musician who served as head writer for ten seasons, and on-air host for five seasons, of the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000. He was also the composer of most of MST3K's original music, and is coauthor of The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Amazing Colossal Episode Guide (1996). Nelson lives in Minneapolis with his wife, writer-performer Bridget Jones, and their two children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: It Books; 1 edition (June 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380814676
• ISBN-13: 978-0380814671
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (130 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Mike!, June 26, 2000

By 

Jennifer J. Sikes (Pensacola, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese (Paperback)

The dry, intellectual wit of Mike Nelson is as endearing in print as it was on film. The former host of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" has once again stepped forward to show the rest of us that--yes--bad movies can be fun!

"Movie Megacheese" is a collection of essays focusing on movies that are endearingly devoid of plot, character development, proper lighting, and occasionally, dialogue. His tone, though, is never condescending. If you look beneath the humor, you will find a man who does not hide his affinity for these film-makers. Talent? No, they don't have it...but dang it, they're not going to let that stop them!

I do think you will enjoy this book, even if you are not familiar with "MST3K". It is laugh out loud funny, timeless and enjoyable to read. And hey,...it even makes a lovely drink coaster when you're done!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mike Nelson watches bad movies so you don't have to, July 31, 2001

By 

Andrew McCaffrey "The Grumpy Young Man" (Satellite of Love, Maryland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese (Paperback)

I will admit that I had doubts about MIKE NELSON'S MOVIE MEGACHEESE when I first learned of it. MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 was one of the funniest shows on the air, and, as head writer, Mike Nelson was probably one of the most influential people working for the show. What I worried about was whether the jokes and jeers that he had made over the years would work in review form where we don't have the sheer awfulness of the film to look at. I am glad to say that all of my fears were greatly unfounded. This book is hilarious and scores a solid bull's-eye for every target that it takes aim at.

While the television series was stuck with only making fun of low-budget howlers that no one had heard of, here Nelson is free to mock any movie or celebrity he feels like. He certainly doesn't pull any punches; Bruce Willis, Adam Sandler, MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and other worthy contenders are all mercilessly heckled here in a way that should be very familiar to any fan of MST3k. The jokes come fast and furious and, just like the show, if you don't pay attention, a lot of funny material will pass you by.

The book is vaguely organized into five sections, and consists of scores of short essays and reviews on current films and celebrities. No offering lasts for more than four pages, so if there's something in there you don't like (if you have a fanatical devotion to EVENT HORIZON or Carrot Top) then you don't have very far to read until the next selection. These short bursts prevent the book from falling into dull repetition; there are not really too many things that one can say about WHAT DREAMS MAY COME so the book never feels like it's outstaying it's welcome -- quick joke and then onto the next film. Who would have thought that Sex Pistols songs and movie reviews would have so much in common?

In any case, this book comes with the highest of recommendations. Even if he blasts one of your favourite films or actors, you still won't be able to resist laughing. And if the above wasn't recommendation enough, there's a killingly funny photograph on the back inside cover of Mr. Nelson in a smoking jacket, holding a pipe and wearing the most pretentious expression you'll ever see on a man who spoke to puppets for five years. Own it.

34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the funniest book I've ever read, July 11, 2000

By 

Gregory Baird (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese (Paperback)

As an avid fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000 I have been aware of Mike Nelson's keen sense of humor for a while now. But he truly has outdone himself with this book, in which he delivers swift, crushing vengeance to the bad movies that plague our society. For all of us unable to express our feeling of confusion, hatred and general ickiness toward the movies we hate, Nelson taps into them and manages to even make them funny. And it doesn't stop there, he takes it a step FURTHER and mocks all of the bloated, ego obsessed "stars" who make these vile movies! I highly reccomend this book. The amount of entertainment it gives you will be well worth the money. My one complaint is that it had to end. I sincerely hope that Mike writes another -- how about some reviews of "Overboard" and "Battlefield Earth", along with a scathing commentary on the works of the uber mono-emotion wonder Freddie Prinze Jr.?