Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996/Universal DVD)
Picture:
B Sound: B- Extras: D Film: B+
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) enjoyed a tremendous run as a cable television show in the
1990’s, but in 1996, the show had its moment in the sun as a feature film. The
subject of the MST3K movie was the 1955 classic, This Island Earth. Mike
Nelson and his robot sidekicks perform yeoman work in this send-up of the campy
1950’s classic. Any readers unfamiliar
with the MST3K phenomenon should refer to our earlier reviews of Rhino’s boxed
set collections at the end of this review.
This
feature-length film benefits from much higher production values than the show,
including expanded sets for the Satellite of Love, additional shots of Dr. Clayton
Forester’s evil lair, and several great “exterior” shots of the satellite in
action (including a hilarious collision with the Hubble space telescope that
results in its flaming re-entry into Earth’s orbit). The opening of the film features a combined
homage to sci-fi classics 2001: A Space
Odyssey and Silent Running.
In
addition to enhanced production values, MST3K
The Movie features a slightly more difficult target, a sci-fi film that
many regard as a quirky classic of the genre. However, Mike and the ‘bots
manage to mix their good-natured jibes at This
Island Earth with a healthy respect for the film’s place in the genre’s
galaxy of goofy stars. In the end, both
the audience and the crew of the Satellite of Love enjoy plenty of laughs, and
Mike and the ‘bots manage to once again get the better of the wickedly funny
Dr. Forester.
Both
sound and picture on this film are superior to what fans are used to when
watching the television show. Viewers
who have not seen the movie since its theatrical release in 1996 will be taken
aback by the crispness of the picture and the quality of the sound. The disc is devoid of any extras, missing a
golden opportunity for commentaries from cast and crew about the differences of
working on the television version versus the bigger arena of the feature film. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
will make a nice addition to the hardcore “Mistie’s” collection, and should
bring a smile to the face of any fan of the sci-fi genre.
Fans of
the show have recently heard that Rhino is no longer producing DVD box sets of
the show, with the rights reverting to Shout! Factory, who will issue theme
sets instead of volumes. What follows
are the volumes we managed to cover:
Nine
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3968/Mystery+Science+Theater+3000+Col
Ten
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4321/Mystery+Science+Theater+3000+Col
Twelve
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/7044/The+Mystery+Science+Theater+3000
- Scott R. Pyle
