Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

Director:

Jim Mallon

Writers:

Joel Hodgson (television series Mystery Science Theater 3000)
Michael J. Nelson (writer) ...

Release Date:

19 April 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Every year Hollywood makes hundreds of movies. This is one of them.

Plot:

Mike Nelson and his robot companions watch and give their comments about "This Island Earth".

Plot Keywords:

Robot | MST3K | Teleportation | Reference To Flash Gordon | Interocitor

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Trace Beaulieu	...	Crow T. Robot / Dr. Clayton Forrester
Michael J. Nelson	...	Mike Nelson
Jim Mallon	...	Gypsy
Kevin Murphy	...	Tom Servo
John Brady	...	Benkitnorf

Also Known As:

MST 3000: The Movie (USA) (short title)
MST3K: The Movie
Mystery Science Theatre 3000: The Movie (UK) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Germany:12 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Energy Park Studios - 1515 Brewster Street, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Best Brains

Trivia:

The original DVD release had no special features and was withdrawn from circulation in 2000. However in 2003 on the 7th anniversary of the movie's premiere (19 April 1996) an unknown Internet fan released a Special Edition DVD. This two disc set has the widescreen version of the film, the theatrical trailer, TV spots, a review from E!, a slideshow presentation from the 1996 MST3K convention and the cut host segment & alternate ending.

Goofs:

Continuity: While attempting to remove the Hubble Space Telescope from the Satellite of Love's hull, Mike's face is very sweaty in every close shot - but bone dry in every interspersed long shot of him as he controls the "Manos" manipulator arms.

Quotes:

[alien spaceship catches plane in tractor beam]
Mike Nelson: I'm beginning to think they're not from around here.
Tom Servo: No, I bet you they're English, or Canadian.

Movie Connections:

References "The Addams Family" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Love Theme From Mystery Science Theater 3000

Excellent Example of How Studio Interference Severely Tarnishes a Brilliant Idea

Let's get things straight right off the bat: I LOVE Mystery Science Theater 3000! It was, is, and forever will be my favorite television show of all time, in all its incarnations. And the movie is very funny and good and you should see it.

That said...

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (hereafter called MST3K:TM for time-saving purposes) could of been a LOT better than it was, and it's NOT the fault of the folks at Best Brains, Inc. (The production company that made the TV show, hereafter called BBI). I place the blame entirely on the fine (HA!) folks at Universal, who forced several changes to the movie and it's wonderful riffing, forcing the folks at BBI to "dumb down" their product, mess with their tried-and-true break format, and shoot an entirely different (and stupid, compared to the original) ending, as well as trimming it down to 74 minutes (because at 88, it was TOO LONG! As Servo would say "...the HELL?) When you come right down to it, BBI makes MST3K one way, and the studio told them to do it a different way. And ANY other way is the WRONG way! I really wish that BBI had held out for an offer with more creative control, but if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, etc. I don't blame BBI for taking the offer, but the selfish part of me would of rather the film never got made than compromised so radically. Then the realist in me tells me to be grateful that it DID get made, and succeeds (somewhat) in spite of (and believe me, not BECAUSE of) the restrictions placed on it. 4 stars to the fine folks at BBI, -1,000 stars to Universal, 2 1/2 stars to the movie itself. It hurts me to say that about the movie, but it's true.