Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

Director:

Jim Mallon

Writers:

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

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 | Scientist | Pick Axe | Poking Fun At Movie | Gay Innuendo

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

Directed by
Jim Mallon

Writing credits
Joel Hodgson		(television series Mystery Science Theater 3000)
Michael J. Nelson		&
Trace Beaulieu		&
Jim Mallon		&
Kevin Murphy		&
Mary Jo Pehl		&
Paul Chaplin		&
Bridget Jones

Produced by
Trace Beaulieu	....	associate producer
Jim Mallon	....	producer
Kevin Murphy	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Billy Barber

Cinematography by
Jeff Stonehouse

Film Editing by
Bill Johnson

Production Design by
Jef Maynard

Art Direction by
Rando Schmook

Set Decoration by
Blakesley Clapp

Costume Design by
Linda Froiland

Makeup Department
Crist Ballas	....	special makeup effects artist
Andrea Jackson DuCane	....	hair stylist
Andrea Jackson DuCane	....	makeup artist
Glen P. Griffin	....	special makeup effects (as Glen Griffin)
Robert I. Phillips	....	special makeup effects

Production Management
Julie Hartley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marie Domingo	....	first assistant director
Bix Skahill	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Patrick Brantseg	....	property master
Nance Derby	....	lead scenic
Danica King	....	property assistant
Rich Larson	....	storyboard artist
Dale Mather	....	prop builder
Leah M. Otto	....	property assistant
Mark E. Raymond	....	construction foreman
Dean Trisko	....	prop builder

Sound Department
Carrie Rand Bennett	....	boom operator
Ken Hahn	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph Just	....	sound editor
Tom Naunas	....	sound designer
Fred Street	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Eric D. Howell	....	special effects
Paul Murphy	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Trace Beaulieu	....	model builder
William S. Conner	....	optical effects
David Emerson	....	optical supervisor
Brian Griffin	....	digital supervisor
Todd Hall	....	optical effects
Randy H. Herget	....	model builder
Peter Kuran	....	optical and digital effects producer
Kevin Kutchaver	....	digital effects
Jo Martin	....	effects editorial
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	administrator

Camera and Electrical Department
Slater Crosby	....	first assistant camera
David Doyle	....	gaffer
Christopher Engstrom	....	camera loader
Chad G. Foehringer	....	grip
L. Marie Ford	....	best boy grip
Paul B. Johnson	....	electrician
Bradley J. Keely	....	video assistant
Michael Kienitz	....	still photographer
Nick Lethert	....	key grip
David S. Pope	....	dolly grip
Erik Rosenbluh	....	camera intern
Timothy M. Ryan	....	electrician (as Tim Ryan)
Joseph Slagerman	....	best boy electric

Editorial Department
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Dave Keffer	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Tom Adair	....	video crew
Wendell Jon Andersson	....	key production assistant
Patrick Brantseg	....	puppet wrangler
Avelino Deleon	....	production assistant
Daniel J. Dustin	....	set medic
Helena Espinosa	....	puppet wrangler
Sean Hartley Francis	....	production assistant
Chrysa Freeman	....	assistant production coordinator
Kurt W. Gensmer	....	set medic
Jann Johnson	....	production coordinator
Tim Johnson	....	production accountant
Linda Kuusisto	....	script supervisor
Robert Lane	....	puppet builder
Marilyn Nave	....	production coordinator
Joseph M. Newman	....	director: archive footage
Gertrude Orvahl	....	coordinator: overall cinematic quality improvement and implementation
James Robinson	....	set medic
Adam Rueben	....	production assistant
Bill Schwab	....	projectionist
Mark Skoglund	....	video crew
Barb Tebben	....	production assistant
Kimberly Terhorst	....	production assistant
Julie Walker	....	unit publicist
Nancy Willen	....	unit publicist
A.M. Zopfi	....	assistant: Mr. Mallon
Dave Dustin	....	set medic (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Best Brains
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Gramercy Pictures (I) (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (1996) (Canada) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cinema Research
• PM Effects
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)

Other Companies

• Metamorphosis  make-up design and services (special make-up effects and prosthetics)
• Rescue Resources  set medic

Also Known As:

"MST 3000: The Movie" - USA (short title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual humor

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 (No. 34225) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Best Brains

Trivia:

The makers of MST3K were so annoyed by their experiences having to work within a major studio on this film that they later parodied the experience on the TV series. In episode 704: "The Incredible Melting Man" the host segments are about Crow's screenplay being purchased by a studio then ruined by the executives (Dr. Forrester and Mother Forrester) as they vainly try to shoot it and screen it for audiences. Series writer and star Mary Jo Pehl would later call the episode an "exercise in healing" after the ordeal of MST3K: The Movie.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Mike and the Bots are riffing their own credits, Crow's mouth barely moves for any of his lines.

Quotes:

Tom Servo:This isn't shot day-for-night. It's more like 4:30-for-5:15.

Movie Connections:

References Top Gun (1986)

Soundtrack:

Love Theme From Mystery Science Theater 3000

Movie Sign!

Mystery Science Theater 3000, anyone who is a fan of this show is a friend of mine, it's a great show for any movie buff. The reason why the show is so loved is because it does what we always want to do or say during a really bad movie. So naturally the successful show that was created on Comedy Central wanted to do a movie about our favorite sarcastic robots. Was the movie a success? Not so much, but doesn't mean that this movie is bad at all, in fact, it's a great one to watch. My only disappointment? I think was just the fact that this was just like any other episode, there was nothing really too special about it to make it stand out as a movie. Secondly, I've seen funnier episodes than this movie. I'm not dissing the movie, because this is still completely worth the watch.

Mike, Tom and Gypsy are startled to find Crow deep in the lower sections of the Satellite of Love, pounding at the hull with various digging instruments. He has convinced himself that he can tunnel back to Earth, he tells them. Checking his digging calculations, Crow discovers that he already knew this was inevitable: Look at that, Breach Hull, All Die. Even had it underlined! They return to the Bridge, as Dr. Forrester announces that he is about to make them watch the 1955 classic sci-fi thriller This Island Earth in an attempt to break their wills. In Mystery Science Theater 3000 tradition, we are in for a good ride as they mock this silly clichéd 50's sci fi film with no mercy.

I do love the film that they picked This Island Earth, while in some sense it is a fun little sci fi classic, probably the first movie that I saw before I ever saw it on Mystery Science Theater 3000, it still is really cheesy and fun to make fun of. I just love at the end where the alien is trying to protect our two main characters away from the monster and for some odd reason he just lightly blocks the two people away from the monster as Mike points out "ACTING!", lol! Obviously fans of the show are going to see this movie, it's a little girt to the fans I think in some sense, I wish they had a few more cameos and could've gone a little bigger, but it's all good. For those who don't know the premise of the show, this is a funny movie, the people that I've introduced the show too have mixed reviews, a few loved it a few didn't really like it, so it's one of those movies you'll have to decide for yourself.

9/10