"Mystery Science Theater 3000" The Hellcats (1990)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Writers:

Joel Hodgson (creator) and
Joel Hodgson (written by) ...

TV Series:

"Mystery Science Theater 3000" (1988)

Original Air Date:

8 December 1990 (Season 3, Episode 9)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Joel and the 'bots attempt to puzzle out what's going on in the unintelligible biker film, The Hellcats (1967). Flashbacks from earlier episodes fill out the host segments.

Plot Keywords:

Flashback | Sign Language | Diary | Reference To James Dean | Reference To The Young Republicans

Cast

Joel Hodgson	...	Joel Robinson
Trace Beaulieu	...	Crow T. Robot / Dr. Clayton Forrester
Kevin Murphy	...	Tom Servo
Jim Mallon	...	Gypsy
Frank Conniff	...	TV's Frank

Filming Locations:

Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA

Trivia:

While introducing a flashback scene (from "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Crawling Hand (#2.5)" (1989)), Tom Servo (Kevin Murphy) notes that the incident occurred before his voice changed, a reference to J. Elvis Weinstein, who originally voiced the character, and whose voice we hear in the flashback.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Joel: [with a bad cold] Hi, everybody, welcome to the Satellite of Love. Uh, we'll be right back.

Movie Connections:

References "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960)

The Hellcats is a pretty funny episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000"

After watching the original, uncut theatrical version of The Hellcats, I was anxious to watch MST3K's version. Loved many references to "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" that Joel and the 'bots threw at the screen. They also point out how pointless many motorcycle scenes as well as those that depict the cycle gang partying and copping a feel on some of the hot ladies are. They also make fun of the leading man, Ross Hagen (who starred in another MST3K victim, The Sidehackers), and the director, Robert Slatzer, who has a role as a drug dealer here. The in-between segments has each of the characters doing a visual diary of their day in the Satellite Of Love complete with flashback scenes provided by Cambot. I loved the one when Joel points out pictures to the 'bots making them guess if it's funny or not. They correctly pick Sally Field as The Flying Nun as not! LOL! Very good episode of "Mystery Science Theter 3000". With the Christmas season coming, I may review Santa Claus Conquers the Martians next. Until then...