MST3K (202)

202 - The Side Hackers - Perhaps, after the writers' room encounter with this movie's brutal rape scene (related in the ACEG), the guys were still off-balance. Often, they didn't seem like they knew what they needed to do with this one. As the movie progresses from cycle picture to gritty revenge flick, I felt that the riffing got less and less funny. Or, I was just getting more and more sleepy. Hard to say. Though, we did get the first in the long-running "of Death" riffs on the title.

Even with the abovementioned scene removed, this is not a happy picture. I was hoping for the motorcycle version of Fast Company: all-in-good-fun drive-in fare. The title is what fooled me. If this had been named, as the IMDb lists, Five the Hard Way, I wouldn't have been expecting a goofy 60s movie about a weird and long-dead cycle sport. As it is, the sidehacking -- which still exists, believe it or not -- is only there as filler and to be a hook to get butts in theater seats to watch the rest of the crappy movie.

What saved this episode were Joel's excellent songs and the well-done pet slinky. The man can sing if he wants to and is an ace at puppeteering the neon slinky. I couldn't tell how he was doing it, honestly.

Also, CamBot offers up his first riff ever. When the screen unexpectedly shrank and ESPN-like graphics popped up, it elicited a "what the hell?" from me. It also woke me up a little, as I was getting sleepy-eyed at that point. Thanks, CB!

Hey, they turned the hexfield viewscreen window shade upside-down. I guess that works better. Mike, once again, does a dead-on impression. He absolutely disappears into his role as J.C. from the movie.

Next up is another Lippert movie. That doesn't bode well for breaking the depressing ending streak, judging by his last movie. We shall see. (6/10)

film d. Gus Trikonis (1969)
mst d. Jim Mallon (29 Sep 1990)