MST3K (303)

303 - Pod People - Easily the funniest episode up to this point. Excellent riffing meets hilarious host segments wrapped around a bad movie from my favorite era.

The "Burning Rubber Tires" host segment shouldn't work as well as it does. It's just the guys directly imitating a scene from the movie and expanding on their goofy song lyrics riffing from the theater. Yet, this is my personal favorite musical segment so far. The nonsense lyrics, Frank wearing the "I'm a virgin" t-shirt and Joel's facial expression when he says "it stinks!" all kill me. I'm laughing again just typing about it.

Similarly, the "Trumpy is Magic" host segment just imitates a scene from the movie. The original scene was funny; the host segment was even funnier. Dr. F and Frank's facial expressions of silent, bemused horror are perfect. Plus, we get to see Crow's spindly legs for the first time. Weird!

Joel: "You know, this might sound crass, but we're getting really good at this." People in the movie were really nonchalant about the ever-increasing pile of corpses in the house. This may have something -- a lot -- to do with the massive amount of alcohol in the house. I'm glad the guys picked up on that impressive cabinet. It was a goldmine for riffage. I was actually sad to see Uncle Dickweed die because it meant the end of them.

Crow on Tommy: "Boy, I hate Kenny." It wasn't Kenny, but he's got a point. This is the second movie in a row in which a little boy adamantly claims, against all evidence to the contrary, that the murderous monster is really a good guy. I blame the parents.

My only complaint about this episode: I've no idea who McCloud is. Normally, this is nothing to whine about. There are a lot of references I don't get in every episode. It's just that the McCloud gag was repeated more times than I can count, taking away valuable riff-time from other, non-McCloud-based jokes. I'm sure it was hilarious to the folks out there born before that show was cancelled.

Potentially embarrassing revelation: I'd buy the unMiSTied version on DVD in a second. Worse: I'd buy the soundtrack on CD.

"Huzzah!" (9/10)

film d. Juan Piquer Simón (1983)
mst d. Jim Mallon (15 Jun 1991)

[With a pickled mind,
We kick the nipple beer.
Steady as a goat,
We're flying over trout.
Getto down the highway
At the speed of light.
All I want to feel now is
The wind in my eyes.
Sack of monkeys in my pocket,
My sister's ready to go.

Hear the engines roar now.
Hear the engines roar now.
Idiot control now.
Idiot control now.
Hideous control now.
Hideous control now.
Nitty on the road now.
Nitty on the road now.

Midi in control,
Wheels on fire,
Burning rubber tires!
Rubber tires!

Near each other rolls now.
Near--now.
He really lets me go now.
He--let--go.
Needy inches bow down.
Bow down!
Pity and a poor boy.
Poor boy!

Hear the X's roll,
Peas on fire,
Burning rubber tires.
Tires!]