MST3K (310)

310 - Fugitive Alien - (aka Sutâurufu: "Episode 1" + Sutâurufu: "Episode 2") Amazingly, this movie made more sense to me the second time out. Oh, it's still a jumbled mess, but I was able to leap along with the editor with less trouble. I'm still looking forward to seeing the sequel. Will Ken defeat Heckraiser-Guy? Will he ever love again? And how many buttons will explode in the process?

I was wondering when Jack Perkins would show up. I knew he was a guest in the pretty-soon Turkey Day, so he was due to make an appearance. Geez, he gets it worse than Frank has so far from Dr. F.: a cattle prod, a giant chisel and an evil genetic experiment. I was expecting future-Jack to maybe comment on these tortures during his Mystery Science Theater Hour segments. He didn't, really. The good-natured old boy just referred to them as "antics." Despite being a parody of a TV personality that fewer and fewer people will remember, the MST Jack Perkins still works. All you need to know is that he thinks everything and everyone associated with film is "wonderful." I bet, if MST3K were ten years younger, Mike would've been dressing up as the similar James Lipton instead.

I'm bummed that Joel didn't sing his "Fugitive Alien" song from K12. I suppose the "Forklift" song is a suitable replacement, and much less embarrassing for all concerned.

Wha? We've already had two new contests since then ("Kenney, What Gives?" and "Other Ways to Snuff Gaos"), but Joel pulls out another entry for the "Cool Thing" contest from nine months ago. Maybe they had a burning desire to reveal the really true answer (Mexican stoplight candy), but I'm guessing it was just because they liked the letter. Says David from Seattle: "Taking into account that, overall, the crew is against imperialism, jingoism, church-state-as-one, fascism, exploitation, racism -- in short, all those "ideals" held dear by our world leaders here on planet Earth -- I'd venture to say this time portal showed mankind living in peace." Rock on, David.

"Joel and the bots are making fun of my hair. MY HAIR!" (7/10)

film d. Minoru Kanaya & Kiyosumi Kuzakawa (1978)
mst d. Jim Mallon (17 Aug 1991)