MST3K (602)

602 - Invasion USA (w/ A Date with Your Family) - "This makes me pine for Red Dawn." Me too, Servo. Me too. The 25% of this film that wasn't WWII stock footage was pretty engaging, actually. I'll take this piece of Cold War propaganda over the ridiculous Rocket Attack U.S.A. any day.

One bit I don't understand: why couldn't they say "Soviet Union" in this movie? It's always "the Enemy" or "the Communists." There's no doubt that it was that particular political power doing the invading, coming through Alaska as they did. Were the filmmakers afraid that, in addition to inflating American jingoism, they might also piss off the Russians and make the Cold War warmer? That's kinda arrogant for such a cheap-o film, ain't it?

"Hey, I like my family... as a friend!" I've said it before: I'm glad it isn't the 1950s anymore. Wow, were there ever a lot of rules for eating dinner back then. It was also, apparently, a terrifying event. Implicit during the entire meal: "don't tick Daddy off." What would happen were his ire raised, I can only imagine.

"The dinner table is no place for discontent." Both the short and the movie had some of the best riffing since Outlaw. I was afraid people in the offices around here were going to stop by and ask me why I was laughing out loud so much.

What a disappointment. The two Lois Lanes, though they strangely both had the same job as travel agents, were only in the movie for 3 seconds. It was implied in Crow's geeky host segment in his graph of the two Loises, but I'll say it straight and on the record: Phyllis was best. This, despite her unfortunate 'fro in this flick.

Sweet Data, another senseless robot murder. Not again! Not again! First there was the XT-5000, the delightful bot who spoke only the language of foam. He disappeared without a trace. Then there was Minksy, the kindly bot who only had best wishes for everyone. His life was snuffed out by Joel. In this episode, the cycle of violence continues. Clearly imitating their father Joel, Crow and Servo commit boticide most foul. I could only watch in powerless terror as they destroyed Mike's first son, the gentle Destroyer bot. Why? Why?

"They bomb our nation's hobos." (8/10)

film d. Alfred E. Green (1952)
short d. Edward G. Simmel (1950)
mst d. Kevin Murphy (23 Jul 1994)

[watched at work using my laptop. slow time during the holidays is great.]