MST3K (LGSPS)

MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special - "Fortunately, we do have these nifty promo tapes. Heck they give them away for free. You can tape over them if you want to." That line from the show probably reveals the origin of this special. This was more than likely filmed right before they went to work on The Movie. At the time, the BBI guys from Minnesota were suddenly rubbing elbows with the suits from Hollywood. I'm sure a number of these Oscar promo tapes landed in their lap during their power lunches and executive meetings and whatnot. It was only natural that once the MST3K folks got their hands on such things, they would turn around and poke some fun.

It's a good idea. On the regular show, they never get to touch big budget Hollywood fare. Though they aren't in the theater, Crow and Servo show clips from the nominated movies and make cracks from the SOL's bridge. They were definitely on the right track when they played, for example, a clip of Andie MacDowell talking about how many men she'd slept with from Four Weddings and a Funeral. The bots are mystified as to what she's talking about and Mike has to whisper the explanation to them, grossing them out. Similarly, instead of playing a clip from a "Best Song," they play a clip of Emma Thompson talking about menstruation from Junior. Abusing the clips in ways the Hollywood suits didn't intend is exactly what they should be doing with this special.

Still, it's very odd that the clips themselves play unmolested. There's no riffing here. As such, the special feels a little unMSTie-like. The show is basically an extra-long host segment. It's fun, but I could've used a little more ripping on the movies. I wonder how this Comedy Central special compares to the next one on Sci-Fi?

"Well, why not just walk up to Gabe Kaplan, and when you're good and ready, just go right ahead and spit in his face?" (7/10)

mst d. Kevin Murphy (22 Mar 1995)