Archive-name: tv/mst3k/part4
Version: $Header: mst3k-part4,v 1.2 93/12/06 21:29:35 rsk Exp $
Fourth Season (Comedy Central) (24 episodes, 1992-93)
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Credits for this season:
Head Writer: Michael J. Nelson
Writers: Trace Beaulieu, Kevin Murphy, Frank Conniff, Joel Hodgson, Paul
Chaplin, Bridget Jones (402-424), Mary Jo Pehl (404-424)
Contributing Writers: Colleen Henjum, Jim Mallon
Host Segments Directed by: Jim Mallon (402-403, 405-413), Kevin Murphy (404,
414, 417, 420, 423), Joel Hodgson (415, 418, 421), Trace Beaulieu (416, 419,
422)
Associate Producer: Kevin Murphy
Production Manager: Alexandria B. Carr (401-414), Jann L. Johnson (415-424)
Technical Supervisor: Timothy Scott
Production Coordinator: Jann L. Johnson (401-414), Ellen McDonough (415-424)
Toolmaster: Jef Maynard
Manager of Business Affairs: Heide A. LeClerc
Production Assistant: Ellie/Ellen McDonough (403-414), Sarah E. Wisner (417-
424)
Video Provided by: Fournelle Video Production Services, St. Paul (MN)
Audio: Brian Wright (402-414), Timothy Scott (414-424)
Editor: Timothy Scott
Associate Editor: Bradley J. Keely
Post Production Coordination: Alexandra B. Carr (401-414), Jann L. Johnson,
Ellen McDonough (415-424)
Art Direction: Trace Beaulieu, Joel Hodgson, Jef Maynard
Set Design: Trace Beaulieu, Joel Hodgson
Lighting: Ken Fournelle, Timothy Scott (403-408, 416-417, 420-424)
Engineering: Rob "the engineer" Burkhardt
Hair and Make-up: Clayton James (402, 404-408, 410, 412-413, 415-424), Andrea
J. DuCane (403, 409, 414), Crist Ballas (411)
Prop Assistant: Barb Oswald (402), Patrick Brantsey (417-424)
Toolmaster Jr.: Barb Oswald (403-405, 410)
Interns: Patrick Brantsey, Nathan Devery (402-412), Brendan Glynn (402-403),
Suzette Jamison (402-409), Steven Sande (402-405), Curtis Anderson (413-424),
Kelly Ann Nathe (413-417)
Additional Music Written and Performed by: Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy
(418)
Special thanks: Skyline Displays Inc., Teachers of America, Mark Gilbertson,
all MSTies coast-to-coast, the authors of the 1st Amendment
Executive Producers: Jim Mallon, Joel Hodgson
401 6/6/92 Space Travelers
Pre: The Great Crowdini
Inventions: J: Dollaroid MS: Facial Tissue (with faces)
Skits: American space race advancements
Astronaut and CB lingo
Problems we may have to face
Post: Find the finder of lost loves
Credits: Additional Contributing Writer: Bridget Jones
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": A good idea is a bit
overworked in this John Sturges remake of his own Jeopardy (1952).
While the world watches, a team of astronauts are lost in space.
Maintaining voice communication, the spacemen calmly talk to the
earth below of their helplessness and the population of the world
screams for a rescue attempt.
402 6/13/92 Giant Gila Monster
Pre: The thing with two heads/odd couple 1999/Forrester's dead
Inventions: J: Prop Old Sitcom/Movie Radio
MS: Renaissance Festival Punching Bags
Skits: Stupid/soda jerk
Favorite funny drunk
Servo on cinema (blocking)
Post: Hee-la rock group
Credits: Additional Writer: John Carney
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": Before the era of
cheap sex and gore in the film industry there was such a thing
as banality for banality's sake. Herein lies such fantastic stuff.
A giant gila monster makes the rounds in tinker-toy towns and
terrorizes local teens who are always pictured driving around
in their hotrods or having sock hops. (This is the type of film,
by the way, where the actors all use their _real_ first names
in the script.) The lizard is eventually beaten by a brave lad
who drives his hotrod full of nitro into the belly of the beast.
Some fun, eh kids?
403 City Limits
Pre: Ping pong balls/Servo has Crow's eyes
Inventions: J: Fun Friend from Stake
MS: Tupperware Container to Lock in Pop Star Freshness/Tupperware Coffin
Skits: "Ode to Kim Cattrel"
New comic superheros (Fantastic 85)
Fantastic 85/185 continued
Post: City Limits trivia game
Credits: Additional Writer: John Carney
Morrisey: Michael J. Nelson
404 6/27/92 Teenagers from Outer Space
Pre: NBC mystery movie electro-shock (*zap!*)
Inventions: J: Scratch-and-sniff Report Cards
MS: Resusci Annie Ventriloquism
Skits: Reel to real, Snacks in waste receptacle, Skelton visit
Post: Duct tape fashions
Credits: Resusci-Anne Provided by: Nancy Mason
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream":
A young man from out of this world is sent to do the Earth in.
Complications arise when he falls in love with a local teen queen.
To make matters even worse, a monster from his spaceship is loose
and, from what the audience can see of its shadowy form, it appears
to be a lobster. With love showing the way, the homo sap from space
guides his invading comrades' fleet into the side of a large hill.
Destroying himself, the big lobster, and the thousands of ships in
one large splat (unseen), the unearthly adolescent makes the
supreme sacrifice in saving Earth.
An excerpt from "The Incredibly Strange Creatures who Stopped
Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies," by Lester Bangs. (Collected in
Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung):
"I recall reading an item on the entertainment page of the
daily paper after Teenagers from Outer Space came out to the effect
that responsible people all over were so turned off by this pic
that the financial angels and bureaucratic bosses of the studio
that sponsored and released it ganged up on the poor guy that made
the film, and gave him a good talking-to about devoting his talents
to such a piece of trash, and even if it was his first film he
should think of the public interest, etc. The item ended by saying
that the guy had actually apologized, and promised to do better
with the money that was given him for his second film."
(For those of you who haven't heard of Lester Bangs, he was a rock
critic for various 60's and 70's era magazines such as Crawdaddy
and Creem. "Psychotic Reactions..." collects some of the best of
his work, and should be required reading for anyone attempting to
understand rock and roll. Just ignore what he says about Lou Reed
[he's far too enthusiastic] and Yes [he doesn't understand them].---Rsk)
"Tom Graeff" Profile from Re/Search: Incredibly Strange Films:
"Some directors make dozens of movies, but never anything
memorable. In 1959 Tom Graeff made only one movie, Teenagers From
Outer Space, but it's enough to earn him a place in this book. It
featured giant lobster shadows and 'alien" teenagers in silver
jumpsuits and motorcycle helmets."
405 7/4/92 Being from Another Planet
Pre: Twenty questions
Inventions: MS: Tragic Moments Figurines
J: Jack Palance Impersonator Kit
Skits: Lost in Space fan
Haunted boiler room
Joel's rainy day fun sketch and hexascreen holo-clowns
Post: TV's Frank Shopping Network
Credits: Holo-clowns: Michael J. Nelson, Paul Chaplin
406 7/18/92 Attack of the Giant Leeches (Undersea Kingdom 1)
Pre: Holo-clown sequencer
Inventions: MS: Leech Nicotine Patch J: SOL Insty Adolescent Kit
Skits: Dress to take over the world
Coffee and dreams
"I'm a Danger to Myself and Others"
Post: Problems with film
Credits: Holo-clowns: Michael J. Nelson, Paul Chaplin
Giant Leech: Kevin Murphy
Additional Music: "A Danger to Ourselves and Others",
Michael J. Nelson, Joel Hodgson
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": A small town situated
in the Florida everglades is terrroized by a bad script, inept
direction and several man-sized leeches. A bloody bore.
407 7/25/92 The Killer Shrews (Junior Rodeo Daredevils)
Pre: Present time
Inventions: MS: Revenge on people from the past (destroy the Earth)
J: Jim Henson's Edgar Winter Babies
Skits: Will Rodgers thing, Killer Shrew board game, Killer Shrew drink
Post: 'Bots are killer shrews/Frank had too much Killer Shrew drink
Credits: Additional Contributing Writer: Steve Hollenhorst
408 8/1/92 Hercules Unchained
Pre: Annual wash and wax day
Inventions: MS: Decorator roaches J: Steve-a-meter
Skits: Gypsy's Olympiad set
mythic foods (The Waters of Forgetfulness)
'Bots try to get Joel to explain birds and bees
Post: Why these movies?
Credits: Additional Contributing Writer: Don Jurek
Steve Reeves: Michael J. Nelson
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": Hercules comes to the
attention of a queen who picks her lovers and then disposes of them
by having them stuffed and mounted, in that order. Engagement notices
are posted and Hercules begins to sweat.
409 8/15/92 Indestructible Man (Undersea Kingdom part 2)
Pre: Joel is crazy?/party in Deep 13
Inventions: MS: For men (but women like it, too) J: Cereal Novels
Skits: Any excuse for a parade
What would you do if you were indestructible?
Lon Chaney eye thing
Post: Affidavit to stop cop donut jokes/MS get noise ticket
Credits: Additional Contributing Writer: David Sussman
Officer Kevin: Kevin Murphy
Officer Mike: Michael J. Nelson
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": As a killer brought
back to life after his electrocution, Lon Chaney, Jr. stumbles
through a role which apparently has been patterned after his
first monster thriller, _Man Made Monster_. As soon as he is
released from his confines, the monster begins killing all those
who sent him up the river way back when. Dreadful gangster story
is heightened in sheer futility by a ludicrous "you are there"
type narration describing the killer's moves as he makes them.
410 8/22/92 Hercules Against the Moon Men
Pre: Crow and Servo run away from home/sand storm/DEEP HURTING!
Inventions: J: Freak out MS: <none> (woven into tapestry of the movie)
Skits: Boobie trap, 'Bots get implants/new tough-guy name, "Pants!"
Post: Changing actors
Credits: Additional Music: "Ode to Pants" Written and
Arranged by Michael J. Nelson, Frank Conniff
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": Hercules battles
creatures from outer space while his audience battles nausea.
When a country enslaved by moonmen and forced to undergo strange
sacrificial rituals for the brigade of baddies from beyond cry
out for help, Hercules gets miffed.
411 8/29/92 The Magic Sword
Pre: Joel is caricaturist
Inventions: J: Big Gulperets MS: Bio-hazard Clean-up Pillow
Skits: Basil Rathbones (for dogs)
Life in the Middle Ages
"Ode on Estelle"
Post: Curses on TV
Credits: Additional Music: "Ode on Estelle" Written
and Arranged by Michael J. Nelson, Paul Chaplin
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream":
Fantasy filmmaker Bert Gordon's finest achievement. George, a
lowly subject and the stepson of an elderly witch named Sybil, has
long been the admirer of the kingdom's beautiful princess. When
evil sorcerer Lodac kidnaps the girl to feed his pet dragon, George
tricks his stepmother into revealing what magical treats she has
cooked up for his twenty-first birthday. Locking mother dear in the
basement, George collects his wondrous assortment of gifts (a magic
sword, six of the bravest warriors in the history of the earth and
a magic horse) and sets out to save the princess. Along the way he
meets vampire hags, giant ghouls, deadly swamps and the ever-
popular dragon. Confronting Lodac in his castle, George is
surrounded by misshapen pinheads, dwarfs and a race of tiny people
no more than six inches tall. Masterful fairy tale.
412 9/12/92 Hercules and the Captive Women
Pre: Gypsy joins the experiment.
Inventions: MS: Lawn-baby J: The Womb-mate
Skits: Good natured brawling
A History of Hercules
Hercules Action Figure
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": Hercules visits the
lost city of Atlantis and gets lost among the Amazons currently
inhabiting the struggling, sinking city. Matching wits with the
evil queen, battling live-giving rocks, Hercules escapes. Don't
you wish you were that lucky? (Also known as _Hercules and the
Conquest of Atlantis_.)
413 9/19/92 Manhunt in Space (General Hospital #1)
Pre: Servo is color blind
Inventions: MS: "Utne Reade" Neo-Salon Bean Bag Pants
J: Paper recyled clothes
Skits: Soap opera
"Space" modifier
Winky visits
Calls from home
Post: Crow is guitar, Servo is amp/Mads can't get up
Credits: Winky: Michael J. Nelson
414 9/26/92 Tormented
re: Crow, Servo and Gypsy in ventilation shaft
Inventions: J: Aunt C/Katherine Wheel MS: Drinking Jacket
Skits: Joel's fallen from shaft
Pop singers to drop from a lighthouse
'Bots are bodiless
Post: Happy thoughts and good things
415 11/25/92 The Beatniks (General Hospital #2)
Pre: Rock, Scissors, Paper
Inventions: MS: Good luck Troll Costumes J: Pocket Pool
Skits: These people aren't beatniks!
Tont Travis: Teen-bot idol
I'm Going to Make You a Star!
Post: Is "dickweed" a swear word? Crow in moon mode.
416 11/25/92 Fire Maidens of Outer Space
Pre: Proper Posture--Crow's New Friend Timmy
Inventions: MS: The Big Checkbook J: Nike Airchilada
Skits: Double Entendre
The Twin-Screw Universal Controller
Timmy - He's got to go
Post: They're still sitting around!--letter--Timmy finds a new home
Credits: Timmy: Jef Maynard
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream":
More film flop. Fantastically abysmal production values
equalled, if not surpassed, by totally outrageous plot. Space
explorers meet a tribe of lost women and a few robots who menace
everything in sight while classical music drones on in the
background. Talk about cultural commitment.
417 11/28/92 Crash of the Moons (General Hospital #3)
Pre: GRIT Salescrow
Inventions: MS: Deep 13 Toothpaste J: Rock 'n Wreck Guitar
Skits: "The Gypsy Moons"
Banner Grams
Another Teleplay by Crow T. Robot
Post: Visit from John Banner
Credits: John Banner: Michael J. Nelson
Additional Music: "The Gypsy Moons" Written and Arranged
by Michael J. Nelson, lyrics by Bridget Jones
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": Another bunch of
Rocky Jones television rejects spliced into a stew of space sap.
418 12/5/92 Attack of the Eye Creatures
Pre: Tom and Crow are *friends*
Inventions: MS: Router Ouiji Board J: Funny Gag Fax
Skits: Tom Servo analyzes "making out"
Earl Holliman!
The Rip Taylor Trio (Because it's FUNNY!)
Post: They just didn't care.
Credits: Larry Buchanan: Michael J. Nelson
Notes: "Larry Buchanan" Profile from Re/Search: Incredibly Strange
Films: "...During the latter half of the sixties, Buchanan was
hired by AIP to make eight made-for-television movies-- for which
he is best remembered. The first, The Eye Creatures, is a remake of
the Ed L. Cahn sci-fi comedy, The Invasion of the Saucer Men. Most
of ths subsequent AIP-television films were also remakes of
previous AIP films, among them: Creature of Destruction, Year 2889,
and the unforgettable Mars Needs Women.
"These films were made on the lowest budgets imaginable. Some
of them used the same rubber monster costume. The most meorable is
Zontar, The Thing from Venus, a remake of Roger Corman's 1956
classic It Conquered the World...
"Buchanan is noteworthy for his paranoia. A firm believer in
almost any conspiracy theory, he's made several movies purporting
to tell the "truth" about subjects that the government (or
Hollywood) have hushed up... [Down On Us], manages to ties the
deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison into a weird
anti-rock conspiracy plot."
419 12/12/92 The Rebel Set (Johnny at the Fair)
Pre: Joel reads scarey bedtime stories
Inventions: MS: TV's Frank's Quick Primp Kit
J: Paint-by-number Mark Rathko
Skits: Crow's acting lessons
What would you do in Chicago?
Merritt Stone
Post: Who is Merritt Stone?
Notes: Edward Platt ("The Chief" from "Get Smart" plays a
beatnik criminal mastermind.
420 12/26/92 The Human Duplicators
Pre: Redesigning the 'bots/Mads have the sillies
Inventions: J: Beanie-Chopper (should have gone through the roof)
MS: William Conrad Fridge Alert
Skits: Spaceship craft project
Servo duplicates himself
Hugh Beaumont attacks
Post: 'Bots admit to being robots
Credits: Hugh Beaumont: Michael J. Nelson
William Conrad: Kevin Murphy
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": A scientist sets up a
mad lab to create a race of androids. Enter a giant from space to
lend a not-so-helpful hand in the project and things get
interesting (hopefully).
421 1/9/93 Monster A-Go-Go (Circus on Ice)
Pre: Blessed are the Cheesemakers
Inventions: MS: Johnny Long Torso J: Non-violent Action Figures
Skits: Gypsy doesn't "get" Crow.
Keep-away.
That Pina Colada Song
Post: Tom, the Hap-py King!
Notes: "Monster A-Go-Go" is credited to Bill Rebane, but the truth is
far more EVIL!!!!
Herschell Gordon Lewis made his mark by inventing the Gore film in
the early 60's with "Blood Feast", "2000 Maniacs", and "Color Me
Blood Red". But he made lots of films for Southern drive-ins,
and one of these was a little hillbilly action flick called
"Moonshine Mountain". He needed to get the film out fairly quickly,
but he also needed a second feature for it. He searched around and
found that Bill Rebane had been making a film called "Terror At
Half Bay", and had run out of money. Lewis bought it, and
discovered he had 100,000 feet of nothing. Some sequences were done
but there was very little connecting footage. He shot closeups of
hands, feet, people walking down halls, ANYTHING to get this one to
hang together. He redid the dialogue <such as it was> and added the
crummy narration. Using the name "Sheldon Seymour", Lewis did the
new dialogue, narration, and editing. Dubbing it "Monster-A-Go-Go",
he foisted this puswad onto the public, and it actually did quite
well down south, with "Moonshine Mountain".
422 1/16/93 The Day the Earth Froze (Here Comes the Circus)
Pre: Family Portrait
Inventions: J: Snaction MS: Unhappy meals
Skits: Ideas for a Clown Act
What, I implore you, is a sampo?
Gypsy: A One-Woman Show
Post: Delicately wafting scents borne by the wind--letter
Credits: "Gypsy Rose Me" Written and Arranged by
Michael J. Nelson, lyrics by Mary Jo Pehl
Notes: From "Horrors from Screen to Scream": A Swedish fantasy
with some fine photographic wonders but a mixed bag of a plot.
Hampered by a low budget and wooden characters, the film should
appeal to the kids. A witch orders the sun not to rise and earth
is turned into a ball of ice. Valiant heroes and a machine known
as the "sampo" combat this Wizard of Oz reject.
--- Michael Grubb
423 Bride of the Monster (Hired!)
Pre: Watching Crow's dream
Inventions: MS: Tough Love Seat J: Microwave Faith Popcorn
Skits: "Hired!" by the SOL Community Players
Monsters of the Sea
A World Without Advertising
Post: Re-edit of the final scene--letter
Credits: Camera: John Finley
"Hired! Song" written and arranged by Micheal J. Nelson,
Kevin Murphy
This episode dedicated to the spirit of
William A. Murphy. Thanks, Dad.
424 Manos: Hands of Fate (Hired!)
Pre: Wonderful Joel
Inventions: MS: Chocolate Bunny Guillotine J: The Cartuner
Skits: The scenic tour
Frank apologizes
Scary exaggerated features
Joel: the Master of Darkness
Forrester apologizes
Post: Lady wrestling game/Torgo's pizza delivery
Fifth Season (Comedy Central) (24 episodes, 1993-94)
----------------------------------------------------
<under construction>
The Brain That Wouldn't Die
I Accuse My Parents
The Girl in Lover's Lane
Teenage Strangler
Beginning of the End
Human Duplicators
Mitchell
Wild Wild World of Bat Women
Alien From L.A.
Go back to John's MST3K Page.