Disc One: Invasion USA
Mike builds an evil destructive robot, then destroys it.
And Dr. Forrester dresses Frank as a pin cushion. This episode includes not
just the feature film, but one of the best of the series’ shorts, “A Date With
Your Family.” Mike quips, “I like my family as a friend.” And when the
short’s narrator says that Brother “helps Mother to her chair as he would
his best girl,” Mike comments, “The less said about this, the better.”
The gang adds, “And be sure to make a plate for the narrator.” Later,
during one of the break segments, Mike and the robots have their own date with
the family.
When Invasion USA gets off to a slow start, Tom
Servo says, “Will somebody please invade something?” And when
parachuters begin dropping from enemy planes, Tom Servo comments, “Ah, plane
poop, the worst kind.” Mike adds, “You know, this is how my mom dropped
me off at school every day.” The movie is about World War III, but it uses
stock footage from World War II, leading Mike to quip, “At least everyone
who lived through the Blitz can rest assured it’s been immortalized as filler
for this movie.” I think Donald Trump would love this movie, as its message
is the importance of increasing military spending. This episode contains
references to Edwin Starr, John Denver, Tony Bennett, R.E.M., Fawlty Towers,
Hart To Hart, Red Dawn, Dr. Strangelove and The World
According To Garp.
As for bonus material, the first disc contains Zugsmith
Confidential, a featurette about producer Albert Zugsmith. The Invasion
USA trailer is also included.
Disc Two: Colossus And The Headhunters
The opening segment of this episode reminds me that I
need to do my taxes, with Tom Servo singing a relevant Beatles song. Mike gets
a new pet, which happens to be Frank’s old pet, leading Frank to later sing a
song of longing (which is hilarious). As is often the case, the worst movies
make some of the best episodes. And Colossus And The Headhunters is
certainly a terrible movie. As cavemen are being clobbered by large fake rocks
and falling into holes, Tom Servo says, “Goodbye, John Entwistle and Mick
Fleetwood.” As others escape to a raft, the gang quips, “I know we’ll be
welcome on the shores of Miami.” And as their island sinks into the ocean,
Crow says, “I think that may affect the tourism industry.” The queen
character says, “They cut off the heads of their enemies and use them to
decorate their villages,” and Crow responds, “Neat!” The queen
continues: “Once we saw them perform this ceremony. It was terrible.”
Tom Servo adds, “And the tickets were forty bucks.” Colossus And The
Headhunters is not the most exciting film, and Mike comments, “We must
avoid action at all costs.” There are references to Casablanca, Hair
and Planet Of The Apes. This is the movie that will have you demanding,
“More cheesesteak!”
The bonus feature is Mike By Joel. Yes, this is
how they got Joel Hodgson into this DVD collection. It’s an interview with Joel
about Mike Nelson – how Mike joined the show and so on.
Disc Three: High School Big Shot
At the beginning of this episode, it’s a case of bigger
living through chemistry for Tom Servo on the Satellite of Love. Then we’re
treated to a short about a devil, an angel and a bread delivery guy. The
opening scene of the feature film, showing a close-up of a guy speaking
directly to the camera, has the gang asking, “Is this the screen test?”
and “Is this a Warhol film?” When Marv’s father takes Marv’s money, Mike
says, “Oh, and son, I ate the last can of dog food.” Later, when Marv
talks to his inebriated father, the gang asks, “Are those voices in your
head or mine?” And when Marv’s father says, “I want you to know I tried
to be a good father to you,” Tom Servo asks, “Do you have any specific
examples?” This episode has references to Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, The
Fugitive Kind, Welcome Back, Kotter and Midnight Cowboy. “Hey,
I’m fake-walking here!”
The special features include the original film, as well
as the film’s trailer. I love it when MST3K DVDs includes the regular
versions of the films.
Disc Four: Track Of The Moon Beast
This is the one episode in the set that is not from 1994.
It’s a later Mike Nelson episode, with Pearl. This is what Pearl has to say
about Track Of The Moon Beast: “It stars nobody and features nothing.”
As Paul takes Kathy home, the gang jokes, “All this, and he lives with his
mother?” Tom Servo later quips, “I’m trapped in a loveless one-day
relationship.” When a cop says, “Harris was killed by some kind of thing
that-” Mike finishes the sentence, “That killed him.” During a
random shot of a sunset, the gang jokes, “And now from all of us here at
Track Of The Moon Beast, good night.” Then, during what is obviously a
still shot of the moon, Crow exclaims, “That’s just a picture of the moon.”
Tom Servo adds, “Yeah, the moon backed out of this movie at the last minute.”
There are references to M.A.S.H., Star Trek, The Beatles, Eric
Carmen and David Bowie. The “Fame” reference had me in tears, I was laughing so
hard.
The special feature is Tracking A Moon Beast, an
interview with Leigh Drake, the actor who played Kathy in the film. She talks
about her co-stars and about getting the role, which was her first film job.
She gives her candid opinion about the film and about the Mystery Science
Theater 3000 episode.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXVIII was
released on March 28, 2017 through Shout! Factory.
