Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

Director:

Jim Mallon

Writers:

Joel Hodgson (television series Mystery Science Theater 3000)
Michael J. Nelson (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 April 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Every year Hollywood makes hundreds of movies. This is one of them.

Plot:

Mike Nelson and his robot companions watch and give their comments about "This Island Earth".

Plot Keywords:

Robot | MST3K | Teleportation | Reference To Flash Gordon | Interocitor

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Trace Beaulieu	...	Crow T. Robot / Dr. Clayton Forrester
Michael J. Nelson	...	Mike Nelson
Jim Mallon	...	Gypsy
Kevin Murphy	...	Tom Servo
John Brady	...	Benkitnorf

Directed by
Jim Mallon

Writing credits
Joel Hodgson		(television series Mystery Science Theater 3000)
Michael J. Nelson		(writer) &
Trace Beaulieu		(writer) &
Jim Mallon		(writer) &
Kevin Murphy		(writer) &
Mary Jo Pehl		(writer) &
Paul Chaplin		(writer) &
Bridget Jones		(writer)

Produced by
Trace Beaulieu	....	associate producer
Jim Mallon	....	producer
Kevin Murphy	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Billy Barber

Cinematography by
Jeff Stonehouse

Film Editing by
Bill Johnson

Production Design by
Jef Maynard

Art Direction by
Rando Schmook

Set Decoration by
Blakesley Clapp

Costume Design by
Linda Froiland

Makeup Department
Crist Ballas	....	special makeup effects artist
Andrea Jackson DuCane	....	hair stylist
Andrea Jackson DuCane	....	makeup artist
Glen Griffin	....	special makeup effects
Robert I. Phillips	....	special makeup effects

Production Management
Julie Hartley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marie Domingo	....	first assistant director
Bix Skahill	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Patrick Brantseg	....	property master
Nance Derby	....	lead scenic
Danica King	....	property assistant
Rich Larson	....	storyboard artist
Dale Mather	....	prop builder
Leah M. Otto	....	property assistant
Mark E. Raymond	....	construction foreman
Dean Trisko	....	prop builder

Sound Department
Carrie Rand Bennett	....	boom operator
Ken Hahn	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph Just	....	sound editor
Tom Naunas	....	sound designer
Fred Street	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Eric D. Howell	....	special effects
Paul Murphy	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Trace Beaulieu	....	model builder
William S. Conner	....	optical effects
David Emerson	....	optical supervisor
Brian Griffin	....	digital supervisor
Todd Hall	....	optical effects
Randy H. Herget	....	model builder
Peter Kuran	....	optical and digital effects producer
Kevin Kutchaver	....	digital effects
Jo Martin	....	effects editorial
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	administrator

Camera and Electrical Department
Slater Crosby	....	first assistant camera
David Doyle	....	gaffer
Christopher Engstrom	....	camera loader
Chad G. Foehringer	....	grip
L. Marie Ford	....	best boy grip
Paul B. Johnson	....	electrician
Bradley J. Keely	....	video assistant
Michael Kienitz	....	still photographer
Nick Lethert	....	key grip
David S. Pope	....	dolly grip
Erik Rosenbluh	....	camera intern
Timothy M. Ryan	....	electrician (as Tim Ryan)
Joseph Slagerman	....	best boy electric

Editorial Department
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Dave Keffer	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Tom Adair	....	video crew
Wendell Jon Andersson	....	key production assistant
Patrick Brantseg	....	puppet wrangler
Avelino Deleon	....	production assistant
Daniel J. Dustin	....	set medic
Helena Espinosa	....	puppet wrangler
Sean Hartley Francis	....	production assistant
Chrysa Freeman	....	assistant production coordinator
Kurt W. Gensmer	....	set medic
Jann Johnson	....	production coordinator
Tim Johnson	....	production accountant
Linda Kuusisto	....	script supervisor
Robert Lane	....	puppet builder
Marilyn Nave	....	production coordinator
Joseph M. Newman	....	director: archive footage
Gertrude Orvahl	....	coordinator: overall cinematic quality improvement and implementation
James Robinson	....	set medic
Adam Rueben	....	production assistant
Bill Schwab	....	projectionist
Mark Skoglund	....	video crew
Barb Tebben	....	production assistant
Kimberly Terhorst	....	production assistant
Julie Walker	....	unit publicist
Nancy Willen	....	unit publicist
A.M. Zopfi	....	assistant: Mr. Mallon
Dave Dustin	....	set medic (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Best Brains
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Gramercy Pictures (I) (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (1996) (Canada) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cinema Research
• Dreamstate Effects
• PM Effects

Other Companies

• Metamorphosis  make-up design and services (special make-up effects and prosthetics)
• Rescue Resources  set medic

Also Known As:

MST 3000: The Movie (USA) (short title)
MST3K: The Movie
Mystery Science Theatre 3000: The Movie (UK) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Germany:12 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Energy Park Studios - 1515 Brewster Street, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Best Brains

Trivia:

Most of the puppeteering for Gypsy was actually done by Patrick Brantseg (who would later take over both the puppeteering and voice in the TV series) and the voice was dubbed in later by Jim Mallon. This was so Mallon could focus on directing the scene rather than operating the puppet.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: The hand of puppeteer Trace Beaulieu is visible working Crow when Servo's Interociter is revealed. This is only viewable on the Widescreen version of the film.

Quotes:

Crow T. Robot: [as ship descends into fantastic Metaluna landscape] Looks like Dr. Seuss designed their planet!
Tom Servo: Oh, they're flying into a Roger Dean album cover.
Crow T. Robot: They're very into "Yes" on this planet.
Tom Servo: Hee hee!
Mike: International flights always get the gate furthest from the terminal.
Tom Servo: Remember, we're parked in the "Denubrian Slime Devil" lot!

Movie Connections:

References "All My Children" (1970)

Soundtrack:

Love Theme From Mystery Science Theater 3000

See how a pathetic film can be raised to new heights

Do you find a really bad movie more amusing than annoying? Have you ever watched a lousy flick with friends and improvised dialogue for the actors or make remarks in jest about how stupid the film is? Have you ever wondered what happens to the other sock? If you answered yes, you will enjoy "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie".

The premise is that the evil Dr. Forrester is subjecting Mike Nelson and his robot companions Tom Servo and Crow to some of the worst films of all time, as part of a plot to beat the world into submission. Yeah, this premise is pretty weak in itself, but the commentary from these three is what you'll be hooked by.

What this intrepid trio does best is make fun of stinky celluloid for the audience's amusement. They do the unimaginable; they make an utter piece of trash not only watchable, but hilarious. It's open season on ridiculous movies, and the film is merely a showcase of their regular television program of the same name. The film has been my first exposure to the show, which has selected episodes available on tape. Sadly, the show is not broadcast in my area, and sadder still is the news that the series will conclude this year. The unfortunate aspect of this is that I do have a sense of what I'm missing. It's a great concept, and has proven to be popular with many viewers.

The film for the mocking is "This Island Earth". A particularly cheesy selection that can actually be found on DVD in its original format without the hilarious commentary. Some people regard it as a sci-fi classic, but it's essentially been brought to better light with the help of the MST3K team. No one is safe. They even mock their own credits. Watch this one with friends if you can; it's really well done.