One dude, two robots and the worst movie of all time.
When I was a kid, my father brought home a video tape. He'd found it in the bargain bin of a store that was going out of business and quickly picked it up. It was "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie," a showhe'd watched religiously before I was born, and continued watching with me as I grew up.
When we sat down to watch it later that day, Iwas pretty lost when it came to the premise. It didn't look like much, just a silhouette of a guy and two robotsinside a makeshift theatermaking fun of a crap-tier movie about humanoid aliens with swollen, caved in foreheads. Sprinkle in a few sketches outside of that "theater" for good measure. Even if the structure was strange, but damn if it wasn't funny.
"Mystery Science Theater 3000" (the TV show) was a show that gained a cult following after it's release back in 1988, as a vehicle of ridicule for films that probably had no business being made. It followed two guys, Joel and Mike, who were normal bottom-rung employees shot into space by their boss to be forced to watch the worst movies ever. With two robots, a golden Crow and mini hovering bubblegum machine Tom Servo, they stab, poke at and thrashthe films they're forced to watch with witty commentary and referential snark that could fill a set at an improv show. Basically, the movie my dad showed me was a movie version of a TV show in which movies were watched.
The film was my first introduction to the series, and I couldn't get enough. "Why is there a toilet in the middle of the room?" Tom asks upon seeing an alien on a silver seat in the center of a spaceship. Then there was "The Secret Government Eggo Project" bit that's still laughable today.
For a while, there wasn't a weekend where I didn't watch the movie (diminishing returns be damned), much to the chagrin of my dad and the "Oh Lord's" of my mom. It very quickly got to the point where I could recite the commentary by heart.
Soon after that, my family began to dabble with the teetering danger that is satellite TV. To my delight, we happened find out that the once-decent SciFi channel (now SyFy *shudder*)had marathons ofold episodes of the show on tap for the weekends. I saw the roots the show play out, and while the humor wasn't as rapid fire as it was in the movie, the series' swan song, it was still good.
Included in one of the TV shows was "Manos: The Hands of Fate," (for more self-reference, see our Good Beer; Bad Movie). Considering that there was a lack of an introduction when the movie begins its crawling start, the guys spend a good five to ten minutes reminding themselves that, to quote Tom, "Once again, this is Manos."
"Manos," says Crow. "The Hands of Fate," closes Tom. Then there was "Monster a Go-Go," made better with a single joke from Crow, "Well, looks like he died in a state of sin."
After my dad procured some of the DVDs of the show, he suggested that I show my girlfriend the movie to get her acquainted with the madness. It didn't take much for her to become attached the show like I did, as she still easily giggles when I quote the Eggo Project bit. Her Netflix queue was filled with old episodes, and she's frankly seen more of them than I have. I'd need at least a year to catch up to her.
It's been a while since I last sat down with my dad or family to catch a couple episodes of "Mystery Science Theater 3000," but as it's something that we enjoyed together, I can't really help but feel a connection to it. I'd never laughed so hard at anything before the movie, and that feeling would resurface when I'd watch it with them or with friends. It's one of the best shows I've ever seen, and hopefully it stands the test of time for years to come.
Note: If you're interested in the history of the series, Wired has a big interview piece here. Definitely worth a read.
Ask the reporter what metafiction is at Damion.Julien-Rohman@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @legendpenguin
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