102. The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958)

MST3K Central
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The third film in a series started by The Aztec Mummy (1957) and The Curse of the Aztec Mummy (1957). All three were shot consecutively and The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958) is essentially a recap of the first two. Dr. Krupp, Popoca, a killer robot, the Aztec treasure is once more under attack. The undead squares off against The Future of Tomb Enforcement. Airbag Helmet, Chalk Man, Demon Dogs, A Giant Dog Bone, Disguise, Fetch. “Castaneda? I didn’t know this was going to be a musical”, “Robot?” “YAY!” “Vs. The Aztec Mummy?” “BOO!”, “When in Mexico, visit C.L.A.S.A. Studios.” “But don’t drink the water.” “This movie is the producer’s answer to Montezuma’s Revenge” or “This whole movie’s a sleeper hold”?

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Airbag Helmet and Chalk Man.

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Demon Dogs.

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  1. The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958) - The Full Experiment. Courtesy of Shout Factory.
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Mummy’s Here.

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The Phantom of the Opera.

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Best of 102.

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See, Mommy’s Drinking It.

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More Best of 102.

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It’s Just A Show 104. [MST3K 102. The Robot vs. the Mummy]

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The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1957). The Two Meet.

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Review of MST3K Episode 102. The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958).

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102 Promo.

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Trailer of The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958).

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TCM Challenge Podcast Review: EP5 The Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy.

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Radar Men from The Moon (1952). Chapter One: Moon Rocket.

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IMDB’s Worst 100 Movies: #85 The Aztec Mummy vs The Humanoid Robot (1958)

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I liked this movie much better the second time, when it had El Santo and Perico watching a dracula assault their time-travelling lady friend.

This is very much an early season 1 episode, with a bad movie and riffing that’s not quite there yet. I believe this might be the one where the crew says they turned to drink to get through it. It does have the demon dogs, though, so at least it has that going for it.

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Since so many of the films screened on MST3K were too short for a two-hour slot (with some barely cracking an hour), there was a need for material to fill it up. As serials are so strongly associated with the old-time movie viewing experience, it made sense to use one. Radar Men from the Moon (though radar doesn’t figure all that prominently) is typical of the Rocketships & Ray Guns science fiction of the 1950s. It has some decent action scenes and would probably be watchable in its own right. Though some of the wild ass guesses made by the characters to kick off the plot feel like a bit of a stretch. The only other notable aspect at this point is that senior henchman Graber is portrayed by Clayton Moore of The Lone Ranger fame.

Much of the feature is told in flashback and apparently consists of footage from the prior Aztec Mummy films. Handy for those of us who just jumped in, but I can understand those following it from the start being incensed at such needless padding. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say there was only 15-30 minutes of new material. The title bout is rather underwhelming, with both combatants being sluggish and lumbering. Speaking of sluggish, the pacing could stand a shot of adrenaline. Combined with the sporadic riffing, I can understand why it’s among the least popular episodes for the fan base. But I have a special fondness for it, and I appreciate Dr. Krupp giving the narrative a much-needed dose of mania.

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You hear that, Post Malone? Don’t come!

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