That’s an interesting question, because that movie is a BRUISER. It’s not in my rotation very often, but not because I’m trying to actively avoid it. Maybe that’s due to how an official copy isn’t streaming or on DVD? I dunno.
It is a well-written episode with great jokes, but brother, you have to hunker down for THAT kind of movie. We’re talking a movie that takes you on “why does this movie even exist” journey, like the rock climbing scene in Lost Continent or the sandstorm scene in Hercules Against the Moon Men, but drawn out over an entire movie… kinda like the movies to come down the pike in the form of Monster a Go-Go, Manos, and the Coleman Francis troika.
The Sidehackers told us that only love pads the film, but that’s not love padding the film. It’s the awareness of the relentless march of time, and nothing to FILL that time.
If you think about it, the focus on Timmy for this episode’s host segments makes sense, because just like Monster a Go-Go, you get the sense that this one wore down the writing room with meandering ennui and a seemingly endless reliance on “A Stranger in Paradise.”
To make this work, you have to accept how terrible the movie is and accept the great joke telling on its own terms. For example, the HEAVILY PADDED sequence where a secretary is called downstairs (and you watch each and every second of the descent), and Servo serves up some great sound effects action as she makes her way through the turnstiles, and JUST AT THE EXACT MOMENT THAT SHE STARTS SITTING DOWN, Joel says in a hilariously cocky voice: “Thank you, that’s all.” And Servo’s (likely real) laughter seals the deal.
The movie’s full of cheapness and tedium (Joel: “Can we get a table closer to the plot?”) just as it’s full of typical 50s sci-fi sexism/objectification a la Project Moonbase (“Yeah, the maid will get those”). Which is to say, the movie packs on the pain, so it’s something of a marvel that the gang can wring hilarity out of this dry movie.
And I like how the gang is not only able to joke about the proceedings, but also showcase how the movie COULD HAVE been more interesting, but didn’t go that route, like when the riffers point out that a cleverer movie would’ve turned the creature into a good guy or something. But that’s our Fire Maidens! (studio laughter)
An all-time classic riff over a clock:
Crow: “I’m Ed Bradley, and this is 60 Minutes-”
Joel: “-of padding.”
Oh, another one!
Crow: “There’s more action in the wallpaper!”
I mean, when you come right down to it, you know that the movie’s got NOTHIN’ to offer the SOL crew when its stinger features a guy absentmindedly throwing a drinking cup at the wall.
That all sounds more negative than I’d like it to sound. I’ll sum up.
tl;dr: The riffing is great, but the sheer nothingness of the movie is at risk of knocking it down a number of rungs in my book. The gang’s got some great jokes on tap (“This scene is bad, even for THIS film”), but brother, you gotta be ready for some heavy lifting, because Cy Roth does NOT play.
