The whole episode is solid, but that climactic sequence of John chasing down Mr. T while the latter is dressed like a priest? With all those religiously-tinged riffs (“Father Mannix!” “Da da, da da! Amen”) and the Three Stooges “hello hello… hello” riff and the inept cops and ERRYTHING?
Yeah, the riffs in that chase scene = A+
I am IN! a STATE! of GRACE!
[as Mr. T beats the bejabbers out of John]
“Bless you! BLESS YOU!”
I have ALWAYS loved this episode! It’s in my Top 10!
The murderous “priest” singing hymns while being chased through the train makes me lose it every single time!
Good assessment there, yeah.
The number/tempo of riffs varies greatly in this episode, with some sequences (gestures to the chase scene one more time) more inspiring than others.
It feels like there’s a lot of gradual buildup in the movie as it works its way towards the robbery and the fallout afterwards, and the energy is directly proportional with that. I hate to keep shaking the apples off this particular tree, but when stuff HAPPENS, the MST3K guys are able to fire back with their most memorable material (such is the case with the actual robbery itself, when Mr. T starts bumping off his associates, and that big chase).
That being said, I do love the stuff towards the beginning with that curiously sideburned dancer that has Servo making that ai-yi-yi-yi-yi sound he does so amusingly (it’s hard to transcribe that sound accurately, I find).
“The Manchurian Candidate.” “From Russia with Love.” “Day of the Jackal.” “Suddenly.”
The Rebel Set’s lunkhead hero is played by Gregg Palmer, who would later appear in Big Jake. He played the horrific psychopath John Goodfellow, one of a gang of outlaws and murderers who kidnap the Duke’s grandson. (During the kidnapping they even kill The Mole People’s John Agar!)
“THE EXORCIST.”
“NO, NO, NO. IT’S A SOCIAL GOSPEL.”
This crime thriller has beatniks in it! I keep wondering where Max and 99 are hiding and what Kaos is actually up to, but it’s an enjoyable episode regardless. I think Johnny at the Fair is more memorable, though. There’s something about shorts that get dark.
The short gives us a tour of the 1947 Canadian National Exhibition through the eyes of the titular five year old and is narrated by Lorne Greene. Not caring for the idea of being dragged to the Art Gallery by his parents, Johnny strikes off on his own. No one seems to find this troubling. Different times, folks.
A curious aspect of the main feature is how it’s more deserving of the title The Beatniks than the film The Beatniks. Much of the first act takes place at a coffeehouse with plenty of bongo playing and truly horrible free verse recitations in the background. The coffeehouse proprietor Mr. Tucker hires three talentless poseurs who are regulars to travel on the Los Angeles to Newark train to rob an armored car during the four-hour layover in Chicago. The reason he hires these chumps rather than professionals is that they’ll be easier to dispose of, so he can keep the entire haul for himself.
It’s a reasonably tolerable if unremarkable heist film. The only aspect that stands out is that Mr. Tucker is portrayed by Edward Platt, better known as the Chief on Get Smart. As you can imagine, there were plenty of riffs that alluded to that role. Some chuckles were also provoked when Tucker is making his escape while disguised as a priest and the riffing has him singing hymns as he does so. Though considering that the film came out before Vatican II, one of them being “A Mighty Fortress” was a rather odd choice.
Crow’s bed would be reused in the prologue of Bride of the Monster.
Props on posting this! These trailers offer an insightful look at these movies.
“AS A GIFT TO THE READING PUBLIC, HE’S THROWING HIS TYPEWRITER AWAY.”
“MURDER ON THE DISORIENTED EXPRESS.”
I fell into it taping Comedy Central as a lad. It was one of my tapes I ran a lot back then. A straight B picture and pedal to the metal. I’m partial to it and the remarks sing when the picture provides an opening. Once we reach Chicago and the second half, the show achieves liftoff. Prior to that The Rebel Set (1959) is almost too dour and bleak for riffing. And yet it works for me.
"GARY BUSEY AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
I thought it was adorable that Crow’s continuous describing over his itinerary led to Gypsy napping for a few seconds.
I have to agree with the other posters…this episode is like an avalanche. There are some slow spots when even Joel and the Bots seem caught up in watching, but once we reach the climax and coda it’s a non-stop deluge of funny.
