So, after watching a number of these MST3K movies many, many times, I’ve begun to piece together the connected cinematic universe behind them. (And they called me mad!)
One of the connections that stood out was from a recent rewatch of The Pumaman. In this Donald Pleasence vows to create a New Order using the ancient mask, before appearing to perish in a helicopter accident. But in fact he does not die, though he does end up scarred and maimed. We know this because he appears in Warrior Of The Lost World in that exact condition, now at the head of the very New Order he vowed to create!
Next up: Why the presence of Steve Franken in both films indicates that characters from The Time Travelers ended up on the parallel Earth of Stranded in Space.
This is fun … I quite like the idea of tying together Harvey B. Dunn’s path through his movies (Teenagers from Outer Space, Bride of the Monster and Sinister Urge).
And don’t even get me started on Gene “He’s Not Merritt Stone!” Roth. He ended up being a Nazi over at Rifftrax … sad.
Now they need to do a Kevin Bacon film. Friday the 13th would be a great choice, except for all the socks* and violence. Maybe they could do a “The Demon Murder Case” or an episode of “The Guiding Light”.
*You heard me. That movie is shock full of socks. Mostly sweat socks, too.
Donald Pleasance was a very good (dare I say great?) actor who, like many actors, took roles to pay his bills. Unlike some, though, if the movie clearly sucked he phoned it in. I suppose he figured if no one else is going to try, why should he? Collect the paycheck and move on.
Burnin’ old man, singe all his flesh off… 
