I like Untamed Youth (despite the music) and I love Overdrawn at the Memory Bank. And Time Chasers. And I know Jimmy is a dope but I love I Accuse My Parents.
8 Likes
Hmm… Reptilicus makes some interesting choices that I find pretty compelling. I’d seen Alien from L.A. before it was riffed. And I really like First Spaceship on Venus.
11 Likes
I remember seeing Marooned (known on MST as Space Travelers) on Channel 11’s “The Big Show” some summer weekday afternoon in the 70s. I’ve always had a soft spot for it. It’s not a bad movie, really.
10 Likes
Without re-examinnig the list, my favorite movie which MST3K did is The Revenge of the Creature - after all it is part of the Universal Classic monster movies.
I always loved the 1950s monster/Sci-Fi films from watching them on TV front the crib as a child of the 1960s. So that would include The Deadly Mantis, The Mole People, The Amazing Colossal Man, War of the Colossal Beast, etc.
And anything with Bela Lugosi is always entertaining.
7 Likes
Ones I have seen over 20 times, I love watching these movies for what they are and the added riffing make them so rewatchable I see them over and over. These are all recent ones as end up on Netflix watching because its easy.
The Time Travelers (surprised noone listed this, I LOVE watching this movie)
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
Star Crash (A movie about a girl slowly losing clothes the entire movie! ie Barbarella)
Mac and Me (I seen this as a kid, the riffing is hilarious… prrreettttyyy niiiiice)
7 Likes
I agree with those who mentioned the Russo-Finnish epics. Subtitled rather than dubbed, they would have been (mostly) great.
Then there were those weird marionette shows that they used in the early KTMA episodes. They were surprisingly well done and the riffing was not very inspired yet, and it’s the only time I can remember being more interested in the movie than the riffing.
4 Likes
I adored Starcrash before it got riffed. It is played with loads of enthusiasm by most of the cast, and Marjoe Gortner’s innate weirdness is also a bonus.
Seriously, if you haven’t checked out Marjoe’s life story, even just on Wikipedia, you’re missing one hell of a life. Child evangelist, exposer of evangelist methodology, recording artiste, actor - he’s quite a character.
13 Likes
I’ve never actually gotten through the KTMA version of Phase IV, but I have seen it unriffed and, aside from the completely wacky ending, I think it’s a good film.
The director, Saul Bass, was responsible for some of the best credit sequences in classic cinema.
7 Likes
I saw Alien from L.A. on HBO a couple of years before it was on MST3K and I enjoyed it. I like the low-fi cyberpunk aesthetic.
I also saw Timewalker aka Being From Another Planet unriffed and enjoyed it too.
I think I would enjoy The Screaming Skull if I saw it without riffing too.
7 Likes
Agreed, the Universal Monsters films are golden. I also enjoy the Italian New Wave stuff, like Danger: Diabolik.
6 Likes
I’m a Japanophile by admission so I’ll drop everything to watch Prince of Space, Neptune Men, any of the Gamera movies, etc.
6 Likes
I felt that Time Chasers was pretty clever by MST3K standards, as was The Final Sacrifice. Both are pretty ambitious and I would go as far to say that their grand grasp with a shoestring budget is reflective of the charm MST3K has.
8 Likes
The Final Sacrifice was Tjardus Greidanus’ first film and for a first film with no budget and mostly amateur actors, I think he did a decent job.
Too bad he’s such a Greidanus and keeps sending copyright takedowns when people upload the episode to YouTube.
9 Likes
A little surprised that Puma Man and the Final Sacrifice aren’t getting more love. Very watchable films.
9 Likes
I actually enjoy The Beatnicks. Even the songs with dumb lyrics. Eegah and Wizards of the Lost Kingdom are actually pretty good. Lords of the Deep is fun, especially if you’ve seen all the movies to ripping off. Yongary is good, too. Though I still haven’t totally figured out how people are related (does Icho have one or two sisters?!)
6 Likes
So many! Moon Zero Two is a favorite of mine. One that hasn’t been mentioned yet is The Girl On Lover’s Lane, which I genuinely enjoyed without the riffs (and the riffs are amazing, too!)
8 Likes
If I recall correctly, there’s an extended version of Phase IV’s wacky ending that is even wackier, but it’s either been lost or there are rights issues that have kept it from being seen.
My wife often announces her issues with ants in the house and I will start laughing because I can’t help but mentally insert her into either Them! or Phase IV.
5 Likes
Master Ninja I & II always stood out as incredibly “watchable.” To me.
6 Likes
I know I’m going to be a little out there with this one but I genuinely enjoy Sidehackers.
It was the film that made them realize they need to more thoroughly screen movies before getting the rights to use them, but it’s actually a pretty compelling story. Sure the sport they’re trying to promote is stupid. The movie’s villain gives a good over the top performance and the movie just oozes late '60s. Add in the riffing and it’s even better.
5 Likes
While I wouldn’t watch it on its own, Jack Frost makes for a more watchable episode because you can actually follow it.
5 Likes