Rating: 
Summary: Awesome
Review: I love the way they're releasing these. Rather than doing the whole show in chronological order, we're basically getting sets of "The Best of MST3k".
Which is good. Let's face it, some MST episodes ended up being terrible just because even the MST team couldn't save a movie that bad.
So rather than suffer through those, we get these rather nice collections featuring some of the best and most memorable episodes from various points in the season.
I've been waiting for a decent packaging of the MST movies, I've just gotten Vol's 1-5 and am really happy with the collection.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but disappointing
Review: I love this show. I was hrilled to hear they hav a box set. I was disappointed, though, by the episodes they chose. Don't get me wrong, there's some good stuff here, but you'd think they'dve chosen some of their best stuff and I don't know who chose these but this is not their best stuff. Good, but by no means among their best. How 'bout 'Space Mutany', 'Leech Woman', 'Parts: The Clonus Horror', and 'Time Chasers? Honestly, who chose these episodes? Did they even bother to poll their fans? I wouldn't recommend this OR tell anyone to save their money. It was so-so.
Rating: 
Summary: great eps-with one exception.
Review: I won't keep you in suspense any longer that one episode is the skydivers, which to be brief is s skydiving movie about Harry Frankie and suzy. Harry and suzy are lovers but harry plans to dump suzy and rekindle romance with his wife beth. Frankie and susie plot to have harry killed. This move features many many cups of coffee. The riffing is, as always, hilarious but the movie is horrendous. In addition the host segments rely on making fun of crow too much and that bothered me I guess. Of course by saying it's not agreat episode of mST I am saying that it is still darn funny, and funnier than many of the sitcoms on network tv. best line "roger tower. Which way is the sky?"(2.5/5)
Catalina caper- This 60's beach movie romp feture Tommy Kirk and Lyle Waggoner, the plot involves a scroll stolen from a museum by a guy with a crayola hat. Also central to the plot are a group of young people (hereinafter the "kids")on vacation in Catalina. The crayola hat guy takes the scroll to his partners in crime a husband and wife who plan to copy the scroll then sell the copy to Dino Lacopolis a greek villain. The scroll is lost somehow and the couple's kid finds it. Then the kids then hatch a plot to get the bad guys arrested and set the wayward parents straight. It works. Watch for an unfunny guy who does pratfalls, and a cameo by Little Richard. best line"I think we sent the wrong people to 'nam"(4.0/5)
Bloodlust-This episode features Mr. Brady(richard reed) leading a group of boaters. When their boat lands on a mysterious island, the goups sets out to explore. They captured andhunted by the rich and completely mental man on the island. That's the entire movie except, the movie goes on for what seems like forever, still the episode is funny. The Mads' host segments feature pearl forrester which is a bad idea, though mike and the bots' segments are great. best line "Bad news: The kitchen's not up to code" (3.0/5)
The creeping Terror-In this incredably bad movie, an alie beast land on earth and beginns eating people. There is almost no sound or dialouge in this film, instead the narrarator derscriding what is going on. The narration sometimes goes off on odd tangents sometimes. Anyway, the monster is opposed by a small-town sheriff, his deputy, a military man, and a scientist. They destroy the monsters but not before information is passed the the monsters' home planet. What else shpold you know? Well, there's a dance hall scene, some really ineffective soldiers, and a bad folk singer. Best line: "there is a branch. this is not a drill." (4.5/5.0)
Rating:
Summary: Laugh out loud funny!
Review: I you are a fan of MST3K, you will thoroughly enjoy this collection. The four movies are all ones that I had not had the fortune to see, (my cable provider didn't have the channel).
All four are worth a watch, especially Bloodlust and Catalina Caper, (Don't you just love the movies with "stars" in them!?) I watched these, all four of these fine, funny, films while wrapping Christmas gifts. While I did have a very sore back, it was nothing compared to my sore face frfom laughing. A good time was had by all, wrapping the gifts.
Rating:
Summary: Nice, but where's the extras?
Review: I'm very disappointed that Rhino hasn't taken full advantage of the DVD technology. While I'm happy I can finally begin to replace my vast yet corroding VHS collection with something more permanent, is it so much to ask for something special when paying so much for these inexpensively produced television shows? There is enough comedy central era documentaries, bloopers, and potential DVD-ROM material already released by Best Brains that could have been thrown in with this wonderful yet costly set.
Rating:
Summary: So It's a Skydiving Film... Without Skydivers. 'Nuff Said!
Review: If you want a prime example of what it means to be a "cult classic" television series, MST3K is it. It even has a following that is very similar to Monty Python's Flying Circus. The show is loved by so many people all over the country. It was only a matter of time when we'd see some of these shows put into volume sets. "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 1" is an excellent set with some very funny shows. Who would've thought that the perfect instruments of torture could be B movies? Well, we quickly learn that this is possible with the show. MST3K is all about a man (either Joel Hodgson or Mike Nelson) and his robots being forced to watch some of the worst movies ever created. In the process, they wisecrack their way through every single one of them. It is a talent to admire, as many of us can do the same thing; however, many of us cannot get the same hilarious results as these guys do. The set includes the movies "Bloodlust," "Catalina Caper," "The Creeping Terror," and "The Skydivers." The best ones are "Bloodlust" and "The Skydivers," as they are really lousy movies; meaning that the boys are able to come up with some hilarious lines and observations. You also have the chance to see these films without the MST3K crew (why in the world would you want to subject yourself to that??!!). Theatrical trailers for the movies are also available on the DVDs. This is a wonderful show that is brilliantly clever and fresh. It will always remain a favorite of mine, that's for sure. "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 1" is a treat to have and a joy to watch. You'll be watching each episode over and over again. A MUST for MST3K fans all around.
Rating:
Summary: Movie Sign x 4
Review: If you've never watched Mystery Science Theatre 3000, then you are missing out on one of the funniest television shows of all time. This excellent four-disc set contains four episodes, as well as including the original movies that they were derived from. DVD is a great format for this show; the episodes lose nothing on multiple viewings, and there are loads of jokes that aren't obvious until the third or fourth viewing. One simply can't catch all of the pop culture references and comments the first time around, and subsequent viewings can turn a mildly amusing episode into an uproarious one. Here are some short comments on each of the four episodes. BLOODLUST: Starring Robert "The Brady Dad" Reed in the tightest tee-shirt you're ever likely to see, this film has a bunch of young people running around an island inhabited by an enigmatic homicidal maniac. In case you hadn't figured it out, it's the homicidal maniac who has the bloodlust. Also on this disc is the short film: UNCLE JIM'S DAIRY FARM, "the farm of secrets and lies", where two city folks drop off their two annoying kids on their country relatives. Poor kids. Poor audience. CATALINA CAPER: It has Little Richard! And precious little else. A film that isn't sure whether it wants to be serious or funny. I'd settle on "funny", except that none of the jokes are. It's sort of like what you'd expect Gilligan's Island to be like if you crossed it with a bad episode of Dragnet and threw in some random musical numbers (and God help me, but I actually like some of the songs; I think I need help). "Join me in my Bath of Death!" THE CREEPING TERROR: You won't believe how bad this movie is. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have imagined that something like this could have been made. Allegedly, during the production of this low-budget thriller, they accidentally dropped the sound equipment into a pond. Anyone else would have said fair enough and taken this as a hint from above as to the quality of the film. But, no, they go ahead anyway... without sound. The majority of the talking scenes are completed by having a narrator tell us what the people are discussing. You see characters' lips moving, but all you hear is the strange voice of the narrator imparting random information. You couldn't make this sort of thing up. There's a simply wonderful scene where one cop talks to another one about the joys of marriage and settling down. The narrator, with all the subtlety of a slow-moving monster, takes great pains to point out exactly what lessons the cops are learning. Unbelievable! The monster itself is the epitome of all bad movie creatures. It moves along at the slowest pace imaginable and relies on its victims to not only avoid running away but to actually pull themselves up into its mouth. Strangely enough, most of the monster's dinners manage to show off a lot of leg during the process of being horribly devoured. So much silliness in one film makes this an ideal candidate for MST3k, and this is one of their stronger efforts. THE SKYDIVERS: This movie is about skydivers - and nothing else. People repeatedly throw themselves out of airplanes, and when they aren't actually skydiving, they're talking about skydiving, or drinking in skydiving themed bars. There may have been some sort of plot, but I must have blinked and missed it. Shame. This episode comes with a short feature, WHY STUDY INDUSTRIAL ARTS. A frankly disturbing look at why kids in the '50s should have signed up for their High School Industrial Arts class. Lots of great opportunities for mocking, and the gang don't miss any. Each of these discs contains the original, uncut, unMST3ked versions of the films on the flip side. Approach these editions with extreme caution.
Rating:
Summary: Classics episodes from the funniest show of all time!
Review: In case you're new to the world of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" (MST3K for short, that what us fans - "Misties" - call it), this is the famous TV show where a silhouette of a man and two robots sitting in theater seats provide running commentary for some of the worst movies ever made. The ninety-minute episodes are also scattered with sketches and songs and amount to some of the smartest, most pop-culture savvy, side-splitting comedy ever made. This is the first of the four-episode collections of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" offered from Rhino (previously they had only offered them in single DVD editions). It contains an interesting mix of movies: a science-fiction horror flick, a drama about skydivers, a 60s beach comedy, and a thriller on a tropical island. Three of the episodes come from the excellent sixth season, when Mike Nelson was the human host and the wisecracks and comments had become razor sharp and fast and furious. One episode comes from the second season, when the show had a more laid-back, friendly humor when Joel Hodgson was the host. Although this collection skews toward the later seasons, it is still a good general introduction to the show for newcomers, since most of the episodes are terrific. Fans who favor Joel Hodgson's style won't enjoy this as much as the second and third box set, but for most fans the inclusion of "The Skydivers" and "The Creeping Terror" make it a must-own. Here's what you get: BLOODLUST! Episode #607. A rip-off of "The Most Dangerous Game," only with young college kids (one of whom is Robert Reed, future Brady Bunch dad!). The four dummies land on a jungle island to go exploring and become trapped by the rich but extremely wishy-washy maniac millionaire who owns the island. Apparently, he enjoys hunting down people to turn them into stuffed trophies. The film isn't really awful, just completely unoriginal and acted with total flatness. Robert Reed never seems more than mildly "cheesed" and "fed up" (to quote Mike and 'Bots) with the life-threatening situation. But it's season six, and the show's writers couldn't do any wrong at this point, and the result is the usual hilarious romp. CATALINA CAPER. Episode #204. This is the only Joel Hodgson episode in the collection, and it's an oddball entry in MST3K history: it's the only time the show took on an overt comedy. True, "Catalina Caper," a teen 60s bikini beach comedy, isn't funny at all, but since it doesn't take itself seriously it becomes a tough target to make fun off. Joel and the 'Bots have a good time with the lousy 'prat-fall' comic, the awful musical numbers (one featuring Little Richard, waaaay out of his element), skinny Tommy Kirk, and the famous 'creepy girl,' but this is a spotty episode and the weakest in this pack. Don't form your opinions of Joel's episodes based on this one. THE CREEPING TERROR. Episode #606. This is a classic, and one of the worst films the MST3K team ever took on. A big shag carpet (oh, excuse me, I meant 'alien') starts eating the citizens of a quiet California town; or at least it gets close enough to them so they can hoist themselves into its mouth. And why is the town so quiet? Because while making the film, someone accidentally kicked the sound equipment into a lake, so the whole movie has almost NO DIRECT SOUND. Yep, we instead have a narrator telling us what the characters are saying, doing, discussing, and so on. You have to see it (or hear it) to believe it! Mike and the 'Bots unload on this one, and it's a scream. One of the funniest episodes ever. THE SKYDIVERS. Episode #609. One of the most beloved of all MST3K episodes. Writer Paul Chaplin said of it: "I don't want to criticize this movie. I'm too fond of the final result for our show...there's never been a better movie for our treatment." I'll drink to that. This drama about the loves and losses of people working at a parachuting school is so weird, so bizarrely scripted, so awfully acted, filled with so many inexplicably wack-o characters, and shot with such stunning ineptitude that it positively amazes. The riffing from the hosts is some of the best, sharpest commentary they ever did. This is the first of three movies MST3K did from director Coleman Francis (who makes Ed Wood look like Orson Welles!). The second one, "Red Zone Cuba" is available on its own DVD. The third, "The Beast of Yucca Flats" isn't out yet, and Rhino should really get this one on a future collection. All four films are offered in "non-MST3K" versions on the flip side of their discs, which is a nice feature if you really want to see how much the show added to these awful films. "Bloodlust" and "Catalina Caper" are all right - although dull - on their own, but see how long you can sit through the other two without Mike and Robots before you tear your eyes out! So there you have it, three of the most phenomenally funny episodes of MST3K, plus one of the most unusual. A great package for fans and newcomers alike! (Just watch out for acid in your parachute!)
Rating:
Summary: Any MST3 fan should own it.
Review: Interestingly enough, only one of the films here is actually a science fiction film. Here is a brief summery about each of the films mocked in this collection. BLOODLUST-A modern-day (for 1961) re-telling of "The Most Dangerous Game" with teenagers. Two young couples on an ocean cruise make an unplanned stop when they come to an island. There they meet a British safari hunter and his own private army of obedient natives. They meet another couple there, and soon learn that thier host hunts not animals, but people. Although the commentary here is funny as always, I actually thought this was a pretty good movie on it's own, deserving of better than this type of mockery. But then again if it had never been picked up by MST3 I probably never would have found out about it. CATALINA CAPER-Middle aged folks steal a piece of art from a museum and it's up to a group of beach bum teenagers to save the day. The film features not one but two rather obvious (and odeious) komic (not comic) relief characters: a dunder-headed thief (how'd a dope like him manage to steal the art without getting caught?) and a really clumsy F.B.I. agent who functions as a third-rate inspector Cluseou. (Well, O.K., the scene where he goes fishing and snags an unexpected catch was classic.) Still worth watching if only because of Mike and the 'bots and their ribbing. THE CREEPING TERROR-The only science fiction film featured here, this one features little dialouge from the characters and mostly just from the narrator (go to imdb.com and look this film up, then click on trivia to see why this is) and has a lumbering alien that looks like a bunch of stitched-together carpets devouring people. In real life this monster couldn't catch any one capable of simply running away, since it, ahem, creeps along at about 4 miles per hour. The only reason it manages to eat so many people here is that nobody ever actually tries to run away, they just stand there and scream. (Perhaps they are the reletives of characters from 1980s slasher films who do dumb things like running up the stairs while trying to escape from the killer instead of out the door.) An easy movie to laugh at by itself, the commentary here is just icing on a cake. SKYDIVERS-Pretty much what it says it's about. There is an evil plot that involves pouring acid into one of the parachutes. It's been awhile, so I don't remember much about this one.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a Box Set of MST3K!
Review: It's about time! First of all, the four films ("Bloodlust", "The Creeping Terror", "Catalina Caper", and "The Skydivers") included in this Volume 1 Box Set were not previously available for purchase on DVD. That alone makes this set worth its weight in gold. Secondly, the packaging is fun and stellar. I will enjoy collecting the rest of these volumes as they begin to hit the shelves. The discs are double-sided, with "MST-ied" versions on side A and the original films in tact on the B side. You'll probably never want to watch the B side, but it's still great to own and was probably a condition of securing the rights to reprint and make a mockery of these movies. The other feature is an original theatrical trailer included for each of the films. Thirdly, the content. While these certainly aren't the classic episodes that are frequently mentioned in all of MST3K lore (nothing on here quite reaches the level of "Manos, Hands of Fate" or "Mitchell"), they are absolutely hilarious and a must-own for any fan. For instance, in "The Skydivers", a man is offered a cup of coffee. He curtly replies, "I like coffee." MST3K host Mike Nelson casually quips, "Thus we peer into the complexity of the character that is Joe." Great stuff that can't be missed -- and at a reasonable price!
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