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Mystery Science Theater 3000 - I Accuse My Parents

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - I Accuse My Parents

List Price: $19.95
Your Price: $17.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Delinquency for Fun and Profit
Review: In viewing this film, I am reminded of a passage in the MST3K Episode Guide where Kevin Murphy had a chance meeting with the novelist Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut gently admonished the work of Best Brains, saying that many of these 'b' movies were put out by struggling writers pounding out movie scripts overnight. It is my feeling that 'I Accuse My Parents' most likely falls into this category.

I also find it interesting just how many of these 'juvenile delinquency' films emerged at or about that time period in American history-and MST3K documents it quite well. The Brains' catalogue of films that dealt with the delinquency genre included 'Untamed Youth', 'Teenage Strangler', 'Teen-age Crime Wave', 'Girls Town', 'The Violent Years', 'Kitten With a Whip', and 'High School Big Shot'. The post-World War II era seems to have been a time when our nation rose as one with the question 'What are we doing wrong-how are we failing these kids?'

It goes to show, I suppose, that films like 'Rebel Without a Cause' proved to be the exception rather than the rule in exploring the issue of juvenile delinquency. The failing of 'I Accuse My Parents' lies in its cliched approach to the subject matter. 'Young' Jimmy Wilson's parents are neglectful alcoholics, but they are simply not believable. Alcoholism and neglect wear far more frightening masks than were portrayed-as is all too well known. Likewise, the 'mob' that Jimmy inadvertently joins is involved in errands so shadowy as to be completely obscured.

We can blame, I suppose, the zeal of the Hayes Commission for the 'cleanup' job done on this farce of a movie about a very real problem. In the same instance though, we collectively share the guilt for this movie's badness, because it's utter failure to investigate a social issue was rooted in our inability to be honest with ourselves.

Boy, do I have too much time on my hands, or what?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Joel and the Bots' Finest Work
Review: I know that many will probably disagree with me, but I think this is the best episode in the grand history of MST3K. Everything about this episode works so well, and is so consistently funny that it will make you want to watch it again and again to catch all the riffs that you missed the first time when you were laughing to hard. Everything from Joel psychoanalyzing his robots, to the constant riffs (I won the essay contest!) The wonderful short - the Truck Farmer, rounds the tape out - worship the Truck Farmer at the church of your choice - it's fun!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The moral to this story will beat you senseless!
Review: I love this one because the story is so darn goofy! Young boy gets caught up with a bad element after meeting a seemingly nice young woman through his job in a shoe store. His neglecting alcoholic parents know nothing because they're off to the beach with their friends! It's like a light-hearted Blue Velvet! With material like that, you know Joel and the bots are going to make mince meat out of it. Plus, there's never been a bad short - "Bow down before the truck farmer!" Get this one while the gettin's good!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A hilarious episode
Review: The film was bad, as usual. (You're not going to believe the ending). The skit had me in stitches. Classic MST3K!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Truck farming short
Review: I can't believe no one has mentioned the truck farming short! While the boys have seen much funnier shorts, I think that this one is the best part of this movie. As usual, the Encyclopedia Brittanica company puts a positive spin on things like migrant labor and DDT. As usual, Joel & co. shoot them down. Overall, a quality production.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Singing Praises
Review: How can you not love MST3K, This time the boys are forced to watch a musical! Of course they get to make up there own words..."Join me, as I accuse my parents, and I kill them! Let's see if they will be laughing now!" The best humour is musical humor. Even Gypsee gets in on the action.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: How about a little sugar for happy chef?
Review: Despite the fact that this movie is a non sci-fi flick, it still stands up pretty well. Actually, better than pretty well, it's excellent. With flaky two dimensional characters actually trying to be serious "I Accuse My Parents" makes perfect cannon fodder for our beloved captives on TSOL.

Now, if you excuse me, I have to check my mother out of detox.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Oh, yes, Satan, speak to me through this song.
Review: Well, Joel and the Bots do their best with this one, but they aren't able to bring it up to the level of, say, Cave Dwellers or The Unearthly. The main character just isn't believable as a teenager, and his experiences have little to do with his parents (If it had turned out that his father was mixed up with the crime angle, that would have been something, at least.), so the title's disconnectedness with the plot is rather distracting. Of course, MST3K is best suited (IMHO) to science fiction/fantasy/horror movies, so this film already had a strike against it, and there was simply nothing to really appeal to the viewer in the actual movie or, for the most part, in the riffs (Very few of them stick in my mind.). Still, no MST3K can ever be worth less than 3 stars: some of the skits were quite good (I loved the art therapy, not least because it gave us a better look at Cambot in Gypsy's picture, and who would have thought that Tom's ideal family would be a lesbian couple inseminated by a robot?), and the riffing on the short "The Truck Farmer" more than made up for the movie's lapses.

Harrowing, isn't it?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: How would you like a nice hamburger?
Review: No, I want a hamburger sandwich and french-fried potato garnish! Haha! This is one of the best! And don't forget, "it's the essay awards! hey, big essay winner here!" One of the best.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: You don't think he'd ever accuse us, do you?
Review: This one is a keeper. The movie is perfect fodder for J&TBs, and they make the most of it. Now let's all go to Jack Taylor's and celebrate!


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