Mst3k robot rumpus free#
The Screaming Skull continues its Free Coffin promise as a part of Shout Factory’s Turkey Day celebratory Volume XXXI. And it’s one that I’ve watched many times and plan to watch many more. This is a funny, funny, FUNNY episode from beginning to end, regardless of the short that started it. The Screaming Skull never really seems to get its due.
Of course he gets sucked up in the technical details and the fun of the prank dies. But the highlight of the entire episode is the brilliant “Free Coffin” sketch, in which Servo tries to scam American International out of a coffin by claiming he died during the movie. Rebounding these host segments is some quality work by Kevin Murphy’s Tom Servo, who has a very amusing opening involving him turning into a butterfly (and a follow-up segment about him turning back is just as funny). And the Mad segments involving costume practical jokes are just horrible. Crow’s imitation of the titular Skull causing Mike to go on a screaming rampage of horror goes on too long and Mike just doesn’t sell it with his obviously fake screaming. The robot’s outrage on the Gumby short, while funny in concept, never really lands a big laugh. The host segments can be a bit of an anchor dragging the episode down, however.
Mst3k robot rumpus movie#
I’d just be arguing that the movie itself is a classic of a lesser tier. It gives them something new to play with, and of course it’s an instant classic.
Mst3k robot rumpus full#
The Gumby short is child’s play, but with this movie they work to make it as funny as it is and the end result is impressive.īut as for the Robot Rumpus short, Gumby is so full of wacky images and stuff the series doesn’t see in the movies they watch. Their approach to this particular movie is absolutely marvelous, as they take it’s dreary tone and fend it off by upstaging it with their comedy. Screaming Skull is often lumped as an episode that has a short that outshines the feature, and while the short is spectacular that would be selling the film portion short. The best we can hope for is for the episode to switch gears and keep up with whatever they have to follow. Most seasoned MSTies will admit that when an episode revs up with a short that’s incredibly wacky and fun it’s hard to keep pace once we switch to the movie. The one great thing I can say about Screaming Skull is that I’d rather watch it again than Robert Zemeckis’s What Lies Beneath, which is pretty much the exact same movie, only much longer and much more boring. The mystery aspect however is neat, and there are a few moody touches that I like, but Screaming Skull doesn’t offer a whole hell of a lot to keep me invested. By the time it ends I feel like I’ve gotten barely any resolution to barely any movie. Nonstop noise terrifies you then this is the movie for you.
Things get insane for the climax, which is nothing but endless screeching and a prop skull rolling around. The most committed performance comes from the movie’s director, who plays the mentally incapacitated groundskeeper who just kind of limps around and does nothing other than act like a red herring.
That said, The Screaming Skull does have the right frame of mind when it comes to filming atmosphere, but the movie’s attempt at building tension is overly slow and dull, and the actors never seem to quite have faith in the movie they’re making.
When The Screaming Skull begins the film offers a “free coffin to any viewer that dies of fright.” Translation: Our movie isn’t scary at all and we’re trying to manipulate you into thinking it is. You know you’re in trouble when you’re watching a horror movie that is boasting about how scary it is. After moving in she begins to hear screeching and a skull popping up all over the house, and she begins questioning her sanity. The Screaming Skull is a rip-off, er, remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, tells the tale of a woman settling into a new life with her recently wed husband.
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