Well, we've made it. This is the final KTMA episode of the innaugural season to be aired! With 21 episodes of experience behind them, Joel and producer Jim Mallon set out for New York City, in an effort to pitch the series to fledgling cable networks "HA!" and the "Comedy Channel". "HA!" declines on the idea, but "The Comedy Channel" leaps at the opportunity and signs Hodgson, Mallon, Beaulieu, Murphy and Weinstein to a 13 show deal. The 'SOL' will stay in orbit for an official first season!
Let the experiment begin!
Experiment #K21 ~ LEGEND OF THE DINOSAUR (1977)
Original Air Date: May 28, 1989
Genre: Sci-Fi
Studio: The Toei Company
Starring: Tsunehiko Watase, Nobiko Sawa, Shotako Hayashi, Tomoko Kiyoshima, Fuyukichi Maki
Directed By: Junji Kurata
Theatrical Running Time: 92 Minutes
Tagline: N/A
Film Synopsis: A team of lumberjacks at the foot of Mt. Fuji find a lost and terrified girl, who claims to have seen something hatching from a giant petrified egg inside the mountain. After seeing this event on the television news, a geologist abandons his expedition to Mexico City and heads to Japan to discover the living dinosaur eggs that his father always believed were there. In addition, a local community is hosting a "Dragon Festival", which just happens to coincide with the monsters (a Plesiousaur) unexpected appearance!
Intro: The Mads realizing that the "Paul is dead" (referring to Paul McCartney of "The Beatles") hoax of the 1960's was one of the greatest marketing campaigns ever, decide to institute a "Joel is dead" hoax. Let's review the clues. (All taken from the show's introduction).
(1): Joel's thumb is seen cleaning a gauge which reads 'SAT 1'. "Saturday the 1st. The first day on which he died!"
(2): "Next Sunday A.D." "'A.D'., After Death!" "He died on Saturday the 1st. Sunday the 2nd was the funeral!"
(3): The lyric in the theme song says "There
was a guy named Joel. Not there
is a guy named Joel. There
WAS!!!"
(4): "Look here, in the opening sequence. He has really long hair. You know what they say. Hair keeps growing... after death!"
The Mads even 're-touch' the cover of the record album "Abbey Road", putting Joel's head in place of Paul's.
Host Segments:
Host 1: Joel and Cambot demonstrate to Crow and Servo how special effects can make an actor seem really small in size on screen. It would appear that a little boy visits the 'SOL', and carries Joel away. The Bots don't seem to care too much.
Host 2: The 'SOL' presents a "wacky TV sitcom", complete with laugh track, canned applause and really bad jokes. Just an intentionally awful segment, and it succeeds. Nothing short of annoying, yet still brilliant.
Host 3: Joel prepares the Bots for the "full-blown, no-holds-barred, back-door action" sequences coming up in the finale of today's experiment, by constructing a miniature KFC restaurant to scale with his "fire-breathing motorized Godzilla" doll.
End: Joel announces that the show is going on hiatus. While the show is off the air, Crow is going to "SpaceCamp". Servo has decided to "Fill my head with cocoa butter and surf til I drop", and Joel is going to work on his Bob Hope impression. The members of the SOL invite their viewers to "write Minneapolis TV23 and support the show."
Items of Note:
~ Yet another Sandy Frank offering to the USA
~ Joel says something late in the film (sounds like "Finish the job, man. Open the tank! I mean... Oh, man I'm sorry...") which causes everyone to just lose their composure. Servo states "After 20 weeks, Joel Hodgson snapped a twig!". Joel seems very apologetic. Everyone giggles and snickers (remember, this is live TV), and the film rolls on. Very curious!?
Personal Notes:
~ This is a surprisingly nice, clean copy from the "MST3K Digital Archives Project". Beautiful print!
~ Beaulieu pulls an old Benny Hill joke and apparently raises the ire of Weinstein, who tells him "Don't
ever do that again!" (
"Today will be Muggy. Followed by 'Tuggy', 'Weggy',and 'Thurgy'"). I personally
like the joke!
The 'Riffs':
~
(Joel): "You know what I say. Never trust a man with two first names. Especially if the first one's a woman!" (
Sandy Frank).
~
(Servo): "I don't know if it was a
petrified egg. Maybe
startled a little, but..."
~
(Servo): "It's Brooke Shields! The 'Girl From The Blue Lagoon'!"
~
(Servo): "It's a 'headless horse, man'! I guess they used it in 'The Godfather'!"
~
(Movie Quote): "A lot of people come here just to commit suicide!"
~
(Servo): "It's a Pterodactyl!"
(Crow): "It's a Minnesota mosquito!"
~ Pop culture references ranging from 'Land of the Lost' and 'Rain Man', to Dinah Shore, Johnny Paycheck and various breakfast cereals, this is not one of the group's strongest offerings. It's not just the material that they have to work with, but perhaps the past 21 weeks have just exhausted everyone. However...
Rating: 1-1/2 "Petrified Dinosaur Eggs" out of 5
"Keep Trading the Discs (and Tapes)"
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