Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition (First Spaceship on Venus / Laserblast / Werewolf / Future War)

This set is apparently the DVD-only version of the 20th Anniversary set from Shout Factory. That means that it does not include the tin case, plastic Crow figurine or episode lobby cards. It does contain four great episodes of everyone's favorite cow-town puppet show.

This set features one episode with Joel Hodgson as host and three with Mike Nelson hosting. Two episodes are from the Comedy Central years while two are from the Sci-Fi Channel shows.

211- First Spaceship on Venus
Originally called Der Schweigende Stern and made in 1960, this international cast film about the first astronauts to land on Venus is a hoot. Filled with wonderful ideas about international cooperation, yet strangely dated in its science even for when it was made, this movie's vision of the future is fun, action-filled and nearly breaks the goofy meter! The jokes are endless, non-stop and really top-notch from the MST3K crew. "What's a herring weigh? Oh, about a pound." "Everything's better in the crawler copter." Just the endless jokes about the robot in the film, Omega, will keep you laughing throughout. The host segments are just awesomely funny. When the planet has it's "brown explosion" near the end you'll be rolling with laughter and the jokes fly really fast at that point. This is a sometimes overlooked, underrated classic that is too funny to describe. I love it and never get tired of watching it no matter how many times I see it.

706- Laserblast
This 1978 feature comprises the final episode from Comedy Central and is an odd little feature that received 2.5 stars from Leonard Maltin, a fact that is the source of endless wonderful wisecracks as the credits roll. Hilarious throughout in spite of the fact that everyone working on the show knew it might be their last one ever. The host segment wrap-up with great 2001: A Space Odyssey references is terrific.

904- Werewolf
This 1996 feature with Richard Lynch is even more ridiculous than most stories based on lycanthropy. The goofy meter breaks in the first reel of this film and never gets repaired. An archaeologist gets cut by the skeleton of a werewolf and so, predictably, becomes one. The acting, bad foreign accents, and other low-budget silliness in this film are hammered mercilessly by MST3K. The host segment where Mike and the 'Bots are a girl group singing a teen tragedy song, a sort of like "Leader of the Pack" type number, is absolutely killer funny.

1004- Future War
This 1997 video feature is so bad it is beyond words. The huge headed Robert Zdar appears in his second film done on MST3K (the other was Soultaker) and his acting is just as stiff as in the other movie. The film features terrible looking rubber dinosaurs, mediocre martial arts-style action sequences, a hackneyed formulaic plot and acting so bland that calling it wooden would be a compliment! Fortunately, it has enough movement and scene changes to at least fuel a barrage of great jokes from MST3K. It's fun, but only thanks to the MST3K treatment. By itself, this film would be unwatchable.

The extra features on the DVD discs include the 3-part history of MST3K and a video of the reunion panel from Comic-Con 2008. These are very informative and entertaining, even for long-time fans. Great stuff all around.

This set features one episode with Joel Hodgson as host and three with Mike Nelson hosting. Two episodes are from the Comedy Central years while two are from the Sci-Fi Channel shows.

211- First Spaceship on Venus
Originally called Der Schweigende Stern and made in 1960, this international cast film about the first astronauts to land on Venus is a hoot. Filled with wonderful ideas about international cooperation, yet strangely dated in its science even for when it was made, this movie's vision of the future is fun, action-filled and nearly breaks the goofy meter! The jokes are endless, non-stop and really top-notch from the MST3K crew. "What's a herring weigh? Oh, about a pound." "Everything's better in the crawler copter." Just the endless jokes about the robot in the film, Omega, will keep you laughing throughout. The host segments are just awesomely funny. When the planet has it's "brown explosion" near the end you'll be rolling with laughter and the jokes fly really fast at that point. This is a sometimes overlooked, underrated classic that is too funny to describe. I love it and never get tired of watching it no matter how many times I see it.

706- Laserblast
This 1978 feature comprises the final episode from Comedy Central and is an odd little feature that received 2.5 stars from Leonard Maltin, a fact that is the source of endless wonderful wisecracks as the credits roll. Hilarious throughout in spite of the fact that everyone working on the show knew it might be their last one ever. The host segment wrap-up with great 2001: A Space Odyssey references is terrific.

904- Werewolf
This 1996 feature with Richard Lynch is even more ridiculous than most stories based on lycanthropy. The goofy meter breaks in the first reel of this film and never gets repaired. An archaeologist gets cut by the skeleton of a werewolf and so, predictably, becomes one. The acting, bad foreign accents, and other low-budget silliness in this film are hammered mercilessly by MST3K. The host segment where Mike and the 'Bots are a girl group singing a teen tragedy song, a sort of like "Leader of the Pack" type number, is absolutely killer funny.

1004- Future War
This 1997 video feature is so bad it is beyond words. The huge headed Robert Zdar appears in his second film done on MST3K (the other was Soultaker) and his acting is just as stiff as in the other movie. The film features terrible looking rubber dinosaurs, mediocre martial arts-style action sequences, a hackneyed formulaic plot and acting so bland that calling it wooden would be a compliment! Fortunately, it has enough movement and scene changes to at least fuel a barrage of great jokes from MST3K. It's fun, but only thanks to the MST3K treatment. By itself, this film would be unwatchable.

This set will have a Crow figurine, collector cards, a video segment showing the MST3K reunion panel at Comic-Con from July 2008 and possibly more as yet unannounced features. Highly recommended!

This review is for the episodes in this set, not the set itself (although the artwork looks spiffy!)

211- First Spaceship on Venus A controversial add among fans, but this episode unnecessarily gets a bad rap. The basic movie is about a multinational space expedition to Venus (a theme in a least of couple of later MST3K experiments). Goofy of course, and funny, but the host segments are fun (others disagree, but who cares?) The Brain's own "Amazing Colossal Episode Guide" The Mystery Science Theater 3000 : Amazing Colossal Episode Guide indicate that this wasn't one of their favorites, but they have said that about lots of MST3K episodes that others enjoy. Your mileage, of course, may vary but any early MST3K is worth a look.

706- Laserblast This was the final experiment of Season 7, and indeed the era of hours upon hours of MST3K as filler on Comedy Central. It's the Cadillac of this set, and almost worth the price of admission. The movie is priceless - an androgynous, hopelessly attractive loner finds an arm-sleeve laser gun in the desert, and is quickly seduced by its power. Seduced? No, he's turned into an alien. After tasting the fruits of his forbidden power, our hero goes on a rampage. He doesn't rob banks or blast bad guys, he goes after Eddie Deezen, cast out of type as a annoying geek (and kind of a bully, too.) The host segments involve the end of the SOL's funding, with Pearl pulling the literal plug. Our heroes go off to the void, and Dr. Forrester finds a 2001-esqu fate. A keeper, and I'm delighted to find this more or less permanently preserved on DVD at last!

904- Werewolf (aka "Wahr-wilf"). One of the better episodes from the unfortunately truncated Season 9 - it stars, well someone, with an unfortunate encounter with the teeth of a wolf skull involving stitches. It also stars perennial B-movie villain Richard Lynch, with a low-rent cameo from Joe Estevez as a sun-addled native archaeologist day laborer. Check out the impossibly predictable twist ending. The host segments are about as good as MST3K has ever generated - Mike attempts escape (and is quickly detected by the otherwise incompetent Pearl, Professor Bobo, and Brain Guy). There's even a nifty song, "Where O Werewolf".

1004- Future War By this time the show was on the way out the door, but in the last couple of years MST3K featured some really cheesy bad 1990s-era monster movies. This one is actually not as bad as many, if you can get past the rubber dinosaurs. (Plot? Oh yeah, a man from the future visits a la Terminator, quickly followed by man-eating dinosaurs - or something). The host segments are serviceable, involving dropping LSD, kick boxing, and making fun of someone's facial-deforming illness (never said MST3K was a great family show).

I had the pleasure of interviewing the cinematographer of "Future War", and his attitude towards the MST3K treatment of his film was delightful. The crew of "Future War understand MST3K, and they have a terrific sense of humor. This is a better episode than most, and it's great to have it on immortal DVD.

On balance, there are some unusual choices for this box set, but it sounds like Shout Factory is on the right track. Looking forward to many future box sets.