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You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned
date posted: Nov 13, 2007 11:24 AM  |  updated: Nov 13, 2007 4:34 PM
Play MSTie For Me
With a screenname like mine, you knew I couldn't pass this one up. I usually don't read most of the celebrity Star Wars interviews, but this was one I could not pass up. Although he may not be a famous celebrity musician, he is certainly a legend in some geek circles.

Joel Hodgson, the creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000

What does this picture have to do with MST3K? Well nothing though the rock throwing alien here strikes me as something that could have ended up on that show in one form or another.

And so to commemorate MST3K and Star Wars, I present a random list in no particular order of some of my favorite pop culture references(not exclusive to Star Wars) contained in assorted Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes.

Where applicable, I have included the name of the movie they were watching and the name of the character who said the line if I remember correctly.

From the Kathy Ireland clasic Alien from L.A. as Kathy is wearing a fedora, leather jacket, and a whip: It's the Hot Indiana Jones Chronicles.

From City Limits starring James Earl Jones: This is F U N.

From the Japaense knock off of Star Wars, Star Force Fugitive Alien I and II, featuring pilots wearing not so distinct orange flightsuits and a character named Rocky: *in best Rocket J. Squirrel voice*Again.

From MST3K: The Movie: Shatner, Shatner, Shatner, okay, no Shatner in this one, we're safe.

In another episode whose name I can't remember, the 'bots try to earn their correspondence degree from the William Shatner School of Acting.

*Smoke from a pipe rises from out of a hole in The Atomic Brain* Hey, Gandalf's down there.

*Geeky kid from Final Sacrifice* I haven't read Tolkien in a week.

From the Christmas classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians after Santa Claus is kidnapped by the Martians, the UN is trying to figure out what to do: Give sanctions more time.

From another Christmas movie whose name I don't remember:

#1 Narrator: And the little children in France. . .
We surrender, we surrender.

#2 *mimicking poor little girl on the street* Mommy, mommy, we must rise up agains the burgeiosie.

#3 Narrator to same poor little girl who wants a dolly for Christmas: If you're good, maybe Santa Claus will bring you a dolly.
*mimicking poor little girl* But Santa Claus oppresses the proletariat.

From Cave Dwellers:

Crow: So, you mean to tell me that he killed the cow, skinned it, tanned the hide, built the hangglider, stretched the hide over the hangglider, and learned how to fly it, all in under 5 minutes!?!

Servo: Yeah, and don't forget he learned how to make bombs too.

And last, but certainly not least, two of my all time favorite Star Wars references in MST3K.

Crow: I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of monkeys cried out in pain, and than were silenced.

*As a giant black shadow bearing a striking resemblance to Vader rises out of the ground in that Canadian classic Final Sacrifice* Luke you hoser, I am your father, eh.

Feel free to add any of your own favorite references that I may have forgotten.

  Smuggler Jedi
Hokey Religions and A Good Blaster at My Side
date Posted: Nov 13, 2007 2:09 PM
I haven't watched MST3K in ages. That alien is from Battle of Planet Endor, which was an Ewok special. That rock is actually part of a star cruiser. They hyperdrive, I think. I haven't seen that movie in about 20 years.
Qui-Tom Servo loves Padme
You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned
date Posted: Nov 13, 2007 2:23 PM
I knew the alien was from the Ewok movie, which I vaguely remember seeing years ago. I just thought the alien somehow looked MSTieish to me. Vaguely reminisicent of the Planet of the Apes knockoff they riffed once.
Pabawan
Fragments from the Mind's Eye
date Posted: Nov 13, 2007 11:15 PM
I've had the opportunity to geek out plenty of times in my job, but I gotta say that meeting Joel definitely ranks up there. And man, Fugitive Alien? "He Tried to Kill Me With a Forklift!" is easily one of the best musical lyrics ever. :)

ph
Qui-Tom Servo loves Padme
You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned
date Posted: Nov 14, 2007 9:17 AM
That's so cool that you got to meet Joel. I believe I may be the owner of the first ever drawing of Tom Servo by a Russian child. When I was serving my church mission in Russia, I was telling a Russian child that I was friends with about the show and he drew me a picture of Servo. It's pretty sweet.
Qui-Tom Servo loves Padme
You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned
date Posted: Nov 14, 2007 9:17 AM
I also learned what a Sampo is from The Day The Earth Froze. It's either a Finnish cosmetics company, or a mythical thing that controls the climate and weather so the crops can grow properly. When I asked the Finnish missionary that I knew, she gave me a quizzical look as to why I had even heard of a Sampo.

And yes, "he tried to kill me with a forklift" is a hidden musical gem. Not enough people appreciate the musical genius of MST3K.
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