* This episode is notable for the relentless mocking of [[Joe Don Baker]], particularly regarding his weight and hygiene. The reason why the mockery directed at him was so merciless was due to Baker's reported hostile reaction to MST3K's treatment of his film [[Mitchell|''Mitchell'']] during the 5th season.
* This episode is notable for the relentless mocking of [[Joe Don Baker]], particularly regarding his weight and hygiene. The reason why the mockery directed at him was so merciless was due to Baker's reported hostile reaction to MST3K's treatment of his film [[Mitchell|''Mitchell'']] during the 5th season.
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* This was one of a few non science fiction films to be shown during the final seasons of MST3K.
=== Callbacks ===
=== Callbacks ===
Revision as of 19:05, 4 November 2016
“
His arteries are just looking at each other, shakin' their heads
”
- Crow (seeing Joe Don Baker)
Final Justice is the 8th episode of the tenth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000and the 193rd episode overall. It premiered on June 20, 1999.
His name is Thomas Jefferson Geronimo. His brand of justice doesn't stop at the Texas border! Geronimo (Baker) is a deputy sheriff working in a small town in South Texas. When two mafia hit men try to escape across the border to Mexico, Geronimo - with the skill of a quick-draw gunfighter - kills one and captures the other. When Geronimo tries to take his prisoner to Italy for extradition, they find themselves on an unplanned layover in Malta. The Texas lawman must battle the Mafia to finish the job he started. [1]
Trivia
Like all the R-rated movies shown on the show, the network had to remove some content. Most notable is Joe Don Baker's constant use of Son of a Bitch, with the expletive portion silenced out and replaced by silence.
The Uncut version of the film contains more tasteless moments such as showing an implied assault on one of the drug lord's dancers, as well as a topless moment from another female lead. Surprisingly, none of the violence is cut out in the MST3k version (possibly due to it being quick and not excessively bloody, and/or would've harmed the film's continuity if it had been modified further). The edit used on the show cuts out profanity that is present in other movies and had been used by the SOL gang themselves (such as "son of a bitch" and "bastard").
Shootout from Final Justice
Greydon Clark(who co-stars as Joe Don's partner that is shot at the beginning by the film's main villain) had previously directed two other comedy movies with Baker (Wacko, Joysticks). Clark also directed Angels Revenge (with Jacqueline Cole and Jack Palance). Clark's non-MST3K projects include the alien horror film Without Warning (again with Palance), Tom (again with Cole) and many other infamous exploitation Z-grade films. In Final Justice, Clark also plays the DJ on the radio station overheard during the opening credits.
This film (along with Girl in Gold Boots and Hamlet) is one of the three films during MST3k's time on the SciFi Channel to not fit into the usual horror/fantasy/sci-fi areas. Unlike Comedy Central, SciFi did not want MST3k to riff on movies outside those genres, but as they knew this would be their final season, the MST crew decided to do a few "straight" movies they felt were worth it.
Prologue: Tom and Mike consider the unexplored implications of the Yes song "Owner of a Lonely Heart." Tom is insistent that the band should have considered every possible permutation of "A owner of a lonely heart, is much better than-".
Segment One: Now whenever Mike and the Bots say "Owner of a Lonely Heart," they're assaulted by a Yes orchestra hit, while down in Castle ForresterPearl attempts to raise productivity through humor, but she doesn't approve of the type of humor demonstrated by the SOL crew or Bobo.
Mike thinks it's his turn to escape
Segment Two: Disturbed by the sequence where Greydon Clark is shot and slides down the wall twice, Mike and the Bots strive to point out how annoying this is to Pearl. Repeatedly. She eventually caves and promises to never send another Joe Don Baker movie where a sheriff is shot and slides down the same wall twice.
Segment Three:Goosio, friend to Maltese children everywhere, arrives on the SOL as a goodwill ambassador, but the bots think it's a joke by Mike and brutally dismember the poor lovable goose. Oops.
Observer has a date
Segment Four: Crow has written an essay on the wonder and splendor of Malta. It also includes a great deal of slander against the men of Malta.
Closing (Segment Five): Mike erroneously assumes that because Joel was able to escape after watching a bad Joe Don Baker film that it must now be his turn to escape. The Bots gently point out that, regrettably, it's not and tell him to come upstairs for some Swiss Miss. Mike asks if they can watch a good Joe Don Baker film, but Crow assures him that would never happen. Meanwhile down in Castle Forrester, Pearl's funny dress-up day gets a scary dose of reality from Brain Guy.
Stinger: Geronimo's catch phrase - "Yew think yew kin take me? Go 'head on. It's yer move."
Trivia
This episode is notable for the relentless mocking of Joe Don Baker, particularly regarding his weight and hygiene. The reason why the mockery directed at him was so merciless was due to Baker's reported hostile reaction to MST3K's treatment of his film Mitchell during the 5th season.
Over Greydon Clark's credit, Servo exclaims "The producer of Hobgoblins! We're doomed!" Hobgoblins had been Experiment #907. Greydon Clark is not listed anywhere in the credits of Hobgoblins, so Servo may be mis-remembering.
"Jon Lovitz refuses a drink."
Jon Lovitz, a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live during the late 1980s and early '90s, then voiced the title character on the short lived animated sitcom The Critic, and later appeared in a series of commercials for the fast-food chain Subway. The man refusing a drink resembles him.
"Do you know John Wayne?" "Gacy, yes!"
Serial killer John Wayne Gacy sexually abused and murdered 33 boys and young men during the 1970s.
There are a few references to Mitchell, which was the previous move starring Joe Don Baker on the show, most of which involve continuing a running gag from Mitchell of Joe Don constantly asking for more butter.
"None of them are spongeworthy."
A reference to a Seinfeld episode in which Elaine struggles to decide whether her current boyfriend is worth using one of her stockpile of a now-discontinued brand of contraceptive sponge for.
"Oh Kermie...Take a look at my good stuff!"
The "pig lady" float bears a strong resemblance to Ms. Piggy.
"John Rhys-Davies for sale!"
The diminutive bearded man standing in the background bears some resemblance to actor John Rhys-Davies. When this episode aired, he was known for his role as Sallah from the Indiana Jones movies. Later he would be remembered for his role as Gimli from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
I'm just going to read a sermon from a Robert James Waller book
Robert James Waller wrote Bridges of Madison County and Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend both of which were published as small square novelettes.
