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MST3K 808 - The She-Creature

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“ "They killed Savage Pier." ”
  — Mike


The Movie

The She-Creature

Synopsis

A mysterious hypnotist (Morris) reverts his beautiful assistant (English) back into the form of a prehistoric sea monster that she was in a past life. [1]

Information

  • The monster costume was created by master make-up artist Paul Blaisdell and is considered one of his best. [2]
  • The story was inspired by the success of the best-selling book The Search for Bridey Murphy, which concerned hypnotism. Exhibitor Jerry Zigmond suggested this subject might make a good film, and AIP commissioned Lou Rusoff to write a script.
  • AIP did not have enough money to entirely finance the film, so the company asked Alex Gordon if he could contribute the remainder. Israel Berman, a colleague of Gordon's brother Richard, knew a financier called Jack Doppelt, who agreed to provide $40,000 of the film's $104,000 budget.
  • Edward Cahn persuaded his old friend Edward Arnold to play the hypnotist for $3,000 for one week's work, and also cast Peter Lorre. Arnold died two days before production, prompting Lorre to read the script, after which he pulled out of the film. The producer had to find a substitute cast quickly

The Episode

Host Segments

Pearl, Bobo, and Brain Guy escape

Opening: Crow and Servo get their Thigh Master and Thawmaster switched around. Because of this, Tom's pot roast remains frozen and Crow has melted himself into a puddle of goo while exercising.

Segment 1: On the Planet of the Observers, the Observers are trying to dissect Professor Bobo. Pearl promises to stop sending Mike bad movies if he creates a distraction. The nanites distract two of the Observers with a tractor beam leaving Brain Guy to guard Pearl. Pearl then lures Brain Guy into the force field that's containing her by telling him the other observers have created an invisible man and put him in with her. Furthermore this invisible man is ill and needs attention. When Brain Guy gets close, Pearl holds his brain hostage and escapes. Gypsy tries to get the Satellite of Love away from the Planet of the Observers but she can't since they disabled the navigation system. Mike asks the nanites to solve the problem and they do by destroying the observers' planet.

Tickle-Me-Carlo-Lombardi

Segment 2: Crow shows Mike the Tickle-Me-Carlo-Lombardi doll he invented. The doll turns out to be creepy and aggressive.

Segment 3: Pearl, Prof. Bobo and Brain Guy have escaped in The Widowmaker relatively unscathed. Pearl abuses them and their microbus gets a flat tire. Bobo gets out to fix it and plummets to a nearby planet.

Segment 4 Mike and the bots are checking out Lance Fuller's instructional book "Do Not Act". The bots practice with Mike as he unresponsively mumbles without emotion to scenes from King Lear, The Odd Couple, Network and Schindler's List. He perfects the Lance Fuller non-acting technique by reciting a line from Waterworld.

Closing Segment Mike and the bots discuss the meaning of the question mark at the end of the film. They try to escape but are being held by Brain Guy's psychic abilities. On the Widowmaker, Pearl and Brain Guy forge a new friendship based on tormenting Mike.

Stinger Bobo is still lying on the planet's surface waiting to be rescued.

Trivia

Callbacks

Running Jokes

  • The SOL crew repeatedly refers to the immigrant house staff as "squareheads". This is a derogatory term for people of Scandinavian (usually Swedish) origin. The term is now outdated as prejudice against Scandinavians in the United States has largely died out. Viewers can reasonably assume the joke is in the use of an archaic term rather than any genuine malice on the part of the writers and performers.

Obscure References

  • Pearl: "I'M NOT PUTTING DOWN THE BRAIN! I'M NOT PUTTING DOWN THE BRAIN!" etc.

Pearl and the Observers are re-creating a scene from Witness.

  • "...and Lee Trevino goes fishing."

Lee Trevino was a professional golfer who had been struck by lightning at the 1975 Western Open golf tournament.

  • "Edward Cahn! Edward Cahn! Lemme rock you that all I wanna do..." 

Mimicking the opening loop of "I Feel For You", only replacing the name of singer Chaka Khan with Edward Cahn.

  • "Ooh, Professor Firefly..."

Professor Rufus T. Firefly was a conman played by Groucho Marx who wooed the wealthy spinster Mrs. Teasdale (played by Margaret Dumont, whom Mike is mimicking here) in the film comedy Duck Soup.

  • "I married Aunt Bee"

Aunt Bee was a spinster character on The Andy Griffith Show. Several books, films, and TV shows have used titles that started with "I Married...", including I Married a Witch, I Married Joan, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, I Married Dora, I Married a Communist, and I Married an Axe Murderer.

  • "Is this the Mr. Kite everyone's always doing stuff for the benefit of?"

The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band includes the song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite", the title of which was apparently inspired by an antique circus poster that band member John Lennon had owned.

  • "Rin Tin Tin in Coming Home..."

Rin Tin Tin was the name given to a series of performing German Shepherd dogs who appeared in films and television. The original Rin Tin Tin was reportedly rescued from a World War I battlefield. Coming Home is a 1978 film about American veterans of the military conflict in Vietnam. The final scene takes place on a beach.

  • "The death of Tyne Daly."

Tyne Daly is an American actress with many notable credits, including her co-starring role as Mary Beth Lacy on the TV series Cagney and Lacey (in which she had short dark hair like the woman in this scene).

  • "I'm going to tell Hobie to stay away from the pier."

Hobie was the adolescent (later teenage) son of lifeguard Mitch Buchannon on the TV series Baywatch. Hobie often found himself in precarious situations despite being warned against dangerous behavior.

  • "King is the Scorpio Killer"

The Scorpio Killer was the antagonist in the movie Dirty Harry.

  • Detective: What could make a footprint like that? Crow: Bill Walton?

Bill Walton was the 7'2" center for the Boston Celtics.

  • Detective: "...Over a million years old." Crow: "Strom Thurmond?"

Strom Thurmond (1902-2003) was a United States Senator from South Carolina who served for 48 years. His advanced age and arch-conservative positions were often satirized in the 1990s. At the time of this episode, he was 94 years old.

  • "Alfie."

Spoken shortly after a carnival worker asks "What's it all about, doc?", Crow is referencing the theme song to the 1966 film Alfie (based on the novel and stage play of the same name). The song (written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach) begins with the line "What's it all about, Alfie?".

  • Lombardi: "Shortly after midnight." Crow: "Don't let it all hang down, please!"

"After Midnight" is a rock & roll song first released by J.J. Cale in 1966 and later popularized by Eric Clapton. It includes the line "After midnight, we're gonna let it all hang down..."

  • "I'm not a coffee achiever."

Reference to a commercial from the 80's presented by the National Coffee Association.

  • "Inspired by Balki"

Balki Bartokomous was an immigrant from a fictional Mediterranean nation in the sitcom Perfect Strangers.

  • "Thank you very much."

The catchphrase of Latka Gravas, the immigrant mechanic from an undisclosed country in the sitcom Taxi.

  • "Molly Ivins can't say that!"

Molly Ivins was an American journalist, political commentator and humorist who was best known for her writing about Texas politics in the 1990s (which segued into criticism of U.S. president George W. Bush). She authored the book Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?

  • "To the good life..."

"The Good Life" is a lounge song popularized by singer Tony Bennett (whose vocal style Tom mimicks).

  • "Bob Dornan after the election"

Bob Dornan (the star of The Starfighters) was a staunch conservative Republican Representative from California. He was defeated in 1996 in an election that he claimed was tainted by votes from illegal immigrants.

  • "Boy, that Mickey Spillane sure can write."

A reference to a scene in the film Marty in which one of Marty's low-brow friends speaks highly of author Mickey Spillane's writing.

  • "Kaiser Soze on piano."

Kaiser Soze was the mysterious criminal mastermind in the movie The Usual Suspects.

  • "This is just like Courteney Cox in that Springsteen video!"

The music video for the 1984 Bruce Springsteen song "Dancing in the Dark" features Springsteen bringing a fan on stage during a live performance to dance with him. The fan was played by actress Courteney Cox (who later enjoyed success on television in the shows Family Ties, Friends, and Cougar Town) who was a relative unknown at the time.

  • Lombardi: "Now you're going back in time to the very beginning"
    Mike: "...a very good place to start."

Referencing the song Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music.

  • "What year is it Elizabeth? "The year of the cat."

"Year of the Cat"  is a 1976 hit single released by singer/song writer Al Stewart.

  • "In 'artford, 'ereford, and 'ampshire."

A reference to the song "The Rain in Spain" from the musical My Fair Lady in which the cockney Eliza Doolittle is trained not to drop the H sound from the beginnings of words.

  • Lombardi: "Who is the reigning monarch?"
    Elizabeth: "James Stewart."
    Mike: "Wait a second, you're crazy! And you're driving me crazy too!"

Mike is mimicking the vocal style of Jimmy Stewart the actor, whose name is similar to that of James Stuart who was King of England from 1603 to 1625. In addition, Mike is quoting a line of dialogue from Stewart's performance as George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life.

  • "I knew we should have hired Williams and Ree."

Williams and Ree are a comedy duo that often works as a warm-up act for country western singers.

  • "He's Carlo Kato Lombardi Kaelin!"

Brian Gerard "Kato" Kaelin is an American actor (and later radio personality) who gained notoriety in the mid-1990s during the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Kaelin was living in the guest house on Simpson's estate at the time the murders took place. To some people, Kaelin's name became shorthand for any freeloading houseguest.

  • Lombardi: "The artist is vain..." Tom: "You mean Jeff Koons?"

Jeff Koons is a painter and sculptor whose works often include elements from popular culture. He is wealthy and successful.

  • "Can't touch this..."

Tom is singing the opening line of a popular song by MC Hammer.

  • "SOOOOUUUULLL transmigration."

Tom is mimicking the opening of the long-running syndicated music-and-dance TV show Soul Train.

  • "Jake Gittes nostril slashed at reservoir!"

In the 1974 film Chinatown, Jake Gittes is a private detective who gets drawn into a case involving Los Angeles water rights in 1937. His nostril is cut open by sinister operatives in an attempt to get him to stop his investigation.

  • "And soon they're opening for Señor Wences!"

Señor Wences was a ventriloquist/voice throwing act that was especially popular based on his appearance on the TV variety series The Ed Sullivan Show.

  • "Dave Berg, Scientist."

Dave Berg was a cartoonist for Mad Magazine, drawing their long running "Lighter Side of..." series. He always portrayed himself smoking a pipe.

  • "Toonces."

"Toonces the Driving Cat" was a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live. The sketches usually ended with Toonces driving the car off a cliff, resulting in a fiery wreck.

  • "Arnold Stang's autograph, should fetch a pretty penny."

Arnold Stang (1918-2009) was an American character actor. His persona thin and bespectacled, but had a brash and worldly comic persona.

  • "Thanks for the Bob Dole handshake, jerk!"

Long-time United States Senator and 1996 candidate for President Bob Dole was injured during his military service in World War II. He lost the use of his right hand, so he could only shake hands with people using his left hand, which was occasionally awkward.

  • "Here comes Monte Markham to the rescue..."

Monte Markham is an American actor who has had a long career in film and television. He was featured in Master Ninja II as the CIA Director.

  • "Hey, Fanny and Alexander, listen up!"

Fanny and Alexander is a Swedish period drama written and directed by Ingmar Bergman about a pair of siblings.

  • "You kill her and you kill Anson Williams!"

Anson Williams is an American actor and director best known for playing Potsie on the TV comedy Happy Days.

  • "She-Creature with Kung-Fu Grip."

Kung-Fu Grip was a feature of the original 12" G.I. Joe toys, frequently mentioned in the old commercials.

  • "Tell Moondoggie I love him."

Moondoggie was a character in the 50's/60's beach party films Gidget and Gidget Goes Hawiian.

  • Lt. James "Lombardi was Right"
    Mike: "Winning isn't everything..."

The phrase "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." is frequently mis-attributed to Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. Vince may have used it, but it was first said by UCLA coach Red Sanders.

  • "I want those Glengarry leads."

Glengarry Glen Ross is a two-act play about real estate investment cold-callers who break into an office to steal a valuable list of exploitable clients or "leads" in the Glengarry area.

  • "General Tom Thumb"

"General" Tom Thumb was the stage name of a little-person performer in P.T. Barnum's traveling show. As an adult, he was slightly more than 3 feet tall.

  • "...and the Mysterians."

? and The Mysterians (pronounced "Question Mark and the Mysterians") is a 60's rock group famous for the single "96 Tears".

Memorable Quotes

[At the carnival, Lombardi talks about his assistant Andrea with Johnny the barker.]
Barker Johnny: I knew her when she was a carnival follower. Every time we'd hit a town, she'd be there, waiting for us.
Servo: So she's a carnival preceder.
[Dr. Erickson chats with Andrea, who noticeably fills out her tight-fitting top.]
Erickson: Maybe we could talk about it over a cup of coffee.
Andrea: I'd like that.
Servo [as Erickson]: Would you like a C cup or a D cup of coffee?
[Lombardi hypnotizes Andrea back to her "Elizabeth" former life. Fellow hypnotist Erickson (played by Lance Fuller) questions her.]
Crow [as Erickson/Fuller]: My first question: will I get the part in This Island Earth?
Erickson: What year is it, Andrea?
Mike [as Elizabeth]: [singing] The year of the cat.
Andrea/Elizabeth: 1618, the Year of Our Lord.
Servo [as Elizabeth/Eliza Doolittle]: In 'artford, 'ereford, and 'ampshire.
Erickson: Who is the reigning monarch?
Andrea/Elizabeth: James Stuart.
Mike [as George Bailey]: Now, wait a second. You're crazy, and you're driving me crazy, too!
[Lombardi forces King the dog to back away simply by staring at him.]
Lombardi: There aren't many who can control an animal by hypnosis, are there, Doctor?
Erickson: No.
Lombardi: He did what I told him without a single word.
Mike: That's because he's a dog!
[As Dr. Erickson looks out over the beach, large flipper-like footprints appear mysteriously in the sand.]
Servo: [gasps] Donald Duck has the Ring of Power!
...
Crow: Frodo goes snorkeling!
[A poster for Dr. Lombardi's show features a picture of him, serious and unsmiling]
Mike: See his lecture series, "Let A Smile Be Your Calling Card."

Video releases

MST3K DVD Cover

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