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The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film

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“ "Psychotronic films range from sincere social commentary to degrading trash. They concern teenagers, rock 'n' roll, juvenile delinquents, monsters, aliens, killers, spies, detectives, bikers, communists, drugs, natural catastrophes, atomic bombs, the prehistoric past, and the projected future. They star ex-models, ex-sport stars, would-be Marilyns, future Presidents (and future First Ladies), dead rock stars, and has-beens of all types." ”
- From the introduction


The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film is a 1983 movie guide by Michael Weldon, with editorial assistance from Charles Beesley, Bob Martin (who was editor of Fangoria at the time), and Akira Fitton, which celebrates films treated with indifference or contempt by other movie guides. The name comes from the 1980 science fiction film The Psychotronic Man (which later became a RiffTrax presentation).

It contains entries for over three thousand films, with each listing the producer(s), director, writer(s), studio, year released, alternate titles, key actors, and a plot description. Unlike most movie guides, no quality ranking system is employed. However, an entry will occasionally note if the movie was particularly good, bad, laughable, and/or boring. The bulk of the movies described are of a cult or otherwise obscure nature. However, there are several films covered which have enjoyed mainstream success, so long as they fit the definition of a psychotronic film.

In 1996, Weldon published a follow-up volume entitled The Psychotronic Video Guide. It contains entries for over nine thousand additional movies that had been released since the publication of the first volume or had become more readily available thanks to a home video release. It also makes frequent mention of Mystery Science Theater 3000, referencing movies that had been featured on the show (including an erroneous citation for The Ghosts of Hanley House).

A considerable number of films that have been used on MST3K have entries in one of the volumes. In particular, The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film was virtually the only resource prior to MST3K to have mostly accurate information on "Manos" The Hands of Fate (other than referring to Torgo as Torga and citing Manos as being the name of the Master rather than the deity the cult worships).

Riffed movies listed in The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film[]

Mystery Science Theater 3000[]

Cinematic Titanic[]

The Film Crew[]

The Mads Are Back[]

Movie Jo Night[]

RiffTrax[]

Riffed movies listed in The Psychotronic Video Guide[]

Mystery Science Theater 3000[]

* Mentions its appearance on MST3K

Cinematic Titanic[]

The Film Crew[]

The Mads Are Back[]

Movie Jo Night[]

RiffTrax[]

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