The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection, Vol. 9 (Women of the Prehistoric Planet / Wild Rebels / Sinister Urge / The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-up Zombies) (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the ninth 4-disc MST3K collection from Rhino Video. It features two shows hosted by creator Joel Hodgson and two hosted by head writer Mike Nelson. This wonderful collection plumbs the creative depths of the show from its first season all the way to season eight. Three episodes come from the Comedy Central years, while the fourth show is from the first season of the show produced for the Sci-Fi Channel. Here is a synopsis of each episode:
104- WOMEN OF THE PREHISTORIC PLANET
"Hi-keeba!" This is the episode from which the most popular MST3K catch phrase of all time originates! It's a 1966 color science fiction (SF) film wherein a spaceship crashes on a primordial planet inhabited by primitive savages. Time dilation while traveling faster than light causes the rescue crew to arrive eighteen years later. By then, all of the crash survivors are dead, but one of their offspring, a young man named Tang, survives. One member of the rescue crew, Linda, meets Tang and falls in love.
This disc has a brief extra feature, wherein Irene Tsu, who played Linda in the movie, provides a short introduction to the film.
This is one of the best episodes from MST3K season one. If you haven't seen a season one show before, be warned that the show's sets were much cheaper looking than in later seasons and Josh Weinstein voiced Tom Servo; Kevin Murphy was still working only behind the scenes at this time. However, the cleverness of the MST3K concept, talent of the performers and the quality of the writing came together well for this episode and the results are quite hilarious. Listen for the terrific running gag, "Tang, it's not just for breakfast anymore."
207- WILD REBELS
In this 1967 biker film, a small motorcycle gang plans a bank heist. When they attempt to enlist a stock car racer to be their getaway car driver, the police recruit the racer to infiltrate the gang and inform on them. This movie has some premise issues to say the least. There are many hilarious plot oversights and credibility stretches in this film for you to discover.
This was the first episode of MST3K I ever saw and it is a real winner and still one of my favorites. Dialogue like "You're so square you're like a box, baby," will amuse you throughout. The movie is lively and entertaining compared to some of the slower films used on the show. The host segments are all top-notch and hilarious, especially the "Wild Rebels Cereal" commercial. Watch this one repeatedly "for the kicks, baby."
613- THE SINISTER URGE (with short: KEEPING CLEAN AND NEAT)
Ed Wood, who also directed Plan 9 From Outer Space and Bride of the Monster, directed this 1961 crime drama about the "smut" industry. It is very tame by today's standards. A series of young women are murdered and the police suspect the crimes are related to the "smut" (i.e., naked photographs) industry. Gloria, the front woman for the smut racketeers, figures prominently as she and her henchman continue to lure gullible, innocent young women to their dirty business and get rid of those who threaten retaliation. Look for Harvey B. Dunn (who played Grandpa in Teenagers From Outer Space and Capt. Tom Robbins in Bride of the Monster) as Mr. Romaine.
Conrad Brooks, who played Connie in the film, provided a brief introduction as an extra feature.
This episode also contains the fun hygiene short, "Keeping Neat and Clean." Host segments, possibly out of a sense of good taste, eschew the film in favor of other elements. In this case, they center on some antics concerning TV's Frank.
812- THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED-UP ZOMBIES
In this surprising surreal, slow low-budget picture from 1964, a young man named Jerry acquiesces to his girlfriend's request to visit the fortuneteller at a carnival. The fortuneteller gives him unhappy news, so he wanders off to see the fortuneteller's sister, who is an exotic dancer. During this visit Jerry is deliberately entranced into becoming an unwitting killer. Soon, Jerry's friends become suspicious and try to get to the bottom of the nefarious plot.
This film is legendary for it's "incredibly strange" and extremely long title. It used to make it onto UHF channel programming back when independent TV stations showed low-budget SF and horror movies to fill much of their airtime. Although at times dull, confusing, or both, there are a few elements of creativity in the film, mostly concerning the rich use of color and surreal imagery.
Host segments in this episode focus on the film, including a segment in which Crow and Tom try to read Mike's fortune.
In summary, there is GREAT comedy to be had in this set, with a wide variety of film genres and periods of MST3K being represented across four hilarious episodes. Don't be square; get it now "for the kicks!"

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