Friday, August 29, 2014

1009 - Hamlet

First Broadcast - 11 pm Sunday, June 27th 1999


Amazing Colossal Grade: To paraphrase Kevin, leave it to Germany to turn a bleak brooding play into an even bleaker, broodier movie
Movie Pain: High - I dig Hamlet, but this version is a snoozer
Riffing: Better than its reputation, there are gems sprinkled throughout
Skits: I liked the set-up and the Hamlet figure, the rest, 'shrug' 


The great Dane done German-style: Hamlet is considered one of the very worst, if not the worst MST ep in the modern era. And for years that was an opinion I held as well. The movie's dry as dust, and at times it seems they're not as rapid-fire with the quips (perhaps due to them not wanting to speak over the dialogue, and this play is naturally, dialogue-heavy). The guys go lowbrow (par for the course in season 10) with Schoolboy wisecracks about farts, boogers, condoms, and the like. But while I do wish they tapped into the play, spoke to its history, a little more, the anachronisms were cute, and in at least one instance -the "cut his throat in a Church" bit- I roared with laughter. Yes, The Hamster is a challenge, but if I stay focused I'm rewarded with some fine comedy. It's not the best, but neither is it a total disaster. Hamlet's a decent, mid-level experiment I dost think.

Host Segments
Intro: Tom changes his name to "Htom Sirveaux". Segment 1: Crow also changes his name. Pearl loses at Mike's game, so he gets to choose the movie. But Pearl gets the last laugh. Segment 2: Mike foils the "Bots as Ghosts" plan. Segment 3: Crow and Tom present the percussive version of Hamlet. Segment 4: Alas poor who? End: Hamlet action figures and Fortinbras enters Castle Forrester. Stinger: Cladius makes a face.

"Meet the Beatles" - Mike

Notable Riffs
"Alas Poor Who?" - Mike
"Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." - "Unfortunately, they're Northwest angels, so they'll be late." - Horatio/Crow
"If he but blanche, I know my course." - "But if he parboils..." - Hamlet/Mike
"May four captains bear thee like a soldier to the stage." - "Captain Spaulding, Captain Kangaroo, Captain Crunch..." - Horatio/Crow
"I'll take 'To Be' for $500, Alex." - Crow
"Danish clowns: The damp, smelly, silverfish infested basement of the clown world." - Crow
"I suppose there's no chance there's going to be a jet ski chase in this movie, is there, Mike?" - Servo
"Couldest thou walk slower!? Geez!" - Crow
"I see a cherub... "In thy nose." - Hamlet/Crow
"But it's cherry-flavored kid's poison, he should love it!" - Crow
"And the king peels off his skin and becomes a dinosaur from Mars! Oh, I guess not." - Servo
"Hey, Hamlet, why don't you Ram-let?" - Crow
"Well, Mike, this has convinced me not to kill your dad and marry your mom." - Crow
"What is it, 'cold water on the groin', I mean Polonius." - Crow as King
"The Nuns sent me home, my skirt is too short." - Crow as Hamlet
"Give us the foils" - "We shall some potatoes bake." - Hamlet/Servo


Riff Explained
"King Richard Thompson" - Crow
Richard is a bearded, beret-wearing singer/songwriter who does look like a thinner version of King Claudius.

Stuff & Nonsense
Dubs? Ricardo Montalban (Fantasy Island/Star Trek The Wrath of Khan) provided the voice for Claudius. While John Banner (Sgt Shultz/Crash of Moons) did Polonius.

Available on DVD: Collection volume 4


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