With Short: X Marks the Spot
First Broadcast - 7 pm Saturday, Dec 22 1990
#89 in Mighty Jack's Top 100
Amazing Colossal Grade: Glenn really likes oversized animals and insects, for a moment, it's like he's just a regular boy, and not 60-feet tall.
Movie Pain: High - Humans are such jerks!
Riffing: Both laid back and biting, it's a hoot
Skits: Chuckle-Fest
Movie Pain: High - Humans are such jerks!
Riffing: Both laid back and biting, it's a hoot
Skits: Chuckle-Fest
Our movie this week introduces us to director Bert I Gordon and tells of an exotic planet called Nova, which looks strangely like Wisconsin. Bert Inhabits his planet with a giant Bee and Dinosaurs that are actually common lizards, Fun. The Humans are nimrods who solve problems with atomic bombs and the best cast member is Joe, a Lemur (who isn't a lemur at all).
The invention exchange is fun, if odd, and odd describes the host segments: Emotional Scientist, Crow's speech (which ends well), Joel's Lemur bit is weird and almost appears unrehearsed (or at least, quickly hashed out?) Though I have to admit it made me chuckle, and I liked Joel's voice for "Joe" during the movie. He didn't say anything really funny, it just sounded cute.
Anyway... The work in the theater is the reason to watch this episode, as it's an interesting mix of what was (the casual conversation style), and what will be (the quick and cutting, the esoteric references, like the dark and naughty Steely Dan line, which comes from William S. Burroughs The Naked Lunch.)
Intro Joel the Beat poet. Invention: Frank crushes Forrester with an elevator and has to scoop him up with a shovel. Joel brings forth the incredibly stinky sweat sock. Segment 1: Crow gives a stirring speech on judgment. Segment 2: Joey the Lemur. Segment 3: The emotional scientist. End: Joel explains Lippert and the Theremin. Stinger: Screaming blond scientist.
Skit Riff
"Police the lives of those around you and get your sensibilities way the heck outta whack! Parade up and down the street in your underwear. Impose your ideas on others - It's easy! Crush someone with an emotional word or an enigmatic look." - Crow
X-Riffs
* "God I love you, I want to shout it from my oxygen tent!" - Joel as Commish
* "Sure, he lives on your street." - "In fact, he's under your bed now." - Narrator/Joel
* "Boy; God sure has a crummy office." - "All the decorators are in Hell." - Servo/Joel
* "...He'd come down to a slow roll and then give it the gas." - "And then give 'em the bird." - Angel/Joel
* "You see Joe had 2 kids of his own at that school." - "And if his wife ever found out..." - Angel/Crow
* "Just a cocktail now and then." - "Just a half-gallon now and then" - Angel/Crow
King Riffs
* "I think their dryer is off-kilter." - Joel
* "There is no margin for error." - "There is a margin for shame, however." - Narrator/Crow
* "Why is he blow-drying the grass guys?" - Servo
* "Now let's get out of these suits." - "And into a dry martini." - Pat/Servo
* "That island!" - "I hate it, it's taunting me." - Nora/Joel
* "If you're looking for plausibility, you won't find it here, friend." - Joel
* "Hey your spending a lot of time on that one nipple there." - Crow
* "Tell the bee, I love him." - Servo as Ralph
* "Eww, she's eating shoe polish." - Servo
* "Take my hand, I'm a stranger with parasites." - Servo as Ralph
* "Looks like he lost a pie contest." - Crow
* "Red flare at night, lizards fight." - Servo
* "Thanks for annihilating everything I know." - Crow as Joey the Lemur
* "They're making pretty good time, considering this is a Lippert film." - Servo
* "Time to drown the lemur!" - Crow as Dick
* "What a desolate, forsaken place." - "What a stilted, pretentious line." - Nora/Crow
* "Faster!" - "Up yours! I mean, we'll be right there!" - Pat/Crow
* "I think the film on this lake is better than the film we're watching." - Servo
* "Would you guys knock it off? I can't concentrate on my own lame wisecracks." - Crow
Riffs Explained
"We almost got an Ivan Tors series here" - Servo
Budapest born Ivan Tors was a writer/director/producer of films and TV shows, several of which involved animals. His most familiar work is "Sea Hunt" (1958-61), "Flipper", "Clarence the Crosseyed Lion" and Gentle Ben (1967-69). Tors also set up a preserve to protect endangered species.
* "God I love you, I want to shout it from my oxygen tent!" - Joel as Commish
* "Sure, he lives on your street." - "In fact, he's under your bed now." - Narrator/Joel
* "Boy; God sure has a crummy office." - "All the decorators are in Hell." - Servo/Joel
* "...He'd come down to a slow roll and then give it the gas." - "And then give 'em the bird." - Angel/Joel
* "You see Joe had 2 kids of his own at that school." - "And if his wife ever found out..." - Angel/Crow
* "Just a cocktail now and then." - "Just a half-gallon now and then" - Angel/Crow
King Riffs
* "I think their dryer is off-kilter." - Joel
* "There is no margin for error." - "There is a margin for shame, however." - Narrator/Crow
* "Why is he blow-drying the grass guys?" - Servo
* "Now let's get out of these suits." - "And into a dry martini." - Pat/Servo
* "That island!" - "I hate it, it's taunting me." - Nora/Joel
* "If you're looking for plausibility, you won't find it here, friend." - Joel
* "Hey your spending a lot of time on that one nipple there." - Crow
* "Tell the bee, I love him." - Servo as Ralph
* "Eww, she's eating shoe polish." - Servo
* "Take my hand, I'm a stranger with parasites." - Servo as Ralph
* "Looks like he lost a pie contest." - Crow
* "Red flare at night, lizards fight." - Servo
* "Thanks for annihilating everything I know." - Crow as Joey the Lemur
* "They're making pretty good time, considering this is a Lippert film." - Servo
* "Time to drown the lemur!" - Crow as Dick
* "What a desolate, forsaken place." - "What a stilted, pretentious line." - Nora/Crow
* "Faster!" - "Up yours! I mean, we'll be right there!" - Pat/Crow
* "I think the film on this lake is better than the film we're watching." - Servo
* "Would you guys knock it off? I can't concentrate on my own lame wisecracks." - Crow
Riffs Explained
"We almost got an Ivan Tors series here" - Servo
Budapest born Ivan Tors was a writer/director/producer of films and TV shows, several of which involved animals. His most familiar work is "Sea Hunt" (1958-61), "Flipper", "Clarence the Crosseyed Lion" and Gentle Ben (1967-69). Tors also set up a preserve to protect endangered species.
Stuff & Nonsense
This was Wanda Curtis's only film role, she was actually a red haired jazz singer, who went blond for the movie. Her on screen boyfriend William Bryant did a lot of television work - several westerns - and can be seen in a couple of John Wayne films from the 70s (Chisum and McQ)
The narrator of this film, Marvin Miller, can be heard in this capacity on the MSTed flicks, "Day the Earth Froze" and "Phantom Planet". Miller is also the voice of Robbie the Robot.
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Available on DVD: Volume 23
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