402 - The Giant Gila Monster:
Making fun of the songs in this movie is half the fun. The host segments are also very good. B+
403 - City Limits:
Very much like show 401 in that it is very bland. The first half is better than the last, but it's generally a scanty effort. Nice work with the umbrella though. C-
404 - Teenagers From Outer Space:
The movie is very riffable with its colorful cast and cheap special effects. B+
405 - Being From Another Planet:
Season 4 had a rough start and the culprit was the blahs. Travelers, Limits and now Being all suffer from it. Like the other 2, the big laughs are infrequent and the host segments, apart from the Mads classic, "Tragic Moment Figurines", are forgetable. C-
406 - Attack of the Giant Leeches:
With short: The Undersea Kingdom - I enjoyed the first half of this episode better than the final sections. Once Dave Walker is off screen the flick loses its magic. B
407 - The Killer Shrews:
With short Junior Rodeo Daredevils - Finally, a season 4 episode delivers the goods. Bolstered by a great short, a couple of hysterical skits and theater work that goes down like smooth whiskey! A-
408 - Hercules Unchained:
The first of many Hercules adventures to be riffed this season. The work is steady and the host segments are decent. Mike's visit as Steve Reeves is a jewel. B+
409 - The Indestructible Man
With short: The Undersea Kingdom, Chapter 2 - Season 4 is now chugging away at a consistant pace. The movie is pelted with many pop culture references and with characters like the "narcoleptic Policeman" to make fun of. I.M. is a winner. B+
410 - Hercules Against the Moonmen
The seasons good run grinds to a halt with this unfunny effort. The jokes are often jejune and few show off the Brains comedic genius. Perfect movie, even with "Deep Hurting" sandstorms. Too bad they fumbled the ball. C-
411 - The Magic Sword:
Fun movie, steady riff and skitwork. Not an episode that slays me though it has many noteworthy moments. B
412 - Hercules and the Captive Women:
This version is not as strong as "Unchained", but shows more wit than "Moon Men". Nice host segments. B-
413 - Manhunt in Space:
With Short: General Hospital - '50s space adventure is greeted with many solid punches. Though it is not a belly busting blow-out, it is good and the skit with Winky is brilliant. B-
414 - Tormented:
The guys do a bang up job on this cheesy Bert I. Gordon movie. The FX are so cheap they are laughable by themselves. Great host segments include throwing singers from a light house. A-
415 - The Beatniks:
With short: General Hospital - Many memorable characters, including the shrill "Moon", help make this a decently riffed experiment. The movie related skits are a gas as well. B
Tony Travis' Oct 1957 album, "I See Your Face Before Me"
416 - Fire Maidens of Outer Space:
Oustanding host segments are the highlight of the episode, as Crow's dark half, Timmy, visits the SOL. "Fire Maidens" is the most heavily padded movie they have ever done, but the riffing is primo. One of my favorites from the series. A
417 - Crash of the Moons:
With short: General Hospital - The further adventures of Rocky Jones and Winky. B
418 - Attack of the Eye Creatures:
Joel, Tom and Crow offer up another classic. Constant laughs as the riffing is sharp as a tack (it will test your esoteric knowledge). Joined with a memorable host segment (They just didn't care) A
419 - The Rebel Set
With Short: Johnny at the Fair - superb short provided non stop laughter. The movie kept that train running with steady shots delivered from start to finish. I highly recommend this goofy Beatnik flick. A-
420 - The Human Duplicators:
Now we're going full speed head: from the final 2 months of season 4 on through season 5, MST3K was in its golden era. Duplicators is a delightful B-Movie. Richard Kiel, Hugh Beamont and that guy from Robot Monster all contribute to the charm of the film. The riffing moves along gracefully, hitting many peaks while avoiding frequent low ebbs. A-
421 - Monster A-Go Go:
With short: Circus on Ice - A work of art. The movie is a total mess, horrible doesn't begin to describe it. The riffing is excellent though. I found it a breeze to sit through because I was constantly doubled over with laughter. A+
421 - The Day the Earth Froze:
With short: Here Comes the Circus - SAMPO! This is the first Russo/Finnish production for the BBI, and it is an instant classic. I can never get enough of the failure song, Bullwinkle jokes or the Mads new business venture, the Unhappy Meal! A
423 - Bride of the Monster:
With short: Hired! Part 1 -
More Bela and Tor, plus the first venture into the mind of Ed Wood. What a perfect mix. The short, which features a doughy guy, his crazy father and some door to door car salesmen, is pure genius. A
424 - "Manos" The Hand of Fate:
With short: Hired! Part 2 - And season 4 ends with one of the most monumental films in the MST experience. One could make a strong case for this being the worst movie ever. It's cheap, poorly acted, scripted, filmed and edited. It's a wreck, but it has Torgo and it has huge, belly bursting jokes to help ease the pain. A+
