CINEMATIC TITANIC'S THE OOZING SKULL REVIEW

[Andrea Speed]

Reviewer: Andrea Speed andy@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Good and Funny

Joel Hodgson and most of the original MST3K crew are back riffing on bad films - in this case, a sci-fi horror film about a brain transplant gone horribly wrong.

Starring: Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl
Produced By: Sharp-Ford, Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl
Written By: Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl
Directed By: Sharp-Ford
Distributor: Cinematic Titanic


Yes, it’s official: I review anything even tangentially connected to Mystery Science Theater 3000. Get used to it.

The unique thing about this one is it’s available as a download, although you can also buy your own copy (it comes without a case, though, which is a bit of a bummer). But while it’s good to have Joel back, I must admit I was most thrilled to hear Mary Jo, (TV’s) Frank, and Trace (Dr. Forrester) again. It seemed like a homecoming.

I’ll put that aside and say that I’m glad to report this is pretty damn funny, better than some of the Film Crew stuff (but not all), and all old school MST3K fans should be pretty pleased. This is a horrible film in every respect - acted, written, filmed, directed, cast - it’s all just really poor. Basically the Emir of a fictional and probably Middle Eastern country (who looks as white as can be) is dying, but has connections to a Western doctor who believes he can transplant the Emir’s brain to a youthful, healthy body. Of course this Doctor isn’t exactly, how do you put it tastefully … sane, and as it is he has his own agenda anyways. To make sure it covers all the bad movie bases, the Doctor has a dwarf assistant, and a big, maimed, mentally challenged man who collects the “fresh” body for him (although he screws up the errand - gee, who would have seen that coming). There’s a very slow car chase, a bad rooftop fight, a couple of vague murders, and a mask that starts coming off more and more as the film goes on; so, in short, everything you could want in a Z grade film. A bloody but anatomically suspect brain transplant (the blood is supplied by Sherwin-Williams, but still) and some risqué jokes make this for the more adult MST3K fan, but then again, it’s been off the air long enough that we’re all adults here. One thing I really loved about this film is that the end flashes back to the movie’s key points, so just in case you couldn’t follow the simplistic plot (or more likely fell asleep in the middle of it), it’s all recapped for you. That is the sign not only of a really crap film, but of a director who thinks his audience is stupid. Now that’s a film you really want to take the spit out of as viciously as possible.

Everyone is visible at the side of the screen in silhouettes throughout the movie, and it is paused a couple of times for brief comedy bits (also done in silhouette), but they’re too quick and shadowed to properly called skits. They are generally amusing, although one (Al Hirt and his tender tummy) seems amazingly random.

A good start to what promises to be a series of the group riffing on bad films that probably should have been left in the cinematic trash heap. Bring ‘em on, guys (and gal) - if you can take ‘em, I can take ‘em. Head on over to the Cinematic Titanic page for ordering and more information. A must for any MST3k fan, or fans of schlock mad scientist films.

[MrGranger]

Thanks for the heads up.

Ordering now so I hope you get a percentage.

[Andrea Speed]

Can't say I do. I wish I did. (So start writing those checks, guys ... )

[Zap Rowsdower]

I've decided this film meets my criteria as worthy of being watched.

I have high standards in what I'll watch, you know.

[Andrea Speed]

Oh yeah, so do I. *cough*

[Richard Davidson, Jr.]

I enjoyed this one a lot though it did kind of feel like a first episode kind of thing. Not in a bad way but there were a couple moments where it seemed like they were trying out all of their ideas to see how well they would fly. There were also a couple joke retreads from past MST3k episodes. Frank's bit about the GOODFELLAS single camera scene was used in a couple episodes (THE KILLER SHREWS comes to mind first) but that was made up for by Josh's joke that came right after it.

Hmmm... I still have the writer submission packet I was about to mail Best Brains when they announced that the show would be ending. Maybe I can send it to CT instead...

[Andrea Speed]

Good idea! Also, bring me along. I'm funny. If I work hard, I don't only work blue.

[Zap Rowsdower]

Proof that true evil never dies: Rick Sloane has made Hobgoblins 2!

Now tell us about "Hobgoblins 2," the sequel to your 1988 film "Hobgoblins"?

Sloane:
I think fans will be very surprised by "Hobgoblins 2." I tried to make it look identical to the first one, ....We shot on 35mm film, no cheap video, then I dressed everyone like it was still 1987, and did all the effects in camera or optically, nothing was added digitally. The finished film really looks like it might have been made a year after the first one and never released.

Dare I hope that another sequel may be possible? "The Next Final Sacrifice: The further Adventures of Troy and Zap!"

[Richard Davidson, Jr.]

Originally Posted by Zap Rowsdower

Proof that true evil never dies: Rick Sloane has made Hobgoblins 2!

So, instead of just making a new crappy film, he's made a new vintage looking crappy film?! Hello Captain Logic!

[Gabriel Diaz]

Andy, wow. you know no bounds. I will make you sit and watch all 4 crow movies, I swear IT!

[Zap Rowsdower]

Originally Posted by Richard Davidson, Jr.

So, instead of just making a new crappy film, he's made a new vintage looking crappy film?! Hello Captain Logic!

You would do the exact same thing if you were the embodiment of evil and corruption, as Mr. Sloane is.

[Andrea Speed]

Andy, wow. you know no bounds. I will make you sit and watch all 4 crow movies, I swear IT!

Oh no, I'm picky about the crap I watch. It can't be just any crap.

I can't wait for Space Mutiny 2: Calgon Takes Everyone Away.

(Or will it be Space Mutiny 2: Electric Zamboni?)

[Zap Rowsdower]

I saw this flick last night. I enjoyed myself but.....

If Trace, Joel, Mike, Josh, Kevin, Bill, Frank and Mary Jo all want to continue to make fun of bad movies professionally, why not try to find a network to pick up MST3K and make more episodes?

When they were cancelled by Sci Fi they all talked about 'moving on' except it's obvious this is what they all want to do.

[Andrea Speed]

why not try to find a network to pick up MST3K and make more episodes?

A nice idea, but it was already salvaged by one network. It's possible that another network doesn't want to try and resurrect it again. Also, who owns the name "Mystery Science Theater 3000"? Mike? Joel? No one? Maybe they don;t want to do the 'bot thing again.

And frankly I don't blame them for being burned out after doing so many episodes. Maybe they were tired of it, and after a sufficient break, figured "Screw it; I like razzing bad films", and hey, who doesn't? As long as they want to keep doing it, I don't care where they do it.

[Zap Rowsdower]

Originally Posted by Andrea Speed

Maybe they were tired of it, and after a sufficient break, figured "Screw it; I like razzing bad films", and hey, who doesn't? As long as they want to keep doing it, I don't care where they do it.

I liked them on my tv. But I'll take my 'Best Brains' wherever I can get them.

I enjoyed the midget ihenchman in this film a lot. He was awesome.

[Richard Davidson, Jr.]

Originally Posted by Andrea Speed

Also, who owns the name "Mystery Science Theater 3000"? Mike? Joel? No one? Maybe they don;t want to do the 'bot thing again.

If I have all of my information correct, the actual copyrights are owned by Best Brains Productions which means that they control anything that has to do with stuff from the show. That's how they can work the MST official site and do the new animated shorts. This is also, from some of the interviews, one of the reasons why Joel left the show during the fifth season. He had differences with the way that some of the people in charge of the show (*cough*JimMallon*cough*) and the way that they wanted to run it.

In some of the same interviews, Joel has also said that one of the ways that CT came about was because the current group was all available and in the same general area which made it easy to work together. They took some time to come up with a plot and a style and then they had their own show. Since the Film Crew DVDs are all copyrighted as 2005, I guess that might mean that they're going to be the only group doing this kind of thing for sale.