Amazon.com: Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXIV : Joel Hodgson, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett: Movies & TV

Volume 34 of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" has a superb selection of movies. Joel Hodgson hosts "The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent" (1957). That sword and sandal (or spear and thong) epic was directed by the great Roger Corman. The story is all wet, and the seasick sea serpent makes little more than a cameo in the movie. Watching little Jonathan Haze (Little Shop Of Horrors) defeat muscular Michael Forest (Apollo in an episode of "Star Trek"), was like watching a wrestling match with a predetermined winner. That disc includes the documentary "It Was A Colossal Teenage Movie Machine: The A.I.P. Story," a lengthy, informative look at the legendary American International Pictures movie studio.

"The Amazing Colossal Man" (1957) was directed by Bert I. Gordon (Mr. BIG), and starred Glen Langan as Lt. Col. Glenn Manning. Joel hosted that movie in MST3K's third season. It was released on VHS video by Rhino Entertainment in 1996. Unfortunately, because of copyright problems, the MST3K version of that movie has never been officially released on DVD. Fortunately, I still own the video and a working VCR, and was able to watch that before I watched its sequel, "War of the Colossal Beast" (1958). That film was also directed by Bert I. Gordon (Mr. BIG), but starred Dean Parkin as Lt. Col. Glenn Manning. Since the gigantic man has a disfigured face and only grunts and groans, the difference is negligible. The riffing by Joel and the 'bots is terrific, but what really makes this disc a classic is the inclusion of the short subject, "Mr. B. Natural" (1956), which precedes the movie. Mr. B Natural is an androgynous pixie, played by a woman, who helps a young boy master his instrument. As Joel says, "Mr. B, you're hot!" It's the funniest and most famous of all the MST3K shorts.

Mike Nelson hosts "The Undead" (1957), which was directed by Roger Corman. In that movie, the beautiful Pamela Duncan (Diana Love/Helene) regresses through hypnosis back to a past life in the Middle Ages, where she is about to be beheaded as a witch. Most of this strange film takes place in that time period, with the characters speaking pseudo-Shakespearian drivel. The supporting cast features the gorgeous Allison Hayes as the witchy woman Livia, Mel Welles as the mad gravedigger Smolkin, and Billy Barty as the impish Imp. That movie, as well as the following film, were somewhat inspired by amateur hypnotist Morey Bernstein's book, "The Search For Bridey Murphy."

Mike also hosts the final film in this volume, "The She Creature" (1956). In that movie, Chester Morris (Dr. Carlo Lombardi) regresses the beautiful Marla English (Andrea Talbott/Elizabeth Wetherby) through hypnosis, back to a past life in England over 300 years ago. The slimy Dr. Lombardi continues to regress her to a past life as a prehistoric humanoid type of sea creature, complete with crustaceous cleavage. He uses the physical manifestation of that creature to commit vicious murders. Lance Fuller plays the skeptical Dr. Ted Erickson, the moral counterpart to the villainous Dr. Lombardi. Lance's wooden acting provides humorous fodder for a host segment with Mike and the 'bots. I hope volume 35 of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" is as great as this volume!