Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode #820 Space Mutiny (1988) Review

October 20, 2020 Julian Kennedy Comedy, Movie Reviews, Science-Fiction, Score 10 out of 10, Score 8 out of 10 1

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Still better than Mass Effect Andromeda

Space Mutiny (Mutiny in Space) (1988): 8 out of 10: An all-white group of Space Nazi’s fight against a rebellion from within their ranks while taking time out for romance and disco. Oh, and Stevie Nicks and friends stop by to give free lap dances to Santa. This is considered the source of one of the best MST3k episodes. It’s easy to see why.

No, Lady Godiva here isn’t naked. The uniforms are just that small for certain female crew members.

The Good

The Good: It is the source of one of the best MST3k episodes and honestly is hilariously funny on its own. Not on purpose, mind you.

I see our hero, Brick Thornbut is having a good time.

The Bad

The Bad: I am going to go with everything here. I mean really, the list of things Space Mutiny does wrong is practically endless.

Set phasers on copyright infringement.

The Ugly

The Ugly: This was filmed in South Africa at the height of apartheid, which gives a little edge to will our people survive when said by a big blonde guy wearing a white SS uniform.

Santa and Sting discuss the Jewish Question.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Review

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode #820 Space Mutiny (1988): Space Mutiny: 10 out of 10; When people make lists of the best MST3K episodes, Space Mutiny is often is in the top five (keep in mind this is out of an astounding 197 episodes). Even more impressive Space Mutiny is often given as the perfect starter episode to get people to watch MST3k as it is remarkably accessible and honesty, as stated above, funny even without the riffs.

Mike enjoys a small tea, knowing he has this episode in the bag.

The Good

The Good: Like the list of the bad above in the original movie review, there are too many to list. Some highlights include a hilarious golf cart chases complete with surprisingly girlie screams. A dead woman who is resurrected in the next scene due to poor editing/continuity and a lead actress who do to bad lighting, bad makeup, or the fact she is secretly fifty looks a little long in the tooth for our lead Mr. Buck Maguffin. Oh yeah, our boys come up for some names for our lead actor… about fifty or so… and unlike the “are you ready for some football” from Laserblast it doesn’t get old.

Well, at least they are cleaning the floors during the “high speed” chases.

The host segments are also decent, but let’s be blunt they are overshadowed by this masterwork. I mean, the captain looks like Santa Claus, pimps out his daughter to anyone who manages to land on his spacecraft and gets mystical lap dances from Stevie Nicks in a Hot Topic store.

My Stevie Nicks/ Santa Fanfic comes to life.

The Bad

The Bad: You know for how glorious the riffing was on this one I hate to say it, but our boys left some big ones on the table. For one thing, all the space footage is from Battlestar Galactica. Not in a hidden way, but in hey that is Battlestar Galactica kind of way. Second off, all the good guys are wearing Nazi uniforms. I mean, how can you just not say anything?

The theme song for Battlestar Galactica actual enters my head looking at this picture.

The Ugly

The Ugly: Unfortunately, the boys didn’t find out that this was a South African production till after the episode was finished. I think some well-placed riffs would have happened had they known. At the very least, they wouldn’t have blamed Canada.

I stand corrected. There is one black guy in the entire movie. That frozen corpse behind our stars.

In Conclusion

In Conclusion: As of this review, the uncut full-length version of Space Mutiny is available on Amazon Prime. Compared to the MST3K version it is well slightly longer and believe it or not even sillier with some very brief nudity, The MST3K version, however, will definitely give you the gist and the edits may make the underlying film seem better than it really is.

Cisse Cameron from The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington and Porkys II: The Next Day enjoys a sex scene with real-life husband Reb Brown (Who despite appearances is actually six years older.)

When I originally saw this episode, I gave both the riffing and the underlying movie lower scores. I have to admit, with repeated viewing, it really has grown on me. The underlying movie has a “The Room” quality as they drive around an industrial warehouse in golf carts pretending to be space warriors. The riffing is both spot on and a victim of an embarrassment of riches. I have watched it multiple times and still laugh out load and find new stuff. A great movie to watch with friends, whether they are fans of such nonsense or not.

Paste magazines exclaims “the scenery-masticating Kalgan, who murders both spaceship crewmen and common decency with his over-the-top delivery and bug-eyed countenance.” I could have filled the entire review just with John Phillip Law’s expressions.
John Phillip Law doing his serious expression.
John Phillip Law’s happy look.
John Phillip Law’s angry look. Plus, the guy slightly out of focus has my 1988 haircut, just saying.
No, I am a good guy, seriously.
I said, I am a good guy. And I will burn alive anyone who says differently.
Since the female lieutenant on the left is resurrected during the film, should we consider her our new lord and saviour?
The popular nineties insult, “That is so gay” and its derivatives are certainly out of favor and have no place in polite society. We, as a community of humans, have moved past such juvenile and offensive insults. I myself never took part in such derogatory and common speech. I will allow it, however, this time only, for the guys on the rights outfit.
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the bridge, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the lieutenant at her station.
The last five minutes of every relationship I had in the Eighties.
Are we the baddies?
So I’m back to the velvet underground
Back to the floor that I love
To a room with some lace and paper flowers
Back to the gypsy that I was 
To the gypsy that I was
And it all comes down to you
Well, you know that it does, well
Lightning strikes maybe once, maybe twice
Oh and it lights up the night
And you see your gypsy
You see your gypsy
To the gypsy
That remains
Her face says freedom
With a little fear
I have no fear
I have only love
And if I was a child
And the child was enough
Enough for me to love
Enough to love
She is dancing away from you now
She was just a wish
She was just a wish
And her memory is all that is left for you now
You see your gypsy, oh
You see your gypsy
Ooh ooh, oh oh, oh oh oh
Goodness strikes
Maybe once, maybe twice
And it all comes down to you
Ooh oh, and it all comes down to you

Lightning strikes
Maybe once, maybe twice (oh)
I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes
(And it all comes down to you)
Why don’t I get a musical number?
Hold on a second. Who is this? Is this a vampire? We need more nazi space vampires in this film.
Nothing says the future like eighties leggings and hulu hoops.
Seriously, he is six years older.
I am torn between quoting the lieutenant saying “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani” and having a serious discussion about whatever the hell is going on with those henchmen outfits. 
I think we have our poster.
Arthur Hall doing his best Boris Karloff impersonation.
Throughout the movie, they drink pink cosmopolitans from novelty martini glasses. It is so random.
Well, there is a sex scene framing you have never seen before.
Space Mutiny, to its credit, does blow things up real good on occasion.
Also, to Space Mutiny’s credit, there is some solid stunt work including such a large number of railing kills MST3k does a segment on it.
As you can see, child, I am not dressed as a Nazi. I am dressed as a wizard. A Grand Space Wizard, if you will.
You know, now we are gathered together in a group, our uniforms are stupid.
After multiple viewings, I have fallen in love with the redhead I am calling Kalgan’s girlfriend.
Just shoot him. What are you doing?
Oh good, bondage.
My mistake it was a dental appointment.
Michael Chiklis had a tough time getting roles after Wired.
Putting the word enforcer on your golf cart does not make it more intimidating.
Man, it’s been a long review. Time for a good book. Maybe I will write some Crow fanfic.
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[…] the movie and don’t seem to take into account the current body count. (Nothing as obvious as Space Mutiny’s bridge Lieutenant, but noticeable for the […]

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