Following up on the Shout! release late last year of Rhino’s original Mystery Science Theater 3000 Vol. 1 box set, comes Vol. 2! No more hunting for a decent price on the original out of print releases on eBay (at press time going for $100 – $250!), just wait for Amazon to drop ship a copy via their new InstaPrime (Instant Product Teleportation Service)! Unlike the previous Vol. 1 reissue this release keeps ALL the extras from the original release! Actually there were only two on the original release, but they’re both here! The set is pretty much a perfect release film-wise. There’s no new extras and you don’t get any of the cool Shout! bonus features, but saving up to $200 on the OOP release is a great way to make fans happy!
The reissue of Rhino’s Vol. 2 box set includes Angels’ Revenge , Cave Dwellers, Pod People and Shorts Vol. 1.
Angels’ Revenge
Episode 622 – Mike vs. Dr. Forrester
Extras:
none
I can’t believe I hadn’t seen this episode before. It was fantastic. The film was suitably terrible and the riffs are constantly amazing! Everything from the 60’s era Batman sound effects to the hour long flashback are pure MST3K riffing fodder. This is a classic right here!
Cave Dwellers
Episode 204 – Joel vs. Dr. Forrester
Extras:
MSTK3K Hour Wraps
I wouldn’t call this a great episode by any stretch. The movie is plodding and lifeless. The first 30 minutes or so Joel and the bots seem to be at a loss for good riffs. Things pick up in the second half and the flick ends with some good moments, but it’s not an easy one to sit through. The addition of the MST3K Hour Wraps for this episode and Pod People is always a bonus.
Pod People
Episode 606 – Joel vs. Dr. Forrester
Extras:
MSTK3K Hour Wraps
Pod People is an MST3K classic. So classic, in fact, Joel Hodgson used it as one of the live episodes shown during the run up to the Bring Back MST3K Telethon. The story has got to be one of the worst cash grabs of all time, a movie that started as a horror flick altered to milk E.T? How anyone thought that would be a good idea is beyond comprehension, but if no one had tried it we wouldn’t have this instant classic 15 years later!
Shorts Vol. 1
Features various shorts from the show introduced by Tom Servo, including:
The Home Economics Story
Junior Rodeo Daredevils
Body Care And Grooming
Cheating
A Date With Your Family
Why Study Industrial Arts
Chicken Of Tomorrow
Extras:
none
A good collection of shorts from the series run. Many of these have been recently released by Shout! in various box sets. Having them all together is fun, though you miss out on any hosting bits and as the disc is introduced by Tom Servo, you miss the interaction between the cast. My only issue was with Chicken of Tomorrow, which at a few points showed a bit of the uncomfortably short life of a chicken. Reality sucks. The rest of the shorts are all spot on and obviously chosen for the excellent riffing throughout.
MST3K Vol. 2 can be purchased here:
https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/action-adventure/mst3k-volume-ii