MST3K Story: Joel introduces himself to the world and announces today’s movie: The Green Slime. When he gets back from the theater, he is joined by two of his robots, Crow and Beeper. Joel says he is presenting bad movies as a way of making the world a better place and shows off his invention, the Chiropractic Helmet, which twists Joel’s head around 360 degrees, impressing Beeper to no end. A third robot, Gypsy, joins Joel outside the theater and Joel explains that there are twenty-five other robots serving various functions throughout the ship. He also admits that he has programmed the robots to laugh at his jokes. At the next break, Joel shows off his Vacuum Flowers, the only other living thing on the Satellite. But, unfortunately, they have contracted a virus and Gypsy catches it when he brings Joel the medical supplies. While Joel checks out Gypsy, Beeper gets infected and then, finally, Joel. After the film, everyone is better and Joel wonders about the nature of the virus. Crow, on the other hand, wonders if they aren’t all just part of some television show. When Joel thinks again about the virus and asks Crow why he never got sick, Crow states that he’s saved it for the end and begins spewing foam all over the bridge.
The Green Slime Story: When a giant asteroid is discovered to be heading towards Earth, Commander Jack Rankin is brought in to head the mission to destroy it. The Commander of the mission’s base, Space Station Gamma 3, is Vince Elliot, an ex-friend of Rankin’s whose career lost some luster when Rankin reported him as unfit for command. Rankin’s new authority leads to friction, as does the fact that Elliot is now engaged to Rankin’s ex-girlfriend, Dr. Lisa Benson. The mission goes well for the most part, but necessary haste causes Rankin to smash a sample of alien green material discovered on the asteroid by scientist Dr. Halvorsen. After a particularly violent re-entry and lengthy decontamination, it is discovered that some of the material had made it on board and has been transformed into a giant slime creature. Several attempts are made to destroy or contain the creature, but it is learned that it feeds on any kind of energy, can heal itself and regenerates from its own spilled blood, growing more creatures. Attempting to contain the dozens of creatures now roaming the station leads to a fire, which leaves evacuation as the only option. After all crew members are safely off-station, Rankin learns there’s no way to control the station’s guidance systems except manually. He races into the station, with Elliot close behind. After battling several creatures, Rankin is finally able to control the station when Elliot sacrifices his life to give Rankin a needed opening. Rankin escapes and the station burns, apparently destroying the creatures.
MST3K segments written by Joel Hodgson
MST3K segments directed by Jim MallonThe Green Slime written by Tom Rowe & Charles Sinclair from a story by Ivan Reiner & Bill Finger
The Green Slime directed by Kinji Fukasaku
The Green Slime music by Charles Fox and Toshiaki TsushimaMST3K Cast: Joel Hodgson (Joel Hodgson), Trace Beaulieu (Crow), Josh Weinstein (Beeper / Gypsy)
The Green Slime Cast: Robert Horton (Jack Rankin), Luciana Paluzzi (Lisa Benson), Richard Jaeckel (Vince Elliott), Bud Widom (Jonathan Thompson), Ted Gunther (Dr. Halvorsen), David Yorston (Lt. Curtis), Robert Dunham (Capt. Martin), Gary Randolf (Cordier)
LogBook entry by Philip R. Frey
Notes: This is the pilot episode for MST3K and was never aired. In fact, they riffed only a portion of the movie to give execs at KTMA an idea of what the show would be like.
Until 2008, the complete pilot had never been seen by anyone outside of Best Brains and, presumably, the people at KTMA. Any knowledge of the pilot was gleaned from various compilations and documentaries. The entire recording was finally seen by fandom after Joel Hodgson showed it at the 2008 Archon 32 convention.
There are at least a couple of shots done at the time the pilot was made that have shown up in various places, but did not make it into the pilot itself. These include a shot where Joel says “That’s no asteroid, that’s a battle station.” when an asteroid appears on screen and a shot of him watching as the movie’s title appears.
Joel introduces himself by his real name, Joel Hodgson, having not yet taken on his Lost in Space inspired surname. Also, he seems to indicate that he is in space voluntarily, as the notion of the Mad Scientists would not emerge until the show began production.
Beeper, the “proto-Servo”, can best be described as Tom Servo with a fish tank over a small eye that serves as his head. Joel refers to the fish tank as Beeper’s “helmet”. He spoke only in “beeps”.
In the early days of the show, Gypsy’s name would often change, sometimes being referred to as “Gypsum”. Also, her sex was unclear. In the pilot, Joel compliments the robot by calling Gypsy a “good boy”, indicating that at this point the ‘bot was probably considered to be male.
The simple title screen used for the pilot refers to the show as “Mystery Science Theatre 3000”. The Americanized spelling of “theater” would be used for the regular show, but the Anglicized spelling would continue to be used in television and print ads throughout the KTMA era.
There was no opening or closing theme for the pilot. Instead, it opens with the title cards over some sci-fi sound effects and simply goes to black at the end.
Luciana Paluzzi is probably best known as Bond girl Fiona Volpe in Thunderball (1965). Other genre work includes Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969) and the TV movie The Six Million Dollar Man: Solid Gold Kidnapping (1973). Paluzzi also appears in the film MSTied in episode #502 – Hercules.
Robert Dunham was an American actor living in Japan, working mostly in monster and sci-fi movies such as Mosura a.k.a. Mothra (1961). He also appears in the film MSTied in episode #212 – Godzilla Vs. Megalon.
Richard Jaeckel is perhaps best known for his appearance in The Dirty Dozen (1967) and other action dramas such as The Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) and Delta Force 2 (1990). He was nominated for an Academy Award for the 1971 film Sometimes A Great Notion.
Bill Finger, whose contribution to The Green Slime was uncredited, worked with artist Bob Kane to develop Kane’s creation, “Batman.” Although he does not receive credit as co-creator, Finger was responsible for many of the details of Batman’s back-story.
Finger and Green Slime co-scripter Charles Sinclair collaborated on the script for another MSTied movie, shown in #1007 – Track of the Moon Beast.
Charles Fox has had a prolific career composing mostly for television, but also the occasional film. He has scored dozens of TV series such as The Bugaloos, Happy Days, and The Paper Chase. He also wrote the themes to Laverne & Shirley and The Love Boat. He won a BMI TV Music Award in 1989 for his work on The Hogan Family. His genre work includes Barbarella (1968), The New Original Wonder Woman (1975) and The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew (1983).
Toshiaki Tsushima scored dozens of movies throughout a career that dates back to 1964. Themes from his score to Yagyû ichizoku no inbô (1978) were used in Quentin Tarantino’s homage to Asian Cinema Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). Tsushima also wrote the music for the TV series Saru no gundan, which was edited into the film seen in episode #K17 – Time of the Apes (re-used in 306 – Time of the Apes)
Notable Riffs: “You know, it’s interesting, but this film was made the same year as 2001: A Space Odyssey.” (The first riff!)
“Speaking of the number two position…”
The Green Slime original release date: 1968