MST3K Story: The Mads have come up with a “Joel Is Dead” scheme that they hope will give a boost to the “marketing arm of Mystery Science Theater”. Joel doesn’t care for the idea, but the Mads really need the money to start their new theme park, Six Flags over Ten to the Twelfth Power. Joel has Cambot work up a special effect that makes Joel seem to be carried away by a small child. The Bots consider just how “special” the effect was. At the halfway point, it’s time for a foray into sit-com land, courtesy of Joel’s TV Sit-Com Simulator. Later, Joel shows the Bots how special effects can make a small model dinosaur look really huge. They seem more interested in whether it’s anatomically correct or not. Joel mentions that they are going on hiatus. During the break, Crow says he is going to space camp, while Servo is going to fill his head with Cocoa Butter and Surf ’til he drops. Joel will be working on his Bob Hope impression (which needs it). Joel takes time to thank all the fans and members of the fan club along with the folks at Channel 21 (KTMA). He asks everyone who enjoyed the show to write in before saying a big “Goodbye” for the summer.
The “Legend Of Dinosaurs” Story: A young girl falls into a deep cavern while walking near the base of Mount Fuji. There she sees what she believes to be a dinosaur egg and passes on her discovery before she dies. A young rock expert who learns of the woman is moved to seek out proof of the dinosaur egg’s existence. His father had theorized that dinosaur eggs were beneath Mt. Fuji, but had been rebuffed by the scientific community. His son has similar trouble, as his investigations stand in the way of the local “Dragon Festival”. Still, everything points to the existence of a Plesiosaur in the waters near Mt. Fuji. Mysterious deaths lead to a large-scale effort to find the monster, but it is abandoned when no evidence is found. Attacks in broad daylight eventually make it clear that there are two dinosaurs on the loose: a Plesiosaur and a Pterodactyl. The two prehistoric beasts wind up fighting each other. This activity causes Mt. Fuji to erupt, burying them both.
MST3K segments written by Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, Josh Weinstein, Jim Mallon & Kevin Murphy
additional writing by Brian Funk
MST3K segments directed by Vince Rodriguez
The “Legend Of Dinosaurs” written by Masaru Igami, Takeshi Matsumoto (as Isao Matsumoto) & Ichirô Ootsu (as Ichiro Otsu)
The “Legend Of Dinosaurs” directed by Junji Kurata
The “Legend Of Dinosaurs” music by Masao YagiMST3K Guest Cast: none
The “Legend Of Dinosaurs” Cast: Tsunehiko Watase, Nobiko Sawa, Shotako Hayashi, Tomoko Kiyoshima, Fuyukichi Maki, David Freedman, Maureen Peacock, Catharine Laub, Hiroshi Nawa, Ginji Nakamura (as Kinji Nakamura), Masataka Iwao, Goro Oki, Yusuke Tsukasa, Yukio Miyagi, Akira Moroguchi, Tetsuo Fujisawa, Mineko Maruhira, Satoru Nabe, Takashi Noguchi, Toshio Tomogane, Yoshiaki Yamashita
LogBook entry by Philip R. Frey
Notes: In yet another case of the Mads mistaking the title of a film, The “Legend of Dinosaurs” is incorrectly referred to as “The Legend of the Dinosaur” (though this name does appear on some video boxes for the title). This mistake was also passed on to many lists and episode guides. (And, yes, the correct title includes the quotation marks. Don’t ask me why.)
Dialogue in the host and theater segments make it clear that the two segments concerning special effects were switched at broadcast (leading to Joel referring to “dinosaur stuff” he hadn’t done yet).
This is the last episode to air on KTMA. During the Summer break, Joel Hodgson and Jim Mallon successfully pitched Mystery Science Theater 3000 to executives at The Comedy Channel. The show would debut there the following year.
Notable Riffs: “Too bad she survived the fall. Now she’s gotta be in the film.”
“Servo, that lamp looks just like you!”
“If a dinosaur shows up, use the Buddy System. Give the dinosaur your buddy.”
The “Legend Of Dinosaurs” original release date: 1977 as Kyôryuu: Kaichô no densetsu