Mystery Science Theater 3000 Season 2 Episode 3 Jungle Goddess
- October 6, 1990
In Mystery Science Theater 3000 season 2 episode 3, titled Jungle Goddess, our beloved crew of robots and their human captive Joel find themselves subjected to a truly terrible film: the 1948 adventure flick Jungle Goddess. The film follows white hunter Gary Lambert as he travels to Sierra Leone in search of diamonds, accompanied by an uncooperative native guide named Morena. After a plane crash, they stumble upon a mysterious tribe with a beautiful young queen named Melmendi, who has the power to control the jungle animals. The tribe mistakenly believes Gary is a great white god, and Melmendi offers to lead him to the diamonds in exchange for his help in fighting off a rival tribe.
As Joel and the bots watch in horror, they riff on every aspect of the film, from the poorly written and acted characters to the questionable colonialist themes. They point out the ridiculousness of the jungle setting, which seems to contain tigers, elephants, and even gorillas all in one area. They also skewer the awkward love triangle that develops between Gary, Morena, and Melmendi, as well as the uncomfortable racial stereotypes present throughout the film.
As with all episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000, the real entertainment comes from the commentary provided by Joel, Tom Servo, and Crow T. Robot. Their jokes and one-liners are relentless, providing a welcome distraction from the appalling movie on screen. They also break into song several times, with humorous parodies of the film's terrible musical score.
Despite the terrible source material, Jungle Goddess manages to provide plenty of laughs throughout the episode. The chemistry between Joel and the bots is stronger than ever, and their comedic timing is spot-on. Whether you're a fan of classic B movies or just enjoy clever humor, this episode is not to be missed.
