Mystery Science Theater 3000 Season 5 Episode 23 Village of the Giants

In the 23rd episode of the fifth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, the crew of the Satellite of Love endures yet another bizarre cinematic experience with Village of the Giants. This sci-fi comedy horror film was directed by Bert I. Gordon, and it was released in 1965. It was a loose adaptation of H.G. Wells' 1904 book, The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth. The film starred several young actors, including Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford, Beau Bridges, and Ron Howard.

The episode begins with Joel, Tom Servo, and Crow settling in for another movie night on the Satellite of Love. They butter up their popcorn and start their riffing as the film begins. The opening scene introduces us to some kids driving a sports car as they speed away from the police. This long car chase sequence sets the tone for the rest of the film. As the story progresses, the kids stumble upon a mysterious substance called "goo." The goo, a strange chemical compound, causes anything that comes into contact with it to grow to enormous sizes. The kids decide to use the goo to enlarge themselves, becoming giant teenagers in a small town. As a result, they wreak havoc on the town and terrorize the residents.

The riffing during this episode is particularly sharp, as the film itself is extremely cheesy. Joel and the robots mock the absurd plot, the wooden acting, and the special effects. But perhaps what makes this episode stand out is the musical number the crew performs in the middle of the film. To break up the movie, the crew performs a parody of the Beach Boys' song "In My Room," singing about how much they love being stuck inside the Satellite of Love together.

The crew also has fun riffing on the film's many plot holes and strange choices. For example, they question why the kids decide to make themselves giants in the first place. Tom Servo jokes, "Why would you want to be a giant teenager? You're just making your problems bigger!" And the crew can't help but laugh at the nonsensical scientific explanations behind the effects of the "goo."

As the film reaches its climax, the teenagers' reign of terror comes to an end. However, the twist ending is so abrupt and nonsensical that the crew can't help but laugh. They sum up their thoughts on the film with a final joke: "Alright, let's put this one back in the jar of peanut butter from whence it came."

Overall, this episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a classic example of the show's ability to turn terrible films into hilarious viewing experiences. The riffing is sharp, the jokes are non-stop, and the musical number is just a small taste of the show's ability to create bizarre and memorable moments. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the show or a newcomer looking for a good laugh, Village of the Giants is a must-watch episode.