Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Unearthly and Red Zone Cuba comes in August

By April MacIntyre Aug 1, 2011, 19:55 GMT

In Mystery Science Theater 3000: Red Zone Cuba, Director Coleman Francis cements his status as unofficial MST3K muse with this 1966 film about escaped convicts who volunteer to fight in the Bay of Pigs.

One of the best television seires around was the quirky MST3K.

Shout! Factory has announced the August 16 release of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Unearthly and Mystery Science Theater 3000: Red Zone Cuba, available exclusively at here and here.

Customers who purchase both titles from Shout! Factory will receive a MST3K Stress Ball. Both DVDs are currently on sale for $14.99 each, as are all the previously released MST3K single-disc DVDs from Shout! Factory.

In Mystery Science Theater 3000: Red Zone Cuba, Director Coleman Francis cements his status as unofficial MST3K muse with this 1966 film about escaped convicts who volunteer to fight in the Bay of Pigs.

Needless to say, the movie was about as successful as the invasion. On the bright side, the riffs do destroy their target — although, as Crow T. Robot says, “I want to hurt this movie but I can never hurt it the way it hurt me.”  Includes the 1949 short film “Speech: Platform Posture and Appearance.”

From Shout!

In Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Unearthly, MSTie favorite actor Tor Johnson costars as MSTie favorite character Lobo in this 1957 horror flick about a mad scientist (John Carradine) whose experiments with immortality accidentally produce mutants.

As Dr. Forrester says: “It’s hard to keep down.” But Joel, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot prove once again that laughter is the best anti-nausea medicine.  Includes the shorts “Posture Pals” and “Appreciating Our Parents.”

The Mystery Science Theater 3000 series was created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Jim Mallon. After a year on KTMA TV in Minneapolis, its national broadcast life began in 1989 on the Comedy Channel (later to become Comedy Central), where it ran for seven seasons. The show’s final three seasons aired on the Sci-Fi Channel.  The premise of the series features a hapless man who is trapped by mad scientists on a satellite in space and forced to watch old B-movies of questionable worth.

To keep sane, he’s built two robot sidekicks, and together they do a running commentary on the films, affectionately mocking their flaws with inspired wisecracks and acting as a demented movie theater peanut gallery. Series creator Hodgson originally played the stranded man, Joel Robinson.  When he left in 1993, series head writer Mike Nelson replaced him as the new B-movie victim Mike Nelson, and continued in the role for the rest of the show’s run.  The format proved to be popular and remarkably durable. During its 11-year run and 198 episodes (including one feature film), MST3K attained a loyal fan base and critical acclaim. The series won a Peabody Award in 1993, and was nominated for writing Emmys® in 1994 and 1995.

Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. 

Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated boxed sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations.

These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention.  

Shout! Factory continues to impact the entertainment media landscape through acquisition of top quality programming for home entertainment releases. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit www.shoutfactory.com