Mystery Science Theater 3000/Recap/S08/E11 Parts the Clonus Horror

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Film watched: Clonus aka Parts: The Clonus Horror

Reportedly the filmmakers weren't too thrilled about getting MSTed until they saw the riffing of the scene where smoke seems to be emanating from Richard's nether regions as he shares a post-coital campfire cuddle with Lena:

Mike: (as Richard) I should go a little easier next time!
Crow: Wow, I guess she really was on top of Ole Smokey.
Tom: Only you can prevent groin fires.

The Mystery Science Theater 3000 presentation has examples of:

  • Actor Allusion: The MST3k had a lot of fun saying referring to Peter Graves' role as the host of Biography.
  • Creator Backlash: Averted: Robert S. Fiveson was leery of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment of his movie until it reached smoking crotch gag. Then he was won over.
  • Creepy Child: The Evil Space Children who cause trouble for Pearl and the gang.
  • Dawson Casting: The Evil Space Children, which is played for laughs.
  • Excited Kids' Show Host: Mike Nelson, in one of the skits, wraps himself in silver foil, dances around, and babbles in Spanish. This is in the running for Mystery Science Theater 3000's non-riffing Crowning Moment of Funny.
    • Earlier in the skit, Crow and Servo did this. "Today we learned A and 3! Today we learned A and 3!"
  • Groin Attack: Bobo is on the receiving of this (repeatedly). "Tante Bobo needs to go see Uncle Reconstructive Urologist."
  • Heroic BSOD: Mike's reaction to Crow's nosejob at the end of the movie.
  • Informed Attractiveness: It's all subjective, but Mike, Crow and Servo seem to agree that Clone!Richard isn't an especially handsome fella.
  • Psychic Powers: The Evil Space Children
  • Running Gag: Lots:
    • Every time characters in the film mention "America", Mike and the bots sing "Today!" à la the Neil Diamond song.
    • The Groin Attack in the skits.
    • Gags about Lena's nose.
    • Bang "Ow." Bang "Ow!" Bang "Ow." Bang, ricocheting noises "Ow."
    • References to Peter Graves' role as the host of Biography.
    • References to Dick Sargent's role as the Other Darrin

Crow: Dick Sargent... Didn't he play Dick York on Bewitched?

    • One scientist's resemblance to Mario.
  • Shout-Out: The Space Children use the same hand gestures to work their powers as the possessed children in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "And the Children Shall Lead".
  • Soundtrack Dissonance: To try to put the Space Children down for a bit, Servo composes a beautiful lullaby...set to a bombastic march.
  • Squick: Discussed. Old!Richard's son getting out of the pool and walking his wet, speedoed batch right in front of the waist-high camera didn't do Mike and the Bots any favors.

Mike: No... no, don-OH! We found it- this is the horror!
Servo: Gah, stop it! What've we ever done to you??

  • The Talk: The Evil Space Children ask The Question, treating us to a montage of the villains' attempts to explain it. Brain Guy's response is a surprisingly poetic exploration of love, before he dismisses the emotion as unnecessary, Pearl begins a rambling, bitter story about her own failed relationships, and Bobo's advice is...questionable, given it deals with apeman mating rituals. "You're gonna get kicked in the face, that's always part of it... grab one leg and hold on tight!"
  • The Unfavorite: Mike and the Bots joke that Clone-Richard sees Original-Richard as his father and is this to him.

"Do you love me, Clone Daddy?"

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