Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Mitchell (1988)

This farewell episode for Joel Hodgson is a sentimental favorite but even more worth it for the hilarity spawned by our captured Satellite of Love friends. The movie centers on the hapless, big lug cop named Mitchell (Joe Don Baker), who fights the rich and powerful drug-dealing bad guys. Along the way, Mitchell finds himself investigating murder, falling "in sex" with Linda Evans, helping an elderly woman like a good son, and telling a bothersome wisecracking kid to buzz off. Match that with clothing and music from 1975 and you've got prime fodder for the biting remarks of Joel, Crow, and Tom Servo--which, of course, they take advantage of handily and in abundance. Mitchell has a few quiet areas but these are spotty, and when Joel and his mechanical friends start wisecracking, it's all hilariously worth the wait. Mitchell: So '70s, you'd swear Kris Kristofferson was moaning the theme song in the background. --Karen Karleski Amazon.com

My Cousin Was In Mitchell!!

My cousin Sigi Frolich was the coroner in Mitchell!! When MST3K was on the air, I ran a video store in Santa Barbara. One day, while they were airing Mitchell, I turned off the movie playing, turned on MST and made all the customers watch Sigi get out of his coroners car!!! Its only for a second, but it's him and he's briefly leaning over the corpse a few minutes later. Sigi passed away a few years ago, he was in his mid- nineties! Oh yeah...almost forgot to say..MITCHELL IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MST3K SHOWS IN ITS HISTORY!!!! August 9, 2008

MST3K and Mitchell Rock!

I'm probably not going to say anything that most fans of MST3K haven't already said, but I'll try. "Mitchell," for me, is the best razzing Joel and the 'Bots have ever done of a film. NOT the best film, mind you. :) Oh boy, do they lay waste to Joe Don Baker: his weight, his drinking, his stupidity---I mean in the movie, Joe Don---don't hurt me!; his bad acting. But the whole movie is enough of a stinker to provide plenty of fodder for the boys. This is the pivotal episode where Joel (after the movie) leaves the Satellite of Love for Earth, only to have Mike Nelson replace him (not shown here---just a "Push the button, Frank" from Dr. Forrester.

But the jokes are what make the show and they fly fast and furious:
"Hey, it's the chase scene's pace car!"
"Keep you eye on the sammich!"
"That cat Mitchell's a bad...(shut yo mouth!)...talkin' 'bout Mitchell!"
"He looks like one of the kids from Fame." "Which one?" "Any of 'em!"
"Hey, wasn't John Saxon in this movie?" (his last scenes cut out due to time constraints)

The visual gags are gangbusters also, like Mitchell's hidden gun sliding down the front of his pants, leading Joel to say, "What THE?!!"
Catching Mitchell with Baby Oil near his bed while carousing with Linda Evans and (Joel & the 'Bots) screaming in horror at the mere thought.

It just goes on & on. This MST3K is a must-own, both historically for Joel's passing of the torch to Mike and for flat-out hilarity that will leave you aching with laughter. Highly recommended. August 3, 2008

" Mitchell ".....And to think that people were actually expected to PAY to watch this, in 1975!!

Poor Joe Don Baker. He catches hell from Joel and the Bots, for this walk-through of a part. Too bad, without their hilarious commentary, this would be unwatchable. The one-liners just roll, right on through to the miserable ending of this little stinkfest. Look for the line where Mitchell is entertaining a call-girl that just walked off the set of THE BIG VALLEY,and forgot to change wardrobe. He hands her a can of Beer. " You've got me wrong, I'd like a glass." Mitchell: " Uh..OK, Your Majesty." Priceless. Long live giving bad movies their just due!! March 30, 2008

My,my,my Mitchell!

"Mitchell" is a hilariously bad Rockford Files rip-off. Joe Don Baker stars as the paunchy,unlikeable lead. Think of a denser (in terms of intelligence&BMI) version of Rockford,and you have Mitchell. My, my, my. Martin Balsam,far from his "Marty" glory days (Ernest Borgnine would soon follow in "Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders"),stars as the boring bad guy. Linda Evans,in her pre-Dynasty days,stars as Mitchell's hooker girlfriend with a hart of gold.

On its own,"Mitchell" would be an unwatchable movie. ESPECIALLY the scenes in which Mitchell wears only a bath towel or has sex with his girlfriend (and opening a bottle of beer next to a bottle of baby lotion with his toes) It's pretty traumatizing. Consider yourself warned.

Still,"Mitchell" stands as a MST3K classic. Joel and the 'bots make it into comic treasure. Their take is cinematic comfort food. Sit back&enjoy with a good bottle of beer! This movie is the Schlitz. February 21, 2008

Last Joel episode

Although I am not a big fan of Joel (I prefer the later Mike episodes) this is a great send off for him. If you enjoy the series, you shouldn't be worried about getting an egg. October 8, 2007

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