Life lessons from MST3K

Life lessons from MST3K

April 28, 2015 Uncategorized 0

I’m not one of those people who dwell, with misty-eyed nostalgia, on the “golden years” of high school. Dear god, no. I went to Saint Ann’s School, a pretentious artsy private high school, but despite how irritating I find many of my fellow alumni, there are many other aspects of my education which continue to benefit my life. Also, it’s high school, and it ended quite a while ago. Leave the past in the past, I say.  When I think back on being a teenager, first and foremost, I’m grateful that those years are over…but one of the things that I still remember enjoying was Mystery Science Theater 3000 AKA MST3K.

Such a silly, goofy, joyous, WONDERFUL show. Ever watch it? Basically, it’s the host (Joel Robinson, the creator, or Michael J. Nelson) hanging out with some robots, watching and riffing on horrendous movies. Throw in some skits, some songs and you have something utterly childlike and silly and FUN that continues to give me, and millions like me, endless joy in our (sometimes) drab days.  If you’ve never watched it…sigh. Here’s a pitch perfect episode to start with:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8lzvSbAnyw

The first time I watched this particular episode, a few years ago on YouTube, I had to keep pressing pause, because I was laughing too hard. Listen, I said MST3K was silly, I did not say it was Masterpiece Theater so simma down. I love me some Susan Sontag, but sometimes my inner 8-year-old just wants to zone out.

Anyhoo, I’ve recently been on somewhat of a MST3K-binge, and watching the episode MST3K 1066 Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (1985), I came across the fascinating information that the lead um “actor” of the film, Charles B. Pierce had, besides writing the original film of the Boggy Creek jenre , also contributed to American film lore by co-writing the  famous Clint Eastwood film, Sudden Impact. In fact, Mr. Pierce was said to have coined the famous phrase, “Go ahead, make my day.”  Apparently he only acted in the Boggy Creek sequel due to terrible pressure he was subjected to, from the producers.

But another way to think about it is that, Mr. Pierce, like many of us, had a career with some profound ups and some serious downs. When he was up, he penned a film that influenced millions. When he was down, he starred in a schlock horror film. And let’s not forget that that schlock film was itself the sequel to another schlock horror film he had filmed himself for pennies and then made millions on. A checkered career sure, but a helluva life. A lot of things but wasn’t boring!

Maybe I’m just thinking aloud here but, hey, news flash: life is hard. Life is what we make of it. If you decide you’re down, if you decide that your best years are behind you, guess what? They damn well are. But if you decide that hey things are bad but you have the power to change your story, if you refuse to be stay down…well you don’t know what might happen.  Charles B. Pierce made some great films and some not-so-great films. Sure some people mocked him., but  don’t you think many of those same people envy him for creating that classic bit of Americana? Not to mention, MST3K was this weird “little” show that came out of Joel Robinson’s love of puppets and movies and whatever else was rattling around in his psyche. He had an idea, and he built it.  Life is what you make it, so why not make it yours? Make it real, make it authentic, make it great, make it messy, make it weird, make it your life.

 

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