List Price: $19.99You Pay Only: $17.99 You Save: $2.00 (10%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP DISTRIBUTION
EAN: 0826663103786
Format: Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
Label: Shout Factory Theatr
Manufacturer: Shout Factory Theatr
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Shout Factory Theatr
Release Date: October 09, 2007
Running Time: 95 minutes
Sales Rank: 29605
Studio: Shout Factory Theatr
Theatrical Release Date: May 25, 1960
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Editorial Review:
Description:
Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett, three of the brilliantly insane minds behind Mystery Science Theater 3000, finally reunite to unleash their warped sense of humor on the cinema of yesteryear as The Film Crew. Charged with the task of giving all movies their own commentary, the Film Crew valiantly steps forward to tackle the best of the worst, continuing with Giant Of Marathon. Refusing to die without a fight, Athens greatest athlete and hero, Phillipides, Steve Reeves, leads the Greeks in a magnificent battle against the invading Persian army. Includes An Apology From Mike Nelson and Selected Scene Commentary by Walter S. Ferguson.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The MST3K crew still got it
I never feel quite right unless I don't get at least a few of the references made in MST3K and this reprise of the franchise, and that's why I was glad to see Mike, Bill and Kevin return to top form in Giant of Marathon. Although I enjoyed "Hollywood After Dark," it felt a little thin on the good one-liners and too relaxed compared to MST3K...I laughed, but not much out loud. This one, on the other hand, shows that the old gang still has a lot of comedic gems up their sleeves. It starts out a little slow, but the pace quickens throughout, and near the end I was frequently huddled over in extended episodes of guffawing (there's a several minute sequence that begins with Bill's line "Excuse me Anasazi Indians, coming through..." where the entire team is on fire). The references are often more topical, but there are still quite a few obscure ones that sent me to wikipedia for a good half hour. If you're an MSTie like me and are looking to see the gang return to their former splendor, check out Giant of Marathon!
Rating:  - Without Crow and Servo, the magic isn't quite there
Much of the reason MST3K worked so beautifully was that the premise (poor shlub stranded in space with two wiseacre robots) made the central absurdity of the whole concept just click. As a fan of the series only slightly less devout than Pat Robertson is towards Jesus, I'll start by acknowledging how much I appreciated that the core SciFi-era riffing team of Corbett, Nelson and Murphy did their level best to give MSTies everywhere at least something approximating a revival/reunion.
The problem is that, with Jim Mallon owning the full rights to the old show and apparently being (to quote the popular insult quite often thrown about in the classic era) a dickweed about any chance at a proper reunion, the Film Crew gang is forced to come up with a weaker replacement concept: three schmoes working in the basement of a company run by a honcho named Honcho, who require them to riff on movies. Meh. Still, at least the Film Crew HAD a framing concept of some kind going in, whereas the other post-MST project, the Joel-led "Cinematic Titanic," stumbled on that account and didn't really establish one until three episodes in.
The riffing itself takes place as simple voice-overs, so it's like watching the old show, simply without the "Shadowrama" silhouettes of the gang in front of the screen. Yes, in its best moments, this comes pretty dang close to recapturing the magic. As you're simply hearing the voices, you can just imagine Mike, Crow and Servo back to their old tricks again ... Read More
Rating:  - Getting my MST3K fix...
Since it's tragic end (MST3K could've done another TEN more Years!!!) I'm grateful that the actors have come back together of another go at it.
Sadly, the show seems to of not made the money they had hope to get and only four where made. So to all you other misties out there, grab up these bargain bins now before they're gone for good!
Rating:  - I really wanted to like this.
The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon I am one of the biggest fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000 that you can get. So when I found out that three of the guys from the show were back in action I wet my pants (not really) and bought the episode that I thought would do the best job in taking me back to the good old days of Joel/Mike and the bots. The simple fact of the matter is that MST3K HAD MANY WRITERS AND THE FILM CREW HAS THREE! They have also been there and done that over and over again and again. Further, I would like to see Mike and the others from this "crew" go back to MST3K's seasons three through six at random and get a healthy reminder of what funny and clever really is/was. There is not much to this I am sorry to say and I do not plan on getting any more of The Film Crew's lackluster hastily put together show that is also full of childish "humor" and not much else. However there is a show called "Cinematic Titanic" that stars the original crew from MST3K and that means 5 writers instead of 3 and yes it is much funnier and much more clever...I will be keeping an eye and my money on that instead.
Rating: - "I'm huge!"
The Film Crew consists of three alumni of the great movie-mocking TV show, MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000. The premise for this project is not that Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett are trapped in an orbiting satellite; instead, they're three lowly employees at a DVD distributor, charged by their boss to create a commentary track for every movie they release, no matter how obscure or painful.
This is the fourth (and -- so far -- final) release from The Film Crew. When the list of four films was initially announced, this was the one I was most looking forward to as it was the only movie I had actually seen in its original form. THE GIANT OF MARATHON isn't a completely awful film. I think the worst thing that could be is that it's simply dull in the non-battle sequences.
Steve Reeves stars in this sword and sandal movie. While Reeves had played Hercules in two other films, here he is portraying Philippides -- the Greek soldier who is said to have run the entire 26.2 miles from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to deliver the news of victory. However, you won't have to tax your mind too much with the difference; the character of Philippides is virtually identical to the Hercules character from earlier films.
I had been anticipating this DVD and I ultimately was not disappointed. The Film Crew's jokes at the expense of the production are very funny. I'd say that this disc and KILLERS FROM SPACE were the strongest two of the four in terms of quality ... Read More
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