History Recap / MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E11TheGunslinger

Film watched: ''Film/{{Gunslinger}}''

The episode is available on Shout! Factory TV [[http://www.shoutfactorytv.com/mystery-science-theater-3000/mst3k-gunslinger/53cd481b69702d27d3712400 here]].

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!!The Segments:
[[AC:Prologue]]
* Joel, Crow, and Gypsy are playing Kaboom, with Tom Servo's head as the balloon.

[[AC:Segment 1]]
* For the Invention Exchange, Joel takes the concept of Whiffle Ball and expands it into a fine line of Whiffle products. Dr. Forrester tries to make Frank's head explode with his Scanner Planner, but it backfires and Frank gets angry.

[[AC:Segment 2]]
* Joel and the 'Bots take a rest in caskets and discuss the topic of what they would want their funerals to be like.

[[AC:Segment 3]]
* Introducing the Gypsy Express, the Satellite of Love's first courier service. For its first assignment, Crow and Gypsy have to deliver Servo's lunch request to Joel.

[[AC:Segment 4]]
* Servo explains how John Ireland is able to bend time and space at will to mount his horse from anywhere.

[[AC:Segment 5]]
* Seeing as only Roger Corman could make the 1870s seem so dismal, Joel and the 'Bots discuss how [[TheSeventies the 1970s]] were even worse. Joel then reads some deep-fried letters, and Dr. Forrester finally succeeds in blowing Frank's head up.

!! The ''[[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 MST3K]]'' presentation contains examples of:
* AnachronismStew: Unclear and probably unintentional in the movie itself, but [[RunningGag routinely lampshaded]] by the crew:
-->'''Servo:''' ''(looking at an old farming device)'' What ''is'' that thing?\\
'''Crow:''' Whatever it was, it wasn't invented yet.
* BarSlide: Joel is disappointed that the big BarBrawl scene doesn't include one. Servo "explains" that [[RunningGag it hadn't been invented yet]].
* BigShutUp: Towards the Mayor when telling yet another war story that made him look better than he really was.
* BrickJoke: Dr. Forrester manages to [[TheyKilledKennyAgain blow up Frank's head]] offscreen in the very last segment. He's pleasantly surprised.
* CallBack: One is made to ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S03E17VikingWomenAndTheSeaSerpent Viking Women And The Sea Serpent]]'', which Jonathan Haze (Jake) also appeared in. Ironically, Haze played ''Ottar'' in that film, while it was Senya who spoke the line in the film.
-->'''Crow:''' ''(as Jonathan Haze's character)'' I'm a Grimald warrior!
* CallForward: The sound effect Dr. Forrester uses to "Film/{{scan|ners}}" Frank is the same one eventually used when [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Observer]] invokes his [[RealityWarper reality-warping powers]].
* CasualKink: Servo mentions offhand that he really appreciates Corman for the wrestling match between Rose and Erika.
* ComplexityAddiction: Tom using the Pony Express to tell Joel, who's standing right next to him, what he wants for lunch. Which he tells Joel verbally while they're waiting. Then Joel can't read his handwriting and sends a message back asking him to write more clearly.
* DeepFriedWhatever: The 'bots deep-fry the fan mail.
* TheDogBitesBack: When Dr. Forrester attempts to [[Film/{{Scanners}} scan]] TV's Frank's brain (and accidentally blows up a lightbulb in the lamp), Frank gets really cheesed off when he realizes it.
--> '''TV's Frank:''' You were scanning me, weren't you? You were trying to make my head explode, [[Literature/TheBoysFromBrazil you freaked-out maniac]]! ''[smashes Forrester's head with a large lollipop.]''
* EverybodysDeadDave: The crew decides by the end of the film that everyone in town has been murdered in the crossfire between the two leads.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: In Segment Two, Servo asks Joel why doesn't he just not die, as if death is a decision people make. Considering what [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E12Mitchell the next episode]] is...[[note]]Yes, granted, Joel doesn't ''die'', but it ''is'' his last episode...[[/note]]
* TheFunInFuneral: During [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsWw3B0_mdU one of the host segments]], Joel and the bots get to experience death... or at least what it feels like to be in a casket. After a moment contemplating what death would be like, they start describing how they want their funerals to be like -- Crow's and Tom's are really fun. Servo finally decides he wants a circus, and Crow "modestly" demands to be mummified and buried next to [[UsefulNotes/JosefStalin Stalin]]. [[SureLetsGoWithThat Joel humors the latter.]]
* ItRunsOnNonsensoleum: In Segment Four, Tom bends the laws of time and space through his knowledge of higher mathematics ("It's physics, Joel.") allowing him to [[OffscreenTeleportation zip off one side of the screen and immediately appear on the other]] and eventually to ''[[RewindGag restart the segment]]'' by concentrating really hard, much to Joel's slowly dawning confusion. On the plus side:
-->'''Crow:''' Hey, [[OffscreenRebuilding my sandwich is whole again]]! Cool!
* KillEmAll: Thanks to the fact that most of the extras playing townspeople just up and disappear for the last third of the movie, Crow and Tom run with the idea that the entire town is ''dead''.
* OffscreenTeleportation: Tom Servo explains that the examples of this trope in the film are examples of applied "quantum linear superposition". He thoroughly [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE3UIYnF9w0 demonstrates]] it for Joel and Crow.
-->'''Crow:''' [[MisappliedPhlebotinum He does this to me at night]]. Scares the hell out of me!
* PsychicPowers: Making people's [[YourHeadAsplode heads explode]] like in ''Film/{{Scanners}}''. Dr. Forrester caps off the episode by scanning the button.
* RiddleForTheAges: In the opening segment, Servo's head (now a large balloon) has expanded so much he knows almost everything in the universe. Save one thing:
-->'''Servo:''' Why did they cancel ''Series/{{Manimal}}''? ''Why?!''
* RunningGag:
** Dr. Forrester spends the episode trying to read Frank's mind and make his head explode with his newfound PsychicPowers.
** FridgeLogic[[invoked]] from a SpecialEffectFailure (the door to Cane's room at the saloon opens out instead of in) leads to the conclusion that Cane's staying in the hallway. HilarityEnsues.
** "Oh look, a sale at Hurrah."
** "That hasn't been invented yet."
* ScreamDiscretionShot: One from Sam Bass as he enters the town at the end of the movie, where the crew has decided, everyone else has been killed during the shooting:
--> '''Servo:''' ''(as Sam Bass)'' Hey, lady, you forgot to tell me where the -- '''''oh my God! AAAAAGGHHH!!!'''''
* ShoutOut:
** Dr. Forrester "invents" a how-to guide for Film/{{scann|ers}}ing.
** "[[Literature/TheBoysFromBrazil ...you freaked-out maniac!]]"
* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: The crew considered this the real first [[TheWestern western]] featured on the show, with ''Film/LastOfTheWildHorses'' as the only other western movie screened during its original run.[[note]]Frank Conniff thought ''Gunslinger'' was so bad that it didn't even feel like the genre.[[/note]] This excludes previous episode ''Film/ThePaintedHills'', set in Gold Rush-era California -- probably seen as more of a family adventure/drama, given the star of the film is a dog.
* TakeThat:
--> '''Crow:''' This is like ''Film/{{Silverado}}'', only better.
* TheyKilledKennyAgain: Dr. Forrester succeeds in blowing Frank's head up with his newfound Film/{{scann|ers}}ing powers. [[BrickJoke Much to his surprise]].
* WatsonianVersusDoylist: Crow's response to Servo insisting they utilize quantum linear superpositioning to move about so quickly (as he demonstrates) is that the town, as a movie set, is just a bunch of false fronts, and that Tom is just a bunch of false fronts, too. Joel sides with Crow in spite of Tom teleporting around the set.
* YourHeadAsplode: Head explosions are a minor theme this week:
** Tom's dome has been temporarily replaced with a balloon for the SOL crew's game of Kaboom. It ends, as the game often does, with everyone losing patience with the actual game and just pumping up Tom's head until it pops.
** Dr. Forrester invents "The ''Film/{{Scanner|s}}'' Planner", a study guide that teaches you how to hone your psychic powers so you can scan people and make their heads explode, like in the movie. It works... [[BrickJoke eventually]].

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->[[TheStinger "Don't bother going back to town; I want you out of the state tonight!" "What about our clothes??"]]
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* WatsonianVersusDoylist: Crow's response to Servo insisting they utilize quantum linear superpositioning to move about so quickly (as he demonstrates) is that the town, as a movie set, is just a bunch of false fronts, and that Tom is just a bunch of false fronts, too. Joel sides with Crow.
* YourHeadAsplode: Dr. Forrester invents "The ''Film/{{Scanner|s}}'' Planner", a study guide that teaches you how to hone your psychic powers so you can scan people and make their heads explode, like in the movie. It works... [[BrickJoke eventually]].

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: The crew considered this was the first western movie featured on the show, with ''Film/LastOfTheWildHorses'' as the only other western film it screened during its original run.[[note]]Frank Conniff thought ''Gunslinger'' was so bad that it didn't even feel like the genre.[[/note]] This excludes previous episode ''Film/ThePaintedHills'', set in Gold Rush-era California -- probably seen as more of a family adventure/drama, given the star of the film is a dog.

* BarSlide: Joel is disappointed that a bar brawl scene doesn't include one. Servo "explains" that [[RunningGag it hadn't been invented yet]].

* EverybodysDeadDave: The Crew decide by the end of the film, everyone in town has been murdered in the crossfire of the two leads.

* Seeing as only Roger Corman could make the 1870s seem so dismal, Joel and the 'Bots discuss how the 1970s were even worse. Joel then reads some deep-fried letters, and Dr. Forrester finally succeeds in blowing Frank's head up.

* AnachronismStew: Unclear and unintentional in the movie itself, but [[RunningGag routinely lampshaded]] by the crew:

-->'''Crow:''' He ''[[MisappliedPhlebotinum does this to me at night]]. Scares the hell out of me!

* RiddleForTheAges: Servo's head (now a large balloon) has expanded so much he knows almost everything in the universe. Save one thing:

* YourHeadAsplode: Dr. Forrester invents "The ''Film/{{Scanner}}'' Planner", a study guide that teaches you how to hone your psychic powers so you can scan people and make their heads explode, like in the movie. It works... [[BrickJoke eventually]].