Line #59 Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S04E24ManosTheHandsOfFate


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/424s.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:"''Hired II: Electric Boogaloo''!"]]
3
4	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mst3k_manos.png]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:...not in so many words.]]
6
7	-> Dig this, ''[[GratuitousFrench mes amis]]'': Your ''[[AirQuotes "average Joe"]]'' has never seen a film like today's experiment. Your ''[[AirQuotes "average person"]]'' on the street has not even begun to conceptualize the horror which is your experiment today, Mr. ''[[AirQuotes "Joel Average"]]''. I give to you: ''[[AirQuotes "Manos"]]: The Hands of Fate''.
8	-->-- '''Dr. Forrester'''
9
10	-> ''"[[{{Understatement}} You know, there are certain flaws in this film.]]"''
11	-->-- '''Tom Servo'''
12
13	Films watched: ''Film/{{Hired}}'' (Part 2) and ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate''
14
15	In the thrilling conclusion to ''Film/{{Hired}}'', our intrepid sales manager decides to apply his father's advice to his business, working alongside his men instead of hovering over them.
16
17	When the crew at Best Brains discovered ''Manos'', they thought about '''not''' riffing the film at first, as the crew considered the film '''[[EveryoneHasStandards too strange]]'''. Eventually, the group decided to go through with it under the idea that they must expose the world to ''Manos''. [[VindicatedByCable It has since become one of the show's most famous episodes.]]
18
19	The episode is available in the Gizmoplex [[https://www.gizmoplex.com/mst3k/season:4/videos/mst3k-095-manosthehandsoffate here]], and on Creator/ShoutFactory [[https://www.shoutfactorytv.com/mystery-science-theater-3000/mst3k-manos-the-hands-of-fate/55df5bce69702d04de2d3502 here]].
20
21	!!The Segments:
22	[[AC:Prologue]]
23	* Joel has reprogrammed the 'Bots to praise him all the time. He soon has second thoughts after feeling empty from the compliments.
24
25	[[AC:Segment 1]]
26	* The Bots return to their normal, sarcastic selves after some adjustments. The Mads present the Chocolate Bunny Guillotine, with Frank serving as the executioner. Joel, meanwhile, presents the Cartuner, a device that merges comic strips together to make them funnier.
27
28	[[AC:Segment 2]]
29	* Joel attempts a driving sketch with Gypsy, Crow, and Servo, as well as driving footage from the film. Despite tears and suffering, as well as Cambot forgetting to stop the footage, Crow and Servo try to push on, but their unprofessionalism causes Gypsy to walk off. Frank calls the SOL to apologize for the film, but is greeted by a disgusted Joel.
30
31	[[AC:Segment 3]]
32	* Influenced by Torgo's bulging thighs, Joel and the 'Bots speculate on what exaggerated features they'd have if they were monsters.
33
34	[[AC:Segment 4]]
35	* Joel comes to the bridge dressed as the Master, with Crow as his hellhound. Servo criticizes the costumes and tells Joel that he's just too sweet and innocent to be pure evil. Dr. F also calls up to apologize for the film.
36
37	[[AC:Segment 5]]
38	* The 'Bots attempt to cheer Joel up by dressing up as the Master's wives and reenacting their lengthy fight scene. Down in Deep 13, the Mads have ordered a pizza from Torgo's Pizza, delivered by the man-goat himself. They're disgusted when they consider the implications of why the pizza is still warm after two hours.
39
40	----
41	!! The ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' presentation of ''Film/{{Hired}} (Part 2)'' contains examples of the following tropes:
42	* CaptainObvious:
43	-->'''Mr. Warren:''' Sales are the most important part of this business.\
44	'''Servo:''' Seeing as how we're salesmen and all.
45	* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Mr. Warren's father is treated as a combination of drunk, senile, and just plain deranged.
46	-->'''Servo:''' ''(after the first time Mr. Warren's father swats at some (unseen) gnats)'' He's having an episode!\
47	'''Joel:''' ''(after the second time Mr. Warren's father swats at some gnats)'' Ah! Flying elves are back!
48	* IHaveYourWife: A suggested selling technique.
49	-->'''Joel:''' Now, if you wanna see your daughter again you'll do as I.....
50	* OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo: The TropeNamer.
51	-->'''Tom:''' ''Hired! 2: Electric Boogaloo''.
52	* PreviouslyOn: As the short was broken up into two segments, this trope was given a minor spoof.
53	-->'''Crow:''' Previously on ''Hired!''
54	* ShoutOut: Servo [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail confuses third and fifth placement]] when Mr. Warren is listing tips at the end of the short.
55	* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: At the start of the next day at the dealership, as Mr. Warren is addressing his employees.
56	-->'''Joel ''(as Mr. Warren)''''':''' We're gonna have leadership the way my old man taught me. YOU, put a handkerchief on your head! YOU, swat at imaginary elves! YOU, rock on the porch all night!
57	* WontTakeYesForAnAnswer: Servo and Crow took issue with Mr. Warren rebuking a salesman's technique despite it ultimately being successful.
58	-->'''Servo:''' BUT HE BOUGHT THE CAR!
59
60	----
61	!! The ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' presentation of ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'' contains examples of the following tropes:
62	* AdaptationInducedPlotHole: Sort of. Torgo has really big prosthetic knees for no apparent reason. The reason was originally a satyr but the silhouettes of the bots made it impossible to see his hooves. Counts as a downplayed example because it's [[VoodooShark never explained WHY he is a satyr or why being a satyr would make him have big knees]].
63	** Though it turns out this is an urban legend, as seen in the original Blu-ray, he wears just regular shoes.
64	* AirQuotes: When introducing ''Manos'' to the SOL crew, Dr. Forrester makes several air finger quotes, mocking the title being ''"Manos" The Hands of Fate''. Joel does a few while watching the movie, too.
65	* AmbiguouslyBi: When Torgo delivers the pizza, he briefly attempts to grope Frank the same way he touched Margaret and The Master's wives.
66	* AsideGlance: Torgo's quick and abrupt close-ups during his early scenes are treated as this trope in action, since his constant twitching makes him appear to be glancing at the audience over the couple's bickering.
67	-->'''Servo:''' Oh, these two.
68	* BodyHorror: Joel and the 'bots offer better examples than "big knees".
69	-->'''Joel:''' On my face, no nose! Not even nostrils! Think how scary ''that'' would be!
70	* BigNo: Joel and the Bots' reaction to Debbie (a child, mind you) becoming one of the Master's wives, followed by a round of booing.
71	* BrickJoke: Torgo forgot the drinks in his car when he delivers the pizza at the end of the episode. He leaves to get them. [[{{Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E08OperationDouble007}} He finally returns eight episodes later.]]
72	* CharacterFilibuster: During one of the long driving sequences, Servo [[OverlyLongGag spends over a minute]] riffing [[MotorMouth rapid-fire]] in a female college student's voice:
73	-->"So, so, I told Gary that I was ''going'' on this vacation, so he goes, 'Well, then I'm goin' hunting with Jeff next weekend.' Well, that's when we were at Nye's[[note]][[http://www.startribune.com/local-landmark-nye-s-polonaise-room-to-close-next-year/284399951/#1 Nye's Polonaise Room]], a longtime Minneapolis piano bar that closed in 2016[[/note]], and then Lou sang '[[Music/{{ABBA}} Fernando]]', and then Gary--oh, he sings so good. You should meet Jeff sometime. Do you like Music/BarryManilow songs? I know the farmers need rain, but when it's damp like this, my hair just explodes--just ex-puh-''lodes''! Oooh, I'm feelin' kinda gassy; [[UsefulNotes/McDonalds McNuggets]], y'know, they make me so gassy, all that grease and all. It really helps if you drink eight to ten glasses of water a day; did you know that? Sometimes I drink five; sometimes I drink nine just to make up for the other three I didn't drink. Oh, coffee and diet drinks don't count either. Y'know, this is pretty country, isn't it? Y'know, it's really kind of a blessing in disguise that I didn't get accepted to college, yeah. You know, I'm gonna have to revise my twenty-year plan, but--oh, did I tell you about my twenty-year plan? Okay, well, okay, listen here. In year one, this is the year when I'm going to take off those extra seven pounds--you know, that's equal to seven pounds of butter, huh-huh! So it's like I'm wearing seven pounds of butter, ha-ha! And, uh--oh, oh, where was I? Oh, oh, yeah. So my aunt and uncle here, they celebrated their twentieth anniversary, and my uncle wanted to sing, uh, '[[Theatre/FiddlerOnTheRoof Sunrise, Sunset]]'--he wanted ''me'' to sing that, and I haven't sung that since Cindy's wedding, and, well, she never thanked me for that--well, I'm still--uh, well, y'know, she's probably really busy and all, but..."
74	* ContinuityNod: During the third host segment, the 'Bots break down sobbing, and Joel tries to lift their spirits:
75	-->'''Joel:''' Come on, you guys, [[StayFrosty stay frosty]]! We survived ''Film/MonsterAGoGo'', we can survive this!
76	** At one point during the riffing, Servo starts singing the theme song to ''Film/CatalinaCaper'' and "[[Film/TimeOfTheApes the Sandy Frank Song]]".
77	** ''Film/SantaClausConquersTheMartians'' ("Torgo, you're the laziest man on Mars!") also gets a callback.
78	* CoverInnocentEyesAndEars: During the scene where Margaret undresses for bed, Joel covers the Bots' eyes to shield them from what's onscreen.
79	-->'''Joel:''' Shame on you, Dr. Forrester. Have you no sense of decency?
80	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment:
81	-->'''Torgo:''' There is no way out of here. It'll be dark soon. There is no way out of here.\
82	'''Joel''' ''(as Torgo)''''':''' It'll be dark soon.
83	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Both of the Mads feel compelled to ''apologize'' to Joel and the Bots for making them watch this. Rather odd, since the show's entire premise (and the Mads' goal) is to find a movie that will drive people insane... but once you've seen the movie, you understand.
84	* ExcusePlot: Referenced; during the scene where The Master's various harem members fight each other, Tom observes this is probably the main reason why the film was made.
85	* GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger: The Master does this -- and the MST crew give it a perfectly-timed riff.
86	-->'''Servo:''' '''''PULL''' my finger!!''
87	* GrossGumGag: The riffers make several jokes portraying The Master's house as a particularly unpleasant hotel. They reinterpret Torgo as the busboy, and quip that he left chewed-up pieces of gum on the guests' pillows (instead of mints).
88	* HeadTiltinglyKinky:
89	** Servo wants Joel to punish him when the latter expresses doubt about making them friendly: "[[Film/ThisIsSpinalTap You see this butt? Kick this butt!"]] Crow also acts like a sub in a BDSM relationship: "Launch me into space, sir!"
90	** Torgo's leering and fondling disturbs Joel and the 'Bots, leading Joel to call out, "[[Film/PointOfOrder Dr. Forrester, have you no sense of]] ''[[UsefulNotes/JosephMcCarthy decency]]''?!"
91	* LeaveTheCameraRunning: [[InUniverse Background variant]]: Cambot accidentally keeps the "Manos" driving footage going when Officer Gypsy had "pulled over" Joel and the bots during the driving sketch.
92	* MergingMachine: Joel's "Cartuner" invention, which "takes stodgy, ambiguous cartoons like ''ComicStrip/MarkTrail'' and mixes them with stiflingly unfunny cartoons like ''ComicStrip/{{Blondie\|1930}}'', puts 'em together, and makes 'em funny!"
93	-->'''All:''' ''[[ComicStrip/{{Ziggy}} [=ZIGGY=]]]'' HAD ''[[ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} GARFIELD]]'' '''NEUTERED?''' NOW '''THAT'S''' FUNNY!!''
94	* NothingIsScarier:
95	** Servo mocks the film's attempt to employ this trope:
96	--->'''[[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 Servo]]:''' ''(as Margaret)'' Ambiguity is scary!
97	** In the segments themselves, viewers never find out what kept Torgo's Pizza warm for two hours and made the Mads throw up at the end.[[note]]Torgo probably sat on it. And farted.[[/note]]
98	--->'''Torgo:''' ''(as the Mads retch)'' They always do that.
99	* NotSoStoic: As in ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S02E08LostContinent Lost Continent]]'', typically laidback Joel is driven to scream "DO SOMETHING!" during one particularly interminable {{Leave the Camera Running}} scene.
100	* OffWithHisHead: The Mads' invention is a "chocolate bunny guillotine".
101	-->'''Dr. Forrester:''' You have stolen painted eggs in a time of famine. Off with her head, Frank!\
102	'''Servo:''' (''sobbing'') What about the pardon from Fanny Farmer?\
103	'''Crow:''' His only crime was BEING BORN DELICIOUS!
104	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Upbeat, friendly, nice guy Joel loses his patience during one endless scene's awkward silence, and demands that the cast–
105	-->'''Joel''': '''''DO SOMETHING!'''''
106	* RunningGag: In the beginning, when the movie takes a long time to get its plot in motion: "So.... ''Manos, The Hands of Fate''".
107	** Making fun of the strange way Torgo talks.
108	* SayMyName: The title is spoken loudly and in anguish after just a brief exposure to the film.
109	* ShoutOut:
110	** One skits is a subtle parody of ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'', when Frank, after apologizing for the awfulness of the film, encourages Joel, Tom, and Crow to keep playing.[[note]]For those who don't get it, it's referencing the scene where George returns home after failing to find the check, eventually snaps at his family, and then immediately apologizes. He tries getting his daughter, Janie, to resume playing the piano, but she's too terrified to do so.[[/note]]
111	** Before that, Tom and Crow briefly channel Creator/BillPaxton when they call the film "a bug hunt" and cry, "[[Film/{{Aliens}} Game over, man! Game over!]]"
112	** Obviously, Mike's interaction with Torgo when they get to the Valley Lodge reminded the Brains of the hotel scene in ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'', since they quote the desk clerk's "I'm just as God made me" in Torgo's voice.
113	** Crow showing off his knowledge of Creator/LernerAndLoewe.
114	--->'''Michael:''' Where did this place come from? It wasn't here a few minutes ago.\
115	'''Crow:''' Maybe it's Theatre/{{Brigadoon}}.
116	** Servo calling the painting of The Master "A Creator/FrankFrazetta of Music/FrankZappa".
117	** When the Master's wives start brawling ineffectually in the sand- "And now, [[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus the Manos Women's Guild will reenact the Battle of Pearl Harbor.]]
118	* SnuffFilm: Crow is convinced the Mads sent them a snuff film while watching the opening. Joel reassures him the Mads would never send them a snuff film.[[note]]Though as mentioned in the YMMV, John Reynolds' suicide shortly after the film almost makes it one.[[/note]]
119	* SpitTake: "You know, it's been two hours but this pizza's still pretty warm!"
120	-->'''"Torgo":''' They always do that.
121	* {{Squick}}: InUniverse, Joel and the Bots were not happy to see little Debbie dressed as a wife.
122	* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Early in the film, Crow makes a prediction:
123	-->'''Crow:''' Joel, this is going to turn into a snuff film!\
124	'''Joel:''' Oh, the Mads wouldn't do this. This is ''not'' a snuff film, I guarantee it.[[note]]Also counts as LeaningOnTheFourthWall since the Brains stared watching the films in there entirety after [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S02E02TheSidehackers Sidehackers]].[[/note]]
125	* WeWantOurJerkBack: The episode begins with Joel having installed "protocol modules" in the Bots to make them believe everything Joel says or does is brilliant. Their incessant sucking up forces Joel to remove the modules during the first break.
126	----
127	->'''Makeout Girl:''' [[TheStinger Why don't you guys leave us alone?]]

Context Recap / MysteryScienceTheater3000S04E24ManosTheHandsOfFate