Satellite News, The Official MST3K Info Club Web Site reports that Rhino is finally going to put more episodes out on DVD:

The next MST3K DVD release from Rhino Home Video will be a four-pack featuring four episodes from the Sci-Fi Channel era. The titles are: episode 1002- GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS, episode 1009- HAMLET, episode 820- SPACE MUTINY and 822- OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK. Special features will include brand new intros for all four episodes by Mike Nelson, the original trailers for “Hamlet” and “Girl In Gold Boots” and the original TV spot for “Girl In Gold Boots.” The set will hit stores Nov. 11, and the suggested retail price will be $59.95.

This is wonderful news, though it’s in keeping with all previous MST3K releases that they can’t always go for the best episodes. The reasons why are complicated, having to do with getting permanent permission instead of the limited rebroadcast rights for the original movies. Plus, they’re trying to get permission for films that they have lain waste to in their inimitable way.

Still, this isn’t a bad batch. I’m not saying that. “Girl in the Gold Boots” is “eh,” aside from the sudden materialization of a character who wasn’t in the previous cut.

However, “Space Mutiny” is a lovely bit of 1980s sci-fi drek with synthesized music, a 40-year-old playing an 18-year-old sexpot, Captain Santa Claus, the lead hunk (Dirk HardPeck a/k/a Trunk Slamchest a/k/a Punch Rockgroin a/k/a Big McLargehuge), an ’80s soundtrack (that Mike and the Bots sing along with during the credits), graphics clearly swiped from Battlestar Galactica and a futuristic golfcart car chase.

Then “Overdrawn at the Memory Bank”, a movie done on video with 1980s Dr. Who production values (without the quality), shot for Boston PBS. It stars Raul Julia as Fingle, a man in the future who takes a virtual reality vacation and winds up remaking reality. It’s nothing like Total Recall. Plus it swipes heavily from Casabalanca. Intentionally so, but nevertheless…this one isn’t so great, but MST3K’s take on PBS, “Public Pearl,” is better. “From now on, I’m playing the ponies on some well-meaning liberal’s coin!”

Add to that “Hamlet.” You didn’t think Mike and the Bots could take on the Bard, did you? You can when it’s a dreary German version (dubbed with an obvious, uncredited Ricardo Montalban as Claudius) which is hacked down to 90 minutes and still plays too long with slow speeches and long pauses. It’s “starchy, pork-filled German Hamlet.” The best comment from the bots is, “Hey, that’s from Hamlet!”

Enjoy these MP3s (please right-click and save them instead of downloading from the server):
Memory Bank mix
Space Mutiny mix