Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXIX

Shout! Factory claims that this is the last compilation of episodes from the titular cult TV series (although the fact that previous DVD anthologies were not issued in chronological order still leaves an airlock-door open). Movies hilariously mocked by host Mike Nelson and his robot friends who are captive on a space station include The Amazing Transparent Man (1960), a not-particularly-amazing crime film with an invisible bank robber, and the delinquency drama Girls Town (1959), about a nun-run reformatory, featuring a crazy cast that includes Mamie Van Doren, Mel Torme, and Paul Anka. The MST3K backstory-arc (such as it was) concludes with Mike and the ‘bots forced to watch Diabolik—a futuristic European crime-heist caper from 1968 that is similar to Barbarella with its comics-inspired visuals, sex, and camp—as their space-station/prison finally comes to a crash-landing on Earth. Extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, plus a bonus disc called “Satellite Dishes” with sketch-comedy bumpers—most with show creator Joel Hodgson—harvested from episodes in which ancillary clearance rights to the cheesy movies being riffed were not available. Highly recommended. (C. Cassady)