TrueJoshNight
Truly Dreadful Film
AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Ogosmith
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
Neive Bellamy
Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
robdahlgren0506
OK, let's get real. Nobody has seen this outside of MST3K because no one else would show it. The earlier comment that this movie may have been taken out of context is ridiculous. The fact is that it is a typical low budget Centron film. However, I don't think most of the people offering reviews are being completely fair. In general, I really like this film. It points out reasons for taking industrial arts classes that I never thought of before. This is the entire point of the film, so I'd have to say mission accomplished. The acting is mediocre, but given the budget these kinds of films had to work with, it's understandable. I think the part of the coach was well cast (he looks like a Basketball coach). My main complaint about the movie is the kid's tool fetish during the opening monologue. I think that was poorly scripted, even taking budget into account. Some MST3K movies are completely unwatchable without Mike, Joe and the bots (Manos hands of fate and The Pod People come to mind). Others stand on their own (Plan 9 from outer space, The head that wouldn't die). To say that Best Brains edited for content is absurd. I'm sure things were chopped down a bit to fit in the allocated space, but I have seen several movies in both versions and have not noticed any significant difference between them.
tlseigl
This has to be one of the worst educational films I've ever run across, which of course makes it perfect for Mike and the 'bots.SPOILER ALERT We open on a depressing scene, young men engaged in the futile attempt to make sturdy and efficient furniture. The focus of our story is seen sanding or polishing his latest creation ("it's for the Grand Wizard"). He then proceeds to daydream (while obviously polishing or sanding the wood down to nothing) about the professions open to him if he pursues industrial arts (all of which are equally depressing). Over the course of the film, he tries to convince his friend, a taxicab with its doors wide open, about the merits of taking IA. He cites his mentor, the stiff shop teacher, and gets backed up by the coach ("boys...hey, boys!"). In the end, Big Ears grabs our hero in an uncomfortable way, and we are left with the knowledge that Industrial Arts is the path to a dull and pointless existence.In Mike and the 'bots' hands, of course, the film transcends its crappy premise (and thus the ten-star rating). There's at least a half-dozen zingers in their commentary. This is a gem from the shorts legacy.So why study industrial arts? Because one day you might need to keep your house from sliding downhill, or to construct a desk-set for the local Klan leader. Why else?
Lee Eisenberg
How in the name of anything holy can "Why Study Industrial Arts?" claim to be an educational film?! If this is education, then I'd rather be an idiot! Actually, this movie could have only been created by an idiot. The only reason that it's even worth talking about is because "MST3K" once showed this drudgery. As you might imagine, Mike, Servo and Crow had plenty of funny comments.If I ever make an educational film, it will be a promotion of vegetarianism. Here's the plot: in 1950s suburban America, mom and dad are trying to feed little Jimmy meat. Jimmy breaks out into a song (to the tune of "U Can't Touch This") about why he chooses to be a vegetarian. Yeah, that's my kind of educational film.
Hancock_the_Superb
Agonizingly bad short about why you should've taken Industrial Arts if you lived forty-seven years ago. Horrible dialogue (that creepy kid's opening monologue . . . *shudders* I HOPE there aren't real people like that) and bad acting (though since it's an "educational" short I can kinda understand), though at least it does give good reasons for taking this class. (I myself absolutely hated shop class, but I do agree with the film that it has practical applications.) Burnt to a blackened crisp by MST3K; one of their finest outings."I love the smell and the feel of fresh wood shavings . . ." "SO I PUT THEM IN MY UNDERWEAR!"Four stars for the short; ten+++ for the MST3K version.