After several years of releasing box sets of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes, usually 4-5 unreleased episodes per set, it appears as though Shout! Factory has gone back to single-disc, single-episode titles. (update) Don't fret, Shout! has informed me that they'll still be releasing at least three multi-episode sets per year...that's good.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Hamlet (1961) was actually already part of one of those sets (Volume 4), which was released in 2003. That set, which contains Girl in the Gold Boots – one of the series best episodes -- is now out of print and runs close to $100 brand new on Amazon Marketplace. To be honest, it's a little disappointing to see these single-episode releases, especially of the less-known, and less popular episodes. The box sets were a great idea, combining classic episodes and fan favorites with these less popular episodes.
And sadly, Hamlet is probably one of the worst episodes of the series. It's not really Mike Nelson and the crew who fail to deliver laughs, but the painfully dry source material – a German TV movie adaptation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. While that idea may sound like gold on paper, I assure you, it doesn't work as a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode. The adaption is dull, like watching paint dry. And there's really nothing Nelson and crew can do to salvage it.
But they do give it a go. Alas, it's a soggy affair that might find you reaching for your remote to skip ahead, fast forward, or stop the episode all together. Naturally, as usual, there are a few good laughs to be had, mostly early on in the episode. But the dire 90 minutes is painfully thin on material, and is mostly filled with comedic misfires.
I'm sure there are fans of this particular episode who adore the show's almost amusing lack of jokes, but for the more typical MST3K fan, Hamlet is a tiresome bore, representing one of the weakest moments in the history of the show.
Shout! Factory brings Hamlet to DVD with virtually no fanfare whatsoever. There are no extras included on the disc – not even the special intro from Mike Nelson, presented on the original Volume 4 DVD box set. Strange to not include that. (update) This bonus feature was not included due to budgetary/rights issues,, as expected. The feature is owned by Rhino, the former company who released. MST3K episodes.
The full frame transfer is about what you'd expect from the series. Shot on low-res video, MST3K is never going to look perfect, or even mediocre for that matter. But if you've watched an episode or two of this series before, you know what to expect. The same can be said for the stereo audio mix. It sounds fine, but it's hardly anything designed to test your system's limits.
Why not bring Girl in Gold Boots to sing-episode DVD instead of Hamlet? Both this episode and the Gunslinger episode get single-episode releases. I don't get it. Might I suggest keeping your old box sets (if you own them) and forgetting this release exists. In the meantime, check out the myriad of MST3K episodes available on Netflix Instant Streaming.
