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| image_size =200px
 
| image_size =200px
 
| airdate =[[June 27]], [[1999]]
 
| airdate =[[June 27]], [[1999]]
| mstdirector =
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| mstdirector =[[Michael J. Nelson]]
| runtime =
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| runtime =90 Min
 
| turkey =
 
| turkey =
 
| hour =
 
| hour =
| aka =''Hamlet, Prinz von Danemark''
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| aka =
| movdirector =Franz Peter Wirth
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| movdirector =[[Franz Peter Wirth]]
| movyear =1961
+
| movyear =[[1961]]
| cast =[[wikipedia:Maximilian Schell|Maximilian Schell]]<br>Hans Caninenberg<br>Wanda Rotha<br>Dunja Movar
+
| cast =[[Maximilian Schell]]<br>[[Hans Caninenberg]]<br>[[Wanda Rotha]]<br>[[Dunja Movar]]
 
| short1 =
 
| short1 =
 
| s1director =
 
| s1director =
 
| s1year =
 
| s1year =
 
| s1cast =
 
| s1cast =
| Short2 =
 
 
| s2director =
 
| s2director =
 
| s2year =
 
| s2year =
| preceded_by =1008 - [[Final Justice]]
+
| preceded_by =1008 - [[MST3K 1008 - Final Justice|Final Justice]]
| followed_by =1010 - [[It Lives by Night]]
+
| followed_by =1010 - [[MST3K 1010 - It Lives by Night|It Lives by Night]]
  +
}}
}} Mike and The Bots watch an English-dubbed German version of one of [[wikipedia:William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s famous plays: '''''Hamlet'''''.
 
  +
{{Quote|C'mon, man. We've seen like eight ghosts, none of 'em have been even close to my dad.|[[Mike Nelson]]}}
  +
'''''Hamlet''''' is the 9th episode of the [[Season 10|tenth season]] of ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]] ''and the 194th episode overall. It premiered on [[June 27]], [[1999]].
 
==The Movie==
 
==The Movie==
  +
{{Main|Hamlet (film)}}
 
 
===Synopsis===
 
===Synopsis===
  +
In medieval Denmark, the prince Hamlet is told by a ghost that Hamlet's uncle Claudius has murdered Hamlet's father and married Hamlet's mother as a way to seize the throne. Hamlet must decide what action to take.
Based on the legendary stage play by William Shakespeare.  Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Schell), returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle.  Not long after this, Hamlet gets the go-ahead from the ghost of his father to get revenge however he wants so long as he doesn't abuse his mother or go insane while doing it.  At first, Hamlet pretends to be crazy to basically troll everyone and play mind games with the King (including having a group of travelling minstrels re-enact his father's own murder to see how the new King reacts), but eventually he decides to go all out and *actually* go insane which has the unintended side-effect of driving his old girlfriend, Ophelia, to commit suicide, Oops!  The King is generally annoyed with Hamlet's nonsense and schemes to have him killed which kind of backfires spectacularly in that nearly the entire central cast dies by the end of the play, Such drama!  [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053888/]
 
 
===Trivia===
 
*Claudius' English-dubbed voice was recorded by an uncredited [[Ricardo Montalbán]].
 
*Although Mike comments "Filthy, misogynist Paul Verhoeven" played the gravedigger, this Verhoeven is, alas, not THE [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Verhoeven Paul Verhoeven].
 
*As metnioned above, this movie was heavily edited to fit withinthe alloted time for an episode of MST3K: by contrast, Kenneth Branaugh's 1996 version of Hamlet, one of the few times anyone has filmed the full play without edits, runs 242 minutes. 
 
*One of the most common tactics used to hold down the length of this play is to cut the character of Fortinbras; hence the closing segment of this show.  (The characters of Rosencratz and Guildenstern usually get the axe, too.)
 
   
 
==The Episode==
 
==The Episode==
 
 
=== Host Segments ===
 
=== Host Segments ===
  +
[[File:Hamlet.jpg|thumb|241x241px|'''Tom introduces his new name''']]
 
'''Prologue''': [[Tom Servo|Tom]] reveals that he's changed his last name from Servo to the identically pronounced but differently spelt Sirveaux. He also reveals he's added a h to his first name, changing it not to the expected Thom but to Htom. Crow suggests Htom hlick him.
 
'''Prologue''': [[Tom Servo|Tom]] reveals that he's changed his last name from Servo to the identically pronounced but differently spelt Sirveaux. He also reveals he's added a h to his first name, changing it not to the expected Thom but to Htom. Crow suggests Htom hlick him.
   
'''Segment One:''' While [[Crow T. Robot|Crow]] introduces his new name change, [[Pearl Forrester|Pearl]] puts the finishing touches on her deadly virus. But [[Mike Nelson|Mike]] is only interested in playing three card monte to decide the choice of today's movie. Easily winning the rigged game, Mike selects ''Hamlet'', but makes the the mistake of allowing Pearl the choice of which production...
+
'''Segment One:''' While [[Crow T. Robot|Crow]] introduces his new name change, [[Pearl Forrester|Pearl]] puts the finishing touches on her deadly virus. Fortunately [[Mike Nelson|Mike]] is able to distract Pearl with playing three card monte to decide the choice of today's movie. Easily winning the rigged game, Mike selects ''Hamlet'' by [[William Shakespeare]]. Mike fails to specify which version, leaving Pearl to select the production of her choosing.
  +
[[File:Mst3khamlet.jpg|thumb|241x241px|'''Crow pretending to be Mike's dad''']]
  +
'''Segment Two:''' Crow & Tom's plan to scare Mike by pretending to be the ghost of his dead father fails because his dad isn't dead. Neither are any of the other relatives that the bots can name.
   
'''Segment Two:''' Crow & Tom's plan to scare Mike by pretending to be the ghost of his dead father falls apart due to the fact his dad isn't dead. As is every other relative the pair can name.
+
'''Segment Three:''' With the dreary German version covered, Tom & Crow attempt to come up with their own specialized productions of Hamlet. Their percussion version isn't any more successful than their scuba diving, buckethead, or all-furniture versions.
  +
[[File:HamletCastle.jpg|thumb|241x241px|'''Fortinbras ([[Kevin Murphy]]) visits Castle Forrester''' ]]
 
'''Segment Four:''' Mike hosts "Alas Poor Who?", the game where players have to guess the identity of the person based on bones from their body. Crow loses because he guesses accurately but keeps forgetting to answer in the show's proper format.
   
 
'''Segment Five:''' The Bots have made their own Hamlet action figure, with a voice box that has a really, really long string to activate it. Meanwhile down in [[Castle Forrester]] the character [[Fortinbras]] resents being dropped from this movie's version of ''Hamlet'' and demands his scene be re-enacted, giving Pearl a worthy test subject for her virus.
[[File:1009-3.jpg|thumb|The sofa playing Gertrude was a ''delight''!]]
 
   
 
'''Stinger:''' Claudius does a double take.
'''Segment Three:''' With the dreary German version covered, Tom & Crow attempt to come up with their own alternate productions of Hamlet. Their percussion version isn't that much more successful than the scuba diving, buckethead or all furniture versions they've tried.
 
   
  +
===MST3K cast===
'''Segment Four:''' It's time once again to play "Alas Poor Who?", the game where you have to guess the identity of the person based on a single bone from their body. Problems are encountered as Tom doesn't trust his answers, Crow doesn't answer in the correct form and with the lack of codpiece for Mike's costume.
 
   
  +
Regular cast
'''Segment Five:''' The Bots have made their own Hamlet action figure, with a voice box that has a really, really long string to activate it. Meanwhile down in [[Castle Forrester]] the character Fortinbras resents being dropped from this movie's version of ''Hamlet'' and demands his scene be re-enacted, giving Pearl a worthy test subject for her virus.
 
  +
*[[Michael J. Nelson]] - [[Mike Nelson]]
  +
*[[Mary Jo Pehl]] - [[Pearl Forrester]]
  +
*[[Bill Corbett]] - [[Crow T. Robot]] / [[Brain Guy]]
  +
*[[Kevin Murphy]] - [[Tom Servo]] / [[Professor Bobo]]
  +
*[[Patrick Brantseg]] - [[Gypsy]]
   
  +
Guest cast
'''Stinger:''' Claudius does a double take.
 
  +
*[[Kevin Murphy]] - [[Fortinbras]]
   
 
=== Trivia ===
  +
* '''Unusual Credits''': The "to be or not to be" speech plays over the ending theme.
  +
* This version of ''Hamlet'' was originally 152 minutes, requiring significant cuts to fit the runtime for the show. Kevin Murphy said, "...we found some relief in the fact that [this] play is astoundingly overwritten."
  +
* At the time this episode aired, all the individuals mentioned in the "Alas Poor Who?" sketch were still alive.
  +
* In 2016, the episode came in at #74 in the official [[Top 100 Episodes of MST3K]] poll, as voted on by donors to the ''[[Bring Back MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000]]'' campaign.
   
 
=== Callbacks ===
 
* ''"You think you can take me? Go ahead on, it's your move."'' (''[[Final Justice (film)|Final Justice]]'')
  +
* ''"There's going to be railings kills."'' (''[[Space Mutiny (film)|Space Mutiny]]'')
  +
*''"to... SLEEP!"'' (''[[MST3K 302 - Gamera|Gamera]]'')
  +
*''"So now I feel partially responsible."'' (''[[MST3K 517 - Beginning of the End|Beginning of the End]]'')
   
 
== Obscure References ==
[[File:1009-2.jpg|thumb|Alas Poor Who?]]
 
  +
*''"San Quentin Prison presents Shakespeare."''
  +
:{{w|San Quentin State Prison}} is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco. It is known for being austere.
   
  +
*  ''"Night fever, night fever/We know how to do it!"''
=== Other Notes ===
 
  +
: "{{w|Night Fever}}" is a [[1978]] song written and performed by the {{w|Bee Gees}}. It first appeared on the soundtrack to the film ''{{w|Saturday Night Fever}}''.
This episode is often debated among fans over its quality, with many claiming that the movie is too plodding, slow, intellectual, dreary and boring to make for a good episode (thus affecting some of the riffing and host segments as well), along with the numerous cuts required to make the episode the regular duration of a MST3K episode (about 90 minutes). However like every episode in the series though, there are fans who think opposite of the general opinion and find this episode to be somewhat passable (especially when seen as a bold attempt from the crew at doing something different to the other movies they did).
 
   
  +
*''"He's memorizing Tim Allen's book."''
  +
:In comedian {{w|Tim Allen|Tim Allen's}} [[1996]] book ''I'm Not Really Here'', he shares his observations on why things are the way they are while sharing his offbeat opinions about the meaning of life and his personal role in it. It is heavy on the topics of philosophical thinking and quantum physics.
   
  +
*''"Hurray! Garrison Keillor's leaving Denmark!"''
'''Guest Stars'''
 
  +
:The soft-spoken and dry-witted {{w|Garrison Keillor}} is best-known as the creator of the Minnesota Public Radio show ''{{w|A Prairie Home Companion}}''. In [[1987]], Keillor moved from his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, to Copenhagen, Denmark, due to unwanted media coverage of his personal life. Two years later, he left Denmark to live in New York City. In [[1992]] he moved back to St. Paul.
   
*''Fortinbras'': [[Kevin Murphy]]
 
 
===Obscure References===
 
*''"You think you can take me? Go ahead on."''
 
:Mike is referencing [[Wikipedia:Joe Don Baker|Joe Don Baker's]] catchphrase from the experiment the week before, ''[[Final Justice]]''.
 
 
*''"Run-D.M.C. Everett Koop!"''
 
*''"Run-D.M.C. Everett Koop!"''
:[[Wikipedia:Run-D.M.C.|Run-D.M.C.]] was a pioneering hip-hop group. [[Wikipedia:C. Everett Koop|C. Everett Koop]] was the Surgeon General of the United States during the [[Wikipedia:Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] administration.
+
:{{w|Run-D.M.C.}} is one of the most influential acts in hip hop culture and one of the most famous of the 1980s. The group pioneered {{w|new school hip hop}} and often wore prominent neck chains and jewelry. {{w|C. Everett Koop}} was the Surgeon General of the United States during the [[Wikipedia:Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] administration. He had a beard similar to the character here.
  +
*''"Hamlet will return in '''Thunderball'''!"''
 
:A reference to the "James Bond will return in..." taglines that frequently appear during the closing credits of [[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]] movies. ''[[Wikipedia:Thunderball (film)|Thunderball]]'' was the fourth Bond film, released in 1965.
 
 
*''"Rap artist, The Notorious K.I.N.G."''
 
*''"Rap artist, The Notorious K.I.N.G."''
:A play on words referring to the rapper Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie Smalls), and to Claudius' large chains and necklaces.
+
:A play on words referring to the rapper {{w|The Notorious B.I.G.}} (aka Biggie Smalls) and to Claudius' large chains and necklaces.
  +
  +
*"''Woah'' ''is me''..."
  +
:Tom Servo gives the "Woah" inflection similarly to actor {{w|Joey Lawrence}} from the 1990s NBC sitcom ''{{w|Blossom_(TV_series)|Blossom}}''.
  +
  +
*''"And now, the tragedy of King Vitaman."''
  +
:{{w|King Vitaman}} is a brand of sweetened breakfast cereal produced by Quaker Oats from [[1968]]–[[2019]]. The mascot was sometimes an animated king and at other times portrayed by actor {{w|George_Mann (vaudeville performer)|George Mann}}.
  +
 
*''"Oh, shoot, Frank Rich is out there."''
 
*''"Oh, shoot, Frank Rich is out there."''
:Frank Rich was the theatre critic for the New York Times, capable of making or breaking a play with his review.
+
:{{w|Frank Rich}} is an American essayist who served as chief theater critic of ''The New York Times'' from [[1980]] to [[1993]], earning the nickname "Butcher of Broadway" for his supposed power over the prospects of Broadway shows.
  +
  +
*"''Laertes immediately bites his ear off!"''
  +
:On [[June 28]], [[1997]], {{w|Mike Tyson}} was disqualified in the third round of the {{w|Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II}} boxing match after biting both of {{w|Evander Holyfield|Evander Holyfield's}} ears, removing a chunk of the right ear in the process.
  +
 
*''"Hamlet will return in ''Thunderball''!"''
 
: A reference to the "James Bond will return in..." taglines that frequently appear during the closing credits of {{w|James Bond}} movies. ''[[Wikipedia:Thunderball (film)|Thunderball]]'' is the fourth Bond film, released in [[1965]].
  +
  +
==Memorable Quotes==
  +
:''[A disheveled Hamlet with mussed hair ominously approaches Ophelia.]''
  +
:'''Servo [as Hamlet]''': Ugh. I stuck a fork in the outlet.
  +
: . . .
  +
:''[Hamlet stares intently at Ophelia, then puts a hand to his head.]''
  +
:'''Mike [as Hamlet]''': ''[in stoner voice]'' Oh, man. Me and Horatio got blasted on aquavit — woke up on the express bus to Copenhagen.
  +
  +
:'''Crow [as Hamlet]''': Stepdad, could you help me with my science fair project?
  +
  +
:'''Servo [as the Ghost]''': SCROOGE! Oh, wait, wrong story.
  +
  +
:''[Hamlet talks with Ophelia in her "closet".]''
  +
: '''Ophelia''': My prince…
  +
:'''Servo [as Ophelia]''': ...are back from Fotomat.
  +
:. . .
  +
:'''Hamlet''': I never gave you aught.
  +
:'''Crow [as Ophelia]''': Tscha!
  +
:'''Ophelia''': My honored prince… you know right well you did.
  +
:'''Servo [as Hamlet]''': Right well did ''not''!
  +
  +
:'''King Claudius''': I like him not...
  +
:'''Crow [as Claudius]''': I like him. NOT!
  +
  +
:'''Hamlet''': To be or not to be...
  +
:'''Mike''': The literary equivalent of "Da-da-da-dunnn!"
  +
:'''Hamlet''': That is the question.
  +
:'''Crow''': I'll take "to be" for 50, Alex.
  +
:'''Hamlet''': Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune...
  +
:'''Servo''': Starring Shelly Long and Bette Midler!
  +
:'''Hamlet''': Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?
  +
:'''Mike''': Ow, my shin's right on the edge of a stair.
  +
:'''Hamlet''': To die: to sleep.
  +
:'''Crow''': Yeah, that's what we're doing right now, Bub.
  +
: '''Hamlet''': No more; and by a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to...
  +
:'''Mike''': Okay, we need a predicate, now.
  +
:'''Hamlet''': ...'tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd.
  +
:'''Crow''': Especially with Ophelia, man! ''[snickers]''
  +
: '''Mike''': Oh, you...
  +
:'''Hamlet''': To die, to sleep.
  +
:'''Servo''': To SLEEP!
  +
: '''Mike''': Whoa, that's an old chestnut.
  +
:'''Hamlet''': To sleep...
  +
:'''Servo''': To ''SLEEEEEP''
  +
:'''Hamlet''': Perchance to DREAM?
  +
:'''Servo''': The impossible DREAM?
  +
: '''Hamlet''': Aye, there's the rub.
  +
:'''Mike''': I knew I had some rub left...
  +
:. . .
  +
:'''Hamlet''': ...When he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin?
  +
:'''Crow''': Heh, he said "bare bodkin," hehe.
  +
:'''Hamlet''': Who would fardels bear...
  +
:'''Mike'''': Ha, fardels...
  +
:. . .
  +
:'''Hamlet''': And makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others—
  +
:'''Servo''': SUM UP!
  +
:'''Hamlet''': —that we know not of?
  +
:. . .
  +
:'''Mike''': So I'm a chicken for not stabbing myself—that's all you needed to say!
  +
  +
:''[Having stabbed an intruder behind Gertrude's tapestry, Hamlet discovers it is not the King, but Polonius.'']
  +
:'''Hamlet''': Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool!
  +
:'''Crow [as Polonius]''': Oh, right, it's ''my'' fault you killed me.
  +
  +
:'''Hamlet''': Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum.
  +
:'''Servo [as Hamlet]''': Fifty thousand, maybe.
  +
  +
:''[Hamlet and Laertes prepare to fence.]''
  +
:'''Hamlet''': Give us the foils.
  +
:'''Servo [as Hamlet]''': We shall some potatoes bake.
  +
  +
: ''[King Claudius holds out a cup of poisoned wine to Hamlet.]''
  +
:'''Claudius''': Here, to thy health.
  +
:'''Servo [as Claudius]''': ...coming to a sudden end.
  +
  +
:''[Claudius can only stare helplessly as Gertrude drinks the poison meant for Hamlet.]''
  +
:'''Mike [as Claudius]''': Oh. Great. Well, not looking forward to the Danish singles scene again...
   
===Video Release===
+
==Video Release==
  +
[[File:Mst3khamletDVD.jpg|thumb|317x317px|'''MST3K DVD Cover (2011 single version)''']]
*Commerically released on DVD by Rhino in November 2003 as part of ''The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Volume 4'', a 4-DVD set with ''[[Space Mutiny]]'', ''[[Girl in Gold Boots]]'', and ''[[Overdrawn at the Memory Bank]]'', the DVD was later pulled in January 2010 due to Rhino no longer obtaining the rights to distribute MST3k.
+
*Commercially released on DVD by [[Rhino Entertainment]] in November 2003 as part of ''The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Volume 4'', a 4-DVD set with ''[[MST3K 820 - Space Mutiny|Space Mutiny]]'', ''[[MST3K 1002 - Girl in Gold Boots|Girl in Gold Boots]]'', and ''[[MST3K 822 - Overdrawn at the Memory Bank|Overdrawn at the Memory Bank]]'', the set went out of print in January 2010 due to Rhino no longer holding the rights to distribute ''MST3K''.
*The DVD features an intro by [[Michael J. Nelson|Mike Nelson]], specifically taped for the release. Nelson acknowledges the slow pacing and general dreariness, and the amount of time need to cut out of the film (hence the angry Fortinbras).
 
*The episode was released as a DVD single in 2011 on the MST3K website.
+
*The episode was released as a DVD single in 2011 by [[Shout! Factory]].
  +
*The full set was [[Mystery Science Theater 3000 – Volume IV|re-released]] by Shout! in January 2017.
 
**The disc in the re-released box set features a new intro by [[Michael J. Nelson|Mike Nelson]]. He acknowledges the slow pacing, general dreariness, and the amount of time that needed to be cut out of the film.
   
 
{{Season10}}
 
{{Season10}}
  +
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamlet}}
 
[[Category:MST3K Episodes]]
 
[[Category:MST3K Episodes]]
 
[[Category:Season 10]]
 
[[Category:Season 10]]
[[Category:Foreign Film]]
 
 
[[Category:James Bond spoofs]]
 
[[Category:James Bond spoofs]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Kevin Murphy]]
+
[[Category:Star Trek spoofs]]
  +
[[Category:Directed by Michael J. Nelson]]

Latest revision as of 16:55, 16 January 2024

C'mon, man. We've seen like eight ghosts, none of 'em have been even close to my dad.
- Mike Nelson


Hamlet is the 9th episode of the tenth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and the 194th episode overall. It premiered on June 27, 1999.

The Movie

Main article: Hamlet (film)

Synopsis

In medieval Denmark, the prince Hamlet is told by a ghost that Hamlet's uncle Claudius has murdered Hamlet's father and married Hamlet's mother as a way to seize the throne. Hamlet must decide what action to take.

The Episode

Host Segments

Hamlet

Tom introduces his new name

Prologue: Tom reveals that he's changed his last name from Servo to the identically pronounced but differently spelt Sirveaux. He also reveals he's added a h to his first name, changing it not to the expected Thom but to Htom. Crow suggests Htom hlick him.

Segment One: While Crow introduces his new name change, Pearl puts the finishing touches on her deadly virus. Fortunately Mike is able to distract Pearl with playing three card monte to decide the choice of today's movie. Easily winning the rigged game, Mike selects Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Mike fails to specify which version, leaving Pearl to select the production of her choosing.

Mst3khamlet

Crow pretending to be Mike's dad

Segment Two: Crow & Tom's plan to scare Mike by pretending to be the ghost of his dead father fails because his dad isn't dead. Neither are any of the other relatives that the bots can name.

Segment Three: With the dreary German version covered, Tom & Crow attempt to come up with their own specialized productions of Hamlet. Their percussion version isn't any more successful than their scuba diving, buckethead, or all-furniture versions.

HamletCastle

Fortinbras (Kevin Murphy) visits Castle Forrester

Segment Four: Mike hosts "Alas Poor Who?", the game where players have to guess the identity of the person based on bones from their body. Crow loses because he guesses accurately but keeps forgetting to answer in the show's proper format.

Segment Five: The Bots have made their own Hamlet action figure, with a voice box that has a really, really long string to activate it. Meanwhile down in Castle Forrester the character Fortinbras resents being dropped from this movie's version of Hamlet and demands his scene be re-enacted, giving Pearl a worthy test subject for her virus.

Stinger: Claudius does a double take.

MST3K cast

Regular cast

Guest cast

Trivia

  • Unusual Credits: The "to be or not to be" speech plays over the ending theme.
  • This version of Hamlet was originally 152 minutes, requiring significant cuts to fit the runtime for the show. Kevin Murphy said, "...we found some relief in the fact that [this] play is astoundingly overwritten."
  • At the time this episode aired, all the individuals mentioned in the "Alas Poor Who?" sketch were still alive.
  • In 2016, the episode came in at #74 in the official Top 100 Episodes of MST3K poll, as voted on by donors to the Bring Back MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 campaign.

Callbacks

Obscure References

  • "San Quentin Prison presents Shakespeare."
San Quentin State Prison is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco. It is known for being austere.
  •  "Night fever, night fever/We know how to do it!"
"Night Fever" is a 1978 song written and performed by the Bee Gees. It first appeared on the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever.
  • "He's memorizing Tim Allen's book."
In comedian Tim Allen's 1996 book I'm Not Really Here, he shares his observations on why things are the way they are while sharing his offbeat opinions about the meaning of life and his personal role in it. It is heavy on the topics of philosophical thinking and quantum physics.
  • "Hurray! Garrison Keillor's leaving Denmark!"
The soft-spoken and dry-witted Garrison Keillor is best-known as the creator of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion. In 1987, Keillor moved from his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, to Copenhagen, Denmark, due to unwanted media coverage of his personal life. Two years later, he left Denmark to live in New York City. In 1992 he moved back to St. Paul.
  • "Run-D.M.C. Everett Koop!"
Run-D.M.C. is one of the most influential acts in hip hop culture and one of the most famous of the 1980s. The group pioneered new school hip hop and often wore prominent neck chains and jewelry. C. Everett Koop was the Surgeon General of the United States during the Reagan administration. He had a beard similar to the character here.
  • "Rap artist, The Notorious K.I.N.G."
A play on words referring to the rapper The Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie Smalls) and to Claudius' large chains and necklaces.
  • "Woah is me..."
Tom Servo gives the "Woah" inflection similarly to actor Joey Lawrence from the 1990s NBC sitcom Blossom.
  • "And now, the tragedy of King Vitaman."
King Vitaman is a brand of sweetened breakfast cereal produced by Quaker Oats from 19682019. The mascot was sometimes an animated king and at other times portrayed by actor George Mann.
  • "Oh, shoot, Frank Rich is out there."
Frank Rich is an American essayist who served as chief theater critic of The New York Times from 1980 to 1993, earning the nickname "Butcher of Broadway" for his supposed power over the prospects of Broadway shows.
  • "Laertes immediately bites his ear off!"
On June 28, 1997, Mike Tyson was disqualified in the third round of the Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II boxing match after biting both of Evander Holyfield's ears, removing a chunk of the right ear in the process.
  • "Hamlet will return in Thunderball!"
A reference to the "James Bond will return in..." taglines that frequently appear during the closing credits of James Bond movies. Thunderball is the fourth Bond film, released in 1965.

Memorable Quotes

[A disheveled Hamlet with mussed hair ominously approaches Ophelia.]
Servo [as Hamlet]: Ugh. I stuck a fork in the outlet.
. . .
[Hamlet stares intently at Ophelia, then puts a hand to his head.]
Mike [as Hamlet][in stoner voice] Oh, man. Me and Horatio got blasted on aquavit — woke up on the express bus to Copenhagen.
Crow [as Hamlet]: Stepdad, could you help me with my science fair project?
Servo [as the Ghost]: SCROOGE! Oh, wait, wrong story.
[Hamlet talks with Ophelia in her "closet".]
Ophelia: My prince…
Servo [as Ophelia]: ...are back from Fotomat.
. . .
Hamlet: I never gave you aught.
Crow [as Ophelia]: Tscha!
Ophelia: My honored prince… you know right well you did.
Servo [as Hamlet]: Right well did not!
King Claudius: I like him not...
Crow [as Claudius]: I like him. NOT!
Hamlet: To be or not to be...
Mike: The literary equivalent of "Da-da-da-dunnn!"
Hamlet: That is the question.
Crow: I'll take "to be" for 50, Alex.
Hamlet: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune...
Servo: Starring Shelly Long and Bette Midler!
Hamlet: Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?
Mike: Ow, my shin's right on the edge of a stair.
Hamlet: To die: to sleep.
Crow: Yeah, that's what we're doing right now, Bub.
Hamlet: No more; and by a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to...
Mike: Okay, we need a predicate, now.
Hamlet: ...'tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd.
Crow: Especially with Ophelia, man! [snickers]
Mike: Oh, you...
Hamlet: To die, to sleep.
Servo: To SLEEP!
Mike: Whoa, that's an old chestnut.
Hamlet: To sleep...
Servo: To SLEEEEEP
Hamlet: Perchance to DREAM?
Servo: The impossible DREAM?
Hamlet: Aye, there's the rub.
Mike: I knew I had some rub left...
. . .
Hamlet: ...When he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin?
Crow: Heh, he said "bare bodkin," hehe.
Hamlet: Who would fardels bear...
Mike': Ha, fardels...
. . .
Hamlet: And makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others—
Servo: SUM UP!
Hamlet: —that we know not of?
. . .
Mike: So I'm a chicken for not stabbing myself—that's all you needed to say!
[Having stabbed an intruder behind Gertrude's tapestry, Hamlet discovers it is not the King, but Polonius.]
Hamlet: Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool!
Crow [as Polonius]: Oh, right, it's my fault you killed me.
Hamlet: Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum.
Servo [as Hamlet]: Fifty thousand, maybe.
[Hamlet and Laertes prepare to fence.]
Hamlet: Give us the foils.
Servo [as Hamlet]: We shall some potatoes bake.
[King Claudius holds out a cup of poisoned wine to Hamlet.]
Claudius: Here, to thy health.
Servo [as Claudius]: ...coming to a sudden end.
[Claudius can only stare helplessly as Gertrude drinks the poison meant for Hamlet.]
Mike [as Claudius]: Oh. Great. Well, not looking forward to the Danish singles scene again...

Video Release

Mst3khamletDVD

MST3K DVD Cover (2011 single version)

  • Commercially released on DVD by Rhino Entertainment in November 2003 as part of The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Volume 4, a 4-DVD set with Space Mutiny, Girl in Gold Boots, and Overdrawn at the Memory Bank, the set went out of print in January 2010 due to Rhino no longer holding the rights to distribute MST3K.
  • The episode was released as a DVD single in 2011 by Shout! Factory.
  • The full set was re-released by Shout! in January 2017.
    • The disc in the re-released box set features a new intro by Mike Nelson. He acknowledges the slow pacing, general dreariness, and the amount of time that needed to be cut out of the film.