On DVD: The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo

Film Directed by: James L. Wolcott

Presented by: Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy

Fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000 rejoice! Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy are back with a new project: the Film Crew. They guys do what we love, find a terrible old movie and proceed to rip it apart with funny wisecracks and comments. The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo was recently released by The Shout Factory on DVD and I gladly gave it a spin.

The Movie

Wow, Wild Women of Wongo is a truly terrible piece of celluloid, so the guys at The Film Crew are going to have a buffet of badness to feast upon.

Basically, the premise of Wild Women of Wongo is that Mother Nature, bored and unsatisfied, decided to try something different. She made two tribes, on filled with beautiful women and unattractive men called the Wongo tribe. She then made the Goona tribe, filled with attractive men and unattractive women. She then sits back, and waits for the two tribes to meet. This meeting is the basis of Wild Women of Wongo.

And, you should see how these Wongo women react to the beefcake offered by the Goona tribes. They go absolutely berserk. They turn against their people and focus all their time and attention to the Goona men, resulting in the destruction of the “Dragon God”, a suspiciously crappy looking idol that resembles a cheap plush toy on a stick. This humiliates the dragon god and he banishes the women to Dragon temple where the god will pick one of them for a sacrifice. The Wongo women turn to the hunks at Goona for help. However, the “Plain Janes” of the Goona tribe are fast on their heels as well.

Did I mention when the director needed a bit of “comic relief”, he inserts a clip of a parrot squawking repeatedly randomly throughout the film? Can you still call it “comic relief if it really isn’t all that funny, but rather irritating?

So, Wild Women of Wongo won’t be winning any cinematic awards. But, we all know that, Mike, Bill and Kevin would never pick a good movie to skewer. The question that needs answering is: can The Film Crew make us laugh anyway?

The answer to that question is: yes. Mostly. While Mike and the gang get a few gut busters in, there are some times where the film is just so bad that you almost can’t find something to joke about.

And, anyone knows that is a dedicated fan of MST3K that the gang wins some and loses some. Not every film and accompanying joke track can be Manos: The Hands of Fate, Soultaker or Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders.

So, all things considered, if you have any or all of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 boxsets on your DVD shelf, this DVD should go right next to it. I can’t wait for the next Film Crew release!

7.5/10

The Video

The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo is presented in the original full frame aspect ratio. The condition of the film looks to be pretty damaged, but the people at The Shout Factory have done a decent job transferring this terrible film look about as good as it can.

6.5/10

The Audio

The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo is presented in the original audio mix. The dialogue is clear and every clever remark by the gang is easily understood.

6/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features

The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo is presented in a standard amaray case that features some of the beauty that Wongo and Goona have to offer.

The bonus features offered on this release are enjoyable, albeit not plentiful. The Bonus Sketches are funny with Kevin explaining that Wongo is located between Narnia, Toon Town and the Island of Misfit Toys in one.

Make the Film Crew Dance is an odd bonus feature as it seems like it would be intereactive, but it really isn’t. Goodbye Wongo Style is a funny and appropriate bonus feature to add.

That’s about all in the bonus feature department. Wouldn’t it have been nice for The Film Crew to find one of those great old educational films and provide some funny commentary like in the old MST3K days?

6/10

This fascinating true story is retold here with polish and attention to detail.  The historical accuracy of this film may be responsible for keeping it from being as action packed as say a Bourne movie but that same historical accuracy makes the film a must see.  Don't get me wrong I know this film is dramatized but at the same time the filmmakers didn't take the whole thing to an extreme which so often happens.  In other words there aren't any shoot-outs with guns having limitless ammo or explosions.  Fans of the spy thriller must see this film period.

Overall (Not an Average) 7.5/10

The Review

The Movie 7.5/10

The Video 6.5/10

The Audio 6/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features 6/10

Overall (Not an Average) 7.5/10

-Suzie Lackey