News: vol. 10 replacement disc on Feb. 5

[Donna IS 3 times a lady!]

The Wired blog has an update on the re-release of MST3K vol. 10, with the Giant Gila Monster replacement disc. Best of all, it gives more info on the little skit with Joel, Trace, Frank, and J. Elvis that's included.
blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/01/joel-the-bots-r.html
Since this board's content is now "Members Only," I'll go ahead and quote the post in full.

Updating coverage on Mystery Science Theater 3000's return via Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax, the original MST3K cast of Joel Hodgson, Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo will return (just briefly) on the Feb. 5 DVD release of the original show's episode 402: The Giant Gila Monster.

The new DVD is meant to fit into a previous episode set to replace a Godzilla title to which Rhino no longer has video rights.

Joel and the robots return to the Satellite of Love to demonstrate how to insert the new DVD into the original set without upsetting Godzilla or copyright lawyers. Dr. Clayton Forrester (Trace Beaulieu) and TV's Frank (Frank Conniff) lend a hand from Deep 13.

The DVD will be available only at Rhino's website for a limited time as of Feb. 5 for $7.98.

I am excited at the thought of those guys returning, even briefly, to their old roles. Definitely worth the money for that alone!
If only we could pre-order the disc. It's going to be hard to wait till February 5th!

[Queen Shadowrama]

Are you serious? Joel's getting in his jumpsuit again??? The Bots are back (and not in that crappy web toon way)??

OMG that is the greatest news EVAR!!! I am so gonna get this now!

Wait, who's gonna be Servo?

[Donna IS 3 times a lady!]

You're not the only confused. Mod City at the Other Board asked the same thing. I'll just cut-n-paste my answer from there to here.
It's pretty clear that Servo will be voiced by J. Elvis. Note it says, "the original MST3K cast." Satellite News said back in November that "one of the features of the disk will be a short sketch featuring Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu and J. Elvis Weinstein commenting on the SNAFU that led to the withdrawal and re-release."
I guess Frank's appearance is another bonus!

[Queen Shadowrama]

Well that's cool! This is exciting...February 5th needs to get here sooner!

[Robyn]

Wow. Looks like hell has frozen over...AGAIN. (Seems like that's been happening a lot, lately.) ;D

This is going to be sooooo weird. I mean, I'm excited, but I can't help but think they're getting a bit too old to be playing with puppets. XD

[Queen Shadowrama]

Joel could be 90 years old and still do MST for all I care! ;D

[Donna IS 3 times a lady!]

Yesterday I started having second thoughts about the "Message from Joel" skit. All of the sets and props were sold off after the show ended. It doesn't seem likely that any of the guys have much, if any, of the old parts. It's possible that they might have an old Crow or Servo. But as far as Joel and the guys physically "returning to the Satellite of Love" or the Mads to Deep 13--it simply doesn't seem possible. While Trace is extremely talented and all, even he can't rebuild both sets from scratch!
So now it seems to me that the Wired blogger was exaggerating or speaking metaphorically, or plain wrong. Not that the setting matters terribly to me. It's just great to have the guys together again.

Now, some of the Other Board posters thought that they might be doing this with a combination of CT-style silhouettes and lumikey (sp?) or green-screen backgrounds. That could well be so. Or they could simply be doing a sort of voice-over narration to a hokey film showing how to put a DVD in a DVD case.
But, dang, I kinda want to see their faces, you know?

The MST3K Info newsletter on Wednesday had some more info on the disc:

Our source also tells us it will only be available for a limited time (essentially until the limited pressing runs out–although we were also told that if sales are really strong initially, they may do a second pressing).
[...] We can also confirm this report,
[http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/01/joel-the-bots-r.html]
which says that Dr. Forrester (Trace Beaulieu) and TV’s Frank (Frank Conniff) are also in the “Message from Joel” and that Tom Servo and Crow also have speaking roles.

Note the wording: "speaking roles," not "appearing" roles.

Also, Satellite News posted the link to Rhino's Gila pre-order page. My pre-order is all set. Now to wait until the official release date, 2/11/08, and then to count the days till it gets here.
W00t!