Person Detail
Michael J. Nelson
Catalogued films 283Director 11Actor 281
Michael J. Nelson is the former host and writer of the Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning Mystery Science Theater 3000. Since that time, he has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, penned a regular column for TV Guide, and authored best-selling books for both HarperCollins and Abrams. His first book, Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, thrilled critics, including Richard Schickel of Time Magazine, who said of Mike, "He's more fun than a barrel of Val Kilmers... Smarter than a roomful of Patrick Swayzes... and almost as hilarious as Keanu Reeves." Mike's laugh-out-loud follow-up, Mind Over Matters, prompted Kirkus Reviews to enthuse, "From someplace called Minnesota comes a Nelson funnier than Ozzie, Ricky, Lord or Half," and even dared to compare him to another legendary writer, saying of his Serious Speech to Business People, "[It] could easily precede [Robert] Benchley's immortal Treasurer's Report." And Kirkus Reviews loved his novel, Death Rat!, saying, "Fast-paced, outrageous and funny, first-novelist Nelson's mockery of media mendacity is as biting as La Dolce Vita or Network--only funnier!" Nelson speaks all over the country, is a frequent guest on radio and television, and along with fellow former MST3K writers/performers Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy operate a podcast called RiffTrax, which, in a similar vein to MST3K, targets more mainstream films.
Filmography
Titles and credit roles
Director credits
0/11
RiffTrax Live: Timecop
GrimTrax
RiffTrax: Mikey
RiffTrax: Mirror Mirror
RiffTrax: Savage
RiffTrax Presents: Devil Girl from Mars
RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors
RiffTrax: Kill and Kill Again
RiffTrax: Final Justice
RiffTrax: Fist of Fury- RIRiffTrax: Missile to the Moon (Mike Nelson and Fred Willard Edition)
Actor credits
0/271
RiffTrax Live: Point Break
RiffTrax: In the Line of Duty 2: The Super Cops
RiffTrax Live: RAD
RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing
Rifftrax: Rapid Assault
Riff Trax: Things
RiffTrax: Zombie Nightmare
Rifftrax: Winterbeast
Rifftrax: Old
RiffTrax: Max Havoc: Ring of Fire- RIRiffTrax: Escape from the Bronx
Rifftrax: Dune 2021
RiffTrax: Robot Monster
RiffTrax: Day of the Assassin
RiffTrax: Hack-O-Lantern
RiffTrax: Fugitive Rage
RiffTrax: A Dangerous Man
RiffTrax: Cats
RiffTrax: The Retrievers
RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins
Rifftrax: Gumby - The Movie
RiffTrax: Atomic Eden
RiffTrax: Copper Mountain
RiffTrax: Dangerous Men
RiffTrax: Universal Soldier II
RiffTrax: Max Havoc - Curse of the Dragon
RiffTrax: San Franpsycho
RiffTrax: Shrunken Heads
RiffTrax: Invaders from Mars
RiffTrax: Fungicide
RiffTrax: Frozen Scream
RiffTrax: The Last Man on Earth
RiffTrax: Maximum Revenge
RiffTrax: Dancin': It's On!
RiffTrax: Double Dragon
RiffTrax: Baby Ghost
RiffTrax Live: Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes
RiffTrax: The Alien Dead
Rifftrax: Father Frost
RiffTrax: The Minion
Rifftrax: Yor - The Hunter from the Future
RiffTrax: Charade
Rifftrax: Stitches
Riftrax: Lycan Colony
Rifftrax: The Most Dangerous Game
Rifftrax: Avengers: Endgame
Rifftrax: Lovely but Deadly
RiffTrax: The Return
Rifftrax: Beaks!
RiffTrax: Aladdin
Rifftrax: It's a Wonderful Life (Special RiffTrax Edit)
RiffTrax: Sunset Strip
RiffTrax: Hijacked: Flight 285
RiffTrax: Light Blast
RiffTrax: Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders
RiffTrax: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker
RiffTrax: Velvet Smooth
RiffTrax: Battle for the Lost Planet
RiffTrax: Martial Law 2 - Under Cover
RiffTrax: Bounty Tracker
RiffTrax: Jack-O
RiffTrax: Suburban Sasquatch
RiffTrax: Vengeance of the Dead
RiffTrax: Ninja Warlord
RiffTrax Live: Octaman
RiffTrax: Subspecies IV: The Awakening
Rifftrax: Contamination
RiffTrax: Feeders 2: Slay Bells
Rifftrax: Blood Theatre
RiffTrax: The Visitor
RiffTrax: Karate Cop
RiffTrax: Feeders
RiffTrax: Kill or Be Killed
RiffTrax: Giant from the Unknown
RiffTrax: 1900: Bronx Warriors
RiffTrax: Yesterday's Target
RiffTrax: Rats - Night of Terror
RiffTrax: The Girl from Rio
RiffTrax: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
RiffTrax: Zombie AKA I Eat Your Skin
RiffTrax: Killers from Space
Rifftrax: Attack of the Super Monsters
RiffTrax: The Power
RiffTrax: Robo Vampire
Rifftrax: The Million Eyes of Sumuru
RiffTrax: Martial Law
RiffTrax: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Rifftrax: Dark Future
RiffTrax: Godmonster of Indian Flats
RiffTrax: Berserker - Hell's Warrior
RiffTrax: Oblivion 2 - Backlash
RiffTrax: Spiker
Rifftrax: Ice Cream Man
Rifftrax: Starship Invasions
RiffTrax: Terror in the Wax Museum
RiffTrax: The Phantom Creeps
RiffTrax: Son of Sinbad
RiffTrax: Ready Player One
RiffTrax: Truckers Woman
Rifftrax: Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rifftrax: The Dark
Rifftrax: The House on Sorority Row
Rifftrax: A Talking Cat!?!
RiffTrax: The Fairy King of Ar
RiffTrax: Gammera the Invincible
RiffTrax: Omega Cop
RiffTrax: Invasion of the Animal People
RiffTrax: The Journey: Absolution
Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop
RiffTrax: Mind Ripper
Rifftrax: The Wonderful Land of Oz
Rifftrax: Grizzly
Rifftrax: Pressure Point
RiffTrax: Uninvited
RiffTrax: The Little Unicorn
RiffTrax: Game of Thrones: The Red Wedding (Episode 309)
RiffTrax: Day of the Animals
RiffTrax Live: Carnival of Souls
Rifftrax: Replica
Rifftrax: Jack Frost
RiffTrax: Oblivion
Rogue One
RiffTrax: Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident
Rifftrax: Batman v. Superman
RiffTrax: Merlin the Return
RiffTrax: Ator the Fighting Eagle
RiffTrax: Star Games
RiffTrax: Retro Puppet Master
RiffTrax: The Psychotronic Man
RiffTrax: Miami Connection
RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016
RiffTrax: Deadly Prey
RiffTrax: Honor and Glory
RiffTrax: Arachnia
RiffTrax: Samurai Cop
RiffTrax: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Rifftrax: Attack from Space
RiffTrax: Cyber Tracker
RiffTrax: Super Argo and the Faceless Giants
Rifftrax: Hillbillys in a Haunted House
Rifftrax: The Last Shark
RiffTrax: Icebreaker
Rifftrax: Ruby
Rifftrax: Astro-Zombies
Rifftrax Live: The Room
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015
RiffTrax: Radical Jack
RiffTrax: The Incredible Two Headed Transplant
RiffTrax: Fever Lake
RiffTrax: Rock N Roll Nightmare
RiffTrax: Rollergator
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2
RiffTrax: MANOS the Hands of Fate (Studio Version)
RiffTrax: Julie and Jack
RiffTrax: Stone Cold
RiffTrax: Birdemic (Studio Edition)
RiffTrax: The Hideous Sun Demon
RiffTrax: The Dark Power
Rifftrax: The Magic Sword
RiffTrax: Kiss of the Tarantula
Rifftrax: No Retreat, No Surrender
RiffTrax: To Catch a Yeti
Rifftrax: I Believe in Santa Claus
RiffTrax: Alien Outlaw
RiffTrax: Wonder Women
RiffTrax: Death Promise
RiffTrax Live: Godzilla- RIRiffTrax: Night of the Lepus
RiffTrax: Cyborg Cop 2
RiffTrax: The Beast of the Yellow Night
RiffTrax: Terror at Tenkiller
Rifftrax: Super Mario Bros.
RiffTrax: The Bride and the Beast
RiffTrax: Sisters of Death
RiffTrax: Attack of the Puppet People
RiffTrax: The City of the Dead
Rifftrax: Fun in Balloon Land
Rifftrax: The Wizard of Oz
Riffftrax: R.O.T.O.R.
Rifftrax: Dinosaurus
Rifftrax: Yambaó
RiffTrax: Hawk the Slayer
RiffTrax: The Last Slumber Party
Rifftrax: The Sword and the Sorcerer
Rifftrax: Zindy the Swamp Boy
RiffTrax: Jack the Giant Killer
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013
Rifftrax: Cool as Ice
RiffTrax: Viva Knievel!
RiffTrax: The Apple
RiffTrax: Kingdom of the Spiders
RiffTrax: When a Stranger Calls Back
RiffTrax: Psycho 2
Rifftrax: Breaker! Breaker!
RiffTrax: McBain
Rifftrax: Supersonic Man
Rifftrax: Swamp of the Ravens
RiffTrax: Firehead
Rifftrax: Dr. Who and the Daleks
RiffTrax: Fangs of the Living Dead
RiffTrax: Treasure of the Amazon
RiffTrax: Silent Rage
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead
Rifftrax: The Bermuda Triangle
RiffTrax: Mutant
RiffTrax: Future Zone
RiffTrax: Tourist Trap
RiffTrax: Future Force
RiffTrax: Neutron the Atomic Superman vs. the Death Robots
RiffTrax: Mesa of Lost Women
RiffTrax: The Revenge of Doctor X
RiffTrax Live: Manos - The Hands of Fate
Rifftrax: Frankenstein Island
RiffTrax: Curse of Bigfoot
Christmas with RiffTrax: Santa's Village of Madness
RiffTrax: Captain America: The First Avenger
RiffTrax: The Hunger Games
Rifftrax: The Guy from Harlem
RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror
Rifftrax: Ghosthouse
Rifftrax: Bloody Pit of Horror
Rifftrax: Brainiac
RiffTrax: Prisoners of the Lost Universe
Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer
RiffTrax: Birdemic: Shock and Terror
RiffTrax: The Crater Lake Monster
Rifftrax: Warriors of the Wasteland
Rifftrax: Order in the Shorts
RiffTrax: The Devil's Hand
RiffTrax: Laser Mission
RiffTrax: Abraxas
Rifftrax: Buffalo Rider
RiffTrax: The Sons of Hercules in the Land of Darkness
RiffTrax: The Galaxy invader
Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness
Rifftrax: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
RiffTrax: The Boy in the Plastic Bubble
Rifftrax: The Last Airbender
RiffTrax: High School Musical
Rifftrax: Wide World of Shorts
Rifftrax: Avatar
RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill
RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!
RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
RiffTrax: Voodoo Man
RiffTrax: Missile to the Moon
RiffTrax: Maniac
RiffTrax: Planet of Dinosaurs
Rifftrax: Titanic
RiffTrax: Swing Parade
Rifftrax: Plan 9 from Outer Space
Rifftrax: Jurassic Park
RiffTrax: Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Rifftrax: Next
Rifftrax: The Wicker Man
Daredevil
Rifftrax: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Rifftrax: The Star Wars Holiday Special
Independence Day
RiffTrax: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
RiffTrax: Halloween
Rifftrax: The Matrix- THThe Fifth Element
Reefer Madness - Colorized
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
This Is MST3K
The Year of Laughing Dangerously