JOHN CARPENTER'S GHOSTS OF MARS
US, 2001, 90 minutes, Colour.
Natasha Henstridge, Jason Statham, Ice Cube, Pam Greer, Clea DuVall?, Joanna Cassidy, Robert Carradine, Rosemary Forsythe.
Directed by John Carpenter.
John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars seems a great disappointment for a film from the creator of Assault on Precinct 13 and Halloween, as well as many genre films during the '80s. During the '90s Carpenter has tended to go back to the genres but seems, in some ways, to be imitating himself. There are echoes of Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York, Escape from LA and The Thing in this film. Commentators also point out that a lot of the ingredients come from other writings and films about Mars, especially Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and the film Quartermass and The Pit. There was a series of films about Mars in 1999-2000: Mission to Mars, Red Planet, Pitch Black.
While this film does have some interesting ingredients, especially the re-creation of the dusty red planet, the mines and technology that seem even dingier than those of Earth, the original inhabitants of Mars being an unseen force who take the forms of the miners they possess and lead marauding gangs, all have some impact for fans of this kind of science fiction. However, the human characters seem particularly limited and many of the aspects of their characters, especially relationships, and means to save themselves are not followed through. Natasha Henstridge is the heroine, a strong Ripley-like heroine, with Henstridge being able to draw on her experience of being in the two Species films. British Jason Statham (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Mean Machine, The Transporter), is an unlikely hero. Joanna Cassidy, with echoes of Bladerunner, is present as the nuclear scientist. Ice Cube and Pam Greer are black icons from the music world as well as of the action films of the '70s. It is a strange mixture.
1. Audience interest in the exploration of the planet Mars, developments of human settlements on Mars, the demands made on the human settlers, the eerie unknown history of the planet itself?
2. The work of John Carpenter and his using his name in the title? His earlier assault and siege films and this film paralleling the situations, treatment, visual style? Carpenter's contribution to the atmospheric musical score?
3. The credibility of the plot: the Earth inhabitants on Mars, the use of Mars as a mining outpost, the new technology, nuclear facilities? The regulation of life on Mars? The matriarchy and the initial information during the credits? The council?
4. The original inhabitants of Mars, their being an unseen force, hostile to the humans taking over their planet? Their ability to take possession of humans, their superhuman power (yet able to be killed, especially shot, because of the human bodies they inhabit)? Their shifting in the wind and in breath into other bodies? The leader and his Marilyn Manson-like appearance, leading the horde? The other miners being taken over? The remnant and their being possessed in succession? The build-up to the confrontations?
5. The structure of the film: the train arriving, the interrogation of Melanie Ballard, her telling the story, the flashbacks - and even flashbacks within flashbacks? The complication of this narrative development? The continual returning to Melanie? The end of the interrogation and questions about the future of people on Mars?
6. The basic plot line: the train on auto-pilot, arriving back, Melanie being the only survivor? The irony of Williams and his escape and her lying for him? The mission to go and get Williams and bring him back? The arrival with the train, the experience of the dangers? The team: Jericho, Bashira, being led by Helena Braddock. The investigations, Helena's being killed? Her head on the pole? Jericho and his search? The discovery of the miners? The deserted town and the possessed people, like the Living Dead, appearing? The confrontations, the tactics, the people getting killed? Bashira making mistakes? Jericho and his relationship with Melanie, the sexual encounter (seeming to be cut from the print of the film)? The tensions between them? The discovery of the three men, the irony of Williams' brother and his henchmen? Williams in his cell, having to trust him, getting him out?
7. Melanie and her strength, her leadership, decisions? The relationship with Williams, his innocence, his being scapegoated for the deaths on Mars? His brother, the hostility? Melanie and her relationship with Jericho, with Bashira?
8. The scenes of the possessed miners, the pursuits, the battles, the tactics? Bashira and her death?
9. The calling back of the train, the difficulties, trying to get out of the blocked rooms? The doors keeping out the possessed? The breath coming and taking possession within the walls? The advice of Dr Whitlock, her explanations, the nuclear plant?
10. The final strategies, racing to the train, the blowing of the nuclear plant? The train, the death of the assistant driver? Their escape? The fights in the train, on the roof of the train? Melanie and Williams being the only survivors?
11. The popularity of this kind of science fiction and imagination? Old themes of pioneers, mining towns, the American West all transplanted into the Mars of the future?
