INVADERS FROM MARS
US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Karen Black, Hunter Carson, Timothy Bottoms, Laraine Newman, Bud Cort, Louise Fletcher.
Directed by Tobe Hooper.
Invaders from Mars is a big-budget remake of William Cameron Menzies' 1953 science fiction fantasy. Produced by the Cannon Group, it has special effects and style. It was directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Salem's Lot, The Fun House, Poltergeist, and a film which resembles the present one, Life Force). The film has an interesting cast: Karen Black and her son Hunter Carson (so effective in Paris, Texas), Timothy Bottoms, Louise Fletcher.
However, the film seems quite juvenile at times, a semi-serious spoof. This is important enough when it is revealed that the whole story is a young boy's nightmare - about to come true. However, for the duration of the film, it gives it an over-corniness which is hard to overcome. The acting seems somewhat over the top at times - but, again, makes some sense when seen from the perspective of the ending. This is particularly true of Louise Fletcher's over-wrought villainess and Karen Black's high-minded heroine. Hunter Carson has to look surprised and horrified a lot of the time - which he does with some enthusiasm, if not conviction.
An oddball science fantasy.
1. Entertaining science fiction? Fantasy? Big-budget treatment of B-budget story? Remake of a '50s film? Echoes of The invasion of the Body Snatchers? Close Encounters?
2. Popular science fiction? For what audience? Effects, stunts?
3. The American family and the effect of the invasion? and the invasion? The change?
4. The small town and its atmosphere?
5. The dialogue and incidents appearing juvenile? The revelation of the young boy's perspective and nightmare? The structure of the film? The boy waking up? The real invasion?
6. The young boy, typical American youngster, relationship with his parents, nice scenes of domestic life, care, his father's work? The material of situation comedy? This being interrupted by the invasion and the body-snatching?
7. The invaders, the decision to go to the U.S., the installations, previous experiments, the Marines going in? The spaceship and the encounter? Over the hill from the house? The focus on the American house? The tunnels, the monsters? The takeovers and the bodysnatching? The effect and the bizarre consequences? The plots, the infiltration, the clashes? The attack by the Marines? Destroying the Martians? The tunnels? The Marines being engulfed in the attack? The heroine, the deadly ray? Last minute rescues, the chases, the take-off? The comic strip nightmare of a boy?
7. The portrait of the boy - at home, school, the teacher and her attack, his loving parents and their behaviour parodied when they were taken over, his having to cope, fear, sharing the story with the nurse, with the Marines? Going in, the dangers, heroism? Waking up? Starting again? Juvenile fantasy and horror?
8. The typical American parents, nice, becoming zombies when taken over, the parody of the ordinary loving behaviour, their reactions, the dangers, the chase, their being saved and returning to normal? The story starting again?
9. The nurse and her role in the school, nice, helping, standing up to the teacher, the Marines, the adventures, being swallowed up, tied up like the melodrama heroine with the ray inching towards her? The final rescue?
10. The teacher and her harshness, the frogs, eating the frog, going into the tunnels, subservient to the Martians, controlling the machines, devoured by them - the Wicked Witch of the West type?
11. The Marines, the gung-ho General, his blatant dialogue? Motives, rescuing the child? Political implications? The Marines, firing against the monsters, being swept up, the rays taking them over?
12. The visualising of the Martians - monsters out of Star Wars? Special effects? Destroying humans? Science fantasy as nightmare?
