I caught this on UPN the other night, and it reminded my how much I have a soft spot for it, if only for the sheer ridiculousness. I don't know if Tim Burton intended it as satire or parody; regardless, it works well either way (and if you can't guess that "It's Not Unusual" isn't his favorite song with Tom Jones all over the movie singing it twice, less power to you). Maybe they'd've had a better gross if they hadn't come out right after Independence Day.
What a wild and crazy group of stars we've got in this one, especially Jack Nicholson in his memorable dual role. His President James Dale is my very favorite big screen commander-in-chief, even though the guy conducts the White House as if it were the Sammy Maudlin Show and surrounds himself with people absolutely drowning in self-confidence (how Pierce Brosnan's character got to be a top scientist when he clearly spends most of his time watching fashion shows is a prime example of bizarre movie logic). It's the little things in his performance, especially since everyone else goes way over the top, that make it memorable, a personal favorite being that resigned look on his face after the Martians diffuse the ICMBs thrown at them and swallow the radiation like helium, the look that says, "I had a distinct feeling this was going to go wrong from the beginning." Classic.
And the Martians themselves are quite amusing. Whether it's destroying world monuments (love their Kodak moment at the destruction of the Taj Mahal) or getting down with anything errotic, they do it with a special flare that's somehow beyond describing.
What do you think of this film?
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
I never could get into this film. To me, it was sheer awfulness at its finest. But to each his/her own...
Posted by Stitch (Member # 2895) on :
Love it! Especially how Slim Whitman music causes the Martian heads to explode. And it's probably the only role I've enjoyed Annette Bening doing.
Posted by raggedyman (Member # 4065) on :
I never enjoyed this either. it just didn't work. combine this and Burton's PLANET OF THE APES and it confirms that the guy cannot do sci-fi.
Posted by Kash (Member # 297) on :
Scatter gun comedy usually yeilds minimum rewards, but Mars Attacks! was exactly how I'd imagine a movie based on a card series would be. And though it was overblown vanity film-making at its worst, there were a few funny moments from time to time (e.g. Brosnan and Sarah Jessica Parker in the UFO, Jack Nicholson's pres riffing off lines from 'Easy Rider' and ya gotta love the Tom Jones cameo).
Posted by Spooka Lupa (Member # 2700) on :
I like Tim Burton, but this one always scared me. It just didn't hit the mark with me, but I see what his intent was. I'd have to agree about Planet of the Apes as well. Better off to watch Nightmare Before Christmas or Sleepy Hollow.
Posted by Jessie the Sunflower Goddess (Member # 1877) on :
I cannot believe all of the people that were in this? They had to take scale wages or something.
I liked the pairing of Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael J. Fox. Definately was a Tim Burton movie to the most extremes. Not one that I would want to watch over and over but it was definately entertaining. I also liked the comedic turns of Glenn Close and Jack Nicholson.
