Mars Attacks! (1996)
Taking a comic approach to the alien invasion movie, Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! is based upon the controversial, short-lived Topps trading card series of the same name – originally released in 1962. The cards depicted Earth being invaded by evil Martians, who used torture and slaughter to wipe the planet clean. The film – written by Jonathan Gems – parodied B movies, and attracted an enviable cast, including Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Natalie Portman and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Skewering everything from Ed Wood’s back catalogue to Dr. Strangelove, Mars Attacks! works hard to strike a very specific tone and humour, while retaining an unsettling and scary atmosphere. Though it was released in the same year as the box office smash hit Independence Day, Mars Attacks! has found a larger audience in the years since it invaded cinemas.
Published: Jul 9, 2014 01:05 pm