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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Bad Movies  |  Invaders from Mars (1986) « previous next »
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Author Topic: Invaders from Mars (1986)  (Read 6569 times)
Kooshmeister
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Must have caffeine...


« on: December 09, 2013, 04:46:02 PM »



Heh, virtually word for word from my post over on the Classic Horror Film Board, but what the heck...

Another remake... and one I prefer slightly to original. Unlike Village of the Damned, I have seen the original Invaders from Mars and liked it, but for some reason, the 80's remake just sort of "clicked" with me more.

While remakes are usually hit and miss, this Tobe Hooper-directed film is actually quite well done, at least in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I like the original as well. But this one has a palpable atmosphere of slowly-building eerie dread and discomfort, helped along by a spooky score courtesy of Christopher Young and David Storrs (which I'm so glad was released by Intrada). The Stan Winston-created Martians are also a highlight, particularly the big-brained leader, and I have nothing but praise for the special effects used for whenever someone gets sucked underneath the sand. I'm unsure how they did it (some kind of swirling machinery? Reversing the film?) but it looks fantastic and creepy. As far as performances go, I love James Karen (Frank from The Return of the Living Dead!) as Marine General Wilson.

If I have one complaint it's that the film adheres almost too closely to the original, including the copout ending. Yes, in both versions, I hate the "It was all just a dream!" ending, I don't care what anyone says.

I also disliked that despite being overall more violent than the original, it fails to properly depict just how wrong the possessed people are supposed to be acting. Here, David's parents just act sort of spaced out and develop inexplicable, weird eating and drinking habits, whereas in the original they were harsh and violent; David's mere mention of the injury on the back of his father's neck earned him a backhand which knocks him to the floor. That shocked me as a kid. There is no such harshness here from the people the Martians possess. They're just weird.

Beyond that, it's a solid movie, and I highly recommend it as a pretty decent piece of 80's sci-fi and an example of an overall decent remake, up there with The Fly, The Thing and The Blob from the same decade.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2013, 01:25:18 AM by Kooshmeister » Logged
zombie no.one
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Oookaay...


« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2013, 06:38:59 PM »

thanks for the review. never even knew this was remade, let alone by tobe hooper

seen the original, quite enjoyed its primitive schlock-y-ness (and some of the worst 'martians' ever committed to film)
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Kooshmeister
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Must have caffeine...


« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2013, 01:19:55 AM »

Judging by some of the replies I got on the other forum, it isn't a very well-liked movie; they all seem to prefer the original, but I rather like the remake more. I sometimes feel a little alone in my appreciation of the movie.
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Bushma
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« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2013, 08:24:36 PM »

I've only ever seen this remake and I really like it.
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WingedSerpent
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I AM THE BAD PHOTOSHOP EFFECT!


« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2013, 09:15:24 PM »

I've never really seen the original. I've seen some clips of it. This had a nice bio-mechanical art direction to it.  I've told people who were fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles if they'd like to know what Krang would look like in live action-the head brain creature is probably the best place to look.


Krang
« Last Edit: December 10, 2013, 09:17:26 PM by WingedSerpent » Logged

At least, that's what Gary Busey told me...
Kooshmeister
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Must have caffeine...


« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2013, 01:35:46 PM »

Tie-in novel:



It's quite a bit nastier than the film in some places. For example, when the Martian digging machine comes up through the floor, in the book the whirling blades cut the two policemen into bloody chunks, unlike in the movie where they just get knocked backwards and disappear. Mrs. McKeltch's death is also a bit gorier; the Martian chews her up instead of swallowing her whole.
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Kooshmeister
The King of Koosh!
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Must have caffeine...


« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2013, 07:32:12 PM »

I've never really seen the original. I've seen some clips of it. This had a nice bio-mechanical art direction to it.  I've told people who were fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles if they'd like to know what Krang would look like in live action-the head brain creature is probably the best place to look.




Heh, yeah, everyone makes that comparison! The Supreme Intelligence (as brainiac there is called) is totally live-action Krang.
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Neville
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« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2013, 01:27:45 PM »

Remember watching this one a couple of years back. I had just re-watched "Lifeforce" and thought it was holding up very well, so tried this one despite the negative reactions found elsewhere.

I thought it looked badly put together and way too campy for my taste. The highlight for me was a supporting character eating a frog for no apparent reason, so go figure. On the other hand, I have fond memories of the B/W original. I saw it only once as a kid and scared the hell out of me. That sand whirlwind, and how unnatural the father looked after he was "turned"... I'll probably find the whole thing childish if I watch it again, but I'm somehow tempted.
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Kooshmeister
The King of Koosh!
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Must have caffeine...


« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2013, 03:54:35 PM »

On the other hand, I have fond memories of the B/W original.

Except it was in color.  Smile

I don't think the remake was campy at all. I found it very atmospheric and creepy. The original started out well, with some genuinely disturbing scenes involving the possessed people (especially the parents) and many a startling moment, but the climax was a letdown because of just how hokey the Martians were - to say nothing of that copout ending (which unfortunately the remake suffers from, too). The Martians in the remake are kinda goofy-looking, too, but at least they look organic and not like guys in cloth costumes and welder's goggles. I also think the remake did a better job of showing people being sucked under the ground. This was startling in the original when it happened suddenly and silently, but I just think it looked really fake.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2013, 04:08:53 PM by Kooshmeister » Logged
zombie no.one
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Oookaay...


« Reply #9 on: December 15, 2013, 04:29:35 PM »

if you're into a bit of hard rock there's a track by Wolfsbane inspired by the film

ycQtOsb1oSs


at 0:57 and 1:45 dialogue from the original film is recited by the singer
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Neville
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« Reply #10 on: December 16, 2013, 08:40:34 AM »

On the other hand, I have fond memories of the B/W original.

Except it was in color.  Smile


Really?!  Buggedout

[Smacks his own head]
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Flangepart
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« Reply #11 on: December 16, 2013, 09:30:25 AM »

On the other hand, I have fond memories of the B/W original.

Except it was in color.  Smile


Really?!  Buggedout
Is this our old Spanish friend, Neville? Dude! How goes it?

[Smacks his own head]
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"Aggressivlly eccentric, and proud of it!"
Neville
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« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2013, 09:35:04 AM »

It is, it is  Smile

I'm doing well, but Real Life (TM) has me by the gonads, and I barely log in here anymore.
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