Mars Attacks! (1996)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers (WGA):

Len Brown (trading card series) &
Woody Gelman (trading card series) ...

Release Date:

13 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Nice planet. We'll take it!

Plot:

The Earth is invaded by Martians with irresistible weapons and a cruel sense of humor.

Plot Keywords:

Martian | Las Vegas | Weapon | Alien | Mars

Awards:

2 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	President James Dale / Art Land
Glenn Close	...	First Lady Marsha Dale
Annette Bening	...	Barbara Land
Pierce Brosnan	...	Professor Donald Kessler
Danny DeVito	...	Rude Gambler
Martin Short	...	Press Secretary Jerry Ross
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Nathalie Lake
Michael J. Fox	...	Jason Stone
Rod Steiger	...	General Decker
Tom Jones	...	Himself
Jim Brown	...	Byron Williams
Lukas Haas	...	Richie Norris
Natalie Portman	...	Taffy Dale
Pam Grier	...	Louise Williams
Lisa Marie	...	Martian Girl

Also Known As:

¡Marcianos al ataque! (Argentina) (dubbed version) [es]
Çilgin marslilar (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Atacul Martienilor (Romania) [ro]
Ha-Plisha M'Ma'adim (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Mars Attacks! (Germany) [de]
Mars Attacks! (France) [fr]
Mars Attacks! (Spain) [es]
Mars attaque! (Canada: French title) [fr]
Mars hyökkää (Finland) [fi]
Mars napada (Croatia) [hr]
Mars napada (Slovenia) [sl]
Marsjanie atakuja (Poland) [pl]
Marte Ataca! (Portugal) [pt]
Marte ataca (Spain) [es]
Oi Areianoi epitithentai! (Greece) [el]
Támad a Mars (Hungary) [hu]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi fantasy violence and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Israel:PG | Italy:T | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Tim Burton Productions

Trivia:

The little dog owned by TV hostess Nathalie Lake (the Martians later swap their heads) is actually owned by Lisa Marie, the actress playing the Martian Girl.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the initial attack, a media van is knocked over but is soon back on its wheels.

Quotes:

First Lady: [as the chandelier is falling on her] The Nancy Reagan chandelier!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001)

Soundtrack:

Headstrong

The best movie of all time. Or maybe one of the worst.

This is one of these movies you absolutely like or absolutely dislike. I liked it, sure. It's such a sarcastic view of America: its people, its government, its army, its television, its culture, everything and everyone falls under Tim Burton's incredible axe. Many talented stars gather for an incredible script. It is unbelievably funny, absurd and full of contradictions and nuttiness. It's like a mixture of Star Wars, Animaniacs and the Clockwork Orange. For sure, you will like it a lot and believe it is the best movie you have ever seen or you won't understand a thing and feel disappointed. If you like Jim Carrey or Brad Pitt, please go and choose another movie.