Mars Attacks (1996) - a podcast by Chris, Sean, Jeremy | Force Fed Sci-Fi



This time, we’re taking a look at the spectacular spoof Mars Attacks! And along the way we ask what do the Martians have against birds, are humans supposed to be this excited for a first contact scenario and how did trading cards lead to big screen film? Let’s dive in…Cast&Crew

Directed by Tim Burton: At this in point in the mid 90’s, Burton was at the height of his power and recognition. He had established himself with his unique style and dark yet comedic films with success like Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood. With Buton’s name attached to direct Mars Attacks all that was needed was an all-star cast.Starring Jack Nicholson as President James Dale&Art Land

Glenn Close as Marsha DaleAnnette Benning as Barbara Land
Danny DeVito as Rude GamblerJim Brown as Byron Williams
Pam Grier as Louise WilliamsMartin Short as Jerry Ross
Pierce Brosnan as Donald KesslerSarah Jessica Parker as Nathalie Lake
Michael J. Fox as Jason StoneRod Steiger as General Decker
Lukas Haas as Richie NorrisNatalie Portman as Taffy Dale
Tom Jones as Tom JonesAlso Starring

Joe Don Baker as Glenn NorrisJack Black as Billy-Glenn Norris
Christina ApplegateSylvia Sidney as Grandma Norris
Paul Winfield as General CaseyFrom Topps to the Big Screen
Mars Attacks did not begin life on the silver screen. The origins can be traced back to 1962 and a series of trading cards simply known as Mars Attacks! The cards were hugely popular in a Cold War America but the cards displayed scenes that were graphic and horrifyingfor the time. Due to complaints received, several of the cards had to be repainted but were ultimately pulled from production and distribution after a District Attorney from Connecticut began making inquiries into Topps and the cards.

While the cards have been reprinted several times including several reboots, the original cards have now become collector’s items with certain cards fetching over $3,000 at auctions. In the early 90’s, screenwriter Jonathan Gems began work on a script and it was eventually greenlit by Warner Brothers. The original pitch for Burton to direct involved another movie which would’ve been titled Dinosaurs Attack but given how Jurassic Park had released in 1993, trying to make another dinosaur blockbuster would’ve sunk a movie studio at the time.With Burton on board to direct, he had to fill out his crew with his normal hires but the one snag was Danny Elfman. While working together on A Nightmare Before Christmas, a rift had formed between Burton and composer Danny Elfman who had previously worked together on all of Burton’s films and created a signature feel similar to how Steven Spielberg and John Williams have created their signature. The exact details of the rift aren’t known and probably won’t be to the general public but the two were able to work things out and Elfman managed to turn in one of his most iconic scores.
How B Movies Influenced Mars Attacks!Tim Burton has not disputed that his influences, not just for Mars Attacks, but all of his films in general came from the science fiction films of the 1950’s including Plan 9 from Outer Space, The War of the Worlds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Target Earth and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. There are also influences from the disaster films of the 1970’s like Earthquake, The Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure that can be felt here in Mars Attacks.

One of the question Sean and Chris ponder during the episode is trying to discern whether Mars Attacks belongs in the category of satire or parody. While satire is meant to subvert, parody is meant to make fun of but not to insult a specific genre or film trope. While our hosts disagreed on what the film actually is, it was all done for the sake of art as art is meant to subjective and no one is meant to draw the same meaning from the film.

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