Written By: Jase Marsiglia

A colorful and ambitious remake of the 1953 classic, Lifeforce director Tobe Hooper’s modern take on Invaders from Mars might do away with the “communist paranoia” themes, but retains that same sense of wonder and suspense, as little David Gardner (Hunter Carson) sees a UFO land behind the hill of his house. Every time someone ventures over the hill to investigate, they come back a little… “off.”

Before you can say “invasion,” David and his school nurse (Carson’s actual mother, the great Karen Black) are up to their eyeballs in dead-eyed citizens, frog-gobbling teachers (the amazing Louise Fletcher, who seems to be having a wonderful time chewing the scenery... and the amphibians), massive-jawed creatures, and a giant, brain-like monster known as the Supreme Intelligence.

Can David and Ms. Magnusson stop the invasion, or is Earth doomed?

Hooper and Lifeforce screenwriters Dan O’Bannon and Don Jakoby are careful to ensure that their version of Invasion is specifically from the point of view of the precocious David from beginning to end. We never know much more than he does, and to top it off, there’s room in the structure of the film to believe that all of this is simply an adventure David has made up to entertain himself. He’s a sci-fi kid, as his bedroom and toys show. Adults rarely believe a word he says, except for the school nurse, who obviously likes the kid, so she’d, of course, be his lifeline.

The military are quick to not only believe David but kick ass with him at their side – right where any kid would want to be, as “part of the action.” Even the dialogue, particularly by Black and Return of the Living Dead’s James Karen as the general, seems worked up by the imagination of a kid believing that that’s what an adult WOULD say to him.

It’s all very entertaining and, despite some rather nightmarish moments, isn’t so bad that kids couldn’t enjoy it too. The massive sets and imaginative creature designs are so much fun, and the surprise ending is bone-chilling.

HOME VIDEO

Initially, outside of its VHS releases from Media Home Entertainment, and eventually Video Treasures (1989) and Anchor Bay Entertainment (1996), Invaders from Mars had a brief stint on DVD via a bare-bones Anchor Bay DVD released in 1998 and then, three years later (and likely the most recognized), an MGM DVD under their "Midnite Movies" label, which actually provided a trailer, a “Sci-Fi” promo, and a brief, 8-minute “Original Publicity” featurette.

It wouldn’t be until 2015 that Tobe’s remake received something considerably more lavish. Scream Factory, which had been cranking out quality releases of '80s horror favorites, finally showered the film with some respect, with an HD transfer of its 2.36:1 widescreen aspect ratio. As far as bonus features, we get plenty!

• Audio Commentary with Director Tobe Hooper
• The Martians Are Coming! The Making of Invaders from Mars
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spot
• Production Illustration Gallery from Artist William Stout
• Storyboards
• Still Gallery
• Reversible cover insert featuring two different theatrical one-sheet designs

Surprisingly, the 8-minute “Original Publicity” featurette is missing. Sadly, this Scream Factory release is currently out of print and fetches, at minimum, $40 or more when you find it.

Now, I can’t speak for other distributors, but I’ve paid attention, and a lot of titles that have gone out of print through Scream Factory seem to be picked up by the likes of Kino Lorber and Arrow Video.

Invaders from Mars is hardly an obscure title, and Tobe wasn’t an unknown director. Invaders from Mars will likely be seen again under a new label, and likely, at this point, with a 4K transfer. So if you missed your window with the Scream Factory release, just be patient. Invaders from Mars will return, I can assure you.

BITS ‘N’ PIECES

Traum-A-Meter:

1 out of 4.

 The WORST scene (and maybe it’s just my “kinder-trauma” speaking) is Fletcher sucking down a frog for an after-school snack. Outside of that, the violence is largely bloodless, balancing a beam between the eeriness of Hooper’s Poltergeist and old-school “zapped into oblivion” sci-fi violence, with some creepy, toothy aliens.

Today’s Jam: Considering little David Gardner is primarily stuck being the only one targeted by the aliens as the town’s invasion begins, “On My Own,” the Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald duet, seems fitting, as it was #1 on the charts the weekend the movie came out.

THIS EPISODE’S MORAL:

Marines have no qualms about killing Martians!