IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT Invaders from Mars
Mars Needs--Earth ! !
My three stars are based on the following--four stars for this memorable film--two stars for the picture and sound quality of the DVD. Some of the other reviewers will consider my technical \\"two stars\\" to be generous, and I will not argue with<br />them.<br /><br />I first saw this landmark sci/fi classic when I was younger than Jimmy Hunt, the lead actor in \\"Invaders\\". Like many other \\"baby boomers\\", I remember the experience very well. It wasn't the Martians who bothered me--it was the idea that your own loving parents could suddenly become so \\"different\\", not to mention friends and neighbours. This is a very frightening premise that reached its peak a couple of years later in the original \\"Invasion of the Body Snatchers\\".<br /><br />Inevitably, the film is now dated in a number of ways--the \\"zippers\\" on the backs of the Martians are often mentioned--but it still has power too. First of all, Jimmy Hunt's performance--here is a child actor who is totally believable, and his efforts to convince people of the unthinkable are compelling. Children who are not taken seriously--an old theme that is still relevant. Arthur Franz and Helena Carter are standard 50s leads, sympathetic but bland, but look out for Leif Erickson as our hero's \\"Dad\\"--the scene where he comes back home a \\"changed man\\" still packs a wallop ( literally as well as figuratively ).<br /><br />As others have noted, Menzies gave this film a terrific\\" look--that hill with the broken fence, the swirling sand, the strange music--this is an image that has stayed with me most of my life.<br />The \\"Martian Brain\\" may look a little crude today, but the idea of superior intelligence is a mainstay in science fiction, and this creature has numerous filmic descendants--the \\"brainy alien\\" in \\"Independence Day\\", another more recent \\"invasion\\" comes to mind.<br /><br />One problem I have always had with this movie--and it is a common experience in 50s sci/fi films--is an excessive reliance on stock footage. I guess it helped with the budget, but all those \\"military training\\" films that are woven into the story could have been edited. OK--the troops are coming to kick Martian butt--we get it !<br /><br />It is safe to say that this is one of the most influential sci/fi movies of all time. True it does not compare in quality to some other 50s classics--\\"The Day the Earth Stood Still \\",<br />\\"The War of the Worlds\\", \\"Forbidden Planet\\" for example. Nevertheless, it is a movie that is embedded in the consciousnesses of many people of my generation--the saucer landing, the scared little boy, the strange hill where people disappear--all quite unforgettable.<br /><br />Sadly, I must agree with the negative reviews of this DVD's picture quality--when you mention \\"50th Anniversary Special Edition\\" etc. and see that the company responsible is Image--you have high expectations. I did not anticipate so many lines and general \\"wear and tear\\". If this was the best print available, it is unfortunate. If anything, the nice cover and the interesting booklet add to the disappointment of the disc itself.<br /><br />Bottom line--even with the visual shortcomings of the DVD, no serious sci/fi collector can leave this title out of his or her collection.\\"military training\\" films that are woven into the story could have been edited. OK--the troops are coming to kick Martian butt--we get it !    It is safe to say that this is one of the most influential sci/fi movies of all time. True it does not compare in quality to some other 50s classics--\\"The Day the Earth Stood Still \\",   \\"The War of the Worlds\\", \\"Forbidden Planet\\" for example. Nevertheless, it is a movie that is embedded in the consciousnesses of many people of my generation--the saucer landing, the scared little boy, the strange hill where people disappear--all quite unforgettable.    Sadly, I must agree with the negative reviews of this DVD's picture quality--when you mention \\"50th Anniversary Special Edition\\" etc. and see that the company responsible is Image--you have high expectations. I did not anticipate so many lines and general \\"wear and tear\\". If this was the best print available, it is unfortunate. If anything, the nice cover and the interesting booklet add to the disappointment of the disc itself.    Bottom line--even with the visual shortcomings of the DVD, no serious sci/fi collector can leave this title out of his or her collection.