Report Blog Entry
There are only two things that ROYALLY freaked the hell out of me as a kid:
- Chucky from Child's Play
- THESE CREEPY ASS MARTIANS, WHICH WILL BE THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S BLOG:
I CAN BARELY STAND TO LOOK AT THEM, despite the fact that the film is highly interesting to discuss given the 1950s and ‘60s science fiction references juxtaposed with ‘90s cynicism. PLUS, IT'S A TIM BURTON MOVIE! Sigh.
I was so scared by the Martians that I absolutely refused to finish watching the film with my cousin and my little brother back in the late '90s/early '00s.
Thus, I never watched Mars Attacks! all the way through until I was in college. After re-watching it on Netflix recently, it reminded me of what I read about the uncanny valley around two-ish years ago.
Click here for a lil' 6 minute deep dive on the uncanny valley if you're interested, but basically, it's where you're creeped out by robots and/or non-human entities that appear to possess humanlike qualities. From what I've heard in podcasts like Chelsey Weber-Smith's American Hysteria, this is why people are creeped out by dolls, or even clowns.
Regarding the Martians, not only is it their literal appearance that adds to their creepiness factor (of which they look like a human skull with a bulbous cauliflower brain scooped up on top) but it's their human-like attributes:
- They appear to communicate with one another.
- This clip where they're destroying major cities and world landmarks while posing for photo ops, high-fiving each other, and flipping through American TV shows.
- They also slide in to dance a lil' bit and sing backup for Tom Jones. Side Note: It's HELLA Unusual.
- Oh, and how can we forget where they bait the Press Secretary with their interpretation of a human woman.
I wanted to automagically ctrl-alt-del these creatures out of my brain as a child because they are not only highly exaggerated non-human entities (which makes sense, cause they're f**king Martians) but they have several human-like attributes, and the combination of these things was a HUGE "nah" for me. These things are also greatly intensified due to the fact that this is a Burton film based on a series of CARDS. Like literal TRADING CARDS from the 1960s. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Comments
Displaying 4 of 4 comments ( View all | Add Comment )
Lee
Loved this movie as a kid! (I don’t know why lmao) it’s just dumb fun haha
Agreed! :)
by blairVVitch; ; Report
Shawna
That one seen when one of them turned into a human woman! That was so iconic to me I can replay it back in my head on repeat. I think she needs more fans, to me she’s up there with Jessica Rabbit & The Tall Woman from Powerpuff Girls. But the fact that this movie was made based off a cards! That’s wild.
RIGHT, I agree!!! She definitely needs more recognition, especially since she was the Martian reflection of American beauty standards taken completely from Playboy.
by blairVVitch; ; Report
Brandon Jackson Sr
Movie was hilarious
not a great movie but pretty entertaining.
EXACTLY, they hit that B movie vibe perfectly!!!
by blairVVitch; ; Report
Shadow Bliss
I've honestly never seen it but it looks...interesting in its own weird way.
It is HIGHLY interesting!
If you’re a fan of the B-movie aesthetic with a pessimistic vibe, then I totally recommend it.
by blairVVitch; ; Report
I concur.
by jaybo; ; Report