Best Horror Movie You Never Saw: Invaders from Mars (1986)

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Welcome to Arrow in the Head's The Best Horror Movie You Never Saw, which will be dedicated to highlighting horror films that, for one reason or another, don't get as much love as we think they should. We know plenty of you horror hounds out there will have seen many of the movies we pick, but there will be plenty of you who have not. This column is for all of you!

This week we take a look at Tobe Hooper's INVADERS FROM MARS (WATCH IT HERE – OWN IT HERE) starring Karen Black, Hunter Carson, Timothy Bottoms, James Karen and Louise Fletcher

THE STORY: Young David Gardner sees what appears to be a UFO landing near his home in a sleepy suburban town. The next day, David notices that nearly everyone around him, including his parents, have started acting strangely, leading him to believe an alien invasion is afoot – which is soon very much confirmed. Only the school nurse and, eventually, the military can aid David on his quest to take out the martian menace.

THE HISTORY: Producer and author Wade Williams had acquired the rights to the 1953 sci-fi horror film INVADERS FROM MARS cheaply and made a handsome profit when selling the remake rights to Cannon Films. While Steven Spielberg was reportedly considered to direct (he has always been a big fan of the original, which scared him as a kid), Tobe Hooper ultimately took the helm, re-teaming with Cannon after his epic LIFEFORCE failed at the box office. Because of said failure, Cannon apparently cut a chunk of the budget for INVADERS, while also micromanaging the production. (Hooper still went on to collaborate with them again for TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2.) Despite its less-than-large budget (although $12 million isn't too bad), the film still manages to boast some elaborate, fun effects courtesy of FX legends Stan Winston and John Dykstra.

WHY IT'S GREAT: Nostalgia is big business nowadays in the world of cinema; it seems as though every other movie or TV show with a horror twist is attempting to harken back to the glory days of the 80s, when directors like Steven Spielberg, Richard Donner, Robert Zemeckis and John Carpenter dominated the imaginations of a new crop of film fanatics. But, in plenty of ways, those maestros were playing on nostalgia themselves, playing on their appreciation for the films of the 50s to bring a brand new coat of paint to B-movies, effectively making them A-grade productions. In 1986, Tobe Hooper updated the well-liked 50s flick INVADERS FROM MARS, but instead of retooling it for a more sophisticated crowd, he pretty much kept all of the hallmarks of those old schlock classics, delivering something that may have more money in its budget, but no less lovable silliness.

The result may be a mixed bag for some; if anything, some might argue Hooper hit the nail on the head too successfully, the end result being a movie that's not scary or sincere enough, filled with all kinds of in-jokes for the hard core film buffs. But INVADERS FROM MARS belongs alongside movies like THE GATE and CRITTERS in a strange sub-genre where elaborate monsters coexist alongside determined children and frequently clueless adults. Its charm is in its determination to make you smile and cringe in equal measure, and it does that well. It may not reach the levels of entertainment that some of the greats from the 80s do, but its can-do spirit and obvious love of the genre cannot be doubted. Here's Tobe Hooper making a PG movie that features some really gross out effects (the holes in the neck have always creeped me out); yes, he had done that well with POLTERGEIST some years earlier and, like that film, INVADERS FROM MARS seems to be getting away with some fairly freaky stuff. Will say that E.T.'s frog scene has nothing on the one in this movie where a teacher swallows one whole.

Adding to the nostalgic-cheese factor are the performances, which are all over the map. Much like a 50s B&W lark, some of the veteran cast does very good work while others seem to be phoning it in. Louise Fletcher is terrific as David's homicidal teacher, holding nothing back as she relentlessly attempts to silence the kid. James Karen is always reliable, here playing a stern general determined to bring the creatures down, while Timothy Bottoms has a good time playing the brainwashed dad. Strangely enough, it's the real life mother/son team of Karen Black and Hunter Carson who have the most trouble. Black's performance ranges from solid to shaky, and Carson – while certainly giving his all – isn't always successful as the panicky David. The kid has an interesting face, no doubt, but his acting ability was questionable, putting it mildly. Still, perhaps that just helps along the film's goofy nature even more.

Special shout-outs are earned by the special effects team, led by Stan Winston, which created some really amusing sights. The "drone" aliens are lovable beasts (even though they do some unlovable things), and the main Martian is a startling sight to behold. These are aliens you'll never forget, as cool as they are campy. That's pretty much keeping in line with the film as a whole.

BEST SCENE: The finale aboard the spaceship, where Hooper's production team is allowed to shine (and cinematographer Daniel Pearl's trippy visuals set a surreal mood), is a whole lot of fun. 

WHERE TO WATCH: INVADERS FROM MARS appears to be out of print on Blu-ray, but can be found on DVD and Amazon Prime; it can also be streamed for free on Tubi.

PARTING SHOT: If you want a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek sci-fi hokum complete with human-munching aliens, army guys, possessed parents and everything else you could want from an ode to 50s schlock, check out (or revisit) INVADERS FROM MARS.