Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

Director:

Nicholas Webster

Writers:

Glenville Mareth (screenplay)
Paul L. Jacobson (based on a story by)

Release Date:

14 November 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Blast off for Mars... with Santa and a pair of Earth kids! Blast off for Mars... with Santa and a pair of Earth kids! Science-Fun-Fiction at its height!

Plot:

The Martians kidnap Santa because there is nobody on Mars to give their children presents.

Plot Keywords:

Children | Martian | Santa Claus | North Pole | Christmas

Cast

John Call	...	Santa Claus
Leonard Hicks	...	Kimar
Vincent Beck	...	Voldar
Bill McCutcheon	...	Dropo
Victor Stiles	...	Billy
Donna Conforti	...	Betty
Chris Month	...	Bomar
Pia Zadora	...	Girmar
Leila Martin	...	Momar
Charles Renn	...	Hargo
James Cahill	...	Rigna
Ned Wertimer	...	Andy Henderson
Doris Rich	...	Mrs. Claus
Carl Don	...	Chochem / Von Green
Ivor Bodin	...	Winky
Al Nesor	...	Stobo
Josip Elic	...	Shim (as Joe Elic)
Jim Bishop	...	Lomas
Lin Thurmond	...	Children TV Announcer
Don Blair	...	TV News Announcer
Tony Ross	...	Santa's Helper
Scott Aronesty	...	Santa's Helper
Ron Rotholz	...	Santa's Helper (as Ronnie Rotholz)
Glenn Schaffer	...	Santa's Helper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gene Lindsey	...	Polar Bear (uncredited)

Directed by
Nicholas Webster

Writing credits
Glenville Mareth		(screenplay)
Paul L. Jacobson		(based on a story by)

Produced by
Paul L. Jacobson	....	producer
Arnold Leeds	....	associate producer
Joseph E. Levine	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Milton Delugg

Cinematography by
David L. Quaid		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William Henry		(as Bill Henry)

Art Direction by
Maurice Gordon

Set Decoration by
Jack Wright III		(as John K. Wright 3rd)

Costume Design by
Ramsey Mostoller

Makeup Department
George Fiala	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Arnold Leeds	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerry Rich	....	assistant director

Art Department
Frank Hoch	....	scenic artist
Edward Swanson	....	head carpenter
Jack Wright Jr.	....	property master (as John K. Wright Jr.)

Sound Department
Dennis Maitland	....	sound mixer (as Dennis L. Maitland)

Camera and Electrical Department
Duke Brady	....	special lighting effects
Richard Falk	....	gaffer
Martin Nallan	....	key grip
Michael Zingale	....	camera operator (as Michael C. Zingale)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Virginia Schreiber	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Anthony Termini	....	edit supervisor

Music Department
Milton Delugg	....	conductor
Nick Tagg	....	musical coordinator

Other crew
Fritz Hansen	....	martian furniture
Marguerite James	....	script supervisor (as Margurite James)
Robert J. Rosenthal	....	production comptroller (as Robert Rosenthal)
Brett Webster	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Jalor Productions

Distributors

• Embassy Pictures Corporation (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Delta Expedition (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• EastWest Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (as "Santa Claus Defeats the Aliens")
• ACME-TV (2011) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Another World Entertainment (2007) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Apprehensive Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Brentwood Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Entertainment One (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Firebox (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Front Row Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Genius Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MediaOutlet.com (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Synergy Entertainment (2009) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Valley Star Video (????) (USA) (VHS) (as "Santa Claus Defeats the Aliens")
• WHAM! USA (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Westlake Entertainment Group (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Woodhaven Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Haberstroh Studios (special photographic effects)

Other Companies

• Alan Shane Associates  casting
• Dawson of N.Y.C.  tower of crystal fountain
• L & L Animation  titles
• Louis Marx & Co.  special toys
• Michael Myerburg Studios  studio
• Vogue Dolls Inc.  dolls

Also Known As:

Runtime:

81 min | USA:86 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (2002) | UK:U (video rating) | USA:Unrated (2005 DVD release) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2008)

Filming Locations:

Roosevelt Field, Garden City, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Jalor Productions

Trivia:

The Martian guns are actually painted Whammo Air Blasters.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the Polar Bear sequence where the costume is clearly a bear-rug draped over someone's body the back legs are the same way a man's are when crawling with his knees on the ground and shins to feet level with the floor.

Quotes:

Kimar:How are you feeling today? Tired?
Santa Claus:Oh, no, I'm not tired. But my finger is.

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Hollywood Christmas (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

Hooray For Santy Claus

An American Classic of Bad Cinema

First I saw "Reefer Madness." It was bad, but great.

Then I saw "Plan 9 From Outer Space." Horrible, but enjoyable.

After that I saw "Robot Monster." Awful and yet spectacular.

Finally, I saw "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" Wow, how can you make a lame plot for a screenplay worse? By making a low budget film out of it. And that's just what Joseph Levine thought when he released this film onto an unsuspecting Earth. Now I ask you, is this indeed the WORST film of all time? My opinion: NO. In my translation of the meaning "bad film" means "unbearable, unwatchable and disposable." Not "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." This film is a landmark in the American motion picture industry. The makers of this film actually had the guts to create and release this film. Now that takes some serious talent! Let's not forget the actors either. Surprisingly the acting isn't nearly as bad as it's made out to be (people confuse the 'acting' with the 'plot.'). The children, the Martians and even Santa Claus make one heck of an impression on a shoe-string budget film like this (don't forget that weird professor Albert Einstein wannabe). Above all, clever a production design really create a fine sense of cheesiness. Now, how about a brand new DVD 'Special Cheesy Edition' of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians?"

"Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is a rare and satisfying little gem of a film that broke, no, shattered all the rules of making a "good and enjoyable" movie. Now if only the bad films we get nowadays would be as bad as this one. Then they would actually be deemed "enjoyable."

I give "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" 5 frozen-stiff elves zapped by Voldar, out of 5.

A true cinematic cult classic.