Invaders from Mars (1986)

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Richard Blake (story)
Don Jakoby
(more)

Release Date:

6 June 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

There's no place on Earth to hide!

Plot:

In this remake of the classic 50s SF tale, a boy tries to stop an invasion of his town by aliens who take over the the minds of his parents...

Plot Keywords:

Boy | School | Invasion | School Nurse | Alien

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Karen Black	...	Linda Magnusson
Hunter Carson	...	David Gardner
Timothy Bottoms	...	George Gardner
Laraine Newman	...	Ellen Gardner
James Karen	...	Gen. Climet Wilson
Bud Cort	...	Mark Weinstein
Louise Fletcher	...	Mrs. McKeltch
Eric Pierpoint	...	Sgt. Maj. Rinaldi
Christopher Allport	...	Captain Curtis
Donald Hotton	...	Old NASA Scientist
Kenneth Kimmins	...	Officer Kenney
Charlie Dell	...	Mr. Cross
Jimmy Hunt	...	Police Chief
William Bassett	...	NASA Scientist
Virginya Keehne	...	Heather (as Virginia Keehne)
Chris Hebert	...	Kevin
Mason Nupuf	...	Doug
William Frankfather	...	Ed, Heather's father
Joseph Brutsman	...	MP #1
Eric Norris	...	MP #2
Debra Berger	...	Corporal Walker
Eddy Donno	...	Hollis
Mark Giardino	...	Johnson
Daryl Bartley	...	Classmate
Roy Mansano	...	Classmate
Shonda Whipple	...	Classmate
Amy Fitzpatrick	...	Classmate
Shawn Campbell	...	Classmate
Brett Johnson	...	Classmate
Dale Dye	...	Squad Leader
Douglas Simpson	...	Lieutentant / Drone
Lonny Low	...	Communications Officer / Drone
Scott Leva	...	Marine Officer
Randall Wulff	...	Young Marine / Drone (as Scott Wulff)
Frederick Menslage	...	Marine #1
Michael McGrady	...	Marine #2
Larry Poindexter	...	Marine #3 (as Lawrence Poindexter)
James Acheson	...	Marine #4 (as J. Acheson)
Matt Bennett	...	Marine #5 / Drone
Aaron Scott Bernard	...	Marine #6
Steven Lambert	...	Demolition Man (as Steve Lambert)
Debbie Lee Carrington	...	Drone (as Debbie Carrington)
Margarita Fernández	...	Drone (as Margarite Fernández)
Tony Cox	...	Drone (as Joe Anthony Cox)
Sal Fondacaro	...	Drone (as Salvatore Fondacaro)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Firth	...	Caine (archive footage)
Phil Fondacaro	...	Drone (uncredited)
Peter Genovese	...	Classmate / Drone (uncredited)
Bobbie Paulson	...	(uncredited)
Brian Penikas	...	Supreme Intelligence (uncredited)

Directed by
Tobe Hooper

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Blake		story
Don Jakoby
Dan O'Bannon

Produced by
Edward L. Alperson Jr.	....	associate producer
Yoram Globus	....	producer
Menahem Golan	....	producer
David Rodgers	....	creative producer
Wade Williams	....	associate producer (as Wade H. Williams III)

Original Music by
Sylvester Levay
David Storrs
Christopher Young

Cinematography by
Daniel Pearl		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Alain Jakubowicz

Casting by
Perry Bullington
Robert MacDonald

Production Design by
Leslie Dilley

Art Direction by
Craig Stearns

Set Decoration by
Cricket Rowland

Costume Design by
Carin Hooper

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	special makeup effects
Everett Burrell	....	special makeup effects artist
Vered Hochman	....	hair stylist
Vered Hochman	....	makeup artist
Dee Mansano	....	key makeup artist
Moni Mansano	....	hair stylist supervisor (as Mony Mansano)
Moni Mansano	....	makeup supervisor (as Mony Mansano)
Matt Rose	....	special makeup effects artist
John Rosengrant	....	special makeup effects artist
Lisa Schulze	....	hair stylist
Lisa Schulze	....	makeup artist
Melissa Street	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Mati Raz	....	executive in charge of production
Michael R. Sloan	....	post-production supervisor
Cyrus Yavneh	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carol D. Bonnefil	....	third second assistant director (as Carol Bonnefil)
Tommy Burns	....	second second assistant director
John Dykstra	....	second unit director
Brenda Kalosh	....	dga trainee
David Lehman	....	second assistant director
David Lipman	....	second assistant director
Larry Litton	....	first assistant director: second unit
David Womark	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Scott Ambrose	....	lead man (as Scott W. Ambrose)
Jonathan Bobbitt	....	props
Russell Bobbitt	....	assistant property master
Jeff Christenson	....	construction coordinator (as Jeff Christeson)
Russell Christian	....	draftsman
Will Combs	....	draftsman
Keith Crossley	....	storyboard artist
Lisa Dean	....	art department assistant
John Eaves	....	model maker
Amanda J. Flick	....	lead sculptor
Douglas Fox	....	property master
Robert 'Rock' Galotti	....	property assistant (as Robert Galotti)
Tina Garmaise	....	property assistant
Ken Howland	....	lead carpenter
John Huttman	....	leadman
Portia Iversen	....	set dresser
Kara Lindstrom	....	assistant set dresser
David B. Long	....	stand-by carpenter (as David Long)
Ed Mabe	....	lead painter
Randy Moore	....	set designer
David Park	....	construction coordinator
Dan Peterson	....	assistant property master
Ed Price	....	lead carpenter
Renee Prince	....	stand-by painter
Nick Reade	....	lead carpenter
Stephen Reece	....	carpenter
Leonard Ryn	....	lead sculptor
Ian Scheibel	....	property assistant (as Ian Sheibel)
Martin Simon	....	carpenter
Dave Snyder	....	draftsman
William Stout	....	concept artist
David Howes	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nick Alphin	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Bailey	....	foley artist
David Bartlett	....	supervising sound editor
Ron Bartlett	....	sound editor
Noah Blough	....	sound effects editor
Jim Borgardt	....	dialogue editor
Vivian Carley	....	assistant sound effects editor
Denise Cochran	....	assistant foley editor
Midge Costin	....	assistant sound effects editor
Nelson Davila	....	apprentice sound effects editor (as Nelson Davilla)
Zack Davis	....	sound effects editor
Mary Jo Devenney	....	boom operator
Virginia S. Ellsworth	....	dialogue editor (as Virginia Ellsworth)
Peter Foster	....	adr editor
Jessica Gallavan	....	assistant adr editor
Albert Gasser	....	assistant sound effects editor
Sandy Gendler	....	sound effects editor
Howell Gibbens	....	assistant sound effects editor
Paula Greatbatch	....	apprentice sound effects editor
Victor Grodecki	....	dialogue editor
Julie Hall	....	sound effects editor
Holly Huckins	....	assistant dialogue editor
Allen Hurd	....	sound
Trevor Keates	....	sound effects editor
Barbara McBane	....	sound editor
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound effects editor
Gilberto Costa Nunes	....	sound effects editor
Ruth Schell	....	dialogue editor
Sara Sheranian	....	assistant dialogue editor (as Sarah Sheranian)
Andrew Silver	....	assistant dialogue editor
Larry Stensvold	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Ulrich	....	supervising dialogue editor
Justine Vacco	....	assistant sound editor
Randy Vandegrift	....	sound effects editor
Richard Villa	....	foley editor
Tony Wakefield	....	assistant sound effects editor (as Anthony Wakefield)
Paul Wells	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Paul Welles)
Russell Williams II	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Alec Gillis	....	art department coordinator: creature effects crew
Jarn Heil	....	special effects assistant
Steven James	....	creature effects: mechanical department
Richard J. Landon	....	creature effects: mechanical department
Rick Lazzarini	....	mechanical department coordinator: creature effects crew
Hans Metz	....	mechanical effects supervisor
Hans Metz	....	special effects supervisor
David Nelson	....	mechanical department coordinator: creature effects crew
Larry Odien	....	creature effects: mechanical department
Larry Odien	....	special effects technician
Ted Rae	....	creature effects: mechanical department
Richard Rownak	....	special effects
Robert Shepherd	....	producer of special effects
Ken Speed	....	special effects technician
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects: mechanical department
Wayne Sturm	....	creature effects: mechanical department
Matt Winston	....	creature effects: mechanical department
Stan Winston	....	invaders designer and creator

Visual Effects by
Paul Boyington	....	visual effects producer
Clint Colver	....	animation supervisor
Roger Dorney	....	visual effects
John Dykstra	....	special visual effects
Michael Douglas Middleton	....	visual effects still photographer
Christopher S. Ross	....	model maker
Joseph Yanuzzi	....	assistant editor: Apogee, Inc.

Stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunt marine (as Ken Bates)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunt marine
Michael Cassidy	....	stunt marine (as Mike Cassidy)
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunt marine
Roydon Clark	....	stunt marine
Laura Dash	....	stunt double
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts (as Tim Davison)
Eddy Donno	....	stunt coordinator
Dana Dru Evenson	....	stunt double
R.H. Farnsworth	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunt double
Diane Hetfield	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunt double
Mike Johnson	....	stunt marine
Matt Johnston	....	stunt marine
Joel Kramer	....	stunt marine
Steven Lambert	....	stunt coordinator
Julius LeFlore	....	stunt marine (as Julius LeFlorie)
A. Michael Lerner	....	stunt marine (as Allen Michael Lerner)
Ken Lesco	....	stunts
Karen McLarty	....	stunt double (as Karen Warner)
Beth Nufer	....	stunt double
Bernie Pock	....	stunt marine (as Bernhard Pock)
Lee Poppie	....	stunt double
Spiro Razatos	....	stunt double
Lincoln Simonds	....	stunt safety
Peter Stader	....	stunt marine (as Peter Strader)
Richard Washington	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Vincent J. Baldino	....	additional camera operator (as Vince Baldino)
Jerold E. Chan	....	second assistant camera (as Jerold Chan)
Rory Flynn	....	still photographer
Eric H. Lasher	....	still photographer (as Eric Lasher)
J. Michael McClary	....	unit photographer
Luc G. Nicknair	....	second assistant camera
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator
Bruce M. Pasternack	....	camera operator (as Bruce Pasternack)
J. Michael Popovich	....	key grip (as Michael Popovich)
Roger Sassen	....	gaffer
James Sweet	....	grip

Animation Department
Howard Berger	....	creature effects crew
Everett Burrell	....	creature effects crew
Greg Figiel	....	creature effects crew
Robert Kurtzman	....	creature effects crew
Shane Mahan	....	creature effects crew
Brian Penikas	....	creature effects crew
Brian Reter	....	animator
Kevin Reter	....	creature effects crew
Matt Rose	....	creature effects crew
John Rosengrant	....	creature effects crew
Shannon Shea	....	creature effects crew
Steve Wang	....	creature effects crew
Scott Wheeler	....	creature effects crew
Willie Whitten	....	creature effects crew
Mark Williams	....	creature effects crew
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	creature effects crew
Kevin Yagher	....	creature effects crew

Casting Department
Bryan Utman	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dana Lyman	....	costume supervisor
Louis Valadez	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Richard Alderete	....	assistant editor
Anne Couk	....	first assistant editor
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen	....	post-production coordinator
Marcel Mindlin	....	additional editor

Music Department
Craig Bodkin	....	special vocal effects: Martian vocals
Tony Campisi	....	special vocal effects: Martian vocals
Jim Cushinery	....	special vocal effects: Martian vocals
Marvin McNeil	....	electronic music engineer
Jack K. Tillar	....	music editor (as Jack Tiller)
Paul Francis Witt	....	conductor

Other crew
Allen Alsobrook	....	location manager
Tom Calderaro	....	synthesizer programmer
Dale Dye	....	technical advisor
Marc S. Fischer	....	production auditor (as Marc Fischer)
Alec Gillis	....	creature art coordinator
Iya Labunka	....	production coordinator
Ray Svedin	....	mechanical effects supervisor
Wade Williams	....	production instigator
Stan Winston	....	invaders designer and creator
Mark Ebenhoch	....	assistant military technical advisor (uncredited)
Jody Jaress	....	stand-in: Karen Black (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cannon Pictures

Distributors

• Cannon Film Distributors (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Scotia-Cannon (1986) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Media Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• VMP (1986) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Vestron Video International (1986) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Vestron Video International (1986) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Pan-Canadian Film Distributors (198?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• América Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Cannon Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Video Treasures (1989) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Germano Natali
• Makeup Effects Laboratories
• Stan Winston Studio

Other Companies

• Intrada  score album released by (signature edition) (limited edition)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

100 min | Argentina:99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:10 | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-14 | Norway:12 (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG | Canada:PG

Company:

Cannon Pictures

Trivia:

The Martian drones were performed by two people back-to-back in one suit. A little person was carried in a sort of backpack on the back of a normal-sized performer. The little person would operate the drone's mouth and smaller arms (as seen when the drones load their weapons) while the full-sized performer made the creature walk and used ski poles to move the longer arms (as seen when the drones "salute" Mrs. McKeltch). The full-sized performer faced the rear of the suit and had to walk backwards so that the creature's knee joints would bend in a "not-human" fashion when it walked.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During a battle scene, two Marines who get zapped by the Martian leader start convulsing before the electricity actually hits them.

Quotes:

David Gardner:These things! They're huge, ugly, slimy, giant Mr. Potato Heads!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) (V)

Great sci-fi cheesy fun!

I actually LOVE this movie! I think it's one of the best remakes I've ever seen. When I recently found it on DVD, I purchased it on the spot. To me, this movie is just plain fun. I love the way the boy has to tell the school nurse (The unique Karen Black) about the things he's seen, and she doesn't quite know what to make of this seemingly clearheaded kid. Then, when she sees a bit of evidence for herself, she needs to just take a leap of faith and sneak the kid out of the school. I find it so intriguing, because I always try to imagine what a person would really do in a situation like this. Imagine you're a school nurse, and a kid comes in telling you a spaceship landed behind his house, and now something's wrong with his parents, his teacher, his friend and her father. Of course, you would probably not take it too seriously. But, then, if you actually saw something that seemed to corroborate his story, how would you handle it? What would you do? Even the nurse questions whether she is doing the right thing, The bottom line is she just had to follow her instincts, and something was telling her that things were not right. Imagine really being in that predicament. And imagine if you chose NOT to believe the kid and chalk it up to his imagination. Of course this story wouldn't really happen, but what if it did? That's the point of movies - to make you imagine these wild, unrealistic situations as actually occurring. We are meant to suspend our disbelief and put ourselves into the characters of the story. In my opinion, this film unfolded exactly as it really could have in real life. The nurse taking that chance, believing the kid, meeting him after school, investigating the site of the landing - all the elements that eventually lead up to her discovering the truth for sure. The chemistry between Karen Black and her real-life son, Hunter Carson, is great. They were the perfect team. Laraine Newman and Timothy Bottoms are alternately funny and amusing, then creepy and frightening. And Louise Fletcher as the teacher is a riot! She's just classic. When she says to Karen Black, "You've got a lot of nerve, sister!," I lose it every time. I don't know how someone could not enjoy this movie. I am not a big sci-fi fan, but I put this top on my list of all-time great entertainmnet. No, It isn't Oscar worthy, but I don't need every film I see to be ABOUT SOMETHING. Maybe I just want to sit back late at night with some popcorn and put myself in another place and time. This one does it for me every time I watch it. It's almost like it gets better with each viewing. Don't listen to naysayers. Watch this Midnite Classic at midnght. I don't think you should be disappointed, as long as you aren't looking for it to make a statement about life.