Christmas on Mars (2008)

Major Syrtis goes insane as he tries to improve morale in an abandoned colony on Mars through a Christmas pageant, where the first colonist baby will be born.

Directors:

Wayne Coyne, Bradley Beesley,

Writer:

Wayne Coyne

Stars:

Steven Drozd, Wayne Coyne, Steve Burns

Cast

Credited cast:
Steven Drozd	...	Major Syrtis
Wayne Coyne	...	Alien Super-Being
Steve Burns	...	Major Lowell
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fred Armisen	...	Noachis
Scott Booker	...	Sirenum
Al Cory	...	Lucus
Dennis Coyne	...	Herschel
Kenny Coyne	...	Ed Fifteen
Mark DeGraffenried	...	Captain Icaria
Adam Goldberg	...	Mars Psychiatrist
Freddy Harth	...	Lunae
Peter Hermes	...	Arsia
Josh Higgins	...	Simud
Ellen Isbell
Michael Ivins	...	Deuteronilus

Storyline

Major Syrtis goes insane as he tries to improve morale in an abandoned colony on Mars through a Christmas pageant, where the first colonist baby will be born.

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Plot Keywords:

santa claus | outer space | mars the planet | oklahoma city oklahoma

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Taglines:

A Psychological Fantasy Adventure Featuring The Flaming Lips

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Genres:

Music | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Flaminglips.com

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Elijah Wood and Isaac Brock recorded cameos that were left out of the final cut of the film.

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Goofs

The Martian's forehead antennae change angles from scene to scene - sometimes they are nearly straight up, sometimes at a 45 degree angle, and in one scene one is wildly askew.

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Quotes

Major Lowell: [to Sirenum] You have no idea what you just did! That's the problem. I'll tell you what you just did: We are fucked! We are fucked!

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Connections

References Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

User Reviews

What was that all about?

Believe me, I like horror movies. I like science fiction movies. I like independent films. And, I like low-budget, B movies.

Sometimes, I even like bad acting, plodding scripts, wooden lines, improbably situations, and the like. However, I did not like Christmas on Mars.

It just doesn't work on so many levels. For all the reasons listed previously, and many more. That includes the nonsensical, blatant use of images of female genitalia. And the many allusions to male genitalia, in a very Freudian way.

I am convinced this is purely from ineptitude. As opposed to some attempt at doing something really different. I mean any movie that takes years to film, just cannot keep up the level of congruity and focus demanded by modern audiences.

I had hoped that the whole movie was just a dream or hallucination by the main character. However, sadly, it was meant to have happened, as we saw things unfold on screen.

About the only kindness that I can express, is that the image at the end was stupendous. If this had been used at the beginning, instead of the end, it could have allowed the film to take off where 2001 ended...

To bad they didn't try that instead. I just don't understand what was so important about this film that it even had to be made. Was it the plot? Surely, it couldn't be. Was it the characters? I doubt it; I mean, I could live without knowing about Ed 15. Was it the dialog? Emphatically, no. The music? Perhaps, but more-likely the unvarnished ego of the principals needing to be stroked.

Much better efforts have died on the cutting room floor.