Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

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

Director:

Nicholas Webster

Writers:

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

Stars:

John Call, Leonard Hicks, Vincent Beck

Bottom Rated Movies #39 | See the Bottom Rated Movies as rated by our users.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Call	...	Santa Claus
Leonard Hicks	...	Kimar
Vincent Beck	...	Voldar
Bill McCutcheon	...	Dropo
Victor Stiles	...	Billy Foster
Donna Conforti	...	Betty Foster
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

Storyline

Martians, upset that their children have become obsessed with TV shows from Earth which extol the virtues of Santa Claus, start an expedition to Earth to kidnap the one and only Santa. While on Earth, they kidnap two lively children that lead the group of Martians to the North Pole and Santa. The Martians then take Santa and the two children back to Mars with them. Voldar, a particularly grumpy Martian, attempts to do away with the children and Santa before they get to Mars, but their leader Lomas stops him. When they arrive on Mars, Santa, with the help of the two Earth children and a rather simple-minded Martian lackey, overcomes the Martians by bringing fun, happiness and Christmas cheer to the children of Mars.

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Plot Keywords:

martian | santa claus | christmas | brother sister relationship | mars the planet | 

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Taglines:

Santa Brings Christmas Fun to Mars!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 November 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Santa Claus Defeats the Aliens

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jalor Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min 86 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Most of the cast came from Broadway shows of the time.

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Goofs

The bear costume is clearly a headpiece and a bear rug draped over a person's body. When the bear crawls, its knees are on the ground, and shins to feet are level with the floor.

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Quotes

Andy Henderson: What is this strange looking creature over here?
Santa Claus: Oh, Winky made that. That's his idea of a Martian.
Andy Henderson: A Martian? Wow-wee-wow! I'd hate to meet a creature like that on a dark night.

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Crazy Credits

The end credits start with "Merry Christmas", before going on to display the cast and then the lyrics to the title song.

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Connections

Featured in The Canned Film Festival: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1986)

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Soundtracks

Hooray for Santa Claus
Written by Roy Alfred & Milton Delugg
Performed by children's chorus
[Played over both the opening and closing credits]

User Reviews

Do not open 'til Christmas...or any other time.

I remember seeing this movie a long time ago, way back before they installed the cup holders on the theater seat arm rests. You know, the good old days. All I could remember was the bright lights and colors, the green Martians, Santa was in it, and that "song" (S-A-N-T-A, C-L-A-U-S....)

The next time I saw it, I was a freshman in college and it was playing at the local pub's Bad Flick Night.

Time was not kind.

It's a kid's movie, provided the kid is mentally deficient, a hostile brat and/or has short-term attention disorder. Either way, this one will appeal to them.

For the rest of us, there's the issues of Santa-kidnapping Martians in BRIGHT green makeup and helmets that resemble Yul Brynner's headgear in "The Ten Commandments"; other Martians that you either want to punch out (Dropo) or try and talk out of future acting opportunities (a young Pia Zadora-???); Santas that walk around saying "Merry Christmas", despite the fact that Christmas is not even close; pop guns that immobilize people; polar bears that have extremely long hind legs; and blah, and blah, and blah...

But DOES Santa Claus actually conquer the Martians of the title, like it says? Yep, but he doesn't hit, punch, kick, bite, scratch, claw or anything. Sorry kids, green blood does not flow here. You see, Santa puts in a Martian North Pole workshop and wins over the Martians with peace and good will towards men...and Martians too, I guess. He even makes lazy good-for-nothing Dropo a Martian Santa. GOOD; anything that will keep that nutcase on his own planet....

Two stars for SCCTM; one star for the Christmas spirit and another for the fact that it was half-price beer night when I went in that pub to see it again.

Maybe they should do that for "The Horse Whisperer"....