With horror industry heavy hitters already in place from the 1970s, the 1980s built upon that with the rise of brilliant minds in makeup and effects artists, as well as advances in technology. Artists like Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Tom Savini, Stan Winston, and countless other artists that delivered groundbreaking, mind-blowing practical effects that ushered in the pre-CGI Golden Age of Cinema. Which meant a glorious glut of creatures in horror. More than just a technical marvel, the creatures on display in ‘80s horror meant tangible texture that still holds up decades later. Grotesque slimy skin to brutal transformation sequences, there wasn’t anything the artists couldn’t create. It Came From the ‘80s is a series that will pay homage to the monstrous, deadly, and often slimy creatures that made the ‘80s such a fantastic decade in horror.
With the anniversary of horror maverick Tobe Hooper’s passing fast approaching, it feels like a great time to revisit one of his more underseen films; the 1986 remake of the 1953 sci-fi film Invaders from Mars. Written by Dan O Bannon (Alien) and Don Jakoby (Arachnophobia), this updated version is a kid-friendly sci-fi horror spectacle that isn’t afraid to get a little scary. The plot follows young David (Karen Black’s son Hunter Carson), the only one to witness an alien spacecraft crash land in the quarry not far from his house. As the aliens begin assimilating everyone in the town, David teams up with the school nurse, Linda (Karen Black), and the U.S. Marines to help save the world. These aren’t tiny parasitic aliens, but big monstrous creatures befitting of Hooper’s homage to ‘50s B-horror.
The Martians were designed and created by Stan Winston Studios, who were also handling Aliens at the time. Luckily, Aliens was still in the early prep stages that neither project interfered with the other, though Stan Winston did draw inspiration from the alien queen concept when designing the Martian Drones. He wanted to further play around with the idea that he could use two performers in one suit to mask human anatomy and give a more alien vibe to the creature. In the case of the Martian Drones, this meant a suit that would have the stunt-man or performer hold ski poles and walk backward in a custom-built frame. That frame would situate a little person against the back of the stunt-person, and the little person would handle the creature’s gaping jaw movements. It gave the creature a very inhuman walk, but the added weight and the size of the suit meant a laborious time for the performers bringing the Drones to life. The sheer size and work involved, especially with the limited budget, meant only two suits were created for the film, but clever editing and stand-in drones create the effect that there were more than that.
The Martian Drones in the film were led by the Supreme Being, a monstrous brain looking alien with a very long tail that sat upon a throne. The puppet for the Supreme Being was constructed with an articulated animatronic face and built with bladders inside to give the effect of breathing. It took three puppeteers to maneuver the Supreme Being.
Invaders from Mars isn’t a perfect remake, and there are rumors that young Hunter Carson was not enthused to have spent his summer on a film shoot. There are even worse rumors that Black wasn’t happy to be involved with the film either. But from a pure creature feature film, this is a pleasant surprise. Hooper keeps upping the ante, unafraid to go really dark for a child led film. The last 20 minutes is absolute insanity. And of course, there’s an abundance of extremely talented special effects artists on display. Stan Winston’s team included artists like Tom Woodruff Jr., Shannon Shea, Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman, John Rosengrant, Kevin Yagher, and so many more. Even Winston’s son Matt was pulled in to help when not in school.
For those looking for an epic homage to the sci-fi horror B-movie of the ‘50s, or even just a great family-friendly gateway into horror, Invaders from Mars has a lot to offer. It may not hold a candle to some of the more memorable Hooper films, but it’s another shining example that Hooper was never afraid to go bold and try something different. I’ll forever miss him for that.
