Rating: Summary: A Jolly Yuletide Classic Review: Yeah, "It's a Wonderful Life" is a pretty good movie. However, the movie I joyfully watch every Christmas is about martians who, lacking a Santa Claus to bring joy to martian kids, kidnap Santa from Earth, along with two children. "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is almost sublime in its badness, and with painted-green martials in skintight suits, a Santa with a lewd chuckle instead of a "Ho Ho Ho," incredible wooden acting by the cast (one of whom is Pia Zadora), unspeakable special effects, and a horrible theme song, it is a masterpiece of the so-bad-it's-good school of film. Just TRY getting the theme song out of your head. The DVD from Laserlight looks exactly as one would expect it - awful. The supersaturated colour scheme has not aged well, and looks very grainy. There are many scratches, but that only adds to the film's strange charm. Unfortunately, the first fifteen seconds or so of the film's opening credits are not on this DVD, depriving loyal fans of seeing EVERY BIT of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." Unsurprisingly, there are no extras, although the menus are pretty good.
Rating: Summary: Hooray For Santa Claus! Review: You've got to be in a silly or giddy mood to truly appreciate this '60's classic. From suspense formulation to character development, SCCM tosses convention aside and disobeys all film making rules. In fact, it is so poorly done, it is downright enjoyable! Enjoy it with your friends for a good laugh. Be enchanted with lovely Pia Zadora's film debut (I think) as the cute little Martian girl. Be inspired as Carl Don's character, the 800+ year old Martian wiseman, proclaims, "We Need A Santa Claus on Mars!" Get downright geocentric as the Earth's Christmas Holiday spirit prevails over the Red Planet's system of overbearing logic and Grinch-esque gloom. Most importantly, jam to the film's wonderful jingle, "Hooray For Santa Claus", which I truly think is the best thing to come out of this movie. I believe this theme song is the most underrated Christmas carol of all time.
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