Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Rating:
Summary: Hooray for Santy Claus!
Review: Ya know, it's a good thing there's a movie like "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians". Not only does it give you a good laugh at its silly acting, really corny lines, threadbare-shoestring production values, and just plain overall cheesiness, it gives ya a greater appreciation for the good Holiday movies and specials. Ya know, stuff like "A Christmas Story" and half the Rankin-Bass Holiday `toon catalogue? Yeah, NOW ya know what I mean, don'cha? Glad I didn't hafta spell it out for ya...

Anyhoo: "Santa Conquers the Martians" has become required Holiday viewing for me. Not only does it get me into the Xmas spirit with its way-too-jolly titular star and way-too-awed young'uns, it also helps satiate my incessant craving for trash/camp/cult cinema fare with the slapstick bumbling of the "naughty" Martian and his dopey minions. And who can help but get a good cheap laugh outta the bumbling antics of Droppo? It's the simple things in life, lemme tell ya...

This latest DVD release has decent picture quality considering the fact it's transferred from a print that's seen better days. Also, it doesn't have anything in the way of bonus features, save for a mini-catalogue of other DVDs that this movie's distributor is offering. Eh, it ain't like ya need all that sideshow junk, anyway; just enjoy the flick, willya?

Please note: the movie is NOT in black & white, contrary to what the description for this item states.

`Late

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.