tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post3960459755833995404..comments2024-02-16T14:01:23.523-05:00Comments on THE B-MOVIE CATECHISM: DOUBLE FEATURE: EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS & MARS ATTACKS!EegahInchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13055947542189758831noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-26393077207674233852010-05-30T09:38:04.300-04:002010-05-30T09:38:04.300-04:00"I definitely have geeky qualities ---of whic..."I definitely have geeky qualities ---of which I am proud ---but I'm not into sci-fi."<br /><br />I'm beginning to think if you subscribed to everything considered 'geek' these days you wouldn't have time for a real life.<br /><br />I guess my problem with my own geekery is that I read way too much about movies and sometimes it spoils my enjoyment of something like Mars Attacks, a movie which should be right up my alley.EegahInchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13055947542189758831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-23085564973923586412010-05-28T23:48:18.628-04:002010-05-28T23:48:18.628-04:00When I first saw this film, I was with a bunch of ...When I first saw this film, I was with a bunch of Mensans. I was probably the only one in the room who wasn't a sci-fi geek who recognized every reference to decades-old B-films. (I definitely have geeky qualities ---of which I am proud ---but I'm not into sci-fi.) The viewers' enthusiasm and laughter were infectious ---and I loved the film, I know it has its flaws, but still, I appreciated the satire. Burton poked fun at government, the military, the media, science, new-age cults, power, pop culture, greed, Las Vegas ---and much more. Each time I see it, I pick up a few more subtle references that I missed before. The acting is so bad that it had to be on purpose from this bunch that included several award-winning actors. Hamming it up added to the ambience of a B-movie.<br /><br />Interesting that people thought it was a "send-up" of the Clinton administration. When I re-watched it a few days ago, I thought it could be a spoof of the Bush2 years, even though it was made before W took office. Just goes to show that we don't believe what we see, but rather see what we believe.CJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11105598015852813723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-23495493820965481352009-02-22T11:26:00.000-05:002009-02-22T11:26:00.000-05:00"He (and my parents) saw the whole thing as a send..."He (and my parents) saw the whole thing as a sendup of the Clinton administration."<BR/><BR/>Could be. I still think Burton was just taking a broad swipe at all government, but if it lets me get in a jab at Ol' Bill, I'll take it.EegahInchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13055947542189758831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-65539581833911334522009-02-19T12:59:00.000-05:002009-02-19T12:59:00.000-05:00Regarding the politics of Mars Attacks, my uncle (...Regarding the politics of <I>Mars Attacks</I>, my uncle (a right-leaning political cartoonist) loves the film's political satire. He (and my parents) saw the whole thing as a sendup of the Clinton administration.<BR/><BR/>One thing I thought was funny was how you couldn't tell for sure whether the aliens were attacking or if this was all just a big misunderstanding... And then you come to the scene where the White House apologizes to the aliens, who translate the message and burst out laughing at it. So yeah, they're just colossal jerks.Sammy B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15166388470570622051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-72565813573219174822009-02-13T23:53:00.000-05:002009-02-13T23:53:00.000-05:00Now calm down everybody, i didn't say I hate Mars ...Now calm down everybody, i didn't say I hate Mars Attacks! There's just a couple of things that nag at me whenever I watch it (which should tell you that I don't avoid it) which keeps me from totally enjoying it. And Nicholson is Nicholson, so of course he gets off a few good lines. I just don't think they wrote him too many in this one.<BR/><BR/>And you're right Xena, genius that Jack is, Peter Sellers is absolutely irreplaceable. I even love his bombs like The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu.EegahInchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13055947542189758831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-23586329314678644932009-02-13T22:03:00.000-05:002009-02-13T22:03:00.000-05:00Oops! That's "Xena", of course. Ther...Oops! That's "Xena", of course. There was an unfortunate intervention by one of the small space aliens living in my house & avoiding his bedtime.<BR/><BR/>Xena CatolicaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-60156282750561381352009-02-13T22:01:00.000-05:002009-02-13T22:01:00.000-05:00I second Smiter's opinion!But it's a reall...I second Smiter's opinion!<BR/><BR/>But it's a really interesting idea that he was also trying to remake Dr. Strangelove & failed. A trouble you don't mention in that regard (it seems to me)is that Peter Sellars has not been and cannot be replaced. Can you name one remake of one of his movies that wasn't just flat?<BR/><BR/>Xean CatolicaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-33008000224679092852009-02-13T19:21:00.000-05:002009-02-13T19:21:00.000-05:00Without denying any of your cogent criticism, Eega...Without denying any of your cogent criticism, Eegah, I thought Mars Attacks! was worth it just to hear Jack Nicholson declaim, "I'd like the American people to know that they've still got two out of three branches of government working for them... and that ain't bad!" <BR/><BR/>If only that were still true today.<BR/><BR/> - Smiter the ArchdeaconAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34344059.post-70941300204991146042009-02-13T15:25:00.000-05:002009-02-13T15:25:00.000-05:00it’s kind of cool how 1950s movie scientists were ...<I>it’s kind of cool how 1950s movie scientists were regular guys, not eccentric weasely geeks with ibooks</I><BR/><BR/>I never caught that before. By gum you are right! There's a whole 'nother lesson in there somewhere.<BR/><BR/><I>Once you notice it, Mars Attacks! starts to feel like the movie Burton was using to work off the chip he was carrying on his shoulder towards mainstream America. Is it any surprise mainstream Americans reciprocated his disdain by staying away from the ticket booths in droves?</I><BR/><BR/>Amazing how razzing regular Americans just <I>has</I> to make it into Hollywood fare. It's like 50's Westerns in which the only good indian was a dead indian. Eventually they burned out on it. We are still waiting for Hollywood to burn out on this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com