Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) - Video On Demand

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians - Movie Review

Putting the kitsch into Christmas, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is a 1964 sci-fi flick for all the family. It easily puts contemporary Christmas movies like Bad Santa into a new perspective - yes, even forty years ago they were making bad Christmas films. Plus ca change. The basic plot involves the bearded bringer of festive cheer being shanghaied by a bunch of Martians, whose kids just wanna have fun.

Like all Cold War-era sci-fi films, the political subtext is obvious even to an eleven year old. The Martians represent cold-hearted Commies who need to loosen up a lot and become more like the fun loving, free living kids of the Western World.

Among the leotard-wearing Martians, watch out for a young Pia Zadora (playing one of the Martian kids), whose debut this film was. In 1982 Zadora had the double honour of winning a Golden Globe as Best New Star of the Year (for the film Butterfly - despte debuting here 18 years previously) whilst also picking up a Golden Rasbery Award for Worst Actress (also for the film Butterfly - proving, as if proff were needed, that film critics really do know squat). Zadora's film career faltered somewhat and in 1983 she had a Billboard hit single with The Clapping Song before retiring from the limelight to raise a family with her husband Meshulam Riklis.

While the Golden Globes committee may have forgotten this film and despiet its regular appearances in Worst Film Ever Made lists, Santa Claus Conquers The Martians is still a cult classic.

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians - Cast & Crew

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