Guide Note

Mars Attacks! is a science fiction comedy film released in 1996 and directed by Tim Burton. It is based on a sci-fi themed trading card series popular in the 1950s and 1960s called Mars Attacks. The movie parodies common tropes from sci-fi B-Movies of the same time period, and adds its own blend of exaggerated violence and comical melodrama. Though reviews were mixed from American critics, the movie was more popular in Europe and was still relatively profitable.

Fast Facts

1. Directed by: Tim Burton
2. Produced by: Tim Burton, Larry J. Franco and Laurie Parker
3. Written by: Jonathan Gems
4. Music by: Danny Elfman
5. Released: December 13, 1996
6. Distributed by: Warner Bros.
7. Cast: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox Tom Jones, Natalie Portman, Christina Applegate, Rod Steiger, Lukas Haas, Jim Brown, Lisa Marie and Sylvia Sidney
8. Running time: 106 min.
9. Budget: $70 million
10. Worldwide earnings: $101 million
11. Tagline: "Nice planet, we'll take it!"
12. Featured many similarities with more dramatic Independence Day, but it was likely not intentional

1. Best Science Fiction Film
2. Best Director
3. Best Special Effects
4. Best Writer
5. Best Costumes
6. Best Performance by a Younger Actor

1. Best Music

1. Best Dramatic Presentation

1. Best Motion Picture - Animated or Mixed Media
2. Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
3. Outstanding Original Score

1. Excellence in Production Design Award

1. Location Professional of the Year - Features

1. Best Fight - James Brown vs. Alien