Macabre...ish Horror Review: Invaders From Mars

Invaders from Mars, 1986/ 102 min.

David, a kid with dreams of being an astronaut, is awakened by a thunderstorm and he witnesses a spaceship landing on the hill behind the house. David’s Dad goes to check it out and returns acting very unlike himself and he has a strange mark on the back of his neck.

David’s dad, George, then confesses that he was right, something did land behind the house and he wants to show him. But David is spooked and runs to the bus instead.

Then his mother begins acting weird, then other adults in town. All are acting strange with that mark on the back of their necks. Now David only trusts one adult because she’s the only one without a wound, Linda, the school nurse.

Eventually David does follow one of his teacher’s over the hill to find out what’s happened to the town for himself. And it’s pretty ugly and with the town overrun, it’s only getting harder to get help.

This is a remake of the 1953 film of the same name by Tobe Hooper. The spaceship effects are 80s comedy but the alien effects range from hilarious to horrific, meatball toothy pac man and Audrey 2 amalgamation! Who knew you could make meatballs with teeth so different?! It was good to see old faces of horror such as James Karen! This movie has the same feel as The Stuff, especially toward the end.