INVADERS FROM MARS: The Cannon Remake That Crashed Back to Earth | Tobe Hooper: The Cannon Years

2021-05-27

After the critical and commercial failure of LIFEFORCE, Cannon Films still had faith in Tobe Hooper—or at least, they had a contract to honor. Next up in Hooper’s three-picture deal was INVADERS FROM MARS (1986), a remake of the 1953 sci-fi cult classic. Cannon hoped the film could help change their reputation from B-movie factory to big-budget player. Instead, the result was a box office disappointment that only deepened the perception of Cannon’s creative chaos. In this episode, we explore how INVADERS FROM MARS came to be, the troubled shoot, and why the film ultimately failed to connect with audiences. Plus, we highlight the incredible creature effects by Stan Winston and his team, whose work remains one of the film’s few enduring legacies.

After the critical and commercial failure of LIFEFORCE, Cannon Films still had faith in Tobe Hooper—or at least, they had a contract to honor.

Next up in Hooper’s three-picture deal was INVADERS FROM MARS (1986), a remake of the 1953 sci-fi cult classic. Cannon hoped the film could help change their reputation from B-movie factory to big-budget player. Instead, the result was a box office disappointment that only deepened the perception of Cannon’s creative chaos.

In this episode, we explore how INVADERS FROM MARS came to be, the troubled shoot, and why the film ultimately failed to connect with audiences. Plus, we highlight the incredible creature effects by Stan Winston and his team, whose work remains one of the film’s few enduring legacies.

BUY OUR MERCH: http://cinemashock.threadless.com

Coming Up: