Newlywed research scientist hero Dr Russell Marvin (Hugh Marlowe, back in the nation’s capital after surviving The Day the Earth Stood Still) tries to prevent an invasion of the Earth after aliens abduct his father-in-law, General Hanley (Morris Ankrum).
He slows down the plodding story even further by embarking on a sluggish romantic honeymoon interlude with his new wife, Carol (Joan Taylor), who works with him at the Operation Skyhook base.
Commendable only for special effects genius Ray Harryhausen’s flying saucers trashing the landmarks of Washington DC (authentic replicas were constructed of the Washington Monument, the Supreme Court and the domed roof of the Capitol building), this routine science-fiction fantasy lifts most of its plot from HG Wells’s The War of the Worlds, but does little else with its Mars Attacks!(1996) scenario.
Budgetary restrictions prevented Harryhausen from using stop-motion for the alien pilots (faceless creatures encased in robot-like pressure suits), so human-sized black metallic costumes (with decidedly phallic helmets) were designed to be worn by stunt actors.
Morris Ankrum played hotheaded Brigadier General Hanley, with veteran voice-over artist Paul Frees providing the alien leader’s sinister voice.
Dr Russell A Marvin
Hugh Marlowe Carol Marvin
Joan Taylor Major Huglin
Donald Curtis General Hanley
Morris Ankrum Professor Kanter
John Zaremba Admiral Enright
Thomas Browne Henry General Edmunds
Grandon Rhodes Cutting
Harry Lauter Dr Alberts
Charles Evans Sergeant Nash
Clark Howat Alfred Cassidy
Frank Wilcox
Director
Fred F Sears
Video
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He slows down the plodding story even further by embarking on a sluggish romantic honeymoon interlude with his new wife, Carol (Joan Taylor), who works with him at the Operation Skyhook base.
