GHOSTS OF MARS (2001)

MORGAN'S RATING

Natasha Henstridge is Melanie Ballard, a headstrong police lieutenant on Mars in the year 2025. Humans have been colonized and mining on the red planet for some time, but when Ballard and her squad are sent to a remote region to apprehend the dangerous criminal James 'Desolation' Williams, they discover that he's the least of their worries. The mining operations have unleashed a deadly army of Martian spirits who take over the bodies of humans and won't stop until they destroy all invaders of their planet.

Natasha Henstridge (Melanie Ballard), Ice Cube (James 'Desolation' Williams), Jason Statham (Jericho Butler), Clea Duvall (Bashira Kincaid), Pam Grier (Commander Helena Braddock), Joanna Cassidy (Dr. Arlene Whitlock), Richard Cetrone (Big Daddy Mars), Rosemary Forsyth (Inquisitor), Liam Waite (Michael Descanso), Duane Davis (Uno), Lobo Sebastian (Dos), Rodney A. Grant (Tres), Peter Jason (McSimms), Wanda De Jesus (Akooshay), Doug McGrath (Benchley), Rick Edelstein (Zimmerman), Robert Carradine (Rodale), Michael Krawic (Man in the Rover), Eileen Weisinger (Woman Warrior), Rex Linn (Yared), Matt Nolan (Miner), Marjean Holden (Young Woman), Charlotte Cornwell (Narrator, voice), Richard Barela (Miner, uncredited), Danielle Burgio (Local Lady Cop, uncredited), Damon Caro (Shape-Male Intern, uncredited), Marty Cuny (Miner / Warrior, uncredited), James W. Gruessing Jr. (Miner, uncredited), Harry Jay Knowles (Head on a Stake, uncredited).

TERROR IS THE SAME ON ANY PLANET.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: John Carpenter (Assault on Precinct 13). WRITERS: Larry Sulkis and John Carpenter. PRODUCER: Sandy King. ORIGINAL MUSIC: John Carpenter and Anthrax Buckethead (guitar score). DISTRIBUTOR: Screen Gems Inc.

QUOTES

James: That's the second time I've saved your life. Melanie: Yeah, run a tab.

Melanie: I might sleep with you if you were the last man on earth...but this isn't earth.

FACTS

James: Tide's up. Time to stay alive.

RELEASE DATE: August 24th, 2001 (USA) DVD RELEASE DATE: December 4th, 2001 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $3.8 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $8.7 million (USA) BUDGET: $28 million (USA) SHOOTING DATES: August 2000 -- October 2000 - At one point Pam Grier yells "Who goes there?". This is the title of the story that inspired John Carpenter's The Thing (1982). - As with many of Carpenter's films, references 60s British horror films -- specifically Quartermass and the Pit (1967), which also featured the idea of humans being influenced by Martians and killing off everyone who is not part of the "whole". - For the soundtrack, John Carpenter called upon various rock musicians to help enhance his own score. They included members of Anthrax, Steve Vai, Guns N' Roses' guitarists Buckethead and Robin Finck and Elliot Easton (formely of The Cars). - Courtney Love was originally hired to play for the role of Melanie Ballard. When she dropped out, contenders for the role were Michelle Yeoh, Franka Potente, and Famke Janssen. - Jason Statham was originally hired to play James 'Desolation' Williams. - Filmed entirely at night. - Much of the location shooting was done on a gypsum mine near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The gypsum, which is almost pure white, was sprayed with a biodegradable red food dye to give the appearance of a Martian landscape.

Melanie: So, where were you before Chryse. Jaricho: Eutopia, the ass end of the universe. A penal camp for thieving cutthroats. Melanie: Sounds nasty. But you seem to be holding up pretty well. Jaricho: Yeah, well, I have many hidden talents.

Commander Braddock: So where is everybody? Melanie: Yeah Friday night the whole place should be packed. A whole twelve hours before sunup and there's money to burn, whores to fuck, and drugs to take.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"The whole planet looks like a WWF Halloween special. It's The Night of the Living Martians!" -- Jay Stone, Ottawa Citizen

"Though Ghosts of Mars is watchable and even exciting, it's not one of Carpenter's best." -- Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

"Arguably the horror/sci-fi director's most routine movie." -- Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

"Becomes one big yawn of uninspired battle sequences, half-baked plotting and ultra-clunky dialogue leading to a lame, tacked-on coda." -- Michael Rechtschaffen, Hollywood Reporter

"Henstridge...has neither the heft nor the acting chops to carry the film." -- Steven Rae, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Ghosts of Mars, hah. More like Turkey of Mars." -- Louis B. Parks, Houston Chronicle

"It's more than a little sad to realize this is what Carpenter's career has come to." -- Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald