Search - Lobster Man From Mars on DVD

"Do you think you can kill an alien spacebat with bullets?"

cookieman108 | Inside the jar... | 10/13/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The art of the spoof (or farce, if you will)...it can be a tricky thing. Sometimes it works, but more often than not it doesn't, but in Lobster Man from Mars (1989), I think overall they did a pretty good job, creating a film that should certainly appeal to fans of science fiction movies (especially bad ones) from the 1950's, but probably not to your average Joe Blow on the street, but that's alright, as sci-fi fans love to have their own little obscure productions that only they and their friends know about, so that if and when said production ever gets real exposure and actually gains some acclaim, they can always speak of how they were there from the beginning, and complain about how all others have essentially `jumped on the bandwagon' and are a bunch of `Johnny-come-latelys', but I digress (as usual)...

Getting back to the movie, which was directed by someone named Stanley Sheff, who I've never heard of, but I found out he also directed Vincent Price: The Sinister Image (1988) which was basically a lengthy interview with Price as he discussed his extraordinary career in film, television, radio, and theater. It's good...go get it. Okay, back to Lobster Man...lemme see...who appears in the film? Quite a few people I've actually heard of (in no particular order)...there's Deborah Foreman, who most would probably remember as Julie from Valley Girl (1983), a film she starred in with a punky Nicholas Cage (in his first real starring role), Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Return of the Living Dead III), Tony Curtis (yeah, the famous one), Bobby `Boris' Pickett (he wrote the song The Monster Mash, which isn't on the soundtrack), Patrick Macnee (The Avengers...that's the original series from the 60's, not the Ralph Fiennes/Uma Thurman box office flopperino), and Billy Barty (Under the Rainbow).

Okay, so what's the film about? Hold on, I'll tell you...impatient sort, aren't you? Are you ready for it? The movie is a film within a film...did I just blow your mind? Okay, lemme expand a little...there's this film producer, J.P. Shelldrake (Curtis), whose production company has done pretty well, but now owes the IRS money that he doesn't have due an extravagant lifestyle and such. His accountant tells him the only way out of this jam is to finance a movie that will lose money, and then report the loss as a tax write-off. Make a bad movie on purpose? (Gee this would explain a lot with regards to some of the flotsam put out by Hollywood...any one see Gigli?) Problem is, time is extremely limited, but no worries, as here come pimply-faced Stevie Horowitz, independent film director with a movie he calls Lobster Man from Mars, which we proceed to watch. (do you see where I'm coming from, with that concept of a film within a film? It's insane! It's unsane!) Okay, stay with me now...the Lobster Man film stars everyone else I mentioned earlier except Tony Curtis. The premise of the Lobster Man movie is the Martian King (Pickett) is informed that Mars is running out of air. In a desperate effort to stave off disaster, he sends The Dreaded Lobster Man (that's how it's credited), along with Mombo, an ape with a diving helmet, ala Robot Monster, to Earth to steal the air. In return, The Dreaded Lobster Man can eat as many humans as he likes. While driving Mary (Foreman) and her boyfriend John (Hickox) witness the landing of the space ship, and soon get Professor Plocostomos involved, along with the military, headed up by a gung-ho Colonel Ankrum. Also, there's winged lobster bats, discombobulator guns, a haunted house, a circa 1940's private detective who has a tendency to speak mostly in euphemisms, and more...

This is a pretty funny movie, but unless you are familiar with science fiction films from the 50's, some of the humor, gags and jokes will get by you. The spoofing tended to get a little too broad, especially with the inclusion of Skipper Bruce, a knock off of Robert Shaw's Quint from Jaws (yes, yes, I know, the main character is a LOBSTER man, so a famous film involving a `water' reference is not that far fetched). The best parts, in my opinion, were when the scientist and the colonel were arguing about various things, including the best way to deal with this new and hostile enemy. It's really funny and reminiscent of how these types of characters appeared in those old films. I thought the effects throughout were very good (know that they were made to look odd and cheap on purpose, as that's how they looked in a lot of those old films), especially the Lobster Man outfit, and the dialogue very reminiscent of the films being spoofed. There's a great amount of attention paid to detail, incorporating many of the best `bad' elements from old science fictions films, indicating filmmakers weren't just out to make fun of the films of the past, but, in my opinion, paying loving homage to those classics of yesteryear.

Presented here on this DVD is a good looking full screen picture (I am unsure, but I think this is probably the original aspect ratio) enhanced with newly added scenes, special effects, and music, along with a surprising number of special features. First and foremost there's a Lobstervision commentary by the director (what's Lobstervision? I'll never tell) along with special guests including George Takei (Sulu on de Star Trek), many deleted scenes, the director's first film titled Sinister Flesh (a silent film from the 1970's), a visit with Tony Curtis in his Las Vegas home, production stills, production notes, and a director's statement (which seemed very similar to the production notes, but whatever, it's his movie, his release). Finally, know that, according to the credits, no lobsters were harmed in the making of this film...eaten, yes, but not harmed.

Cookieman108

PS...loved the use of the song Rock Lobster by the B52's...seemed an obvious choice.
"

The bestest ever

katie | Va | 02/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"wow this movie is sooooo great. I dont know if everyones father is like mine but I think there may be a common thread among them. My dad rented this movie and we both thought it was a laugh RIOT! my mom didnt care for it but there is no saving her anyhow. IT IS FUNNY, if you like the science mystery theatre 2000 with the little robots making fun of the movies you will love this. totally recomended"

Good Silly Fun!

H. Powell | Reynoldsburg, Ohio USA | 02/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This clever comedy is a spoof of all of those "so terrible they're good" sci-fi movies that were cranked out in the 50s and 60s (the brief appearence of the helmet wearing ape from "Robot Monster" is a hoot). You'll find every sci-fi cliche ever committed to film crammed into this movie, to good effect I may add. This is presented as a film within a film; a young kid makes his own cheapie movie and gives it to big name producer (Tony Curtis) to screen...said producer does just that and agrees to release the film (because he thinks it's terrible and he desperately needs a tax write off! ). Contrary to expectations, "Lobster Man" is a huge hit...you'll have to see the movie. Billy Barty, Bobby "Monster Mash" Picket, and the beautiful Deborah Foreman make this goofy gem all the better."