Film Series Xmas Special: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!

Thursday, December 18, 2008 | 7pm | Free!

As a special X-mas present from The Bridge to you, we present the legendary 1964 anti-classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. It’s just as awful as fruitcake, but much more interesting!

This deliciously stupid film offers 81 minutes of skull-poundingly awful delight, in which the King of Mars attempts to kidnap Santa Claus in order to appease his Martian children Girmar and Bomar. As one poster boasts, “SEE: the Martians Kidnap Santa! Santa’s North Pole Workshop! The Fantastic Martian Toy Factory! Earth Kids Meeting with Martian Kids! Space-ship Journey from Earth to Mars! Santa Turn Mars-Robot Into a Mechanical Toy!” What they don’t mention is Milton Delugg’s infectiously catchy theme song “Hooray for Santy Claus,” nor do they mention the tremendously unconvincing Polar Bear suit.

This film truly does walk the thin line between charming low-fi incompetence and cringe-inducingly poor show-business decisions of yesteryear. You may need a lot of egg nog to recover from this one. But aren’t the Holidays about suffering through endearingly terrible experiences together?

In the spirit of seasonal generosity, this screening is free.