MARTIANS GO HOME!

What if Martians came to Earth and acted not as invaders but as tourists? Obnoxious, noisy, green-skinned tourists with loud, obnoxious clothes and even more obnoxious jokes.

So goes the premise to this science-fiction comedy, which opens with Mark Devereaux, a suspected “Martian sympathizer”, being interrogated by Secret Service agents. The movie then unravels in flashback form, with Mark describing how he caused the Martians to come and subsequently leave.

It all starts as Mark, a composer, writes the musical score for a science-fiction movie. His live-in girlfriend, Sara, produces a live radio talk show, and when Mark phones Sara with the music, she accidentally plays it on the air. Transmitted out into space, it draws one billion green comedians.

The rest of the film is like a stand-up comedy routine with the meddlesome Martians wrecking comedic havoc on Earth’s inhabitants. Several of the humorous moments, however, are based on crass and offensive situations, as when they become “spectators” while Mark and Sara are in bed. Being able to read human minds (a power never fully explained), the Martians pop up everywhere for the sole purpose of making fun of human beings. Thus, they are able to force men to be “open and honest,” which causes no end of embarrassment for most of the characters. Mark finally gets the Martians to leave by playing his sci-fi music backwards.

As the Martians expose the dishonesty of men, Mark says, “Being open and honest… it’s sheer hell.” After the Martins leave, he is anxious for things to return to normal, “lying, cheating, sneaking around… having fun again.” Is the movie saying that the latter leads to happiness? Or, is this a satirical statement on the sinful state of man? Either way, the movie is one to avoid.

There’s no end to the offensive material, and no subject is sacred as the Martians take cheap, adolescent shots at religion, health, sex, marriage, and ethics. One scene is particularly offensive, in which a Martian dressed as Satan confronts a TV preacher with obscenities. There are numerous other obscenities and profanities, brief female nudity and several scenes depicting sex outside of marriage.

MARTIANS GO HOME! had been sitting on the shelf for nearly two years before it was picked up for distribution. Undoubtedly, it should have remained buried.