• Embassy Pictures/Photofest
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    SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS (1964)

    A sci-fi kidnapping caper filmed in SPACE-BLAZING COLOR, “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” may be one of the reasons why everybody in the late '60s was on drugs. The Martian aristocracy, a race of mildly green humans wearing poorly-designed scuba masks, determine that the only way to guarantee the survival of Martian culture will be to abduct Santa Claus and have him introduce the concepts of fun and Christmastime to Martian youth. Evading the hapless Air Force, the Martians unwittingly bring two Earth children along as stowaways. These apple-cheeked youths work together with the children of Mars to defeat the robots and bears of the evil Voldar, a fun-hating Martian traditionalist with an unsettling resemblance to Frank Zappa. Will conservative Martian society be upended by Santa Claus’ bold reforms? What role will Dropo, the laziest man on Mars play in the new Santaist government? The only way to make sure is to try to track down a recording—it’s probably easiest to find it in the form where it earned the most infamy, as part of season three of cult TV hit "Mystery Science Theater 3000."