Description

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is a 1964 science fiction film that regularly appears on lists of the List of films considered the worst. It is regularly featured in the “bottom 100” list on the Internet Movie Database and was featured in an episode of the 1986 syndicated series, the Canned Film Festival. It was directed by Nicholas Webster, and it stars John Call as Santa Claus. It also includes an 8-year-old Pia Zadora playing the role of one of the Martian children and also marks the first documented appearance of Mrs. Claus in a motion picture (Doris Rich plays the role), coming three weeks before the TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (TV special) also featured the character.

The film took on newfound fame in the 1990s after being featured on an episode of the comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000. The episode became a holiday staple on the Comedy Central cable channel in the years following its 1991 premiere. It has since found new life again, as it has been the subject of new riffing by Cinematic Titanic and RiffTrax, both productions of former MST3K writers and performers. The movie was also featured on the current run of Elvira’s Movie Macabre.

Cast

• John Call as Santa Claus
• Leonard Hicks as Kimar
• Vincent Beck as Voldar
• Bill McCutcheon as Dropo
• Victor Stiles as Billy
• Donna Conforti as Betty
• Chris Month as Bomar
• Pia Zadora as Girmar
• Leila Martin as Momar
• Charles Renn as Hargo
• James Cahill as Rigna
• Ned Wertimer as Andy Anderson
• Doris Rich as Mrs. Claus
• Carl Don as Chochem / Von Green
• Ivor Bodin as Winky