My Favorite Martian (film)
Encyclopedia
My Favorite Martian is a 1999 science fiction
comedy film
starring Christopher Lloyd
, Jeff Daniels
, Daryl Hannah
, Elizabeth Hurley
, Wallace Shawn
and Ray Walston
, based on the 1960s television series of the same name
. It was directed by Donald Petrie
and written by original-series creator John L. Greene, Sherri Stoner
and Deanna Oliver
. Creatures were created by Amalgamated Dynamics from designs by Jordu Schell
.
's mission. As the rover prepares to sample Martian rock
, it "kicks the bucket." The mission controllers congratulate themselves on a "successful" mission, while back on Mars the scene pans up from the dead rover to show a huge undiscovered Martian city. A spaceship is seen quickly rocketing from the city and accelerating into space.
News producer Tim O'Hara (Jeff Daniels
), is fired for unwillingly "compromising" his boss's daughter, Brace Channing (Elizabeth Hurley
), during a live broadcast of the first Space Shuttle
launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base
. His assistant, the shy Lizzie (Daryl Hannah
), tries to comfort him, and it's apparent she has a secret crush on him. A while later, Tim witnesses a small Martian spacecraft
crash landing. Realizing his chance to deliver a story that will "rock the Earth
", he brings Brace to show her the ship. Nearby, its only occupant (Christopher Lloyd
) hides in the bushes. Tim takes the now-shrunken spaceship home with him with the Martian following him to retrieve it. He eventually has to knock Tim out, disguise himself to look like Tim and ends up kissing Lizzie when she visits.
When Tim confronts the Martian, he finds out the "electron accelerator," a small device which powers the control systems of the ship, is damaged beyond repair and the Martian needs Tim's help to find a replacement. Eventually, the Martian takes the name "Uncle Martin" and explores the city, unaware that they are being watched by SETI
, which discovered DNA
left by Martin while hiding out at Tim's. While exploring Tim's neighborhood, Martin tells him about a friend of his named "Neenert," one of his planet's most gifted Martian scientists, who came to Earth in 1964. Tim and Martin also stop by at a beach wear shop and Martin buys a new pair of clothes and leaves Zoot in the fitting room but then escapes out. Tim's other friends including Lizzie and Brace meet Martin without knowing that he really is a Martian yet, after this Brace is captured by the SETI gang as she is mistaken by them as an alien.
As the story continues, Tim secretly tapes Martin and Zoot with hidden camera
s to back up his story and impress the TV station staff. Meanwhile, Martin and Zoot discover a subsystem called the Interstellar Safety System which is prepared to self-destruct, taking Martin's ship with it. Lizzie shows up at Tim's house, to discover Brace stealing the tape. After thinking that Tim cheated on her, Lizzie rejects him and storms out, only to be distracted by the now full size spaceship. A screenshot of Martin in the bathtub while in his Martian form, is discovered by Brace and she steals all of Tim's tapes.
Martin and Tim go after the Martian evidence, shrinking the ship (unfortunately, along with Zoot and Lizzie) and racing down to the station where Martin ties Brace to her office chair and gags her. Martin then disguises himself as her so he can take her place on the news where Martin's alien form is almost exposed. The broadcast is carefully watched by Elliot Coleye (Wallace Shawn
), head of SETI. Tim admits to Martin that he has been videotaping him, but found he also likes Martin and apologizes. As footage from another news report is aired, Tim and Martin escape the station. Tim and martin escape through the sewers and into the hands of Coleye, who take them back to SETI for investigation.
At the lab, Tim tricks one of the scientists into growing Martin's ship to normal size, breaching security
and allowing Lizzie and Zoot to escape. However, the trio's escape is blocked by two security guards,with the help of a "nerplex," a piece of alien gum
that can transform anyone into another life form - in this case, a hideous monster from Veenox 7. Lizzie throws one of the guards to a panel. The other tries to escape, but Lizzie cuts him off and swallows him whole.
The three eventually succeed in locating Martin, who is about to undergo surgery, involving the removal of Martin's antenna. When Martin and Zoot reunite he comes back to life, and wakes up. The three then escape SETI headquarters and prepare to bid farewell to Martin, installing a car alternator in place of the damaged electron accelerator. He is intercepted by Coleye, but a SETI official named Armitan, actually Martin's old friend Neenert (Ray Walston
), saves him by destroying Coleye's gun.
Eventually, Coleye consumes the piece of nerplex left by Neenert, and he's turned into an alien, too. While laughing at this, Coleye accidentally swallows the gum. He ends up getting caught by his own organization as Martin and Neenert head home.
In the end, Martin and Zoot return to Earth with enough supplies to settle down with Tim and Lizzie. Neenert flies Martin's spacecraft back to Mars. Tim initially objects to Martin staying, but a passionate kiss from Lizzie convinces Tim to change his mind. The film ends with Zoot in a washing machine
, enjoying an issue of Victoria's Secret
.
gave it a score out of 2/4 and remarked: “The movie is clever in its visuals, labored in its audios, and noisy enough to entertain kids up a certain age. What age? Low double digits. There are some good moments in My Favorite Martian. It looks as if everyone who made this film had a lot of fun.”
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
, Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
, Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
, Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Jane Hurley is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los...
, Wallace Shawn
Wallace Shawn
Wallace Michael Shawn , sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, author, voice artist, and intellectual. His best-known film roles include Wally Shawn in My Dinner with Andre , Vizzini in The Princess Bride , and debate teacher Mr...
and Ray Walston
Ray Walston
Ray Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
, based on the 1960s television series of the same name
My Favorite Martian
My Favorite Martian is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963 to May 1, 1966 for 107 episodes...
. It was directed by Donald Petrie
Donald Petrie
Donald Mark Petrie is an American film director.Petrie was born in New York City, New York, the son of Dorothea , a television producer, actor, and novelist, and Daniel Petrie, a director. Petrie has acted and guest-starred on television programs. His first directorial job was on the set of The...
and written by original-series creator John L. Greene, Sherri Stoner
Sherri Stoner
Sherri Stoner is an American actress and writer. She was born July 16, 1965, in Santa Monica, California.She has worked extensively in animation. She was a writer and producer for such 1990s animated shows as Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. She is probably best known for Animaniacs, for which...
and Deanna Oliver
Deanna Oliver
Deanna Oliver is an American actress who did the voice of Toaster in the 1987 film, The Brave Little Toaster and its sequels. She also is the producer of My Favorite Martian & other films. In addition, she was a writer of the 1993 television show, Animaniacs and the 1990 show Tiny Toon Adventures....
. Creatures were created by Amalgamated Dynamics from designs by Jordu Schell
Jordu Schell
Jordu Schell is a renowned American sculptor and concept artist who has been working in the film and television industries for over twenty years.-Career:Jordu Schell began his career as a sculptor and Halloween mask maker...
.
Plot
The film opens on Mars, showing the last moments of a Mars roverMars Rover
A Mars rover is an automated motor vehicle which propels itself across the surface of the planet Mars after landing.Rovers have several advantages over stationary landers: they examine more territory, they can be directed to interesting features, they can place themselves in sunny positions to...
's mission. As the rover prepares to sample Martian rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
, it "kicks the bucket." The mission controllers congratulate themselves on a "successful" mission, while back on Mars the scene pans up from the dead rover to show a huge undiscovered Martian city. A spaceship is seen quickly rocketing from the city and accelerating into space.
News producer Tim O'Hara (Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
), is fired for unwillingly "compromising" his boss's daughter, Brace Channing (Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Jane Hurley is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los...
), during a live broadcast of the first Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
. His assistant, the shy Lizzie (Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
), tries to comfort him, and it's apparent she has a secret crush on him. A while later, Tim witnesses a small Martian spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
crash landing. Realizing his chance to deliver a story that will "rock the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
", he brings Brace to show her the ship. Nearby, its only occupant (Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
) hides in the bushes. Tim takes the now-shrunken spaceship home with him with the Martian following him to retrieve it. He eventually has to knock Tim out, disguise himself to look like Tim and ends up kissing Lizzie when she visits.
When Tim confronts the Martian, he finds out the "electron accelerator," a small device which powers the control systems of the ship, is damaged beyond repair and the Martian needs Tim's help to find a replacement. Eventually, the Martian takes the name "Uncle Martin" and explores the city, unaware that they are being watched by SETI
SETI
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence is the collective name for a number of activities people undertake to search for intelligent extraterrestrial life. Some of the most well known projects are run by the SETI Institute. SETI projects use scientific methods to search for intelligent life...
, which discovered DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
left by Martin while hiding out at Tim's. While exploring Tim's neighborhood, Martin tells him about a friend of his named "Neenert," one of his planet's most gifted Martian scientists, who came to Earth in 1964. Tim and Martin also stop by at a beach wear shop and Martin buys a new pair of clothes and leaves Zoot in the fitting room but then escapes out. Tim's other friends including Lizzie and Brace meet Martin without knowing that he really is a Martian yet, after this Brace is captured by the SETI gang as she is mistaken by them as an alien.
As the story continues, Tim secretly tapes Martin and Zoot with hidden camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s to back up his story and impress the TV station staff. Meanwhile, Martin and Zoot discover a subsystem called the Interstellar Safety System which is prepared to self-destruct, taking Martin's ship with it. Lizzie shows up at Tim's house, to discover Brace stealing the tape. After thinking that Tim cheated on her, Lizzie rejects him and storms out, only to be distracted by the now full size spaceship. A screenshot of Martin in the bathtub while in his Martian form, is discovered by Brace and she steals all of Tim's tapes.
Martin and Tim go after the Martian evidence, shrinking the ship (unfortunately, along with Zoot and Lizzie) and racing down to the station where Martin ties Brace to her office chair and gags her. Martin then disguises himself as her so he can take her place on the news where Martin's alien form is almost exposed. The broadcast is carefully watched by Elliot Coleye (Wallace Shawn
Wallace Shawn
Wallace Michael Shawn , sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, author, voice artist, and intellectual. His best-known film roles include Wally Shawn in My Dinner with Andre , Vizzini in The Princess Bride , and debate teacher Mr...
), head of SETI. Tim admits to Martin that he has been videotaping him, but found he also likes Martin and apologizes. As footage from another news report is aired, Tim and Martin escape the station. Tim and martin escape through the sewers and into the hands of Coleye, who take them back to SETI for investigation.
At the lab, Tim tricks one of the scientists into growing Martin's ship to normal size, breaching security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
and allowing Lizzie and Zoot to escape. However, the trio's escape is blocked by two security guards,with the help of a "nerplex," a piece of alien gum
Chewing gum
Chewing gum is a type of gum traditionally made of chicle, a natural latex product, or synthetic rubber known as polyisobutylene. For economical and quality reasons, many modern chewing gums use rubber instead of chicle...
that can transform anyone into another life form - in this case, a hideous monster from Veenox 7. Lizzie throws one of the guards to a panel. The other tries to escape, but Lizzie cuts him off and swallows him whole.
The three eventually succeed in locating Martin, who is about to undergo surgery, involving the removal of Martin's antenna. When Martin and Zoot reunite he comes back to life, and wakes up. The three then escape SETI headquarters and prepare to bid farewell to Martin, installing a car alternator in place of the damaged electron accelerator. He is intercepted by Coleye, but a SETI official named Armitan, actually Martin's old friend Neenert (Ray Walston
Ray Walston
Ray Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
), saves him by destroying Coleye's gun.
Eventually, Coleye consumes the piece of nerplex left by Neenert, and he's turned into an alien, too. While laughing at this, Coleye accidentally swallows the gum. He ends up getting caught by his own organization as Martin and Neenert head home.
In the end, Martin and Zoot return to Earth with enough supplies to settle down with Tim and Lizzie. Neenert flies Martin's spacecraft back to Mars. Tim initially objects to Martin staying, but a passionate kiss from Lizzie convinces Tim to change his mind. The film ends with Zoot in a washing machine
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
, enjoying an issue of Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales of over US$5 billion and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006...
.
Cast
- Christopher LloydChristopher LloydChristopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
as Uncle Martin/The Martian - Jeff DanielsJeff DanielsJeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
as Tim O'Hara - Elizabeth HurleyElizabeth HurleyElizabeth Jane Hurley is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los...
as Brace Channing - Daryl HannahDaryl HannahDaryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
as Lizzie - Wallace ShawnWallace ShawnWallace Michael Shawn , sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, author, voice artist, and intellectual. His best-known film roles include Wally Shawn in My Dinner with Andre , Vizzini in The Princess Bride , and debate teacher Mr...
as Dr. Elliott Coleye - Wayne KnightWayne KnightWayne Eliot Knight is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor perhaps best known for his role as Newman in the TV sitcom Seinfeld...
(uncredited, but credited as Himself) as Zoot - Christine EbersoleChristine EbersoleChristine Ebersole is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Ebersole was born in Winnetka, Illinois, where she attended New Trier High School...
as Mrs. Brown - Michael LernerMichael Lerner (actor)-Life and career:Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York of Romanian Jewish descent, the son of Blanche and George Lerner, who was a fisherman and antiques dealer. He was raised in Bensonhurst and Red Hook. His brother, Ken Lerner, is also an actor...
as Mr. Channing - Ray WalstonRay WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
as Armitan/Neenert - Shelley MalilShelley MalilOn August 11, 2008, Malil was arrested for attempted murder after he stabbed his ex-girlfriend, Kendra Beebe, 20 times the previous night in San Marcos, California. Beebe, a mother of two, resides in Carlsbad, California...
as Felix - Jeremy HotzJeremy HotzJeremy Hotz is a Canadian actor and stand-up comedian. He has appeared on Comedy Central Presents, the Just For Laughs comedy festival, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno...
as Billy - T.K. Carter as Lenny
- Dawn MaxeyDawn MaxeyDawn Maxey an American actress, known for her side starring roles in several 1990s movies.-Early life and beginning career:Maxey was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Ohio University...
as Salesgirl - Steven Anthony LawrenceSteven Anthony LawrenceSteven Anthony Lawrence is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role as Bernard "Beans" Aranguren in the hit Disney Channel Original Series Even Stevens. His other television credits include That's So Raven, Married with Children, ER, Frasier, The Amanda Show and among...
as Nurplex Kid - Michael Chieffo as Earl Metz
- Troy EvansTroy EvansTroy Evans is an American football linebacker and special teams player who is currently a free agent. Evans previously played for the St...
as Captain Dalton - Michael Bailey SmithMichael Bailey SmithMichael Bailey Smith is an American movie and television actor. He is best known for his appearances on the hit television series Charmed, where he played Belthazor, The Source of All Evil, a Grimlock leader and Shax.-Early life:...
as the big guard
Reception
Critical reaction to the film was generally negative. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 12% of 41 critics have given the film a positive review, and it had an average score of 3.4/10, reaching a consensus of "Loud, effects-ridden comedy with no real humor." Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave it a score out of 2/4 and remarked: “The movie is clever in its visuals, labored in its audios, and noisy enough to entertain kids up a certain age. What age? Low double digits. There are some good moments in My Favorite Martian. It looks as if everyone who made this film had a lot of fun.”