Carpenter's Ghost of Mars goes gritty

By Azad September 8, 2000 10:21 AM

Director John Carpenter told Fandom that his upcoming scifi thriller movie Ghosts of Mars will follow his staple movie style: the classic gritty and non-high-tech feel. Nothing too shiny like the usual scifi films that have been recently done. "Most of it takes place in this little outpost, a frontier type town on Mars that's near a mine," Carpenter said. "There's no trace on the surface that there was any past civilization on the planet, but the mines have uncovered this ... well, basically a trap."

Carpenter added, "It's a Land of the Pharaohs kind of situation, where these doors open and out comes this almost unkillable evil that sweeps across the planet. That's our dilemma. It takes us over. You're not human anymore. You become an ancient Martian warrior, and you gather together and start attacking, wiping out anything on the planet that you perceive as an invader."

So far, the plotline is definitely very reminiscent of Carpenter's earlier works. The classic film that I've always remembered Carpenter by is The Thing - a highly treasured cult favorite. I am hoping that The Ghost of Mars will have the same dark and gritty feeling to it. If you have not seen The Thing, I urge you to rent it. Now.

In The Ghost of Mars, Rapper Ice Cube plays Desolation Williams, an outlaw, and Natasha Henstridge (Species) takes on the role of Melanie Ballard, a Martian cop on Williams' trail. Henstridge takes over for rocker Courtney Love, who left the project after injuring her ankle during training for the fight scenes, Carpenter said.

British actor Jason Statham plays Jericho Butler, whom Carpenter described as "a seasoned cop on his first escort squad assignment." Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner) plays science officer Darlene Whitlock, and Clea Duvall plays Bashira Kincaid.