MovieChat Forums > Mars Attacks! (1996) Discussion > So the translator machine didn't work af...

So the translator machine didn't work after all

posted 12 years ago by No 6
18 replies | jump to latest

I remember when I first saw this film upon release, I noticed that the scene where the martian soldier is carrying the translator machine whilst chasing some people. He is clearly trying to zap the people, and is shouting out taunts which the translator machine interprets "Stop come back, I am your friend". This meant that humanity never understood what the Martians were saying in the first place, and that they mis-interpreted their initial greetings as friendly in nature. The scene where the general greets the Martian ambassador in the desert now makes more sense when you conclude that the Martians were in fact demanding the surrender of Earth to Mars (in which the humans mis-interpreted as a message of friendship). When the hippie released the dove, they saw it as an assassination attempt by the humans and began destroying everything in sight. And afterwards the Martians began to use this form of treachery against the humans in the form of assasisnation attempts on the House of Representatives, then later the US & French president.

Has anyone read the novelisation? And does it shed any more light on this theory?

"Be seeing you!"

No6

[–] Promontorium 12 years ago

No. You're entirely wrong. The translator worked fine. They just had a sick sense of humor. There were thousands of clues you might have picked up on, but a few notable ones would be that they laughed at the president's attempts to make peace when he wasn't around (and one making the chicken gesture, clearly mocking the president's conciliatory speech), and then pretended to take things seriously just long enough to kill more people. They thought it was funny. They were cruel. Another good scene is when they offer peace with France, and then kill everyone.

If they were in fact being honest, and being mistranslated, what would be the point of them killing everyone in Congress, after walking in so casually? What would be the point of telling the French they were going to conquer them, and then kill them? Why would they extend a hand to shake hands with the president, and have that hand be the thing that kills him? Why would they see that grandma wasn't paying attention, then roll in a giant gun and set it point blank at the back of her head? These are all the acts of a sadistic cruel species who thought destroying humanity was funny. There was no translation error.

[–] No 6 12 years ago

If there was indeed no "error in translation" then why did the Martian ambassador look so surprised by the sight of the dove flying towards him which prompted him to zap both it and all the surrounding humans? Up to that point the Martians looked all calm & collective as if they were expecting a human surrender. Are you claiming that the Martians did in fact come in peace in the first place but changed their minds when they realised how wimpish the US president was, and decided to kill them (with their various fake offerings of peace?)

"Be seeing you!"

No6

[–] Wombstar 12 years ago

They never came in peace.
He probably thought the Dove was a weapon or something.

Or maybe im wrong.. lol who knows.

[–] Promontorium 12 years ago

No, I'm saying they were liars. Which was proven in the scene where they promise a better meeting, and then laugh about it.

Their dislike of birds is just a humorous aspect of the film. They always intended to conquer humanity. You don't make first contact with an invasion fleet unless you plan on invading.

[–] jun19fan40 12 years ago

Exactly. And it was pretty damn funny that they took the time to kill birds and event the presidents dog.

[–] crimson3448 12 years ago

I'm watching this right now and was thinking about how they keep killing the pets. Maybe they thought they where smarter than us and took out the masters before the slaves. I was laughing all along in this movie like I did as a kid.

[–] crysjumar 11 years ago

i thought the dog was an accident. martian got distracted when they woke up suddenly.

-We Provide.....Leverage

[–] hoochiemoochie 11 years ago

Promontorium I agree with your assessment.

The only remaining question I have is this: when Brosnan's character was examining the corpse he looked confused and disturbed by the brain matter...almost like their brains were just filled with goop (i.e. they were brainless). Everything else suggest they were sadists but the filmmakers seemed to make a point to focus on him saying "fascinating" with a scared looking face when he saw their brain matter.

In short, what's up with that scene/reaction?

----------------------------------------
"Live every week like it's Shark Week."

[–] GoodSOVeryVeryGood 10 years ago

It's political satire .. it's beings with "glop for brains" can still be technologically "advanced" but still be liars and be cruel ...

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MtnMan13 12 years ago

The machine worked perfectly. The Martians were just sadistic.

[–] chas437 12 years ago

Exactly.

"For dark is the suede that mows like a harvest"

[–] me-1523 11 years ago

Mars was basically Planet 4Chan.

The Martians were trolls. They were messing around with humanity for the lulz.

Just look at what they did to our monuments -- bowled over Easter Island statues, defaced Mount Rushmore, but the best is tipping over the Washington Monument, back and forth, until they made sure it crushed a group of boy scouts.

That, right there, is some maximum trolling.

[–] Shonsu 11 years ago

*chuckles*
That is the best assessment of this movie I've ever seen.

Does history record any case in which the majority was right?

L. Long

[–] Chuckles_OToole_PBnJ 11 years ago

The entire point and all the fun of this movie is in the fact that the Martians are devious, perverted, psychotic little sh!ts. The movie is wasted on anyone who missed that obvious glaring detail. It's hilarious. You just want to boot them all in the face.

"No no no- don't tug on that... you never know what it might be attached to."

[–] crissttigaldames 8 years ago

Lol yeah. However it does seem like that glaring detail was somehow missed on a lot of people.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] leojr2005 8 years ago

That is the whole point of this movie, the translator machine malfunction.