Ghosts of Mars

2001 film by John Carpenter

Ghosts of Mars is a 2001 American American science fiction weird western horror film about a Martian police unit in 2176 that is tasked with being sent to pick up a highly dangerous convict at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find that the post has become the stronghold of a rampaging marauding blood thirsty barbarian horde of the former miners possessed by malevolent spirits of an extinct ancient extraterrestrial civilisation.

Directed by John Carpenter and co-written with Larry Sulkis.
You Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance (taglines)
It's their planet... we are the aliens. (taglines)
Terror is the same on any planet (taglines)
Forget The Rules. Abandon Your Fears. Save Your Soul. (taglines)

Melanie Ballard edit

  • [To Jericho] Let me put it this way. Maybe I'd sleep with you if you were the last man on Earth. But we're not on Earth.

Desolation Williams edit

  • [Melanie strikes him in face and frees herself from his clutch] Damn, girl, I like you already. [He punches her out]
  • [To Big Daddy Mars on uncoupled train section] See you later, you big motherfucker! [Big Daddy Mars roars ferociously and train explodes]

Dialogue edit

Helena: Rookies, use breathers. We won't have air like Earth for 10 years. Let's go.
Bashira: God, I hate this thing.
Helena: You'll get used to it. Two years ago we were wearing full-face breathers. Takes a month to get over the headaches out here.
Bashira: So this is Shining Canyon? God, what a dump.
Melanie: First time in the boonies?
Michael: Standard layout. A boomtown like all the others. Seen one, you can go home. It's cold, and they don't tell you a one-year contract here equals two years Earth time. Gotta read the fine print.
Melanie: Where is everybody? Friday night, the place should be packed. Twelve hours to sunup with money to burn, whores to fuck and drugs to take. Instead, we got a graveyard.
Helena: Maybe they're inside spending their money.

Desolation: That's the second time I've saved your life.
Melanie: Yeah, run a tab.

Melanie: Well, introduce us to your friends.
Desolation: These are my compadres, Uno, Dos and Tres.
Melanie: Uno must be the nice one.
Uno: You got that right, butchy. I'm not as nice as Desolation. And I'll cut your fucking titties off.

[Dos accidentally cuts off his left thumb when the team is preparing explosives]
Desolation: That's beautiful!
[Dos passes out]
Desolation: That's what you get, dumb ass.

Melanie: Look, if we even get back to Chryse, those things will just keep coming. We've got a chance here. We got a chance to stop this thing before it goes any further. This is about one thing: dominion. It's not their planet anymore.
Bashira: What about him? Isn't it our job to take him back?
Jericho: Is he still a prisoner, or is he one of us?
Desolation: I can give a damn about saving this planet. Seems like it was after me since the day I was born. If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die fighting, not running.

Uno: So, you're just gonna stand there and watch her break my shit?
Dos: Yeah, and now you're done mopping the floor, why don't you get me a beer, killer?

Jericho: Eutopia, the ass end of the universe. A penal camp for thieving cutthroats.
Melanie: Sounds nasty. But you seem to be holding up pretty well.
Jericho: Yeah, well, I have many hidden talents.

Desolation: [The train has not arrived] Where the hell's the train?
Melanie: I don't know.
Uno: You don't know? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
Melanie: [On radio] Lieutenant to the train!
Desolation: Plan A is fucked up! You got a Plan B?
Melanie: Yeah, it's the same as Plan A. You got any fresh ideas?
Desolation: Yeah, what we should of done in the first place.
[Cocks his H&K MP5K's and walks forward]
Melanie: Shit!
[Does the same]
Desolation: COME ON YOU MINDLESS MOTHER FUCKERS!
[Fires both H&K MP5Ks at the possessed with his team following suit and a vicious gunfight ensues]

Tres: Where's your brother?
Desolation: He didn't make it.
Tres: Oh God. [He dies]

Melanie: Here's the plan. Short and simple. Descanso and Jericho take the lead, everybody else follows. It's about fifty meters from here to the station. Bashira and I are in the rear. Any questions?
[Uno raises his hand]
Desolation: Hey! Put your hand down!

Jericho: It's pretty solid. One way in, back door out, leading to rear entrance. [Shuts door] A good, sturdy door.
Melanie: So, what's your point?
Jericho: It's rather cozy. Don't you think?
Melanie: I don't believe this. You lured me back here to seduce me?
Jericho: Yeah, well, the way things are going, I thought this might be our last chance to, uh, to dance.
Melanie: Yeah.

Tribunal head: And what happened to Williams?
Melanie: I don't know, but I woke up and he was gone.
Tribunal head: And you were handcuffed?
Melanie: He must have done it while I slept. By then, I trusted him.
Tribunal head: That's all you have to say?
Melanie: That's all I know.
Tribunal head: Lt. Ballard, I suggest you get some rest. You're dismissed. [To tribunal] Is our statement going to be that Mars is being overrun by ghosts?

[Melanie wakes in her quarters to PA]
PA announcer: Attention all police report to your nearest station for weapon assignment. A security breach has occurred. This is a level 10 emergency. Police personnel, report to your division for assignment. All civilians evacuate the streets immediately. Please remain indoors until further instructed.
[Desolation bursts in room with two LF-57 submachine guns]
Desolation: Come on! [Throws her a gun and winks at her] Tide's up. Time to stay alive. [They're walking in the hall] If you ever want to come to the other side, you'd make a hell of a crook.
Melanie: You'd make a hell of a cop.
[They both glance at each other]
Desolation and Melanie: Nah...
Desolation: Let's just kick some ass.
Melanie: It's what we do best.

Cast edit

External links edit

 
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