Mars Attacks! is certainly one of director Tim Burton’s most bizarre movies, which is really saying something. Let’s revisit the quirky sci-fi film with these 10 behind-the-scenes facts!
5The Galaxy Hotel demolition was real (sort of)
One of Jack Nicholson’s two characters in the movie, Art Lands, runs what’s called the Galaxy Hotel in Las Vegas. He is killed when the building is attacked by flying saucers, causing the structure to implode. Given that so much computer animation is used for the Martians, most might assume the building’s collapse to be animated. In fact, this is actually footage taken from a controlled demolition of a real structure!
In actuality, the structure used for the Galaxy Hotel is the Landmark Hotel and Casino. The building was demolished in 1995, a year before the release of Mars Attacks! Director Tim Burton wanted to immortalize the casino by using the actual footage from its destruction for a scene in the movie, simply adding in digital aliens and saucers to fit the scene.
Speaking of Jack Nicholson…
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