Tim Burton's MARS ATTACKS! lands on Blu-ray this fall

I can't recall another instance in which a movie was conceived and created because of a series of kids' collectible trading cards. I wish I still had mine. I'll bet director Tim Burton still has his. In 1962 these full-color cards were the coolest, each one a virtual movie poster from the 1950s era of sci-fi films. They were so visual and the storyline so campy that it HAD to be made into a film. And so in 1993 Burton assembled a huge cast of A-listers (who also, except for young 'uns like Jack Black and Natalie Portman, also must have collected the cards) and started work on a film that would hit the theaters in 1996.

Now it's coming out on Blu-ray, tentatively scheduled for September 7 release. And it features a galaxy of stars: Jack Nicholson (in a dual role), Glen Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger, Tom Jones, Lukas Haas, Pam Grier, Paul Winfield, Sylvia Sidney, Lisa Marie, Christina Applegate, Joe Don Baker, Barbet Schroeder, Brandon Hammond, Ray J Norwood, Portman, and Black. The special effects are handled by none other than the Academy Award-winning Industrial Light & Magic, George Lucas's company.

"Mars Attacks!" is rated PG-13 and will carry an SRP of $37.77. Run time is 107 minutes, and the film will be presented in 16x9 letterbox.