Stevie Horowitz, a hopeful young filmmaker, eagerly awaits a meeting with J.P. Shelldrake, a big‑name Hollywood producer who is secretly trying to dodge the IRS and millions in back taxes. His sharp, overpaid accountant hatches a cheeky scheme: the expenses of Shelldrake’s next release can be written off only if the film is a box office flop. With the plan in mind, Shelldrake agrees to watch Stevie’s pitch, a project titled Lobster Man from Mars, financed by Stevie’s jailed con man uncle Joey. The setup reads like a satire on studio greed, and the irony isn’t lost on Shelldrake as he eyes a potential windfall.
Inside Shelldrake’s private screening room, the film within the film unfolds with a goofy, sci‑fi twist. The Mars‑based plot centers on a severe air leakage that threatens the red planet. The King of Mars commands the dreaded Lobster Man and his helmeted gorilla aide Mombo to pilot a flying saucer to Earth and steal its air. Once they land, the Lobster Man wastes no time transforming hapless victims into smoking skeletons and chaos follows in a manner that sits between parody and pulp fantasy.
On a lonely road, John and Mary, a young and innocent couple, stumble upon the hiding place of the flying saucer in a dark cave. They try to warn the authorities but are ignored, so they contact Professor Plocostomos for help. The professor devises a plan to lure the Lobster Man to Mr. Throckmorton’s Haunted House, a place ringed by boiling hot springs that seem to promise a dramatic showdown.
The trap hinges on a simple, hazardous idea: push the Lobster Man into the hot water and he will be boiled to death. The plan sparks into action, but it’s interrupted by armed forces, and the house is shelled and destroyed. The Lobster Man escapes with [Mary], who manages to flee, but the chase continues. [Professor Plocostomos] uses the overheated coolant from his vehicle to drench Mombo, sealing the gorilla’s foamy demise. The pursuit runs through rugged terrain to Yellowstone National Park, where the Lobster Man is lured into the Old Faithful Geyser and meets a steamy, definitive end.
Back in the screening room, Shelldrake reacts with a mix of disbelief and glee. The movie’s apparent stupidity seems to have an odd, undeniable charm, and Shelldrake ends up buying the production on the spot. Once released, the film defies expectations and becomes a huge, profitable runaway, turning Shelldrake’s tax troubles into an unlikely prison sentence while steering Stevie toward the spotlight as the studio’s new star talent.
The quirky cast and offbeat flavors keep the satire lively, including The Queen of Mars, Vicki the Camper, Zip, Lou, and Big Dick Strange among others, each contributing to the film’s unusual energy. In a narrow note within the production lore, Bobby Pickett’s dual roles as both The King of Mars and The Astrologer underscore the tongue‑in‑cheek crediting that threads through the movie’s meta‑cinema vibe. The result is a long, strange ride that stays faithful to its outlandish premise while delivering a surprisingly sturdy, entertaining story.
