Antelope and Ghosts of Mars: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox_Film |

:''This article deals with the African herbivorous mammal. For other uses, see [[Antelope (disambiguation)]]''

name = John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars |

image =Ghostsofmars01.jpg |

{{Taxobox

imdb_id =0228333 |

| color = pink

writer =[[John Carpenter]]<br>Larry Sulkis |

| name = Antelope

starring =[[Ice Cube]]<br>[[Natasha Henstridge]]<br>[[Jason Statham]]<br>[[Pam Grier]]<br>[[Clea DuVall]]<br>[[Joanna Cassidy]]|

| image = impala.JPG

director =[[John Carpenter]] |

| image_width = 250px

producer =Sandy King |

| image_caption = [[impala]]

distributor =[[Storm King]] [[Screen Gems]] |

| regnum = [[Animal]]ia

released =[[August 24]], [[2001]] ([[Theater]])<br>[[December 4]] [[2001]] ([[DVD]]) |

| phylum = [[Chordata]]

runtime =98 min. |

| classis = [[Mammal]]ia

language =English |

| ordo = [[Artiodactyla]]

music =[[John Carpenter]] |

| familia = [[Bovidae]]

awards = |

| subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]]

amg_id = 1:250566 |

| subdivision =

budget =$28,000,000 |

''[[Aepyceros]]''<br>

''[[Alcelaphus]]''<br>

''[[Antidorcas]]''<br>

''[[Antilope]]''<br>

''[[Cephalophus]]''<br>

''[[Connochaetes]]''<br>

''[[Damaliscus]]''<br>

''[[Gazella]]''<br>

''[[Hippotragus]]''<br>

''[[Kobus]]''<br>

''[[Madoqua]]''<br>

''[[Neotragus]]''<br>

''[[Oreotragus]]''<br>

''[[Oryx]]''<br>

''[[Ourebia]]''<br>

''[[Pantholops]]''<br>

''[[Procapra]]''<br>

''[[Sylvicapra]]''<br>

''[[Taurotragus]]''<br>

''[[Tragelaphus]]''<br>

and others

}}

'''''Ghosts of Mars''''' (also known as '''''John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars''''') is a [[2001]] movie directed by [[John Carpenter]], which in its basic themes is similar to his earlier [[Assault_on_Precinct_13_(1976_film) | Assault on Precinct 13]].

The '''antelope''' are a group of herbivorous [[Africa]]n or Asian animals of the family [[Bovidae]], distinguished by a pair of hollow horns on their heads. These animals are spread relatively evenly throughout the various subfamilies of Bovidae and many are more closely related to cows or goats than each other. There are many different species of antelope, ranging in size from the tiny [[Royal Antelope]] to the [[Giant Eland]]. They typically have a light and elegant figure, slender, graceful limbs, small cloven hoofs, and a short tail. Antelope have powerful hindquarters and when startled they run with a peculiar bounding stride that makes them look as though they are bouncing over the terrain like a giant rabbit. Some species of antelope can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour), making them among the fastest of land animals.

==Plot==

==Physical Description==

The movie is set in the mid 22nd century. The planet [[Mars]] has been [[terraformed]], allowing Humans to walk on the surface without having to wear pressure suits. The story concerns a police officer, Melanie Ballard ([[Natasha Henstridge]]) who is leading a small team to pick up and transport a prisoner named Desolation Williams ([[Ice Cube]]). Arriving at the remote mining town where Williams is being held, Ballard finds virtually all of the people missing. On investigating she discovers that the miners found an underground doorway which had been created by an ancient [[Martian]] civilization. When the door was opened it released "ghosts", disembodied spirits who possessed the miners.

Antelopes differ from eachother almost as much as they differ from other members of the cattle, goat, and sheep family. The common eland towers over most breeds of domestic cattle and can be 300 times heavier than the royal antelope. In many species, the males are usually larger than the females. In several species, such as the Asian [[black buck]], males and females also differ in color.

Violence ensues, as the now possessed miners commit acts of [[death]] and [[destruction]], as well as [[self-mutilation]]. <!--The self mutilation however may be merely the alien spirits attempting to alter their human bodies to look more like those of the aliens themselves (which are only partially seen very briefly).-->

Antelopes bear a dense coat with short fur. Most antelopes have fawn or brown-colored fur so they can camouflage while eating. Yet there are some exceptions including the rare [[zebra duiker]] which has dark vertical stripes, and the [[gemsbok]] which has gray and black fur and a vivid black-and-white face. A common feature of the [[gazelle]] is a a white rump, which flashes a warning to others when they run from danger. One species of gazelle, the springbok, also has a pouch of white brushlike airs running along its back. When a springbok senses danger, its pouch opens up, and the hairs stand on end.

Ballard must fight off the attacking miners, escape the town, and if possible destroy the ghosts. Unfortunately all these tasks are complicated by the fact that killing a possessed human merely releases the Martian spirit, which immediately possesses another human. Eventually they decide to blow up a [[nuclear]] reactor, which kills the human hosts. All of Ballard's team are killed by the miners, leaving only her and Desolation. Not wanting the authorities to blame the massacre on him, he handcuffs Ballard to her bed and escapes the train, leaving her to return home. While she reccuperates at a hospital, the miners attack the city. Desolation returns with a pair of [[nickle]] plated [[uzi]]s and they team up to fight off the alien zombies, setting the film up for an unlikly sequel.

All antelopes have long, slender legs and powerful muscles where the upper legs meet the antelopes body that provide leverage, increasing leg stride and speed. Though antelopes are good jumpers, they are not good climbers. But a few do display good balance, such as the [[klipspringer]], which stands on the tips of its hooves. The gerenuk, another African species, is one of the few antelopes that habitually stands on its back legs.

Antelopes are [[ruminant]]s. Like other ruminants, such as cattle and sheep, antelopes have well-developed cheek teeth or molars, which grind cud into a pulp. They have no upper incisors, and in order to tear grass stems and leaves, their lower incisors press against an upper hard gum pad whey they bite.

Antelopes often rely on their keen senses to avoid predators. Their eyes face sideways, and their pupils are elongated horizontally, giving them a broad view of danger from both the back and front. Their hearing and sense of smell are also acute, giving the antelope the ability to sense danger while out in the open where predators often prowl after dark.

==Production Notes==

Both sexes grow horns in most antelope species, though the males horns are generally larger. The [[dik-dik]] and klipspringer, two species that only have one mate, have horns that are little more than spikes. In species where the males compete to mate with several females, horns may grow as long as 1.5 m (5 ft). Despite their large size, antelope horns are hollow and lightweight. Antelope horns are usually always slightly curved, although some species, such as the black buck, they are shaped like a pair of corkscrews, spiraling out in opposite directions.

*Although Mars has a day/night cycle almost identical in length to Earth's, most of the movie is set at night. The only moment in which we see Mars during the daytime is in a flashback through the character of the scientist, when she talks about how she found and opened a "Pandora's Box" that let the alien spirits out.

In the wild, Antelope life spans are hard to determine, and most known figures relate only to those in captivity. Captive gnus, for example, have lived to be over 20, while impalas have lived into their late teens. But in the wild, where predators roam, antelopes rarely live to their teens.

*Much of the movie was filmed in a [[gypsum]] mine in New Mexico. The pure white gypsum had to be dyed with thousands of gallons of biodegradable red food dye to recreate the appearance of the Martian landscape.

==Behaviour==

==Trivia==

Unlike [[carnivore]]s and [[primate]]s, Antelopes have not been noted for high intelligence. This is partly because as herbivores, their food cannot run away meaning they don't have to be quick-thinking and resourceful to track it down. In most open habitats, Antelopes run a high risk of [[predation]]. They use several kinds of defensive strategy to survive which includesv living in herds. Living in herds, there are many eyes are ears to keep watch for danger. Herd living also gives indivudual antelopes a chance to get away as the predator has many targets to choose from. When danger threatens, antelopes behave in an assortment of characteristic ways. Many species, especially the [[gazelle]], walk toward hostile enemies, such as [[lion]]s or [[cheetah]]s, when they are first seen. Though this behaviour sounds reckless, it actually warns the herd of impending danger and allows them to asses the threat at hand. If the incoming animals are non-hostile, the gazelles of the herd keep them under constant survelliance, ready to run at any time.

*Originally Courtney Cox was set to play Ballard but after her foot was run over accidently by her husband she was replaced by Natasha Henstridge.

*On a similar note, Jason Statham was originally set to play Desolation Williams. This film also contains Statham's first on screen kiss.

==External links==

The decision to begin fleeing is largely based on the type of predator and its distance from the herd. Usually, gazelles will permit lions to come 200 m (650 ft) within before fleeing. This is because they instinctively know that a hunting lion prefers to stay hidden while stalking its prey, meaning a visible lion is unlikely to attack. Cheetahs, who are superb sprintersm, pose a more dangerous threat. Gazelles will often begin to run when cheetahs are over 800 m (0.5 mi) away.

*{{imdb title|id=0228333|title=Ghosts of Mars}}

Antelopes communicate with each other using a varying array of sounds. For example, [[Dik-dik]]s whistle when alarmed warning other animals of danger which makes dik-diks unpopular with hunters. Generally, sight is a much more form of communication than sound for antelopes. Their mood is indicated by their posture and movement. When excited or alarmed, most medium-sized species of antelopes bounce up in down on all four legs, keeping them stretched out straight. Known as pronking or stotting, this behaviour acts as an alarming display. Some biologists theorize that stotting also gives a message to predators, showing that individual antelopes are fit and alert, therefore not worth pursuing.

*[http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/gm/gm.html Ghosts of Mars at theofficialjohncarpenter.com]

{{John Carpenter Films}}

Antelopes also use scent signals to communicate and these signals can linger for many days. Antelopes that live in herds have special glands in their hoofs that leave a scented record of their movement, therefore, if an antelope was accidentally separated from their herd, they would be able to follow the scent tracks back.

Antelope species that live in forests tend to stay in the same place all their lives, but species that live out in the open often [[migration|migrate]] to feed and breed. The [[Gnus]] carries out the most famous of these migrations living in the plains and open [[woodland]]s or eastern and southern [[Africa]]. Gnus are sedentary in some places, but in others such as [[Serengeti National Park]], gnus travel between two different home ranges. One of these ranges is used during the dry season while another is used during the wet season. Migration can be very risky, some of these dangers include crossing [[crocodile]]-infested rivers, but it supplies the gnus with food at different times of the year.

==Species==

There are about 90 species of antelope in about 30 genera of which about 15 are endangered. These include:

{|

|valign|

* [[addax]]

* [[bluebuck]]

* [[Bongo (antelope)|bongo]]

* [[bontebok]]

* [[Common Eland|common eland]]

* [[dik-dik]]

* [[duiker]]

|valign|

* [[gazelle]]

* [[gemsbok]]

* [[hartebeest]]

* [[impala]]

* [[klipspringer]]

* [[kudu]]

* [[nyala]]

|valign|

* [[oribi]]

* [[oryx]]

* [[Grey Rhebok]]

* [[roan antelope]]

* [[royal antelope]]

* [[sable antelope]]

* [[Springbok Antelope|springbok]]

|valign|

* [[suni]]

* [[tibetan antelope]]

* [[topi]]

* [[waterbuck]]

* [[wildebeest]]

|}

[[Black Buck Antelope]] have been imported into the [[United States]], primarily for the purpose of "exotic game hunts", common in [[Texas]]. There are no true antelope native to the Americas. The [[Pronghorn Antelope]] of the Great Plains belongs to family [[Antilocapridae]]. The [[Mongolian Gazelle]] (''Procapra gutturosa''), sometimes classified as an antelope, can run with a speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). [[Suni]] are small antelope that live in south-eastern Africa. They stand between 12-17 inches high at the shoulder. They are very similar to the dik-dik in size, shape, and color but have many smaller differences.

Believe it or not, there is no such thing as a Sahara Antelope. This is a common misconception.

Antelope are not a cladistic group in and of themselves, but rather are a sort of miscilaneous group. The term is used loosly to describe all members of the family Bovidae who do not fall under the category of [[Sheep]], [[Cattle]], or [[Goat]]. Native antelope can be found in Asia, India, and Africa.

==Hybrid Antelope==

A wide variety of Antelope hybrids have been recorded in zoos. This is due to a lack of more appropriate mates in enclosures shared with other species or with misidentification of species. The ease of hybridization shows how closely related some antelope species are. It is probably that some so-called species are actually variant populations of the same species and are prevented from hybridization in the wild by behavioural or geographical differences.

* A mating between a male Eland and a female Kudu produced a sterile male hybrid that resembled the Eland.

* Blue Wildebeest produce fertile hybrids with the smaller Black Wildebeest. This led to an entire herd of 180 "genetically contaminated" Black Wildebeest being destroyed in a wildlife conservation park ('''species purity''' is a human concept, nature is far more flexible).

* In the early 1900s the London Zoological Society hybridized several antelope species including: the water-bucks Kobus ellipsiprymnus and Kobus unctuosus, and the Selouss antelope Limnotragus seloussi with Limnotragus gratus.

Listed antelope hybrids include:

* Bongo/Sitatunga

* Lesser Kudu/Sitatunga

* Eland/Greater Kudu

* Blue Duiker/Maxwell's Duiker

* Bay Duiker/Red-flanked Duiker

* Bay Duiker/ Zebra Duiker

* Black Duiker/Kaffir Duiker

* Cape Hartebeest/Blesbok

* Bontebok/Blesbok

* Black Wildebeest/Blue Wildebeest

* Common Waterbuck/Defassa Waterbuck

* Defassa Waterbuck/Nile Lechwe

* Defassa Waterbuck/Kob

* Nile Lechwe/Kob

* Kafue Lechwe/Ellipsen Waterbuck

* Red-fronted Gazelle/Thomson's Gazelle

* Beisa Oryx/Fringe-eared Oryx

* Grant's Gazelle/Thomson's Gazelle

* Beisa Oryx/Gemsbok

* Arabian Oryx/Scimitar-horned Oryx

* Thomson's Gazelle/Roosevelt's Gazelle

* Slender-horned Gazelle/Persian Goitered Gazelle

* Persian Gazelle/Blackbuck

* Cuvier's Gazelle/Slender-horned Gazelle

==Cultural aspects==

The antelope's horn is prized for medicinal and magical powers in many places. In the [[Republic of the Congo|Congo]], it is thought to confine spirits. Christian iconography sometimes uses the antelope's two horns as a symbol of the two spiritual weapons that Christians possess: the [[Old Testament]] and the [[New Testament]]. Their ability to run swiftly has also led to their association with the [[wind]], such as in the ''[[Rig Veda]]'', as the steeds of the [[Maruts]] and the wind god [[Vaya]].

==External links==

* [http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-antelope.html San Diego Zoo]. Includes pictures.

* [http://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_eland.htm Eland]. Includes pictures.

* [http://www.awf.org/wildlives/121 African Wildlife Foundation]'s Hartebeest page. Include a dropdown menu of other antelope pages.

{{2000s-horror-film-stub}}

[[Category:Mammals2001 films]]

[[Category:BovidsMars in fiction]]

[[Category:WildlifeAmerican of Africafilms]]

[[Category:English-language films]]

[[Category:Space adventure films]]

[[Category:Films directed by John Carpenter]]

[[Category:Science fiction action films]]

[[Category:Science fiction horror films]]

[[Category:Screen Gems films]]

[[Category:Ghost films]]

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