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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 10284
Released: September 7, 2004 |
| Our Price: $8.09 |
| Used Price: $6.74 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
From the mind of science-fiction giant Ray Bradbury springs what is perhaps his most epic vision. Capturing mankind's first venture into the colonization of another planetand its tragic first contact with another species"The Martian Chronicles" is a stunning achievement that will take you from the edge of your seat'to the stars. Earth is on the verge of extinction. To survive, mankind must find another place to live. But when three expeditions to Mars, headed by Col. John Wilder (OscarÂ(r) nominee* Rock Hudson), find suitable conditions for relocation, humans pour in bythe shipload, bringing the old evils of Earth with them! As Wilder begins to heed the lessons of the dying Martian civilization, can he save humanity from repeating its doom? *1956: Actor, Giant
Description of The Martian Chronicles:
With each passing year, this 1980 miniseries becomes more for those who have read Ray Bradbury's landmark novel. The three-part, nearly five-hour series keeps its brainy science fiction roots; this story (and the 1940s novel) is not about laser battles and exciting action pieces. Bradbury's novel is galvanized by the cold war nightmare: at the end of the 20th century, an earth teetering on world war begins to colonize Mars without much knowledge of the new world. Hard science is left for other stories, and director Michael Anderson (Logan's Run) keeps this retrofitting: for example, astronauts arrive on a breathable Mars in leisure suits. The space travel effects are clunky, but the action on Mars--with Assheton Gorton's geometric sets and simple props--are far more effective. There are Martians there, as the unprepared first Earthlings learn. Later, as the planet is quickly colonized, the remaining Martians are near specters--bringing awe and fear to those they encounter. Master sci-fi writer Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) smartly streamlines Bradbury's episodic stories, giving a central role to Col. John Wilder (played by Rock Huston, leading a plethora of solid, yet B-list actors). For those in love with cerebral science fiction, they can enjoy this dated but curious sci-fi miniseries; for those of think sci-fi began with Star Wars, beware. --Doug Thomas
The Martian Chronicles Reviews:
Good but uneven. 
2009-11-11 - "The Martian Chronicles" is an old favorite of mine. This production is artistic and thoughtful, but sacrifices plot and storyline for these goals. The first few episodes are pretty good, but the center episode, in which MINOR SPOILER a Martian involuntarily becomes whatever the Earth person wants him to be, is slow and depressing. The special effects in this piece are nothing much, but it is fine for all that. Rock Hudson probably was not the best choice for Colonel Wilder, but he does not do badly. The rest of the cast is actually better.
The beginning and ending of this miniseries are the best parts. The viewer who slogs through the slow center portion will be rewarded. RJB.
Parts of This Film Are True To a Great Book 
2009-09-12 - The Martian Chronicles is one of my favorite books. This made-for-TV movie is one of the only film adaptations I'm aware of. Staring Rock Hudson, the film has a fairly good cast. Not heavy on special effects, the set design is outstanding in representing Martian design and architecture. You simply feel like the sets potrayed could have been the remains of a past civilization.
Despite the book being rather short, the screen play writers felt they had some better ideas to offer, which doesn't really hold true. The first chapter----The Explorations, holds pretty true to the book, but then drfts a bit. But the first hour or so do make this worth watching and the newly created scenes have some value in and of themselves.
New Age Sci-Fi 
2009-08-15 - This is a wonderful trip to Mars from the imagination of Ray Bradbury. It's a collection of short stories that have been put together as a television mini series and given a new age treatment. This would make a good double feature with another new-age sci fi feature, Logan's Run.
Martian Chronicles 
2009-08-04 - A quite good capturing of the fanciful view of possible life on Mars by the marvelous Ray Bradbury
Wonderful
2009-07-02 - Pacing, slow... special effects, worthy of a Buck Rodgers serial (not that bad, but clearly dated) and one can't discount Bradbury saying they made it boring, one can easily feel that way if your looking for a space epic. The epic is in one man's journey, Rock Hudson's character goes through a spiritual journey. Either through scenes with him directly or through the corrolary characters around him. This story, and "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" are two of my favorite Martian adventures for the same reasons. They are great character studies of one man's odysee.
