Cheesy, shlocky and campy as it is, I suppose that 1951's "Flight to Mars" still has a claim to historical relevance. According to one of my film Bibles, "The Psychotronic Encyclopedia," it was "the first space-flight movie in color." But hey, wait a minute...what about "Destination Moon," made the year before? Better make that "one of the first..." Anyway, in this one, newsman Cameron Mitchell tags along with four scientists (one of them the obligatory hotty female scientist) on the first, uh, flight to Mars. The group's members wear bomber jackets and wide-brimmed hats, more suitable for a fishing expedition, and, during liftoff, strap themselves into blanketed cots. After toughing it out through a meteor storm (that looks like a bunch of orange dots), our Earth band finds the remnants of an underground Martian civilization, whose remaining members attempt to steal the Earth ship so as to evacuate their dying planet. Luckily, for the male Terran viewer, some of these Martians are leggy, miniskirted and babelicious; one of them is even named Aelita, in a not-so-subtle homage to the 1924 Russian sci-fi classic "Aelita, Queen of Mars." The sets and FX on display here, it must be said, range from imaginative and impressive to slapdash and laughable. (It's hard to believe that "Forbidden Planet," one of the real sci-fi champs, with its superb FX, was made a scant five years later!) The film's Cinecolor looks just fine on the DVD that I just watched, but the source print itself has been badly damaged, with many words missing. A somewhat tense finale, unfortunately, is also marred by a too abrupt ending. All in all, a mixed bag that should still be of interest to fans of '50s sci-fi. Oh, by the way: Cameron Mitchell reveals, in one of the DVD's extras, that this movie was filmed in just five days! Maybe they should have taken six.
63 Reviews
Dig those Micro Mini-Skirts!
vidbill5 January 2011
OK. As far as sci-fi flicks go, this is a mildly competent low-budget space movie. But it launches into eye-popping glory when barely- clad Martian women suddenly appear (and thoughtfully lend some clothing to the previously fabric-laden Earth woman). A mini-skirt suggests something that would cover posteriors. These take it one step beyond tennis dress short and into swimsuit country when we are treated to views of matching underwear, which the skirts don't cover. Other than that, the film is pretty awful, including an ending that seems as if filming was halted by the studio precisely at 3:00 pm or whatever so they could start shooting the next film. This film does mark a high point for Monogram studio--the set design rises far and above what they usually do. If you grew up during the Cold War, you will have affection for this film, despite its faults. The haminess of the dialog and acting, along with the matte drawings of the futuristic city will bring anyone back to the charms and fears of fifties America. So despite it's cheesiness, Flight to Mars is a small gem.
Typically Watchable Piece of 50's Sci-Fi
sddavis6329 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
There was something about 50's sci-fi. Generally speaking (with a few notable exceptions) the genre in that era was pretty bad, and yet almost always watchable and even enjoyable. "Flight to Mars" is no exception to that rule. It's a decent enough movie, it's got a workable story, it's got a decent (if not well known) cast. In some respects, what more could you ask for?
Basically, humanity has managed to build a rocketship that's able to get to Mars. In a stunning display of creativity, the only time the rocketship is ever named, it's called "Rocketship M-A-R-S." OK. Five intrepid explorers climb on - two older scientists, a younger engineer, a beautiful blonde (of course) who's his love interest, and a young reporter who wants to steal the beautiful blonde away from the engineer. They board and travel in street clothes. No need for space suits. Even on the surface of Mars all they need are oxygen masks. Apparently to no one's surprise (because no one seemed too surprised about it) they discover a thriving underground civilization on Mars - and the Martians look identical to humans. This is convenient, because (1) it meant that no expense needed to be incurred on makeup and (2) it allowed the Martian females to be outfitted in micro mini skirts, which is always a handy thing. And, of course, since our explorers eventually need clothing, it also allows our beautiful human blonde to be outfitted in the same micro mini skirt, because, as one of the scientists said when the group was offered either Martian clothing or clothing like their own, "when in Mars, do as the Martians." Especially when it involves micro mini skirts on beautiful women, be they human or Martian! The Martians are anxious to help rebuild the crashed ship, but they have an ulterior motive. They want to learn how to build more so they can invade and conquer earth - and wipe us out in the process.
Yup. Typical 50's sci-fi. Evil aliens, beautiful women. It's not a masterpiece, but it's short and it's very easy to watch, and it even includes a somewhat interesting philosophical reflection on the nature of the universe and our place in it. I was a bit intrigued by the fact that the young engineer dumped his blonde, took up with a Martian brunette, and took her home to get married. In an era when inter-racial marriage was still illegal in a lot of places, inter-planetary marriage was going to be accepted? Of course, the Martian female was white - and she had great legs! Micro mini skirts would probably break down a lot of resistance! (4/10)
Basically, humanity has managed to build a rocketship that's able to get to Mars. In a stunning display of creativity, the only time the rocketship is ever named, it's called "Rocketship M-A-R-S." OK. Five intrepid explorers climb on - two older scientists, a younger engineer, a beautiful blonde (of course) who's his love interest, and a young reporter who wants to steal the beautiful blonde away from the engineer. They board and travel in street clothes. No need for space suits. Even on the surface of Mars all they need are oxygen masks. Apparently to no one's surprise (because no one seemed too surprised about it) they discover a thriving underground civilization on Mars - and the Martians look identical to humans. This is convenient, because (1) it meant that no expense needed to be incurred on makeup and (2) it allowed the Martian females to be outfitted in micro mini skirts, which is always a handy thing. And, of course, since our explorers eventually need clothing, it also allows our beautiful human blonde to be outfitted in the same micro mini skirt, because, as one of the scientists said when the group was offered either Martian clothing or clothing like their own, "when in Mars, do as the Martians." Especially when it involves micro mini skirts on beautiful women, be they human or Martian! The Martians are anxious to help rebuild the crashed ship, but they have an ulterior motive. They want to learn how to build more so they can invade and conquer earth - and wipe us out in the process.
Yup. Typical 50's sci-fi. Evil aliens, beautiful women. It's not a masterpiece, but it's short and it's very easy to watch, and it even includes a somewhat interesting philosophical reflection on the nature of the universe and our place in it. I was a bit intrigued by the fact that the young engineer dumped his blonde, took up with a Martian brunette, and took her home to get married. In an era when inter-racial marriage was still illegal in a lot of places, inter-planetary marriage was going to be accepted? Of course, the Martian female was white - and she had great legs! Micro mini skirts would probably break down a lot of resistance! (4/10)
Lippert Gives Mars Another Try
dougdoepke18 June 2014
Lippert Pictures struck paydirt with 1950's Rocketship XM, and was hoping for a similar result with this feature. As early sci-fi, the movie's okay, but lacks the grit of its predecessor. The premise is a real stretch with an underground Martian civilization that speaks flawless English, while the women parade around like Las Vegas show girls. (Not that I'm complaining.) Then too, the rocketship crew treats their pioneering flight like a trip to the mall.
But if you can get past some of this nonsense, parts of the movie are eye-catching. I really like the standing rocket in the dome with the people beneath. It's a well-done effect, especially in color. Also, the script deals fairly thoughtfully with the predicament the Martians find themselves in. In short, that aspect is not settled in a typical Hollywood wrap-up. Then there's the great Morris Ankrum as Ikrom, the sneaky plotter. Would any sci-fi of the period be complete without his lordly presence. Anyway, despite the pacing that sometimes drags, the movie ends up somewhere in the middle of all those goofy 50's space operas.
But if you can get past some of this nonsense, parts of the movie are eye-catching. I really like the standing rocket in the dome with the people beneath. It's a well-done effect, especially in color. Also, the script deals fairly thoughtfully with the predicament the Martians find themselves in. In short, that aspect is not settled in a typical Hollywood wrap-up. Then there's the great Morris Ankrum as Ikrom, the sneaky plotter. Would any sci-fi of the period be complete without his lordly presence. Anyway, despite the pacing that sometimes drags, the movie ends up somewhere in the middle of all those goofy 50's space operas.
Once again, humans discover that beings on other planets are big jerks!
planktonrules12 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Note--While this is a color film, the DVD is very scratched and the colors are pretty faded.
This is one of a bazillion films made during the 1950s about space flight to either the Moon or Mars. And, like so many of them, once they get there, they find people who look and talk much like us. And, like so many of these films there is a "hot babe" scientist among the crew (do they come any other way?!) and once there she is forced to wear REALLY hot babe-style clothes! And, like so many of these films, the natives turn out to be jerks who want to take over the Earth--just like in CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON--though at least the aliens ACT nicely for a while. So already at the onset, this film isn't exactly new or different--there are a lot of similar films.
Despite all these similarities, I still enjoyed the movie. Seeing the Martians running about in their silly costumes as well as the humans landing on Mars dressed only in WWII-style bomber crew outfits both made me laugh and gave the film a kitschy-sort of style. You certainly don't watch films like this for their realism!! Believe it or not, while this movie is pretty high on the cheese-factor, considering it was made by a poverty-row studio (Monogram) it actually is amazingly good. Plus, the studio was able to scrape up the money for a couple minor stars who were good actors (Cameron Mitchell and Robert Barrat--a man who was a very prolific actor in the 1930s).
For lovers of this sort of film, this is a must-see. Others might just find it all too old fashioned and silly to watch.
This is one of a bazillion films made during the 1950s about space flight to either the Moon or Mars. And, like so many of them, once they get there, they find people who look and talk much like us. And, like so many of these films there is a "hot babe" scientist among the crew (do they come any other way?!) and once there she is forced to wear REALLY hot babe-style clothes! And, like so many of these films, the natives turn out to be jerks who want to take over the Earth--just like in CAT-WOMEN OF THE MOON--though at least the aliens ACT nicely for a while. So already at the onset, this film isn't exactly new or different--there are a lot of similar films.
Despite all these similarities, I still enjoyed the movie. Seeing the Martians running about in their silly costumes as well as the humans landing on Mars dressed only in WWII-style bomber crew outfits both made me laugh and gave the film a kitschy-sort of style. You certainly don't watch films like this for their realism!! Believe it or not, while this movie is pretty high on the cheese-factor, considering it was made by a poverty-row studio (Monogram) it actually is amazingly good. Plus, the studio was able to scrape up the money for a couple minor stars who were good actors (Cameron Mitchell and Robert Barrat--a man who was a very prolific actor in the 1930s).
For lovers of this sort of film, this is a must-see. Others might just find it all too old fashioned and silly to watch.
Red Planet
richardchatten4 April 2020
Surprisingly few of the reviews mention that - like George Pal's 'Destination Moon' (1950) - this was shot in colour; the brick red of Cinecolor well-suited to rendering the Red Planet.
Set fifty years in the future, it was plainly a prestigious production for Monogram, boasting an atmospheric score by Marlin Skiles, vivid photography by Harry Neumann, good model work and elegant production design by Ted Haworth making attractive use of the limited colour palate and anticipating 'Star Trek' (as do the women's costumes and the matter of fact depiction of Martian society as multi-racial; although the silly emblems on the men's costumes look more like something devised for 'Batman').
Taking it's lead from Pal's film Arthur Strawn's script (the usual tedious romantic complications notwithstanding) is fairly sober and plausible until we arrive on Mars, when Flash Gordon unfortunately takes over as its template as an early example of what Bruce Rux later described as "the mini-skirted space-maiden movie trend".
Set fifty years in the future, it was plainly a prestigious production for Monogram, boasting an atmospheric score by Marlin Skiles, vivid photography by Harry Neumann, good model work and elegant production design by Ted Haworth making attractive use of the limited colour palate and anticipating 'Star Trek' (as do the women's costumes and the matter of fact depiction of Martian society as multi-racial; although the silly emblems on the men's costumes look more like something devised for 'Batman').
Taking it's lead from Pal's film Arthur Strawn's script (the usual tedious romantic complications notwithstanding) is fairly sober and plausible until we arrive on Mars, when Flash Gordon unfortunately takes over as its template as an early example of what Bruce Rux later described as "the mini-skirted space-maiden movie trend".
Pedestrian 50s sci-fi soap opera
mstomaso25 May 2005
There's nothing particularly unique or interesting about this run of the mill low budget sci-fi flick. Regardless of its pedigreed origin (the film is loosely based on a novel by Leo Tolstoy), the plot and overall themes of this film are in no way remarkable or original, the science is weak at best, and unfortunately, the film fails to even involve compelling action sequences.
The plot begins with a manned space flight to Mars, and though the main plot doesn't really get rolling until the ship lands, most of the most interesting scenes occur en route. Unfortunately, as soon as our interplanetary travelers touch-down, their previously interesting interpersonal relationships, speculations about cosmology and the meaning of life, and everything interesting about the film all give way to an only remotely coherent plot concerning Martian revolutionaries, environmental problems and not very convincing webs of deceit.
There is nothing very remarkable about the production quality of the film either. It's passable. And most of the acting is, though slow, OK. Cameron Mitchell is actually pretty good and plays a likable character. I guess the best quality of this film, from my perspective, is its fashion sense. The martians have very nice outfits! If this film had a point, it might have been much more interesting. Oh well.
The plot begins with a manned space flight to Mars, and though the main plot doesn't really get rolling until the ship lands, most of the most interesting scenes occur en route. Unfortunately, as soon as our interplanetary travelers touch-down, their previously interesting interpersonal relationships, speculations about cosmology and the meaning of life, and everything interesting about the film all give way to an only remotely coherent plot concerning Martian revolutionaries, environmental problems and not very convincing webs of deceit.
There is nothing very remarkable about the production quality of the film either. It's passable. And most of the acting is, though slow, OK. Cameron Mitchell is actually pretty good and plays a likable character. I guess the best quality of this film, from my perspective, is its fashion sense. The martians have very nice outfits! If this film had a point, it might have been much more interesting. Oh well.
Somewhat Silly But I Still Love it
Space_Mafune31 August 2002
An exploratory expedition to Mars crashlands on the planet and receive aid from an underground Martian civilization(which no the expedition are not at all surprised to discover living on the planet) but can these Martians be trusted?
Despite its flaws and low budget, I can't help loving the 1950s sci-fi style utilized in the film from the model rocketships to the leggy costumes worn by the Martian women to the predictable film climax. Any fan of films from the era should at least see this film. There are times this film tries to reach above its limitations and it succeeds in doing so just a little.
Despite its flaws and low budget, I can't help loving the 1950s sci-fi style utilized in the film from the model rocketships to the leggy costumes worn by the Martian women to the predictable film climax. Any fan of films from the era should at least see this film. There are times this film tries to reach above its limitations and it succeeds in doing so just a little.
Flight To Mars Has Only Six Things Going For It
oldblackandwhite1 August 2014
...Marguerite Chapman's legs, Lucille Barkley's legs, Virginia Huston's legs. Sexy space tootsies provide the principle interest in slow, talky space opera Flight To Mars. Unfortunately the first half of the running time is spent on the space flight itself before we get to see the shapely Chapman in the sexiest space babe outfit this side of Devil Girl From Mars (1954 -- see my review). She and her fellow Martian honeys seem to be what keeps the dying Red Planet alive, along with a phony element that has a goofy name sounding something like Congoleum.
The rocketship crew, which crash-lands on Mars, is led by the ever earnest Arthur Franz and an embarrassed looking John Litel. Cameron Mitchell plays a reporter along to observe the expedition, but he mostly just observes the comely Ms. Huston. Almost as soon as contact is made with the underground-dwelling Martians, the dull, unromantic Franz surprisingly becomes the love object of hot, hot, hot Marguerite Chapman. The Martian leadership headed by the formidable Morris Ankrum, later a Perry Mason judge, helps rebuild the spaceship, supposedly so the earthlings can return home, but the Martians all along plan to seize the rocket when it is finished. But nothing much in the way of action comes of this plot -- just talk, talk, talk. They missed a wonderful opportunity to have what could have been a swell cat fight, when Barkley, suspecting Chapman had joined the earthlings, followed her down he hallway to spy on her. Instead of tackling the leggy Chapman herself, Barkley calls for a couple of burly male Mars henchmen to nab her. Oh, well, Barkley wouldn't have stood much of a chance anyway, as Chapman was much bigger and had showed herself to be one heck of a mean, tough femme fa-tale in Mr. District Attorney (1947).
But I'm making this turkey sound like more fun than it is. In fact Flight To Mars is cheap, tacky, prolix, and boring. Only for geeky students of 1950's Si-Fi, fans of the under-appreciated Marguerite Chapman (which obviously includes yours truly), and desperate insomniacs. Others should avoid this picture as if it were a hypochondriac friend wanting to tell you about her latest medical procedure.
The rocketship crew, which crash-lands on Mars, is led by the ever earnest Arthur Franz and an embarrassed looking John Litel. Cameron Mitchell plays a reporter along to observe the expedition, but he mostly just observes the comely Ms. Huston. Almost as soon as contact is made with the underground-dwelling Martians, the dull, unromantic Franz surprisingly becomes the love object of hot, hot, hot Marguerite Chapman. The Martian leadership headed by the formidable Morris Ankrum, later a Perry Mason judge, helps rebuild the spaceship, supposedly so the earthlings can return home, but the Martians all along plan to seize the rocket when it is finished. But nothing much in the way of action comes of this plot -- just talk, talk, talk. They missed a wonderful opportunity to have what could have been a swell cat fight, when Barkley, suspecting Chapman had joined the earthlings, followed her down he hallway to spy on her. Instead of tackling the leggy Chapman herself, Barkley calls for a couple of burly male Mars henchmen to nab her. Oh, well, Barkley wouldn't have stood much of a chance anyway, as Chapman was much bigger and had showed herself to be one heck of a mean, tough femme fa-tale in Mr. District Attorney (1947).
But I'm making this turkey sound like more fun than it is. In fact Flight To Mars is cheap, tacky, prolix, and boring. Only for geeky students of 1950's Si-Fi, fans of the under-appreciated Marguerite Chapman (which obviously includes yours truly), and desperate insomniacs. Others should avoid this picture as if it were a hypochondriac friend wanting to tell you about her latest medical procedure.
Love Martian Style!
TheRealMartian25 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Well this one is a gem among the rubble. The plot thin, the dialog typical of the genre and the era...and by this I mean pretty bad. That plus the long legged Martian hotties make this a a must see for anyone who likes these types of movies and / or girls.
I give the movie a 3 but the Martian babes with legs that go all the way up I give a 10. So it averages out to be about a 7.
I happened to have found this online and downloaded it, I don't know if it's fallen into PD but it is available to find on the Internet for free. The print I saw was as choppy as the previous comments have attested to but so what, the Martian babe makes up for any and all shortcomings this flick may have.
Find it, watch it, Love it. I know I did.
I give the movie a 3 but the Martian babes with legs that go all the way up I give a 10. So it averages out to be about a 7.
I happened to have found this online and downloaded it, I don't know if it's fallen into PD but it is available to find on the Internet for free. The print I saw was as choppy as the previous comments have attested to but so what, the Martian babe makes up for any and all shortcomings this flick may have.
Find it, watch it, Love it. I know I did.
A truly dreadful piece of nonsense.
jdhb-768-612344 April 2020
Even when this piece of rubbish was made, no one believed that astronauts travelling to Mars would blast off in their everyday clothes, or that one of them would be an attractive woman, fully made up.
Most of the 'action' could have been written for almost any scenario - Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, Greeks and Trojans, et al - and, frankly, it's awful. Yes, it takes place on a rocket ship so there are a few starry special effects but those can't excuse the rest of the film.
Drivel.
Most of the 'action' could have been written for almost any scenario - Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, Greeks and Trojans, et al - and, frankly, it's awful. Yes, it takes place on a rocket ship so there are a few starry special effects but those can't excuse the rest of the film.
Drivel.
Monogram Pictures Finest Hour...and 12 minutes
dbonk22 July 2008
Actually, the leader of so-called 'poverty studios' was given the highest accolade by French New Wave director Jean Luc-Godard who sited Monogram Pictures as a significant influence in his seminal 1959 film BREATHLESS.
FLIGHT TO MARS certainly has a Saturday afternoon matinée feel to it backed with a popcorn budget with butter. It is filmed in warmly lit Super Cinecolor. The movie was lensed in five days according to Cameron Mitchell who portrays the stalwart lead character. With his trusty Underwood typewriter he is chronicling an on board journal for his newspaper of this intrepid crew's voyage to the red planet.
The crew members on board, including flight commander Arthur Franz, are dressed for a camping trip. The exception is Virginia Huston, introduced as 'the lady scientist', wearing a skirt and heels.
When this movie was released in 1951, remember, there was no NASA, no satellites for that matter, and Flash Gordon was really the closest thing to reality regarding space travel.
Given these parameters, it's relatively simple to suspend belief and be caught up in the moment to which this film takes us.
After a white knuckle landing on Mars surface, one crew member suggests putting on oxygen masks before venturing outside. They have no pressurized space suits or helmets, you see. Oddly enough, the Martians do, hand me downs from the movie DESTINATION MOON.
The Earthlings are given the tour of the Martian's underground city which resembles a paper mache version of H.G. Wells' THINGS TO COME. Upon seeing their living quarters, lady scientist Virginia Huston's first question is "Where's the kitchen?" Terris, the comely Martian hostess,(Lucille Barkley) informs the crew that there are no kitchens, but laboratories and meals are delivered by request. Yes, the Martians speak perfect English. They listen to radio shows. Evidently, that green-eyed monster,television, which has already subjugated Earth has not invaded Martian soil....yet. She then presses a button and a cart of food with drinks emerges from the wall. Terris reminds me of Betty Furness who would always look so comfortable showing off the features of the latest Westinghouse refrigerator on TV. Makes me wonder how many more fridges Betty could have sold if she was wearing the ensemble that Terris is sporting.
Oh yes, the Earth crew's wardrobe have to comport with the typical Martian. That means the men appear in Prince Valiant garb with gray flannel underwear and boots. Virginia, the only female crew member is given what every Martian woman wears, a sleeveless mini-dress with go-go boots. Terris says, "they're very comfortable."
One of the more prominent citizens is leggy Alita,played by Marguerite Chapman. Alita was originally Aelita the Queen of Mars in the classic 1924 Soviet film bearing her name. For FLIGHT TO MARS she appears to have been dethroned to a more subordinate role of administrative assistant to the Council of which her father is a member. Yet, Alita is obviously high up in the Martian fem corporate ladder as she doesn't wear boots, but customized jet black pumps with her mini outfit.
One can imagine Dr. Werner Von Braun and his fellow scientists getting a kick out of this flick in their desert compound at Los Alamos, New Mexico, when they weren't developing their Redstone rocket.
FLIGHT TO MARS is short enough at 72 minutes that there's no chance of boredom to set in. So bring along a B-17 flight jacket and prepare to board ship.
FLIGHT TO MARS certainly has a Saturday afternoon matinée feel to it backed with a popcorn budget with butter. It is filmed in warmly lit Super Cinecolor. The movie was lensed in five days according to Cameron Mitchell who portrays the stalwart lead character. With his trusty Underwood typewriter he is chronicling an on board journal for his newspaper of this intrepid crew's voyage to the red planet.
The crew members on board, including flight commander Arthur Franz, are dressed for a camping trip. The exception is Virginia Huston, introduced as 'the lady scientist', wearing a skirt and heels.
When this movie was released in 1951, remember, there was no NASA, no satellites for that matter, and Flash Gordon was really the closest thing to reality regarding space travel.
Given these parameters, it's relatively simple to suspend belief and be caught up in the moment to which this film takes us.
After a white knuckle landing on Mars surface, one crew member suggests putting on oxygen masks before venturing outside. They have no pressurized space suits or helmets, you see. Oddly enough, the Martians do, hand me downs from the movie DESTINATION MOON.
The Earthlings are given the tour of the Martian's underground city which resembles a paper mache version of H.G. Wells' THINGS TO COME. Upon seeing their living quarters, lady scientist Virginia Huston's first question is "Where's the kitchen?" Terris, the comely Martian hostess,(Lucille Barkley) informs the crew that there are no kitchens, but laboratories and meals are delivered by request. Yes, the Martians speak perfect English. They listen to radio shows. Evidently, that green-eyed monster,television, which has already subjugated Earth has not invaded Martian soil....yet. She then presses a button and a cart of food with drinks emerges from the wall. Terris reminds me of Betty Furness who would always look so comfortable showing off the features of the latest Westinghouse refrigerator on TV. Makes me wonder how many more fridges Betty could have sold if she was wearing the ensemble that Terris is sporting.
Oh yes, the Earth crew's wardrobe have to comport with the typical Martian. That means the men appear in Prince Valiant garb with gray flannel underwear and boots. Virginia, the only female crew member is given what every Martian woman wears, a sleeveless mini-dress with go-go boots. Terris says, "they're very comfortable."
One of the more prominent citizens is leggy Alita,played by Marguerite Chapman. Alita was originally Aelita the Queen of Mars in the classic 1924 Soviet film bearing her name. For FLIGHT TO MARS she appears to have been dethroned to a more subordinate role of administrative assistant to the Council of which her father is a member. Yet, Alita is obviously high up in the Martian fem corporate ladder as she doesn't wear boots, but customized jet black pumps with her mini outfit.
One can imagine Dr. Werner Von Braun and his fellow scientists getting a kick out of this flick in their desert compound at Los Alamos, New Mexico, when they weren't developing their Redstone rocket.
FLIGHT TO MARS is short enough at 72 minutes that there's no chance of boredom to set in. So bring along a B-17 flight jacket and prepare to board ship.
Good Early Science Fiction Movie
craig_smith94 March 2003
This is a fun movie. While I was watching it I started remembering all of the science fiction that I read when I was in junior high and high school and how much I enjoyed them. Seeing the rocket was so similar to the visions in so many of the books. This was a good story line. There was depth to the characters, action, romance developed, and of course the "need to explore." Definitely one of the better of the early science fiction movies.
Spaced out sci-fi flick.
bux24 October 1998
Obviously influenced by the success of Pal's "Destination Moon" and Lippert's "Rocketship X-M" this one just doesn't make the cut. Limited special effects, a thin story line result in a production that even the half-decent cast can't save. Just no believability here. No one seems surprised to encounter Martians, much like earthlings, etc. etc. Pass on it!
Rockets, miniskirts, and cinecolor!
David_Newcastle3 January 2003
I agree with the all the POSITIVE comments on this unique little blast-from-the-past. "Flight to Mars" is a very enjoyable movie, despite it's limitations.
Beware, however, of the new DVD of "Flight to Mars". It is NOT derived from the same print as the prerecorded videotape that came out several years ago. The DVD print is riddled with scratches, and several scenes are ruined by numerous missing pieces of film!
We can only hope that a new DVD -- transferred from a BETTER print -- is released in the next few years. Meanwhile, please take my advice and watch the videotape. You'll thank me later.
Beware, however, of the new DVD of "Flight to Mars". It is NOT derived from the same print as the prerecorded videotape that came out several years ago. The DVD print is riddled with scratches, and several scenes are ruined by numerous missing pieces of film!
We can only hope that a new DVD -- transferred from a BETTER print -- is released in the next few years. Meanwhile, please take my advice and watch the videotape. You'll thank me later.
Come Fly With Me!
rmax3048231 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
It is said that there are some people out there who actually ADMIRE Monogram's movies. Well -- and why not? Monogram Studios lived on a kind of Cost Plus basis; cost, plus enough to pay the rent and buy a pizza and a bottle of robust muscatel every once in a while. Sure, they're cheap. But let's face it: they're coarse, fast, Philistine, vulgar, but exhilarating. They have no pretensions at all. They're designed to divert the audience for an hour or so at the bottom of a double bill. So what if John Wayne gallops through the Wild West along a road lined with telephone poles? This isn't art, it's entertainment.
Take this movie, "Flight to Mars." At the beginning, when we're first meeting the characters, a man might introduce his female companion abruptly, avoiding any tedious subtlety: "Professor, this is my fiancée and assistant, who is a rocket scientist and a beautiful woman. She loves me but is growing impatient with me because I'm always wrapped up in my scientific work. Perhaps you could steal her from me, marry her, give her the babies and the picket-fenced home she yearns for. If necessary I will die on this journey to see her dreams realized. Also, she likes it a little rough." It saves a lot of writing and shooting time, doesn't it? That's what people mean when they say a narrative is "fast". (This one was shot in five days.) Why should we have to hint about these things? I mean, what the hell is this, a cheap sci fi movie or Henry James? Actually this is a particularly well-funded example of a Monogram movie. It's in color, for one thing. "Cinecolor" to be exact. (You can tell it's not any other "color" you'd recognize.) And look at the cast. The female lead is dismissible, as is usual with Monogram, but the male leads are definitely up there on the B List. Cameron Mitchell as the reporter, yet to hit his stride as a male lead, which, come to think of it, he never really did. And Arthur Franz as the pipe-smoking head scientist, the pride of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. And -- for science fiction fans -- how about THIS pair of aces: both Morris Ankrum AND John Litel! There's not really much point in describing the plot in detail. The five crew members crash land on Mars where they find an underground civilization inhabited by organisms whose evolution was isomorphic with ours, right down to their having five digits and willowy babes in short skirts. And they picked up English from listening to our broadcasts. American broadcasts, that is, judging from their speech. They're led by a sinister cabal who try to hijack the space ship, build many imitations of it, and colonize earth. They do not succeed.
The special effects aren't very special. The men walk around a couple of spare sets, wearing black costumes with stylized lightning bolts emblazoned on their chests and scarlet capes billowing behind them. Their names consist exclusively of English phonemes -- Alzar, Terris, Ikron. The lissome Martian who falls for Arthur Franz is named Alita, with an Indo-European diminutive appendage, and she already knows what kissing is.
Overall, I found it as snappy as it was intended to be, but dull too. The story is that of any Buck Rogers 1930s serial. Once the earthlings and the Martians meet and it's established that they have a common language, and that the Martians have a sinister agenda, that's it. In two hours, even an indifferent screenwriter could turn this into a story of Nazi spies in World War II. The plot is done by the numbers, the dialog has no sparkle, the acting is pedestrian.
However, dedicated aficionados of Monogram productions should enjoy it. After all, Jean-Luc Goddard, the contrarian French egghead, dedicated "A Bout de Soufflé" to Monogram, so they can't have been all that bad.
Take this movie, "Flight to Mars." At the beginning, when we're first meeting the characters, a man might introduce his female companion abruptly, avoiding any tedious subtlety: "Professor, this is my fiancée and assistant, who is a rocket scientist and a beautiful woman. She loves me but is growing impatient with me because I'm always wrapped up in my scientific work. Perhaps you could steal her from me, marry her, give her the babies and the picket-fenced home she yearns for. If necessary I will die on this journey to see her dreams realized. Also, she likes it a little rough." It saves a lot of writing and shooting time, doesn't it? That's what people mean when they say a narrative is "fast". (This one was shot in five days.) Why should we have to hint about these things? I mean, what the hell is this, a cheap sci fi movie or Henry James? Actually this is a particularly well-funded example of a Monogram movie. It's in color, for one thing. "Cinecolor" to be exact. (You can tell it's not any other "color" you'd recognize.) And look at the cast. The female lead is dismissible, as is usual with Monogram, but the male leads are definitely up there on the B List. Cameron Mitchell as the reporter, yet to hit his stride as a male lead, which, come to think of it, he never really did. And Arthur Franz as the pipe-smoking head scientist, the pride of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. And -- for science fiction fans -- how about THIS pair of aces: both Morris Ankrum AND John Litel! There's not really much point in describing the plot in detail. The five crew members crash land on Mars where they find an underground civilization inhabited by organisms whose evolution was isomorphic with ours, right down to their having five digits and willowy babes in short skirts. And they picked up English from listening to our broadcasts. American broadcasts, that is, judging from their speech. They're led by a sinister cabal who try to hijack the space ship, build many imitations of it, and colonize earth. They do not succeed.
The special effects aren't very special. The men walk around a couple of spare sets, wearing black costumes with stylized lightning bolts emblazoned on their chests and scarlet capes billowing behind them. Their names consist exclusively of English phonemes -- Alzar, Terris, Ikron. The lissome Martian who falls for Arthur Franz is named Alita, with an Indo-European diminutive appendage, and she already knows what kissing is.
Overall, I found it as snappy as it was intended to be, but dull too. The story is that of any Buck Rogers 1930s serial. Once the earthlings and the Martians meet and it's established that they have a common language, and that the Martians have a sinister agenda, that's it. In two hours, even an indifferent screenwriter could turn this into a story of Nazi spies in World War II. The plot is done by the numbers, the dialog has no sparkle, the acting is pedestrian.
However, dedicated aficionados of Monogram productions should enjoy it. After all, Jean-Luc Goddard, the contrarian French egghead, dedicated "A Bout de Soufflé" to Monogram, so they can't have been all that bad.
very exciting
ptb-814 July 2006
Monogram Pictures fizz off into outer space using gym locker room sets as spaceship interiors, military disposal store props and 2 color color and then reveal Mars is populated with man hungry showgirls wearing miniskirts sporting hairdoos by the Bettie Page salon de crater. What's not to like? this theme was recycled into at least three films I embrace equally: Cat Women Of The Moon, The Queen Of Outer Space (yippee!) and Mesa Of Lost Women. Showgirls, hairy spiders with goggly eyes, fellers with tin ray guns and possibly the same sweat stained space suits in each film. Very good. This one skipped the spider though and is a remake of Rocketship XM. I love the idea we can get into a flying pencil-case with a cracker up the exhaust pipe, settle into a bunk yanked from a submarine, crash-land in a quarry and meet scantily clad ex-LasVegas assistant cashiers who each look like Aunty Lorraine and her gal-pal Lois. You know you are really living when this is exciting.
A visual experience
Leofwine_draca7 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
FLIGHT TO MARS is another extraordinarily dated science fiction flick from the early 1950s, when cinema was awash with astronauts heading off to local planets in our solar system only to find them already occupied by humanoid races usually up to one nefarious plan or another. This time around it's the turn of Cameron Mitchell in a two-tone colour adventure as he heads off to the red planet only to discover it already occupied by a seemingly friendly race. The adventure and sensation aspects of the story are quite subdued here, but the colour adds a nice touch and the racy miniskirt attire worn by the female Martians must have gone down well with audiences of the era.
FLIGHT TO MARS! " TICKETS PLEASE "
StarGazer7730 April 2023
1951..the beginning of a fun decade of SCI FI films of Giant Ants, Spiders, Robots, and beautiful women in Mini Skirts! Beautiful Marguerite Chapman and rugged Cameron star in this early SCI FI adventure where Science reality is not required just a very good imagination! Rounding out a solid cast are Arthur Franz & Morris Ankrum , two of my favorite actors as they help complete a fun story that's purely escapism for how can one journey to Mars with no space helmet and Anti-grav boots! I love this movie and was delighted it made it to Blu Ray as the FILM DETECTIVE did a great job for the DVD was not very good! Ms Chapman wears her mini skirt as well as Anne Francis did in FORBIDDEN PLANET! The story moves along at an OK pace of course the dialog is silly NO ONE talks like these spaceman but who cares?? It's a fun escape film from a simpler time and when I saw it in 1955 it felt so real and today its still alot of fun .. I highly recommend buying the BLU RAY worth having!!
So grab some popcorn and turn out the lights and enjoy FLIGHT TO MARS!!!
So grab some popcorn and turn out the lights and enjoy FLIGHT TO MARS!!!
Bad Science
sugarmountainf28 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The crew is missing the unqualified wise guy from Brooklyn.
A flight to Mars is described as "hurtling through the universe."
Artificial gravity perfected in 1951.
A rocketship crashes at high speed into a mountainside, but it's barely damaged and the crew is only a little shaken up.
An underground civilization looks like it has 22nd Century technology, but they can't figure out how to build a radio transmitter and require one Earth rocketship to reach Earth.
Unlikely romantic tension thrown in as an extra.
An Earthling can walk unchallenged into the Martian high council room during a critical meeting.
A very abrupt ending.
Watchable because of bullet bras and legs, legs, legs.
I would write that you can't make this stuff up, but they did.
A flight to Mars is described as "hurtling through the universe."
Artificial gravity perfected in 1951.
A rocketship crashes at high speed into a mountainside, but it's barely damaged and the crew is only a little shaken up.
An underground civilization looks like it has 22nd Century technology, but they can't figure out how to build a radio transmitter and require one Earth rocketship to reach Earth.
Unlikely romantic tension thrown in as an extra.
An Earthling can walk unchallenged into the Martian high council room during a critical meeting.
A very abrupt ending.
Watchable because of bullet bras and legs, legs, legs.
I would write that you can't make this stuff up, but they did.
Back when directors knew how to make films
drystyx16 December 2010
This is a good example, a basic example, of what an Outer Space film should be. It was made during the greatest period of movie making, the Fifties.
We have the theme of an isolated group, which is easy to do when you're speaking about a space ship crew. They visit Mars. We can just interject any far off planet or place. The story is what is important.
And that's what makes these films superior to the later ones. They told stories. We had basic sets, and actually better effects. Why? Because we weren't inundated with a load of crap that only the biggest dork could care about. We got the story, and that's what the audience wants to see in a movie.
If the director wants to make a social or political statement, he does it with the story and characters, as he does here. No preaching, no sermons, no contrivance, just a story.
It is a basic story, and it is entertaining. We get camera shots that look good, and we are diverted just enough from place to place to keep it interesting.
Modern directors are only now realizing how pathetic the garbage of the late sixties and the seventies were. Few films from that era will be salvaged a few centuries from now.
Meanwhile, this basic yarn, with just enough subplots to carry it, will still be enjoyed. What is fascinating is how these "fifties flicks" actually come across more credible than the later ones that strive for credibility. The story was natural. No one cares if the costumes are too clean and sets too clear to be realistic. They have to tell the story first, so visibility to the spectator comes first. Meanwhile, we get what are actually more believable actions, reactions, and motivations in films like this than in modern science fiction. We aren't confused. We see what's going on, and the movie is made for us, with the effort made by the film maker, instead of vice versa, because let me tell those self righteous morons something: most of us aren't going to strain ourselves for your benefit. That's why so many people prefer to watch films like this.
We have the theme of an isolated group, which is easy to do when you're speaking about a space ship crew. They visit Mars. We can just interject any far off planet or place. The story is what is important.
And that's what makes these films superior to the later ones. They told stories. We had basic sets, and actually better effects. Why? Because we weren't inundated with a load of crap that only the biggest dork could care about. We got the story, and that's what the audience wants to see in a movie.
If the director wants to make a social or political statement, he does it with the story and characters, as he does here. No preaching, no sermons, no contrivance, just a story.
It is a basic story, and it is entertaining. We get camera shots that look good, and we are diverted just enough from place to place to keep it interesting.
Modern directors are only now realizing how pathetic the garbage of the late sixties and the seventies were. Few films from that era will be salvaged a few centuries from now.
Meanwhile, this basic yarn, with just enough subplots to carry it, will still be enjoyed. What is fascinating is how these "fifties flicks" actually come across more credible than the later ones that strive for credibility. The story was natural. No one cares if the costumes are too clean and sets too clear to be realistic. They have to tell the story first, so visibility to the spectator comes first. Meanwhile, we get what are actually more believable actions, reactions, and motivations in films like this than in modern science fiction. We aren't confused. We see what's going on, and the movie is made for us, with the effort made by the film maker, instead of vice versa, because let me tell those self righteous morons something: most of us aren't going to strain ourselves for your benefit. That's why so many people prefer to watch films like this.
Fashionable Science Fiction Faux pas
BaronBl00d16 April 2006
Cheaply-made, poorly acted, and unimaginatively directed, Flight to Mars still is entertaining despite what its has going against it. A flight to Mars is planned with five people(three older gentleman, Cameron Mitchell as a newspaperman, and one female scientist/obvious love interest)"manning' the ship. The spaceship gets there and finds that very human-like Martians live there and have technological advances that would make Earth blush. But all is not rosy in the subterranean cities of the Martians(here shown as some caves and a few rooms). The Martians are a dying planet and one faction wants the Earthlings to fix the ship only to take it away at the last moment and then mobilize for an attack on Earth and another faction wants to talk peace and see if they cannot persuade Earth to give them living space. The special effects here are pretty lame even for 50's sci-fi standards complete with slow-moving rocket ship, pastel/neon alien garb where the women wear shorts that would make many blush(except the men of course), and little less offered. Cameron Mitchell is the journalist and is affable if nothing else. Marguerite Chapman is beautiful in very short shorts but adds little acting range. The rest of the cast is filled with some older sci-fi veterans like Arthur Franz and Morris Ankrum doing serviceable jobs. This isn't a premiere sci-fi film from the Golden Age by any standard, but it is very watchable and zips by at fast pace.
A Charming, Little Space Adventure
bayardhiler1 November 2012
When I was a kid, my sister used to work at little video store, and sometimes, there were old copies of videos lying around that the store would just give out. One of those films that my sister got, was "Flight to Mars" (1951), a movie that I had never heard of. Since I was big into sci-fi movies, I gave it a chance and was pleasantly surprised. The movie is about four people, three scientists and one journalist, who journey to Mars, not knowing what they will find or whether they will find their way home again. On their way to Mars, our heroes encounter a meteor storm, and lose all contact with Earth, their only option is to keep going. When they get to Mars, they find that there exists a race of fellow human beings who survive underground. At first, everything seems utopia, but, as we soon learn, the martians are running out of resources on their planet and Earth starts to look pretty good. Luckily, not all the martians are on board with the idea of conquering Earth, including a beautiful, short-skirt, wearing martian woman named Alita, who decide to help the Earth people. This movie was filmed on a very low budget and in only five days. Never the less, the movie looks fantastic in Technicolor, with the well done production design. And being at just 70 Min's, you have yourself a nice, little space adventure. Check it out. 8 out of 10.
" We'll steal their ship, go to the Earth and destroy them all "
thinker169124 March 2014
From a screenplay written by Arthur Strawn and directed by Lesley Selander comes this film offering entitled " Flight to Mars. " It was made in the 1950s' and for many a teenage boy proved to be very interesting. A group of Spacemen from Earth decide to travel to the red planet Mars to explore the possibility of life there. Their ship is imaginative for the time and yet none of us noticed they traveled to the forth planet using only common clothes. We were too busy ogling the shapely long legged, high heeled Martian Beauties. Boarding their spaceship we also never noticed the crew members wore army jackets, fatigues and common gas masks, their rocket ship was equipped with Army bunk beds and the only female crew-member wore her flowing High school hoop skirt. The script calls for good dialog and the cast members do well to maintain a great story. In point of fact, this is a good movie and with actors like Morris Ankrum it does a good job. Although greeted peacefully, they soon discover, they are doomed. All in all, I would recommend this movie to young minds and move this film into the annals of the Classics. ****
Mars, a dying world
bkoganbing3 April 2012
For Flight To Mars, Monogram Pictures and its penny pinching head Sam Katzman must have really cracked open the cookie jar to spend money on this film. Color even, unheard of for Monogram film. It was probably their big budget item that year, comparatively speaking.
Four scientists, Arthur Franz, Virginia Huston, John Litel, and Richard Gaines and a reporter Cameron Mitchell are the crew of the first manned flight to Mars. And the Martians are humanoid as we are and have a nice little underground civilization that unfortunately runs on a material called Corium. As essential to them as the buffalo was to the Plains Indians.
But they're running out of Corium on Mars and the leader of the high council wants to use the earth astronauts rocket-ship to take armies back and conquer Earth. How they're going to do it with dwindling Corium and one rocket is something the script doesn't really go into.
In the meantime Arthur Franz finds a little love on Mars in the person of shapely Martian Marguerite Chapman. Still the Earth visitors are caught in a power play between Martian leader Morris Ankrum and former leader Robert Barrat.
Sad to say even with color Flight To Mars suffers from the same lack of production values that typify Monogram's products and the lack of a really coherent script. But the Martian girls are lovely to look at, it was like watching a Miss America pageant.
Four scientists, Arthur Franz, Virginia Huston, John Litel, and Richard Gaines and a reporter Cameron Mitchell are the crew of the first manned flight to Mars. And the Martians are humanoid as we are and have a nice little underground civilization that unfortunately runs on a material called Corium. As essential to them as the buffalo was to the Plains Indians.
But they're running out of Corium on Mars and the leader of the high council wants to use the earth astronauts rocket-ship to take armies back and conquer Earth. How they're going to do it with dwindling Corium and one rocket is something the script doesn't really go into.
In the meantime Arthur Franz finds a little love on Mars in the person of shapely Martian Marguerite Chapman. Still the Earth visitors are caught in a power play between Martian leader Morris Ankrum and former leader Robert Barrat.
Sad to say even with color Flight To Mars suffers from the same lack of production values that typify Monogram's products and the lack of a really coherent script. But the Martian girls are lovely to look at, it was like watching a Miss America pageant.
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