The Martian Chronicles (1980) User Reviews

Earth Colonizers

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 29 October 2009]

Probably another chapter might have been needed for The Martian Chronicles mini-series to have gotten in all of what Ray Bradbury had to say in his epic science fiction work about first contact. It certainly wasn't like Star Trek's First Contact to say the least.

After a couple of failed expeditions that did not return to Earth from Mars in what was projected in 1980 to be the last dozen years or so right now, Rock Hudson the head of NASA heads the third expedition himself. He finds a presumably dead planet, but are these Martians really dead?

The 'Martians' we do meet seem to be at all levels of human development and way in advance of us on Earth. I can see where Gene Roddenberry got his ideas for the Talosian characters who can change appearance and for the incorporeal Organians for Star Trek. We'll meet both kinds in The Martian Chronicles.

Two characters really stand out for me. First is Fritz Weaver as Father Peregrine who together with Roddy McDowall has come to bring Christianity to Mars. But how do you explain religion to beings way in advance of your development. In fact though it's the Christian religion that is used here, all religions on Earth don't take into account other beings on other worlds. Every founder of every religion only had a view of the world he was on. When 'Jesus' played by Jon Finch appears to Fritz Weaver the Martians can't even grasp the nature of Weaver's conception of him. Makes for a very interesting scene.

Secondly Bernie Casey does in the old English colonial term, 'goes native' on Rock Hudson, he so identifies with the Martians as a race potentially to be exploited just as folks originating in his part of Earth were. Casey raises some interesting questions about the morality of what the Earth people are doing. There is war threatening on Earth to annihilate mankind. How many science fiction movies have as their premise a dying race coming to Earth to take it over and enslave mankind? Food for thought.

There's still enough of Ray Bradbury's ideas in this mini-series to make The Martian Chronicles good viewing. One thing I would like to say, as advanced as the Martians are, you would think that what killed them is something they would have taken measure to prevent a long time ago.

Metaphors To Live By.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 12 September 2010]

Well, I've watched the first two episodes, each for the second time, and I assume the remainder fit the same template. It's not bad, as these things go. Nothing written by Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson could possibly be VERY bad. But, as in all diachronic endeavors, sometimes one installment is better than others.

Episode One deals with the first expeditions to Mars. At the time Mars was thought to be possibly inhabited, and indeed in this story it is. The Martians have evolved much like humans -- bilaterally symmetrical, four limbs, five digits, one nose, same torsos -- but they seem to have eyes like steel balls and they lack ears. Of course their clothing and ornaments are different from anything on earth. They wear long flowing robes and elaborate headgear. And their buildings look like they were planned by Euclid, with not a Bauhaus nut in sight. And the Martians speak with British accents. This is an old convention in the tradition of Hollywood. The good folk who represent "us" have American accents. Those who are alien in any way -- Nazis, inhabitants of underground cities or Atlantis -- have foreign accents.

There are a multitude of recognizable faces, chief among them is Rock Hudson as Colonel Wilder, leader of the third expedition and apparently an important political figure during Episode Two, The Settlers. In 1980, Hudson was no kid anymore and he was about to show signs of a terrible illness, but he looks great -- slightly grayed, slightly wrinkled, and robust as hell.

The other performances vary from weak to professionally competent. Fritz Weaver and Jon Finch are good in their parts. Weaver is always reliable. Gayle Hunnicut is older than we're used to seeing her but still stunning. I always get her confused with Gail Strickland because they're both beautiful in the same way. I wonder. Hunnicut claims to have been born in Texas, and Strickland in Alabama. But I'm convinced they are one and the same person. No? Let me put it this way. Have you ever seen the two of them together in the same room at the same time? I thought not. Case closed.

Many or most of these stories about colonization are really metaphors for the culture clashes we've experienced here on earth. "Star Trek" evolved into not much more than one metaphor after another. One planet is inhabited by Nazis, another by communists, and so forth. When asked what might happen if UFOs landed a horde of aliens from outer space, Arnold Toynbee simply pointed to Europe's dealings with Columbus's New World as a historical example of an advanced civilization's treatment of a relatively less developed one.

Example from Episode Two. Darren McGavin is one of the original settlers. He looks jubilantly around at all the red earth and rosy sawtoothed mountains and foresees a financial bonanza. There must be a fortune in minerals and gems on the planet. He sets up a rest stop at a place he reckons will be a crossroads for major highway, advertises hamburgers, coffee and other treats, and dresses like a loud-mouthed affable cowboy wearing real six shooters. When he's visited by one of the last Martians he floods out, whips out a pistol and kills him. Patently absurd, of course. No American would invade another planet hoping to exploit its mineral resources and strutting about while dressed as a cowboy.

Best incident, in my estimation, takes place during the second expedition. The three men land on Mars and discover an inviting, friendly small town that looks exactly like the Illinois home town of the expedition's commander. Not only that, but figures from the CO's personal past, now dead, come to greet him and welcome him home. Bradbury's novel handles the event better, but it's still a poignant scene -- a man discovering his deceased mother and father, and a brother with whom he'd been the warmest of friends. I won't give any more away.

Bradbury himself is from Waukeegan, Illinois, born in 1920. Many of the writers from small town America born around that time, especially in the Midwest and South, seem to be at pains to capture the idyllic, untroubled lifestyles of their youth. It was treated as a kind of Golden Age for writers like Bradbury, Rod Serling, and Earl Hamner, Jr. Well, if they had happy childhoods, who can blame them for wanting to recapture some of it, even in model form? Some of the small points made in the novel are handled with a kind of glissade though. I mean, for instance, Bradbury seemed to have had a great time thinking up names for new locations on Mars. "Mount Wilder," for the expedition's CO. "New Chicago," "Mississippi Bluffs," "New New York," "The Paris River", or whatnot. The TV miniseries strikes one, after a while, as talky and a little disjointed. Not enough characters are carried over from one incident to the next. And the Saharan landscape, even if tinted vermilion, and the mysterious electronic music eventually become ground instead of figure.

Entertaining If You Overlook Some Obvious Flaws

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 5 June 2010]

THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES is an Anglo-American miniseries vaguely remembered with some affection by those who saw it on its broadcast in 1980 . Having seen it again it's a fairly entertaining SF epic about the colonization of Mars by humanity , something that might have still seemed possible on it's original broadcast but now seems dated in its optimism . It's also a miniseries that suffers from some blatant flaws

One of the major flaws revolve around Ray Bradbury's original source material . It's not a novel as such , more a collection of vignettes and short stories published in the 1940s by Bradbury and as such such the miniseries doesn't have a central plot . Adapter Richard Matheson does try to bring a linear structure by making Colonel John Wilder a linking device but the fact remains there's not a central structure to the story . In many ways it's similar to James A Michener's Centennial except it's set on Mars and the parallels to the colonization of the New World are maybe a little too obvious to be entirely successful .. Characters come and go but often don't contribute much to the story and disappear never to appear again . It's not helped that the cast list is the same for every episode . The vast majority of the cast just appear as cameos

The cast themselves are very uneven , so much so that the acting veers from the very good to the embarrassing that a viewer may suffer from seas sickness . Darren McGavin is okay as Sam Parkhill second in command of the third expedition to Mars but is laughably bad when it's revealed he now owns a hamburger joint on a Mars freeway . It's one of those camp cowboys characters that only exists in cheesy American TV series . Nicholas Hammond is very wooden as Captain Arthur Black . His mission to Mars finds himself landing in " Illinois " and he seems only slightly puzzled by this . Oh he landed on the wrong planet and he's only slightly puzzled , a highly unlikely reaction . Perhaps the two best performances are by Fritz Weaver as a idealistic missionary who sees a vision of Jesus played by Jon Finch only for the missionary to realise " Jesus " is in fact a Martian . It's a beautiful scene about idealism , hope and soul crushing disappointment and one people can relate to regardless of their eccelistical beliefs and is probably the most memorable scene from the series

Michael Anderson is probably best remembered in Britain as being the director of THE DAM BUSTERS , a classic war film with a legendary soundtrack . The one flaw with that film were the special effects and this is also a flaw with this miniseries especially much of the model work where the Martian sandships look like tiny models that are given away free with brands of cereal . This might have been down to the budget running out . The location work in Malta and Lanzarote must have cost a lot along with the actor cameos and you are left with the impression that late in the day the money run out . Whilst being never being up to the standard of THE DAM BUSTERS the soundtrack is memorable , very much love it or hate it and apart from the acting and model work the only serious fault Anderson makes is casting an attractive blonde as Geneviere

Richard Matheson probably does his best with the original episodic source material . As stated Bradbury wrote his stories before science had any knowledge of Mars hence settlers can walk around a planet that has Earth like gravity and an atmosphere . One flaw that does seem unexplained ( Correct me if I missed the explanation ) is that the settlers are warned of an oncoming war and are evacuated back to Earth where they are wiped out in a nuclear holocaust . Certainly one of the main reasons for traveling to other planets - a view loudly stated by Prof Stephen Hawking amongst many other eminent scientists - is that " the eggs are no longer all in the same basket " so why bother going back to a planet that is about to become a radioactive cinder ? He does however make it very easy to empathise with the characters . The Martians themselves are very benign and only kill humans in order to protect themselves

After a period of almost 30 years you might just find THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES a little disappointing . Maybe as not as disappointing as seeing Jesus only to find out he's not what he seems to be , but still disappointing nevertheless but this is mainly down to its dated values . It still has a high watchability factor however and has some entertaining moments and even if you're not a die hard SF fan you still might like o give it a chance

A dated but enjoyable series

[DPMay · 8 October 2004]

I saw "The Martian Chronicles" as a child during its first UK transmissions between 1980 and 1984 then didn't see it for many years but so many moments from it stuck with me.

Now I've just had my video tapes of it out and watched it again for the first time in 8 years or so. The series looks very dated now in terms of special effects, photography, costumes and even in the acting - typical of late seventies US television rather than what we see today. The dates of man's arrival of Mars are now known to be rather ambitious and of course the whole "cold war" idea is something that film & television has moved on from nowadays.

Despite these faults, I still found the three episodes to be highly enjoyable. Its certainly not Star Wars or even 2001, but The Martian Chronicles gives us a refreshingly different kind of science fiction. The series is not so much about martians as about humans and many human feelings are explored - loneliness, bereavement, faith, nostalgia, vanity, greed...

What I really liked was the realization of the martian landscapes - even watching it now there's a real feeling of it being an alien planet and the strange stone monoliths and spheres linger in the memory.

Rock Hudson I found okay as the lead. Some say he's too bland but he's not meant to be a big hero or even a particularly dominant character. It's a relaxed performance that allows the story lines, rather than Mr Hudson himself, to come to the fore.

Although each episode lasts 90 minutes, they're broken up into shorter stories which are more easily digestible, although a couple of sequences are played out a little too long. The direction is functional for the most part but there are some nice touches along the way - for instance when the second expedition lands and the fog slowly clears to reveal the ship to be in what appears to an American town is very well done, and then there's a very Prisoner-esque shot early in episode three when Rock Hudson opens the double-doors of the base back on Earth and finds it deserted.

The music's quite good too!

Doesn't deserve anything less than a 6, and here is why

[eric_oliver_nicolas · 7/10 · 28 September 2009]

The Martian Chronicles (both the book and the miniseries) is not science fiction. I am surprised almost nobody picked this up. It is a tale about human nature, and how it is thrown in sharp contrast when facing something as viscerally non-human as an alien culture on a new distant world. So forget about Star Wars, and forget about fact accuracy about Mars: this is just a tale.

I suppose you need to have seen this miniseries as a child in order to like it. Short of that, its shortcomings must really seem unforgivable for a late 70's production. And yet there are so many aspects that make this show highly enjoyable. And first and foremost its lessons: colonization is not all good; in the process of wiping out the strange and the unknown in order to make room for the newcomers and allow them to settle in comfortably, a lot of interesting and possibly life-changing ideas are lost.

As for the cold war and the message from the Chronicles being outdated, surely the world is no better today place than it was 40 years ago...

To me, visually outdated as it is, the Chronicles still retain the charm of a frontier tale about how important it is to open up when traveling to new strange shores, as opposed to taking your whole world with you ( a theme brilliantly exploited in The Beach for instance). I told you, this is no Sci-Fi !!!

Potentially great piece of TV (almost) ruined by lousy 80s production values.

[drmaf17 · 6/10 · 10 December 2017]

I just re-watched this series after not having seen it for nearly 40 years and found the fond memories of it from my youth were not entirely displaced. It has some very good moments, the music is superb, the Martians look (and come across as) suitably alien without the need for elaborate make-up and the Martian city is very evocative. For all that the terrible science and awful 80's production values weigh it down so much. I really find it hard to take seriously a sci-fi series where people jet back and forth between Earth and Mars like there's an interplanetary bus service, alight on an unexplored planet wearing uniforms instead of space suits, or worse apparently making the interplanetary journey neatly dressed in the best of California casual. The Martian settlements look cheap and awful (would they really let towns on Mars look like particularly dicey truck stops?). Yet in between its cornier moment there are some really good things to like. Rock Hudson and Darren McGavin as the main recurring characters do a good job with a pretty hokey script, some of the scenes featuring the Martians are beautifully filmed and suitably evocative (Hudson's final dialogue with the ghost Martian is a highlight), and the whole "lets not mess up Mars like we did Earth" thing, which could have been corny, is handled well. There's enough here to keep you interested, even if you do want to bury your head sometimes at the awfulness of the special effects, I'm glad to see at least some of my youthful enthusiasm was not misplaced.

Not perfect, but more often than not, still quite magical

[Owlwise · 8/10 · 7 August 2018]

Anyone coming to this 1980 adaptation of "The Martian Chronicles" for the first time will undoubtedly be put off immediately by the special effects, which were so-so even then, and the slower, more cerebral pace of the narrative. And that would be a shame, because the heart & soul of Bradbury's book is alive & well here, and still both thought-provoking & emotionally satisfying.

Of course, it was never hard science to begin with, so complaining about the unscientific depiction of Mars & the behavior of the Earthmen is utterly beside the point. This is as much fable, parable, allegory as it is anything else: a study of the human propensity to opt for the crass over the sublime, the material over the spiritual, ugliness & power over beauty & harmony. It is, in fact, a sometimes scathing, sometimes sorrowful exploration of the human condition, and particularly human weakness.

And yet, both in the idealized Martians, and in the few humans who respond to the wonder of the Martian landscape & philosophy, we're shown what we could be, if only we could transcend our own pettiness, greed, and driving fears. This is shown to especially good effect in the slow growth of Colonel Wilder (a quietly effective Rock Hudson), whose initial misgivings about what Earth will do to Mars leads to his own eventual transformation. And in the final two stories - "Night Meeting" & "The Million-Year Picnic" - this is depicted in scenes that have stayed with me for close to 4 decades now, for their sheer beauty & wisdom.

Again, not everyone will be able or willing to make the leap & overlook the flawed surface of this mini-series. But if they can, then they'll experience science-fiction at its best: not CGI explosions & battles & endless action, but the interplay of ideas & emotions, inviting the viewers to look at their own lives, and to think about what they really want from the gift of existing, however briefly, in this miracle of the Universe.

Ray Bradbury Was Right

[melvalynn-82784 · 6/10 · 8 December 2019]

At some point prior to the original broadcast of this mini-series, Ray Bradbury was interviewed and asked how it was. His reply was that it was boring. He was right. I read this book when I was in junior high school for the first time and reread it many times after that. The book is great. This mini-series is boring. I gave it a six out of 10 more for the source material than this actual mini-series. A couple of my favorites are in here, Rock Hudson, Chris Connolly, Roddy McDowell, and Darren McGavin. Several other actors who were staples of 1970s television are also included. The problem is the screenplay. The Martian Chronicles are a series of short stories about the colonization of Mars and all connected with the constant threads of Wilder and NASA running through them. If the screenwriter had simply taken the book and wrote the screenplay directly from it, the mini-series would have been great. Instead it is more like a documentary with a narrator explaining what everyone is thinking or feeling, and a lot of just driving around what is supposed to be the Martian landscape by Wilder. I see a lot in the other reviews about the special effects. That's not really an issue for me as they are not a large part of the series. If you have no problems watching Star Trek TOS or Space 1999, the special effects here will not bother you. If you are expecting the latest from Disney, well you will be disappointed. The space craft in this series is reminiscent of what was available in the 90s and they were of course guessing what they would look like in the future. I think they did okay in that respect. If you like the premise of the series, then by all means visit your local library and check out a copy of the book. The book is great. You will see a few differences. The Bernadette Peters character was nothing like was portrayed in the mini-series for one. I would love to see Hollywood redo this but stick to the book this time. For those younger viewers who watched it and were surprised that we were colonizing Mars at the start of the 21st century, when I was in elementary school in the '60s, we were told we would have George Jetson cars and robot maids by the year 2000. We haven't come as far as we thought we would.

Haunting at times...

[Davcat · 10/10 · 4 May 2000]

I remember seeing this series when it was first shown circa 1980 in the UK, and could not wait till the next part was shown.

Of course the special effects weren't that special then - but I really don't think this takes much away from it. The sequences I like the most are the lights that appear to the monks, and save one when he tests them by throwing himself off a cliff on Mars. Very spiritual overtones here - makes me shiver now just to think of it.

Also, I love the way the Martians dress - the loose-fitting robes, and those masks - excellent. Their lack of cranial hair and gold eyes, also make for a very other-worldy effect.

I borrowed the video tape "version" of this film, but was dismayed to find that about 20 minutes had been cut out - beware! I read the superb Ray Bradbury novel this was based on (originally entitled The Silver Locusts) after I saw the series, and was suitably impressed. A great atmosphere in both, but much more in the novel, I think.

Not bad, considering

[pninson · 6/10 · 12 January 2007]

Ray Bradbury, author of "The Martian Chronicles", was reportedly deeply disappointed in this TV adaptation of his work, and it's not hard to see why. Perhaps he expected an A-list production, and it's clear from the look and feel of this brief miniseries that it was a low budget production. The visuals --- effects, costumes, and props --- are cheap and stagy; some of the dialogue is hokey, and the characterizations are thin.

In spite of all these flaws, there's an atmosphere of mystery and tragedy suffusing the story that almost manages to overcome the cheap feel of the production. At its best, it's like watching a stage play with few props, using your imagination to fill in the blanks. Rock Hudson is much better than you might expect --- he certainly tries his best, and he has a few good moments.

Bradbury's book was a collection of linked stories, not a novel (in fact the British edition originally deleted two stories and substituted two other Bradbury tales in their place --- one of those is dramatized here, starring Roddy McDowall). So it's hardly surprising that an adaptation of it would be equally episodic and would have some inconsistencies.

Still, you get a good feel for the lost Martian civilization, dying in the shadows as Earthmen take control of the planet. Some of the best of Bradbury's stories survive, and this is a lot of fun if you accept it on its own terms.

Cheese and wine often improve with age..."The Martian Chronicles" didn't.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 23 June 2012]

Back when it debuted on TV, I watched and enjoyed "The Martian Chronicles". Now, a bazillion years later (or so my daughters say), I decided to try watching it again for old time sake. Well, if you've heard the expression 'you can't go back', that pretty sums up what it was like watching the film. It just didn't age well and I found myself a lot more critical this go around. The main problem was the cheapness of the film. Even by 1979-80 standards, it was pretty poor and doesn't come close to the qualities of other sci-fi of the time. Poor matte paintings, crappy sets (such as how one colonist home on Mars looks just like any old home you'd see on TV--including the same crappy wallpaper--even though they JUST had started colonizing the place!) and shabby props do little to create the ambiance of Mars. Additionally, the story was VERY inconsistent--and I don't blame this on the Ray Bradbury short stories on which it was based. Some tales are haunting--others (such as the one with Joyce Van Patten and Darren McGavin) are just embarrassingly poor. What we need is a remake--a newer and better produced one. Overall, a very sad viewing experience, as I really, really wanted to like it.

Somewhat flawed,but very good anyway

[Murrayjohn2 · 8/10 · 19 June 2005]

When The Martian Chronicles originally aired on NBC in 1980 I was excited because I am a huge Bradbury fan and The Martian Chronicles was one of my favorite books.I loved it then and still enjoyed it now.I recently re watched it on DVD.The primary flaw is the cheesy special effects,even by the standards then.Rock Hudson gives a good performance and so do others,especially McGavin,Mcdowall,Connelly,Peters,Weaver and especially Bernie Casey.The set designs and Martian costumes and makeups are cool.My favorite scene is near the end when Hudson meets a Martian who tells him to live life as well as possible and not to destroy or humble anything.Those lines have stayed with me since my first viewing.It's a better watch than most give it credit for being.Ignore the crappy visual effects and enjoy a pretty good Sci-Fi miniseries.

Watchable and enjoyable, but not stellar

[myriamlenys · 7/10 · 26 January 2023]

A miniseries in three episodes, "The Martian Chronicles" is based on one of the monuments of classic science fiction. Under its science fiction trappings, the series treats themes relevant to the history of the USA, such as the discovery of a new frontier followed by gradual colonization. In the series as in real life, terrible things follow in colonization's footprints - things like vandalism, annihilation, triumphalism and guilt.

To be fair, "Chronicles" does have its moments. For instance, it tells a poignant tale about a Martian caged by other peoples' hopes and expectations. The sight of the poor Martian forced to turn into a pseudo-Christ is a memorable one. "Chronicles" also contains touches of wit and humor. The third episode, for instance, includes a date from hell, between a man who thinks he deserves sexual gratification on the one hand and a dolled-up love goddess who does not need any partner on the other hand. (It is hard, by the way, to look at the said love goddess without thinking of a modern-day influencer going all Kim Kardashian in front of a mirror.)

The series also breathes a dream-like languor which is not unpleasing. However, I felt somewhat disappointed by the sets and the set design, especially where (the remains of) Martian cities were concerned. For some reason or other they did not measure up to the beauty and wonder evoked by Ray Bradbury's words. We were all too clearly on Earth, staring at some large geometric forms...

Dated but Cult

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 9 February 2016]

Based on Ray Bradbury's short story collection "The Martian Chronicles", this British Mini-Series tells the story of the colonization on Mars by earthlings through three episodes ("The Expeditions", "The Settlers" and "The Martians"). The production is cheese; the travel from Earth to Mars is short and a simple settler is capable to see what is happening on Earth using a telescope; the earthlings are capable to breathe the air in Mars and are not affected by gravity; and there is no explanation of how the settlers have power, fuel and supplies. The best segment is the one relative to the second expedition that seems to be an episode of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone". However, the plot of "The Martian Chronicles" along six hours and three DVDs is confused and is not clear the motivations of the Martians and their powers. But this dated Mini- Series is cult for many viewers that worship it. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil):"Planeta Vermelho" ("Red Planet")

You're alive

[BlindLemonPye · 20 January 2002]

I saw this in 79-80, when I was 8 years old. It was shown quite late once a week on the BBC. Due to its late showing and married with my tender age, I was the only person out of all my peers who watched it. It left a big impression on me and I can still remember some of the scenes over twenty years on.....The thing is I have asked scores of people over these years to see if anyone remembered it. As the years passed and not one person said they had, I was beginning to wonder if it was a product of my fertile imagination - especially with its dreamy tone. Here we are on IMDB (one of my very favourite web sites) and you have proved to me that I am not totally mad. I hope it will be available in the UK one day so I can see just why it left this mark on me. I won't place a review though as it would be unfair after so long. LONG LIVE IMDB!!!

Still relevant 40+ years after I watched it on TV with the rest of the world!

[collectorofsorts · 7/10 · 31 December 2021]

I was 11 years old when this mini-series came on TV. It was futuristic and it gave the world hope, as well as a warning about our race to space. I have to admit that it's not as exciting when I get the DVD's out and re-watch it. But it's even more relevant as we send rovers to mars and talk about colonizing the planet. We've done such a poor job caring for our own planet, should we really be branching out and taking our way of life to other planets. It's a good watch. And, as with most of Ray Bradbury's work, it makes you think.

I remember this one when I was 11

[mm-39 · 6/10 · 17 December 2005]

I remember this one when I was 11. Not bad, they never explain how Mars becomes livable. I like the only 2 people left part. The part where the aliens use mind type thingies. Is it been on TV lately? I wonder how well it aged? A little too long if I remember right. They use too make better science fiction. Too PC now days. I hate the modern Star Treck plots. Not enough escapism. I believe there was a novel of the book. My teacher read of parts of the book. Would like to see it again. 6 out of 10. Not too many mini series like this one. Big budget. I can not remember if they explain what happen to the Martins? I bet the movie will be on the Space Network.

A reminder of how far we have NOT come

[jacksflicks · 8/10 · 9 May 2011]

This is a British production, made in 1979. The same time as UK's Dr. Who. The production values are almost identical. Of course, there was whimsy in Dr. Who, that made the cheesy effects campy. But still, there they were.

As for the implausibility of a Martian atmosphere and climate like earth's, Bradbury wrote these stories before 1950, when such was considered possible. The producers made a creative choice to retain the conceit that Mars was like Nevada, so the characters wouldn't have to wear space suits all the time.

Those who trash this miniseries because of its production values miss its point. What the Martian Chronicles have going for them are terrific story lines, which the technical problems unfortunately obscure. I can't help thinking Rod Serling took a page from them when he came up with Twilight Zone, with its emphasis on people rather than the technology.

Also fascinating is how the near future is projected. As in 2001: A Space Odyssey, our advancement into space was wildly optimistic, not because it wasn't possible, but because in reality we've lacked the character to see it through. The fact that we should have settlements on Mars by now, if not manned missions to Jupiter, but don't, speaks to how contemptible we are, in choosing rather to pursue personal gratification, while accommodating the barbarous primitives among us. At the end of the Martian Chronicles is an affirmation of what we could yet be, if only we'd decide to stop wallowing in the gutter and once more reach for the stars. Too bad this message is lost on today's fatuous audience.

Watchable, but disjointed and disappointing Ray Bradbury adaptation

[a_chinn · 6/10 · 28 October 2018]

Okay, but disappointing adaptation of Ray Bradbury classic tale of humans colonizing mars, form early exploration to settlement to an eventual... well, I won't spoil anything. The disappointment is that this epic length story was weirdly episodic and was essentially several completely disconnected stories that shared the same setting. Sure this was based on a series of short stories, so I suppose it was true to the source material in that sense, but for a mini-series I want a little continuity. With a solid cast that included Rock Hudson, I was hoping "The Martian Chronicles" was going to be "Giant" in space. Behind the camera, the miniseries was directed by Michael Anderson ("Logan's Run," "Millennium," "Operation Crossbow," etc.) and written by Richard Matheson ("I Am Legend," "The Twilight Zone," "Duel," etc.), which added even more to my high hopes that this would be a sci-fi classic. I haven't read Bradbury's original short stories, but this adaptation was too disjointed to be considered a whole story. The episodes should have more neatly connected up or built on one another, but they really didn't and the series suffers for it. However, the film does have a nicely retro 70s sci-fi look to it's production design that I enjoyed and the familiar cast (Hudson, Darren McGavin, Bernadette Peters, Roddy McDowall, Fritz Weaver, Barry Morse, and Maria Schell) carry the mini-series, making it worth watching, even if it should have been better considering the talent involved.

Great

[patrickodonell00 · 10/10 · 19 May 2005]

This mini series was great. Comparing it to big budget features like Star Wars is unfair.Its much more intelligent than Star Wars. Star Wars is also not real Science Fiction its Fantasy. Well, enough about Star Wars. If you like the Twilight zone or Star Trek, I believe you'll love this program. Yes its dated, but the genius of Ray Bradbury shines through. I found the film to be better than the Illustrated man or Fareheight 451. There's not a lot of Action, but its not suppose to be an action film. Its very methodical and will leave you thinking at the end.The acting isn't great, but its good to see Roddy MacDowell again. Hes an Icon like Peter Cushing or Pam Grier. All together its a classic!

Journey to a world beyond awful

[hhfarm-1 · 3/10 · 16 August 2014]

I saw parts of this in the 1980s and thought it was the worst kind of TV dreck. Watching it now, I wasn't disappointed: it's still dreck. Yeah, if you're into TV with all the bad acting combined and trite dialogue, maybe it'll seem reasonable to you.

But if TV seems an insipid place, you may find this unbearably tediously painfully DD (Monty Python for deadly dull). It so boring you don't even get angry. It's like watching Ponderosa but there's a space colony in Nevada, I mean Mars, and talk and staring and just nothing.

There's probably a negative effect eg. it's so bad you lose brain cells. Avoid it. Watch something exciting, maybe a Discovery Channel special about why ice melts more slowly at lower temperatures.

Run away from this.

Synopsis / Review

[Daryl_G_Morrissey · 8/10 · 15 July 2012]

After watching Ray Bradbury's 'The Martian Chronicles, part 1' last night, I was up early this morning to watch parts 2 & 3.

Considering I hadn't watched them since I was a kid, there was quite a lot I remembered. There was also a lot more that I understood, now.

Granted the effects are a very dated, but the storyline still holds true today.

The theme of whether it is right for us to go to Mars, even as explorers, gives rise to many questions. Would the Martians take our arrival as us trying to colonise or conquer their world? Would we soon destroy their planet as we did ours? Would we be able to co-exist with the Martians or would we resort to genocide?

Each part is, in itself, a separate Chronicle of the colonisation of Mars.

Part 1 begins in 1976 with the first unmanned landing on the Red Planet, followed by the first two expeditions, the first in 1979, which end in tragedy for both the Human crew members and the Native Martians. The third expedition shows one crew member, Spender, trying to save the Martian ideals while also trying to stop the his own crew members from disrespecting and polluting the Martian world.

Part 2 follows on with many Human colonists spread out in small colonies over Mars. The underlying story in part 2, is what is going on back on Earth. With the last superpowers escalating hostilities toward each other, it soon becomes clear that War is inevitable. On Mars, the colonists have to decide whether to return home, to maybe die with their families and friends or stay on Mars and hope for a better future. Unfortunately, War does come and both sides annihilate each other, leading the Earth burned and dying.

Part 3 continues with the last handful of colonists each trying to survive on an almost deserted planet. The year is now 2007 and Colonel Wilder, whose story has tied the three parts together, returns from a trip to the now barren Earth and, goes on a search to find some living Martians. This ends with him taking his family to learn the Martian way of life and to hopefully learn how they survived for Millennia. And with the consent and understanding of his family, Colonel Wilder destroys the last Rocket, that could take them away from Mars.

After nearly five hours of classic sci-fi, I just had to write this synopsis / review of what has now become one of favourite sci-fi adventures, ever.

Oh My God! Is this Cheesy!

[stalzz64 · 1/10 · 18 August 2006]

Am I the only one who thinks this is poorly acted and cheesy for even 1979-80 standards? Why did the great Rock Hudson agree to do this 'space opera'? Ay yi yi! I know this was way before CG animation and special effects, but good lord, the effects on Star Trek TOS 10 years plus earlier looked better than this! The spaceships on martian Chronicles all look like models from the Hobby store!

No wonder this mini series was shelved for a year by the producers and network. What a crappy Melodrama!

I'd love to see a modern update film for this story. It's such a great Bradbury story.....

Ho Hum

WHO ARE THE MARTIANS

[MISSMOOHERSELF · 29 March 2004]

Spoiler This version of Ray Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles" nearly knocks you senseless with the decidedly unsubtle way in which it conveys its message, namely, that it's not always a good idea to colonize a new land or planet simply because we can. That being said, this miniseries was excellent for many reasons (Rock Hudson was NOT one of them, however). First of all, the actors and actress who portrayed the Martians (pre-Earth colonization Martians, that is) were as eery and as beautiful and as mysterious as one would expect, with their golden eyes (how did they do that?) lyrical music, crystal-type cities and their cerebral lifestyle. Their beauty and intelligence complement the dolts who came from Earth to colonize (and steal) their planet. The pre-settlers Martians were as, I believe, Mr. Bradbury would have wanted them portrayed. But the settlers, for the most part, were idiots, totally devoid of any feeling for the planet they were conquering. Of course there were a few who appreciated the Martian culture - Capt. Wilder (Rock Hudson) and his colleague, astronaut Jeff Spender (Bernie Casey). But even they become twisted after a while; Wilder realizes he and his family are the Martians now and Spender's body is taken over by a Martian and ends up being killed, ironically, by Wilder.

The most interesting parts of this miniseries was the beginning of the 1st part ("The Explorers") where we get a glimpse of Martian life before the spaceship of "Rocket Summer" descends. My favorite segment came in the final segment when Capt. Wilder meets a Martian through a time warp. The Martian and Wilder get into a philosophic discussion and the Martian gives Wilder a philosphy of life by which to live. (I copied word for word, it is such a good philosophy). By the way, the Secret, as it is called, is not in the book, which is too bad. The worst segments are the one in which a lonely man finds a woman and the two decidedly don't hit it off. The acting, by Christopher Connelly and Bernadette Peters, is fine; it's just the story is annoying and too long. Even more annoying was the storyline of Sam Parkhill and his wife. Sam came with the Wilder expedition and, upon settling, he and his wife set up a roadside diner. Only toward the end, when Sam and his wife see Earth destroyed in a nuclear holocaust does the irritation change into something searingly frightening. But it goes back to being annoying when Sam meets a Martian who has come to give him a treaty bequeathing nearly half of Mars to Sam. Instead of being grateful or trying to understand what this tall, regal Martian is saying, Sam (dressed in a ridiculous toupee and cowboy outfit) shoots the Martian. Overall, this is an entertaining and thought-provoking (though NOT subtle) miniseries and is worth the time. I recommend it highly.

Sci-Fi With A Positive Message

[ShadeGrenade · 9/10 · 16 September 2006]

'The Martian Chronicles' came out when U.S. T.V. sci-fi was reaping the 'Star Wars' dividend with 'Battlestar Galactica' and 'Buck Rogers'. Based on the Ray Bradbury novel, it took a completely different tack, telling of the exploration and colonisation of Mars. Much of the book's poetry was lost in Richard Matheson's clumsy adaptation, but enough remained to make it rather more interesting than the latest skirmish with the Cylons or Draconians. In fact its almost on a par with the original 'Outer Limits'. Rock Hudson starred as 'Colonel John Wilder', and his permanent look of horror as American culture swamped the planet was the best thing about his performance. 'Chronicles' shouldn't be judged on the basis of its special effects, which is just as well, seeing as they're mostly terrible. However, the 'David Lustig' sequence in Part Two, the hilarious Christopher Connelly segment and moving performance by Barry Morse in Part Three, make this an above average sci-fi series. Great music too!