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The Martian Chronicles: The 1980 film and the book...

Joel_Kirk

Joel_Kirk

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This book seriously needs a good film.

I know Steven Spielberg wanted to make it into a film....:(:eek:

Thankfully, that has been put on hold....:lol:

I 'grew up' with the 1980 film starring Rock Hudson as Col. Wilder and Bernie Casey as Jeff Spender, and Darrin McGavin--Kolchak, the Night Stalker--as Sam Parkhill....(and even Spider-Man himself, Nicholas Hammond as Captain Black)....

The effects are laughable in certain sequences, but the entire feel of the movie is eerie and realistic. (However, IIRC, I think Ray Bradbury thought the film was boring....:lol:)

I read the book a couple of months back; I know Bradbury pushed back the years in current revisions since we've already hit 'Rocket Summer'...;)

Come to think of it, we haven't had any Hal 9000's or trips to Saturn, nor have we've been attacked by Zentraedi....yet...:p

Anywho, what do you think of the film and the book, The Martian Chronicles?
 
I haven't seen the film.
I really like this book and all other Bradbury's stories about Mars.
 
And it was a 3-part, 6-hour miniseries, not a film. I thought Matheson did a good job adapting it, taking a collection of mostly unrelated stories and tying them into a more cohesive narrative with continuing characters. I also remember some of the music fondly.
 
Christopher said:
And it was a 3-part, 6-hour miniseries, not a film. I thought Matheson did a good job adapting it, taking a collection of mostly unrelated stories and tying them into a more cohesive narrative with continuing characters. I also remember some of the music fondly.
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This piques my interest. I enjoyed the book quite a bit, but given the anthology format, I didn't really think that a faithful screen adaptation would be feasible. I was, however, vaguely aware of the 1980 mini-series, and I've always been a little curious about it, but I've never actively looked for a copy anywhere. Maybe I'll see if I can find one...
 
There's definitely a strong anthology flavor to the miniseries, featuring lots of different characters in their own independent stories. But there are a few characters (chiefly Rock Hudson's character and his family) who recur throughout and tie it together, and there's more of a unified continuity and interconnection among the various individual stories than there is in the book.
 
I saw the series when I was very, very young and really only remember a handful of visuals (the shape of the "gun" for example). The book, though, is thoroughly engaging and thought-provoking -- well-worth the read.

I really ought to go back and watch that series.
 
Loved 'em both, agree with Christopher's comment on the music, it stood out.

There was also a MC adaptation for some kind of TV anthology based on Bradbury's works. I believe Ronnie Cox played Spender in that one.

It looked good, would love to see it again.
 
I remember watching this as a kid. I was about 14 or 15. I distinctly remember reading an article about it in TV Times, but I have only vague memories of the actual programme. I remember re-watching bits of it a few years back. Am I right in thinking Roddy Macdowell was a priest?
 
WillsBauble said:
I remember watching this as a kid. I was about 14 or 15. I distinctly remember reading an article about it in TV Times, but I have only vague memories of the actual programme. I remember re-watching bits of it a few years back. Am I right in thinking Roddy Macdowell was a priest?
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Yup. He was one of the few colonists who encountered a live Martian. This Martian happened upon him while he was contemplating Christ at the crucifixion and caught up in the intensity of the priest's meditations, took on the form of Christ, wounded as Christ was. With accompanying sensations.

The Martian wasn't happy. And had great difficulty in breaking the connection when the priest saw him and was further caught up in his fervor. Which was probably reinforced by the telepathic connection between the two.
 
Christopher said:
And it was a 3-part, 6-hour miniseries, not a film. I thought Matheson did a good job adapting it, taking a collection of mostly unrelated stories and tying them into a more cohesive narrative with continuing characters. I also remember some of the music fondly.
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Yes, it is a mini-series...lol

And I love the music soundtrack; very 'alien'...;)
 
Joel_Kirk said:
Christopher said:
And it was a 3-part, 6-hour miniseries, not a film. I thought Matheson did a good job adapting it, taking a collection of mostly unrelated stories and tying them into a more cohesive narrative with continuing characters. I also remember some of the music fondly.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a mini-series...lol

And I love the music soundtrack; very 'alien'...;)
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Which was severely edited down to a 4 hour, 2 part version for syndication, the version Sci Fi most often ran, years ago.
 
Robot Santa said:
Christopher said:
And it was a 3-part, 6-hour miniseries, not a film. I thought Matheson did a good job adapting it, taking a collection of mostly unrelated stories and tying them into a more cohesive narrative with continuing characters. I also remember some of the music fondly.
Click to expand...
This piques my interest. I enjoyed the book quite a bit, but given the anthology format, I didn't really think that a faithful screen adaptation would be feasible. I was, however, vaguely aware of the 1980 mini-series, and I've always been a little curious about it, but I've never actively looked for a copy anywhere. Maybe I'll see if I can find one...
Click to expand...
I have the 3-tape VHS collection - still in its original wrapper! :) I saw the miniseries on TV years after I read - and reread - the book.

M'rk said:
RoJoHen said:
Hated the book. Hated the miniseries. I'll be happy if this story just goes away.
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Wouldn't it be easier to just not read it again?

Or have you been through multiple forced readings of a book you don't enjoy?
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RoJoHen said:
More or less. Had to read it several times in school.
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Did you have to read the entire book, or just particular stories? I remember "There Will Come Soft Rains" showing up a couple of times on my reading lists in school. We had to interpret the poem in my high school English class. Considering that this was during the Cold War and my teacher was fond of assigning depressing, dystopian material anyway, I had a difficult time with that one (emotionally). I notice that particular story was omitted from the miniseries.
 
Bits were "remade" as part of the half-hour Ray Bradbury Theater (low budget anthology series) in the late 80's.

The first expedition where the Martians recreate an ideal Earth town just to kill off the astronauts (the final shot shows a martian hand like those in the 50's WAR OF THE WORLDS movie)

There was the one with the 2nd(?) Earth expedition who Martians think are crazy martians (was that even in the mini series?). Martians looking basically human here.

David Carradine is the guy in the third expedition who turns on the others (or was he a Martian appearing as him? I don't remember.).

John Vernon stars as the father whose "son" comes back to him and his wife, but the son is really a Martian.
 
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