A Lengthy Review

Before I begin my comments veiwers should be made aware that there are two versions. The UK videocasette (Castle Pictures, CAS 9036) running to 3 hrs 14 only contains the first two parts so I will only comment on those.

As the review section only allows 1,000 words and what I would like to say is more I am writing it here.

The Martian Chronicles is Richard Matheton & Michael Anderson's rendition of Ray Bradbury's classic short stories. They have selected a number of the more interesting storeis contained in the book and cobled them together to form a mini-series. The stories they use are: Rocket Summer, Ylla, The Earth Men, The Third Expedition, The Fire Balloons, The Martian and The Off Season.

Part 1 - The Expeditions. Ylla is a Martian woman who dreams of Nathaniel York a human from the planet Earth. Her husband Mr K jealous of his wife's affections goes out and kills them. Apart from somewhat dodgy special effects and model making there are some elements of mystery here. Should we applaud or condone the Martian for trying to protect his way of life and his planet from a supposed invasion (see Iraq for comparison). Nicholas Hammond (ex Spiderman) and two chums land in "Greenbay, Illinois" - or is it? As revealed the Martians are telepathic and can assume the form of anyone who close to those they mind read. They are also killed - poisoned by chocolate cake. Thirdly Rock Hudson arrived with Darren McGavin (ex Kolchak, The Night Stalker) and Bernie Casey. Casey has an affinity for the Martians and an understanding of the lows that humanity is capable of - so he goes native - or does he? The city (although somewhat styorfoam looking) is enegmatic, as is the accompanying music. The landscapes of Lanzarote (Canary Islands) and Malta are bleak and alien looking places on Earth (although the blue skies are always a dead giveaway). Sharp, jutting, angular rocks, dusty lanscapes, all well used to represent the hostile Martian landscape.

Part 2 - The Settlers. Rock Hudson is now in charge of construction of settler cities on Mars. Leif Lustig meanwhile lives alone with his wife Maria after having travelled to Mars to find their son David, a member of the second expedition. Magically he appears illuminated in a thunderstorm. Of course - we the viewers realise this is a Martian. Meanwhile, we see some new arrivals, Fritz Weaver and Roddy MacDowell as two preists. Weaver portrays an almost desperate evangelical need to get closer to 'god' - they visit some ruins with Hudson, which are being shipped back to Earth - exactly what Casey's character had been warning Wilder about all along ("Zathras warn, but no one listen to Zathras" - Babylon 5). After deciding to take a walk back to town they encounter the "fire balloons" - three strange green glowing shperes who save them from a rock slide. Weaver, testing his hunch that the spheres are intelligent beings he jumps from the cliff and again is saved. The sphere speaks to him, informing him that they are non-corporeal entities are have cast off sin and they are a temple to themselves. Wevaer obviously assumes that the voice is that of 'god' and they return to town. Back with the Lustig's, they do indeed visit the town and after a few minutes David is 'lost' in the crowd - sharp eyed viewers will see the bar behind Leif has a poster for "The Martian Chronicles" on either side of the door. Leif rushes about town looking for David, bumps into Wilder. He assumes that Leif is delirious when he says about wanting to find his son. The scene switches to the 'church' as Weaver enters and once again he is in the dark, alone with his thoughts of Christ. The sound of dripping in the font attract his attention, whereupon he is confronted by the reality of his dream - Christ. Weaver is led to the unlovely truth about the figure (yes, you've geussed, it's the Martian). Weaver, realizing that his very thoughts are causing the Martian pain and suffering turns and allows the Martian to flee. He informs Wiklder who arrives shortly afterwards about the Martian. Soon enough, people in town are seeing 'lost' people, fathers, criminals, daughters. The Martian is trapped in the baying mod and dies. We are left with Wilder's look of sadness - the knowledge that we will eventually destroy Mars. The last portion of this part concerns McGavin, now outfitted as a cowboy and having set up a restaurant at the intersection of two main highways. His hopes are that 24 hours a day trucks will roll by and he'll have hungry mouths to feed. Wilder stopos by to inform him of an evacuation but he refuses to go, refuses to believe that humanity would be so stupid as to destroy it's own planet ("Never underestimate the stupidity of human beings") A short while later a Martian appears behind him, McGavin shoots him thingting he holds a weapon. The he notices approching sand ships. Wind powered, siled, desert ships piloted by Martinas - he tries to escape (in one of the lamest model chase sequences) whereupon a Martian presents him with a scroll - these being the deeds to land totalling almost half of Mars and tells him that something is going to happen tonight. He assumes the ships are on their way but as he peers through his telescope proclaiming the beauty of the Earth he sees it reduced to ash by nuclear holocaust. "Well," his wife says, "looks like it's going to be an off season."

As stated earlier I have not seen Part 3 "The Martians" so cannot comment on it - although I have to make mention that the UK videotape does include three stills presumably from that episode.

Overall the Martian Chronicles is a poor dramatisation of what is considered a classic - certain scenes are too long, effects and models are very poor and unconvincing, the acting is less than adequate - except perhaps Bernie Casey and Fritz Weaver. Rock Hudson tries his best. The scenery is just alien enough for the suspension of disbelief. The ramshackle nature of the houses (looking like modular aluminium) are ok.The music is enegmatic in places. This isn't great viewing but will pass a rainy Sunday afternoon when there's nothing else to watch.