Blu-ray Review The Martian Chronicles – Blu ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

In 1980 Ray Bradbury’s classic science fiction tale The Martian Chronicles was adapted for a TV mini-series. Rock Hudson headlined this three-night made-for-TV event, and it’s really saying something that I don’t think I ever heard anything good or bad about it until now. It must have quietly broadcast, took its lumps, and faded from view. Apparently it was made for Canada, and I can find American TV listings but I never saw it.

Earth is nearing all out war, and in a bid to save ourselves Humanity sends 2 scouting parties and they are each immediately wiped out without reporting back. Col. John Wilder (Hudson) brings a bigger crew and strange things begin happening to them immediately. One member, Major Jeff Spender (Bernie Casey), begins acting as tho he is channeling the defunct Martian race, and begins taking his team out via a strange gun type weapon. Wilder and his lieutenant...

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[Lord Dalek]

You know for all the stupid things this bargain basement production does, its still better than that abysmal Fahrenheit 451 movie that aired last month on HBO.

 

[zoetmb]

I watched this when it was originally broadcast and while I no longer remember specifics, I remember liking it. But maybe that was in comparison to the other crap on TV at the time. I had previously read the book so I would guess that I thought it was consistent enough, otherwise I would have hated it. But maybe if I saw it again after all these years, I might agree with this review.

 

[Carabimero]

I was at the premiere of this and Ray Bradbury went to sleep during it. Personally, I like it. Especially the first part. To me the review seems so overly harsh it's hard to take seriously.

 

[nara]

I think this review is overly critical. The program is very much of its time and should be judged accordingly.

I’d read the book when I first saw this many years ago, and I enjoyed it for what it was.

 

[Sam Posten]

I think this review is overly critical. The program is very much of its time and should be judged accordingly.

I’d read the book when I first saw this many years ago, and I enjoyed it for what it was.

There were many terrific mini series in the late 70s early 80s. There was terrific sci-fi on TV. This does not match the quality of either.

 

[John Sparks]

I remember liking it when it originally aired, hence buying the DVD.

 

[Lord Dalek]

There were many terrific mini series in the late 70s early 80s. There was terrific sci-fi on TV. This does not match the quality of either.

Seriously. When's V coming out on blu?

 

[John Sparks]

I have all three on DVD: V-THE ORIGINAL MINISERIES; V-THE COMPLETE SERIES and V-THE FINAL BATTLE. I think I'm covered until I die!

 

[Francois Caron]

You know for all the stupid things this bargain basement production does, its still better than that abysmal Fahrenheit 451 movie that aired last month on HBO.

What?!? Fahrenheit 451 was remade?

 

[Sam Posten]

What?!? Fahrenheit 451 was remade?

Yep and it somehow managed to be bad on HBO.

 

[Sam Posten]

V was terrific sci fi mini series of the same era. But things like Roots and Shogun really showed what a mini series could be and do

 

[AndrewCrossett]

I remember seeing this when it aired and enjoying it. I was 14 years old at the time and it motivated me to go buy the book, which led to me becoming a lifelong Bradbury fan.

I don't know how it would hold up today, but I know that nostalgia gives me a lot of extra tolerance for the stuff I remember from that era. It's why I love the original "Heavy Metal" movie even though I recognize that objectively, it wasn't an especially good movie.

I will probably pick this up. I do hope that it's release will help motivate somebody to do a new adaptation of it, faithful to the stories and executed with more current SFX technology (which, let's face it, will probably look ridiculous to viewers 40 years from now.)

 

[John Sparks]

Even though I bought the DVD to see if I understood it more than when it originally watched it, I still didn't.

 

[Richard V]

Ummm, seeing a cloud filled sky on a supposed Martian landscape at the very beginning of the show kinda took me outta it immediately.

 

[Sam Posten]

Ummm, seeing a cloud filled sky on a supposed Martian landscape at the very beginning of the show kinda took me outta it immediately.

The water streams did that for me. But that was after about 40 minutes of expository and confusing space launches that failed to set up a meaningful plot. I get that the idea of a chronicles is supposed to present a number of interwoven perspectives and disjointed narratives, but they went a loooong time before you could figure out what the long term idea was going to be.

 

[jperez]

Has anyone actualy watched the blueray and can review it?

 

[Paul_Warren]

Its not that bad at all. Typical sci-fi from the era it was made & Rock Hudson's star quality carries the series. Also quite an unusual series with some atmospheric moments (many remind me of the TOS later episodes). They showed this on TV in the UK when it first came out I seem to remember seeing it back then.

 

[Sam Posten]

Has anyone actualy watched the blueray and can review it?

LMAO, savage.

 

[Mark-P]

LMAO, savage.

Well to be fair, you disliked the series so much that you had very little interest in giving an objective review of the picture and sound quality, which is what most of us come here for since we generally already have an opinion on the content itself.