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

[Blimpoy06]

It's obvious the reviewer hated this program. And he explained why. I'm OK with that. It was his first experience with it and can't compare it to Night Of Broadcast or the previous DVD in terms of picture and sound. I'm sure fans who remember it fondly and had the DVD will eventually chime in with their opinions. My blu ray should arrive this week and I'll give it a go if no one has done so by the time I watch it.

I personally devour anything written by Richard Matheson and enjoy watching Roddy McDowall and Fritz Weaver in anything.

 

[Sam Posten]

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.

The picture and sound quality reviews stand as noted. As objectively as I can state: It is a terrible conversion of broadcast quality TV, with high grain factor and limited resolution. The sound is broadcast quality stereo converted to DTS. The musical soundtrack is horrible. The dialogue is boring but well imaged, if that's your thing.

What else could you possibly say about it?

 

[Sam Posten]

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.

I double dog dare you to watch all 6 hours of it again =)

 

[Mark-P]

The picture and sound quality reviews stand as noted. As objectively as I can state: It is a terrible conversion of broadcast quality TV, with high grain factor and limited resolution. The sound is broadcast quality stereo converted to DTS. The musical soundtrack is horrible. The dialogue is boring but well imaged, if that's your thing.

What else could you possibly say about it?

That's a little better. You added that the resolution is limited which you didn't say in the review. I guess "the sound is broadcast quality" means that the soundtrack is just fine, though I have my doubts that this mono production is actually presented in stereo. The comments about the music and dialog are once again about the content, not the quality of the soundtrack.

 

[Sam Posten]

Both are important in reviews. It’s no good having pristine audio if the content is unlistenable.

 

[Sheldon_W]

I saw it when it first aired and hated it. It bears as much relation to the original as Roy Rogers did to the moon landing.

Drek from the word go. If anything, this review is actually kind. I didn't see any 0 scores.

 

[Sam Posten]

1s are our minimum score.

 

[Harry-N]

I remember watching this "thing" unfold on NBC back in 79-80 when it aired. As I recall, NBC was in the throws of one of its worst periods ratings-wise, and its programming was suffering from the likes of SUPERTRAIN and PINK LADY AND JEFF. Their big hit that year was LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.

My family tended not to watch much on NBC for all of the years I was growing up in the 50s and 60s. There were a few exceptions, but I always seemed to have found most of my favorite programs on CBS. ABC was a secondary haven, but NBC - always a last choice, so perhaps I had a natural bias against this show.

NBC had canceled STAR TREK a decade ago when this aired, and I probably still maintained a grudge. Nevertheless, I loved science fiction and was prepared for something great. I remember that watching the first episode, I was struck with one word - cheap. We'd all seen STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS and even BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, and they all looked better than this.

I think I started watching the second episode and probably fell asleep. I tried to catch up with the third episode, but my heart wasn't in it. These are 40-year old memories I'm going by, but I think this review cements in my mind that I do not need this in my collection at all.

 

[TJPC]

When this mini series was first put on DVD, I bought the boxed set from the downtown Toronto A&A records. As I waited for my wife, who was shopping for clothes, I opened it.

Melted to disc 2 was a stick of plastic the size of a pencil! I immediately returned to the store. They told me I could only return it for an exchange because I had opened it! It was the last one in the store! After much arguing about how stupid this was, and a talk with the manager, I left the store with my money.

I smiled quietly to myself a few years later when the chain went bankrupt.

 

[Radioman970]

read the book twice. Bradbury was a gift to the world. prob my favorite writer.

yeah, cheesy tv movie. loved it when it first aired. didn't finish last time I tried to watch but plan to go again some time. sad to hear the blu ray stinks. will stick with my dvd.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Charles Fries was no David L. Wolper. I'll tell you that much.

 

[Carabimero]

Duplicate post

 

[Carabimero]

Charles Fries was no David L. Wolper. I'll tell you that much.

Charles Fries spent so much of his budget on an enormous sign on the top of his building with his name on it. I know it cost him a fortune because in 1990 a VP at ABC said, and I was in the room, that if Charles spent only half the money he spent on his big sign, the production value of his movies would increase substantially. I agreed at the time when I found out what he was paying because I felt like I was being underpaid to support his gigantic sign.

It's one thing to have a big ego. It's another thing to have a big ego to the detriment of your productions.

 

[Blimpoy06]

My copy of the Kino blu-ray arrived yesterday. I haven't had time to watch, but I did sample the picture. This is a solid upgrade from the DVD. Color, detail and black levels are all improved. I was expecting a lot of grain, but the work of Academy Award winning cinematographer Ted Moore looks great here.

If you've seen the mini series before, you won't be disappointed. It's not a let down by any means. If you are new to the story know this. This is not a special effects bonanza. In spite of the title, this is a story about humanity. If you are fond of classic Twilight Zone I think you will find much to enjoy here. Part One is very reminiscent of a Richard Matheson story from the fourth season, "Death Ship". I'm glad I made the upgrade and hope this helps in some small way.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I love Death Ship! That could push me towards a future purchase.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Mars is Heaven isn't anything like Death Ship.

 

[Sam Posten]

Not a single scene looks like @Blimpoy06 screen shot to me on my calibrated projector at 120”. If they had I would have scored it accordingly.

See enclosed screenshots. I will relook on an OLED later tonight.

 

[usrunnr]

I found contrast on the interior scenes at Mission Control unwatchable. I returned the blu-rays and I'm keeping my DVDs.

 

[Blimpoy06]

Mars is Heaven isn't anything like Death Ship.

Both stories have a similar situation.

Spoiler

The crews of both expeditions see their homes and families back on Earth.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

I personally devour anything written by Richard Matheson and enjoy watching Roddy McDowall and Fritz Weaver in anything.

Matheson was a genius. Just last night I watched his "A World of Difference" Twilight Zone episode. Brilliant.