Red Planet

Starring:Val Kilmer, Carrie-Ann Moss
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
In Red Planet, the only thing thicker than the Martian atmosphere (which is breathable, by the way) is the layer of clichés that nearly smothers a formulaic beat-the-clock plot. Science fiction fans are sure to be forgiving, however, because the film is reasonably intelligent, boasts a few dazzling sequences, and presents fascinating technology in the year 2057. We don't know how the Mars-1 spaceship gets to Mars in only six months (newfangled propulsion, no doubt), but we do get some cool diagnostic readouts on tinfoil scrolls, an abundance of well-designed hardware, and a service-robot-turned-villain that's a high-tech hybrid of RoboCop, Bruce Lee, and a slinky panther with plenty of lethal attitude.

Amazon.com

In Red Planet, the only thing thicker than the Martian atmosphere (which is breathable, by the way) is the layer of clichés that nearly smothers a formulaic beat-the-clock plot. Science fiction fans are sure to be forgiving, however, because the film is reasonably intelligent, boasts a few dazzling sequences, and presents fascinating technology in the year 2057. We don't know how the Mars-1 spaceship gets to Mars in only six months (newfangled propulsion, no doubt), but we do get some cool diagnostic readouts on tinfoil scrolls, an abundance of well-designed hardware, and a service-robot-turned-villain that's a high-tech hybrid of RoboCop, Bruce Lee, and a slinky panther with plenty of lethal attitude.

Description

Houston, we have a very big problem! In the mid-21st century, the nations of a dying Earth look starward for a solution and set out to colonize Mars. But something no one could have expected awaits this latest mission to the Red Planet. Because Mars may be barren but it's not uninhabited.

DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes:(14:18)
Filmographies:Cact / Crew

Customer Reviews:

Very underated movie.......2007-06-25

Ok, the science is a bit flawed, and some parts slightly cheesy,
but overall, a story with a strong pulse and clear vision.
Not a macho movie, but one with a conscience. Strong casts
that battles thru several tough survival situations and is pressed
to make the right decisions using their different specializations.
A nice sci-fi flick in an age that has abandoned sci-fi (quite
unfortunately).

If you believe in E.T........2007-05-15

Where did we come from. Just watch this movie and learn about a very likely theory. Amazing movie.

Space Adventure.......2007-02-15

Great movie, good actor's within, a real fun one for us who like the space type movies, worth to be added to your collection.

It's Just O.K........2007-01-19

Plot line started out good and ended bad. Oh well, great special effects though.

An empty Sci-Fi thriller.......2006-11-21

This is one of those movies where you're just waiting for something to happen but never does. It just meanders along and relies on its special fx, which are quite good, to give the movie any substance at all. A couple of good performances by the cast without being outstanding, but there was only so much they could do with a shallow script. They look lost and wanting to give more but are restricted. There are better, a lot better sci-fi movies out there than this one. Special features aren't very interesting either.

Average customer rating:

An unchanging classic
COLD WAR CHILDHOOD REVISITED
AKA message from Mars
The Lord lives on mars
God Intervenes...

The Red Planet Mars
Starring: Morris Ankrum , Vince Barnett , Herbert Berghof , Willis B. Bouchey , and Peter Graves
Director: Harry Horner
Manufacturer: Cheezy Flicks Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Forbidden Planet (Ultimate Collector's Edition)

Product Features:

Digitally Remastered
B&W

ASIN: B000G28GHG
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Product Description

A Classic Cold War Science Fiction Propaganda Film - An American scientist contacts Mars by radio and receives information that Mars is a utopia and that Earth's people can be saved if they return to the worship of God. Revolution sweeps the Earth, including the Soviet Union. But there remains doubt about the messages being genuine, as an ex-Nazi claims he was duping the Americans. Starring Peter Graves With Andrea King, Herbert Berghof, Walter Sande And Marvin Miller, Story By John L. Balderston And John Hoare, Original Music By Mahlon Merrick Cinematography By Joseph F. Biroc, Film Editing By Francis D. Lyon Art Direction By Charles D. Hall, Produced By Donald Hyde And Anthony Veiller and Directed By Harry Horner

Customer Reviews:

An unchanging classic.......2007-04-30

I saw this film during the single week that it remained on the bill of one of the theaters in my old neighborhood, the old Victoria. It was on the bottom half of a double bill with some western or Joan Crawford tearjerker that my parents wanted to see. I was nine years old.

In my immature judgement, it seemed to me to be the most blatant piece of pietistic claptrap and balderdash I had ever seen on any screen--and that was after being exposed to the duck-and-cover extravaganzas regularly screened at Marshall School, the elementary school that sat just one block beyond the old Victoria.

It has turned up at odd hours of the night and early morning on local television stations about once a decade since that time.

I stumbled across this DVD on the shelves of a local video rental shop. I gave it a try, just to compare my current critical stance with that of my younger self. With a few more years of life experience behind me and five or more viewings scattered across half a century, I can now say that "The Red Planet Mars" is the most blatant piece of low budget, lowbrow, low aiming, pietistic claptrap and balderdash I have ever seen on any screen.

The classics remain ever true to themselves.

COLD WAR CHILDHOOD REVISITED.......2007-02-19

Just by chance,I caught most of"RedPlanet Mars" oncable.it was a scary experience, mostly because the portrayalof unreasoniing panic by the societies shown seemed very much the way i elieve people would act. I recall vividly howit was to be a childin the 1950's, when any car backfire or any trash-burning made people think it had happened; the Soviets were attacking,and World War 3 was beginning.

"RedPlanet Mars" accidentally or intentionally anti-Soviet propaganda, and it is effective cinema in that respect. As II watched this film,I was thinking how youngpeter Graves was in thismovie -and at about the same time his brother, James arness, was playing the alien monster in "The Thing."

Great movie, and the dvd is crisp and clear.This is a must for any Science fiction film collection.

AKA message from Mars.......2007-01-02

The movie was made in a time when everyone was into the red scare. A nuclear family has the means and knowledge to build a device (from public domain information) to transmit to a 1952 version of Mars.

Using a new hydrogen technology Chris Cronyn (Peter Graves) sends a message to Mars. A message appears to return. The content disrupts economics and supports the concept of theocracies over democracies (Iran is a theocracy). However it is not so much the messages that catch your eye, as the 1950's stereotypes. The nuclear family is just missing the family dog. The wife (Andrea King) even thought standing beside her husband is more behind him and is scared of her own shadow. The commies are ruthless and dumb. The president (this is before we started to degrade presidents) is fair and benign. I can go on but you get the idea. Now it is amusing to watch in retrospect. But if any of these people existed today it would be scary.

Peter Graves gets to play the good guy "look to the future" father.

Marvin Miller (Arjenian) the confused bad guy (typical 50's commie) can bee seen again as Michael Anthony in the 1955 TV series "Millionaire, The"

The Lord lives on mars.......2006-12-08

An interesting mix of scifi and religion, along the lines of "The next Voice You Hear". I saw this film recently on video. A radio transmission is received from Mars, supposedly being the voice of God. if I remember it correctly, this results in the eastern block getting religion and the overthrow of Communism. This movie is fascinating because it is a reversal of usual scifi fare, even during the 1950s. Usually, these films portray America as the country which needs talking to, and Americans being the people who need to change. This movie is very pro-American and pro-traditional Judeo/Christian values. In essence, the cold war (which was revving up in 1952) is won through the intercession of God him/herself. HEAVY DUTY STUFF, DUDE!!!

God Intervenes..........2006-09-02

A Sci-fi movie that moves you. Mankind will destroy itself, without some messages from God! Will WE LISTEN???

Average customer rating:

Classic Science Fiction stuff

Horrors of the Red Planet
Starring: Eve Bernhardt , John Carradine , Roger Gentry , Vic McGee , and Jerry Rannow
Director: David L. Hewitt
Manufacturer: Mac Filmworks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster

ASIN: B000MRNWLA
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Customer Reviews:

Classic Science Fiction stuff .......2007-06-13

To those who loves Classic Science Fiction films from the 60's, you are in
for a treat. This cheapo production still delivers as we have situations
happening in a spaceship and then on to a uncharted planet. There are creatures and martians and some descent cave scenes...but because the production possibly had a small budget....it shows. They used to show this movie late at night and now its part of my collection. If you dont
expect too much, you should enjoy this little flick that is sold at a great price. I only gave it 2 stars cause the female astronauts voice dubbing is the worse ive seen...

Average customer rating:

Lounge Lizard Goes To Mars
This kind of reminds me of something you could see on Mystery Science Theater 3000
"I wonder if some things aren't better left unknown..."
definately a red planet
Terrible Effects But A Fun Film

The Angry Red Planet
Starring: Gerald Mohr , Naura Hayden , Les Tremayne , Jack Kruschen , and Paul Hahn
Director: Ib Melchior
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005O06Y
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Amazon.com

Although widely admired among longtime science fiction fans, The Angry Red Planet is merely a substandard entry from the genre's 1950s heyday. With wooden performances, atrocious dialogue, and some monsters that would scare only very young kids, it's perfect fodder for a rainy- day marathon of cheesy movies, as long as you keep your expectations low. Following the standard plot of its day, the movie tells (in flashback) the story of four astronauts who land Rocket M-1 on Mars, only to find the "angry red planet" lives up to its nickname. The plants are carnivorous, there's a gigantic "bat-rat-spider-crab" that can snap humans in half with its pincers, and a slithering Jello-beast with a rotating eyeball that threatens to dissolve the rocket ship into a pile of digested goo.

Naturally, there's an onboard flirtation between shapely space-gal Nora Hayden and astro-hunk Gerald Mohr (who inexplicably spends the last half-hour with his hairy chest exposed), while Les Tremayne and Jack Kruschen play the stock characters (respectively) of elder scientist and blue-collar engineer--the latter toting an "ultrasonic freezer gun" that forces attacking monsters to chill out. If that's not enough to whet your schlock-movie appetite, the scenes on Mars were filmed in a gimmicky pink-hued process called "Cinemagic," which resembles a negative image covered in Pepto-Bismol. Is this any way to spend 83 precious minutes? Look at it this way: When an angry Martian warns humans to stay away ("you are technological adults, but spiritual and emotional infants"), you may be laughing enough to make it all worthwhile. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Lounge Lizard Goes To Mars.......2007-04-19

Yes it's true, Gerald Mohr(with slicked back hair and jumpsuit zipper pulled down to show his manly chest hair) looks and sounds like a Vegas lounge act that got booked for a trip to Mars. Using a red filter that makes everything look like a Pepto-bismol bottle that broke, this silly but fun blast from the past is an alright time killer.
The plot, a ship sent to Mars crashes upon it's return and one of the survivors has to explain what happened. As this is done we flash back and see everything unfold. Space Bats(or at least that is what they look like ) and other creatures await our group.
Like I said nothing Earth shattering, but campy fun to be had if you can get into it.

This kind of reminds me of something you could see on Mystery Science Theater 3000.......2006-09-12

It's cheaply enough made, but it's actually above average from what I expected. This was about a trip to Mars in which the rocket is 3 weeks late returning, and when they do return there's no recording of the experiences of the trip, and one returns with a green growth on his hand and arm. It's left to the memory of the female person on the trip to tell the story of thier experiences on Mars. The idea of using an unpainted, or undrawn background, and placed under a red light may have been sounding like a cutting of the corners, but it's made impressive with close-ups. The music by far was the best especially at the end. I don't know if Paul Dunlap has any albums out, but if he does I'll look into them. This is a assembly line written story, and cheap special photographic effects, but somehow it works, and works pretty well here. Not necessarily an Oscar movie, but it'll make for some interesting memories. I know I'll wonder if I have a nightmare about a Batratbabyspider tonight.

"I wonder if some things aren't better left unknown...".......2006-03-07

If you visited the cinema in the 1950s and into the 1960s, then you were acutely aware outer space was crawling with all kinds of voracious, hideous space creatures and hostile alien types waiting eagerly to decimate and/or devour any intrepid Earthlings foolishly willing to venture out into the great unknown, as illustrated in the film The Angry Red Planet (1960). Given these apparent dangers, it's a wonder we ever found anyone with guts enough to go into space...co-written by Sidney W. Pink (Reptilicus, Journey to the Seventh Planet) and Ib Melchior (The Time Travelers), the latter also directing here, the film features Gerald Mohr (Invasion USA), Naura Hayden ("Bonanza"), Les Tremayne (The Monolith Monsters), and Jack Kruschen, who was nominated for an Academy Award around the same time for his role in the film The Apartment (1960)...kinda hard to believe after seeing him here...

At the outset we find ourselves among some gooberment bigwigs...turns out a manned spaceship sent to Mars, once lost, has since been found (drifting in orbit around Mars), and the decision is made to bring it home by remote control. Since there's been no communication with the ship, the fate of the four-person crew is questionable. Once returned to Earth, there appear two survivors, one Dr. Iris Ryan (Hayden), who's in a severe state of shock, and the other not identified as he's got some nasty space fungus, and is quarantined quickly (perhaps they should have just remote detonated the ship rather than bring it back to Earth...oh well, too late now). The computer tapes are blank, so the only answers have to come from Dr. Ryan as to the fate of the mission, which takes us into a lengthy flashback. Time to meet your Mars crew...there's the navigator/pilot Colonel Thomas O'Bannion (Mohr), a manly sort with the swagger and chest hair to prove it, Dr. Iris Ryan, the definite looker of the bunch, Professor Theodore Gettell (Tremayne), the obvious brainiac sporting the prerequisite goatee and pipe, and finally the odious, idiotic, ethnic comic relief named Sam `Sammy' Jacobs, the electronics expert, hailing from where else? Brooklyn, of course...anyway, after a lengthy bit of space travel, our plucky adventurers finally arrive and discover the `red' planet is really pink (no foolin'). The surface seems devoid of intelligent life, but there are plenty of hungry, carnivorous plants. As the professor ponders his sense of dread regarding the possibility of some sort of community mind in control of the planet, Tom puts the make on Iris, Iris endangers herself needlessly a few times requiring Tom to save her, and Sammy pitches woo to his sonic freeze cannon due to its propensity to get them out of jams (seriously...he names it Cleopatra and kisses numerous times...get a room you weirdo). Things get nasty as various native creatures, including a rather large rat/bat/spider/crab creature and a ginormous, googly-eyed amoeba-like snot monster threatens to eat the crew, and a mysterious force field prevents them from taking off...

Perhaps the worst/best line from this film occurs after the rocket lands on Mars and the crew is deciding on their course of action. Sammy chimes in with this doozy..."Well, should we go out and claim the planet in the name of Brooklyn?" Yeah, go ahead, dude, and don't bother putting on your spacesuit...The Angry Red Planet, released by American International Pictures, is perhaps the epitome of shoddy science fiction films, featuring cardboard characters, lousy dialog, rotten acting, cheapie sets, low rent special effects, and scads of pseudo science...so why should anyone want to see it? Because it's a big, steaming load of fun. I think my favorite character was Colonel Thomas O'Bannion, played by Gerald Mohr, who came off as a low rent Humphrey Bogart type, with a propensity for hiking his leg up on whatever was available, and leaning on his knee. I mean really, this is just a cool way to talk to people, having your goodies splayed out right in everyone's face. For some reason, the buttons on his shirts never seemed to work properly, as often he can be seen running around bare-chested, displaying his fine man chest rug (eat yer heart out David Hasselhoff). His abilities as a commander were questionable, as often his orders would go unheeded by the others. One thing's for sure, he was always on the make, continually hitting on Iris, regardless the situation (hey, when the ratio is three dudes to one woman, you gotta lay your claim early and often). Nowadays that kind of continual attention would probably be labeled harassment, but back then, it was, well, harassment...as far as the special effects, they're pretty substandard, as I already mentioned, but they do have their charms, and no doubt made quite an impression on younger viewers who witnessed this feature around the time of its release. The main effect occurs once the crew ventures onto the surface of Mars, for the purpose of exploring. There's a heavy, pink, Pepto-Bismol polarized tint, one that seems kinda cool for about five minutes, but then wears thin quickly, inducing a gradual ache in the noggin. If you dig on obvious matte painting backgrounds, you'll be in heaven here as there are scads of them, some decent, some not. As far as the creatures, I thought they were pretty decent considering, as I'm sure that large rat/bat/spider/crab monster would have scared the hell out of me if I was all of ten years old. The huge beastie that came out of the lake was a bit more impressive, its menacing qualities offset slightly by its crazy, google eye. I loved the fact it was just some gigantic, unstoppable mass that, with little provocation, charged after the crew, chasing them all the way back to their rocket, to which it then just glommed on to the ship in an effort to feed on the fleshy contents. All in all this is pretty much a thrown together effort, shot in less than ten days for a minimal budget, but one that does entertain. I'd take this over the slew of direct to video CGI laden junk currently littering the home video landscape.

The picture, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), looks decent, but I did notice a slight graininess throughout. There was a frame or two missing, and the master print did exhibit some slight wear and tear. The Dolby Digital mono audio comes through very well. As far as extras, there isn't much, only an original theatrical trailer.

Cookieman108

definately a red planet.......2006-02-10

great movie. turn your color off on your tv. you will enoy it more in black and white.

Terrible Effects But A Fun Film.......2004-05-04

The film is easily one of the worst ever done as far as effects goes. The backdrops are easily painted sheets and you can see where the sheet meet the ground in the film. Plus a lot of the monsters show their strings as well; like the bat-rat-spider.
Although the film has major flaws effects wise, the story is entertaining and pretty neat. Even the concept of some of the alien life forms were neat despite their flaws.
The acting is pretty bad but does have good parts. A lot of you might be asking, well since you keep talking about the film's bad sides, why did you give it 5 stars then? I gave it 5 stars because it delivers what it was supposed to: entertainment. The film is worth the buy if you are a fan of these types of movies. In the end, an entertaining film.

Average customer rating:

Neat idea...poorly executed
It's boring
Great Novelity
I'm very dissapointed
Incredible Product for Demonstrating WEB-DVD Technology

Mars: The Red Planet (Ac3)
Starring: Mars-the Red Planet
Manufacturer: DVD International
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Eyes on Mars
Mars: The Red Planet Collection
NOVA: Welcome To Mars

ASIN: B00000JYXB
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Amazon.com

The word "interactive" gets bandied about quite a bit in the DVD world, but here's a disc that simply wouldn't work without interactivity. While there is an "Entertainment Mode" on the disc that lets the viewer passively experience a 90-minute presentation of video clips, the real indispensable part is the "Interactive Mode," which contains a wealth of information on the Red Planet that any self-respecting Mars aficionado will crawl, beg, or steal to possess. Detailed information on NASA missions abounds, including video clips and simulations of some missions. Views of Mars, in 3-D (glasses included) or not, provide a 360-degree panorama from landing several sites. Even the famous Face on Mars is featured in a section called "Martian Coronae." But the most valuable section of the disc is its "Interactive Maps," allowing the user to hop around the planet and zoom in on any area of interest. This feature alone could cause any Mars-lover to lose track of time. Also included is an art gallery featuring artists' conceptions of Mars, along the lines of what it would be like during colonization. Accompanying the many videos and views of the planet is an electronic version of Holst's The Planets, performed by Ryan Shore. With all this and DVD-ROM features to boot, it would be exceedingly hard to get bored. A must-have for anyone interested in Mars. --Jim Gay

Description

Mars: The Red Planet takes DVD viewers where they've never been before: on a personal, guided tour of one of the galaxy's long-standing, and greatest mysteries. This 90-minute program; which includes 80 minutes of 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital music performed by Ryan Shore; features an array of video, still images, interactive maps and historical spacecraft graphics. Advanced DVD features include multi-angle video, multi-track audio, 3D video and still images, informational subtitles, dual operational mode, WebDVD support, and a Windows 95/98/NT screen saver.

Customer Reviews:

Neat idea...poorly executed.......2003-05-05

This DVD really had me excited. A giant DVD packed with info, pictures, and video of Mars! Wow! Well, the idea is a novel one, it's just not all that great in reality. The menus are a confusing mess of links and you can easily end up really frustrated trying to figure out where you're clicking and what the icon you clicked on means. The DVD is seperated in two categories, operational and interactive. From what I've seen though, both basically have the same content. The interactive branch just offers more easter eggs and a more or less hands on approach to accessing the materials. This is where the DVD went from cool idea to being tossed into the island of misfit DVDs. The content should be easy to navigate through. It is not. You never know how to get to anything! Why couldn't they just categorized the pics and video into single menus listed as video and pictures?! They pretend to use this approach but the execution is far more nefarious. The DVD was obviously made to allow the user to "uncover" secret video clips or info but this approach just lead me to turning the thing off. The information is entertaining and educational but even the info is more or less abrupt, giving us the cliff notes version of Mars missions etc. The box also suggests that there is over 2,000 photos and something like 200 video clips. Yeah right! More like a hundred photos and a dozen video clips. I'm sure there are more in there somewhere but finding them becomes a thankless and unfun effort. This could have been a great DVD and while alot of what's on this disc is good to have, it's just not worth buying. Save some money and go to the library and rent some books on Mars instead.

It's boring.......2001-05-29

The interface is confusing. The scenes are presented without any explanation, then since you don't know what is it that your are looking at, the whole sequence becomes boring. The sound is not very good, additionally, the close caption is practically inexistent.

Great Novelity.......1999-12-17

I just want to say that the view from Germany must have some sort of player problem because the disc works wonderfully.

This is a great disc to show how DVD can "REALLY BE USED" in a way that is just not playing a movie with better video and sound. This title shows how you can use DVD as a educational source. The title has great video, great menus, and great ideas in it. We need more like it.

Take my view and the other who gave it a fair shot that if you are a Space or Astronmy buff, you'll like it.

I'm very dissapointed.......1999-12-08

There are only snippets of usefull and interesting information, the videos suddenly stop. The "digital soundtrack" sounds horrible - never play classical music on a synthesizer! A new age soundtrek would've been much better. All in all I find this product superficial and incomplete. I'm sorry but I would't recomend this tittle.

Incredible Product for Demonstrating WEB-DVD Technology.......1999-10-26

Unlike the previous reviewer of Mars: The Red Planet, this is a fantastic product! Not only does it provide a great deal of fantastic video, but the web interface is the key to an emergent technology that will revolutionize home education and entertainment in the early-twenty-first century. Soon DVD players at home will be embedded with a chip that allows home users, connected to the Internet, to bring a web interface onto the home monitor or display and bring real-time imagery and data directly into their home. Titles such as Mars: The Red Planet will be constantly updated with new information making these dynamic documentaries and encyclopedias of information and imagery.

Amazon.com

This two-sided DVD is split into two segments: "Destination: Mars" and "Life on Mars." The second, graced with John Lithgow's narration, discusses the study of a seemingly insignificant rock: meteorite ALH84001. The meteorite, discovered by a team of researchers in the Antarctic, contains indications of primitive life forms that may have lived long, long ago on the red planet. There's copious information about the scientific methods used to analyze the rock, and the meteorite's origins. The rather long-winded breakdown is leavened by a segment on the "traditional" views of life on Mars, dating back to H.G. Wells. Fans of 1950's science fiction will recognize clips from Red Planet Mars, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Santa Claus Vs. the Martians, Angry Red Planet, and several other movies during a tongue-in-cheek montage. A Jesuit priest who doubles as an astronomer posits some compelling questions about the ways in which the knowledge of life on other planets may affect the way we Earthlings view ourselves and our place in the universe.

"Destination: Mars" documents efforts to contact the red planet, and goes into the current state of the art of space-travel technology for humans. Things are still in a fairly primitive state when it comes to exploring Mars via robot; the time delays involved in sending or receiving information from the planet's surface make something as simple as examining a rock agonizingly slow. The impetus to put people on Mars has cooled considerably since the end of the Cold War. Without the budgets and public enthusiasm that went into the '60s space race, the Mars effort has been on the back burner. That doesn't mean, however, that it's been shelved; a corps of scientists and researchers are still lobbying to put people on its moon by 20l7. Plants can be used for both food and oxygen; human waste can be distilled and recycled into drinking water (see if you don't cringe when a scientist takes a long drink of a sample).

Though the amount of detail and length of Mars: The Red Planet Collection can be a bit daunting, there's still a wealth of knowledge shared here for science-minded space buffs. --Jerry Renshaw

Customer Reviews:

Very Intriguing.......2002-07-25

Very intriguing and definitely worth the pruchase if you are interested in the red planet and the prospects of a possible manned mission there in the near future. The DVD actually as has 2 separate films- one on each side. Side 1 focuses on possible traces of life on Mars, and how this notion is given credence from a certain meteric rock which shows some life-like 'residue' within it. The 2nd side of the DVD is also very interesting, for it focuses on the who, how, when, where, and why will humans one day within the next thirty years or so take a manned mission to Mars. It goes through a simulated journey, describing the mission, the type of spacecraft, the dangers involved, the crew, the time-frame, etc. There is some nice bonus material in the DVD too, such as a slide show of actual photographs of the red planet taken both from space and from the surface. Although it's a relatively short slide presentation, the music is nice and there are some great, rare shots. The other bonus feature which I find far more interesting is a text-based survey of man's involvement with Mars from pre-NASA times through each and every of the journeys launced there, even covering the Russian probes and failures in detail, and onwards to man's likely future prospectus. Next year, in 2003, Mars once again comes closer to Earth on its 2-year orbit around the sun, and a number of probes will be launched to Mars next summer (2003), arriving in Mars at the end of the year. Should be an exciting year for Mars buffs, and for you, if you check out this DVD first! The price may seem borderline steep for this DVD- but it is worth the money because the two movies you are getting are very long and very interesting. The interviews with the ex-NASA Chief Administrator are fascinating and inspiring. Onwards to Mars!

Average customer rating:

Popular actors, standard formula, and passes time well.
ONLY DIE-HARD SCI-FI FANS WILL DERIVE SOME ENJOYMENT FROM THIS MOVIE...

Red Planet [Region 2]
Starring: Val Kilmer , Carrie-Anne Moss , Benjamin Bratt , Tom Sizemore , and Simon Baker
Director: Antony Hoffman
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Mission To Mars
Event Horizon (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Sphere
Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Battlefield Earth

ASIN: B00005A3O8

Customer Reviews:

Popular actors, standard formula, and passes time well........2006-05-14

If you are looking for some exotic space creature like Sigourney Weaver, or even Jane Fonda. Then this is not the movie for you. The closest it comes to this is the obligatory shower scene. If you are looking for big ugly killer creatures or space pirates, again this movie is not for you.
What this movie does contain are the popular actors of this time. One popular actor included but overlooked in a lot of reviews is Benjamin Bratt ...Ted Santen, who shows up again in "Miss Congeniality" (2000) where he seems to have gotten a much higher rating.
The movie is formula with the standard mix of personalities. The Mission is like all the others. There is a compelling need to go to Mars. Naturally disaster strikes. Some sacrifice some good guys, maybe some bad guys, a few anticipated suppress, and AMEE knows the way to a man's hart.
The DVD has some outtakes that you may find enhances the film and then again the scenes may have been taken out for good reason. There is no running commentary. I am not going to transliterate the story. If you watch it for fun then you should not be disappointed.

ONLY DIE-HARD SCI-FI FANS WILL DERIVE SOME ENJOYMENT FROM THIS MOVIE..........2006-04-26

It is the year 2057, and the earth is depleting its oxygen supply. A crew travels to Mars to see about potentially colonizing it. When they are close enough to Mars to touchdown, things go haywire, forcing all of the crew, less their commander, to abandon ship on the commander's orders.

The crew manages to land on Mars, where they discover that things are not what they seem. They are in for a few surprises, as well as a mounting body count, as here, too, things begin to go haywire. Meanwhile, up in space the commander has managed to salvage their spaceship. Will the crew make it back to the ship? Will the Earth be saved? Watch the movie, but be forewarned that it will probably only appeal to die hard sci-fi fans. Despite an excellent cast, the movie tends to flag.

Average customer rating:

Popular actors, standard formula, and passes time well.
ONLY DIE-HARD SCI-FI FANS WILL DERIVE SOME ENJOYMENT FROM THIS MOVIE...

Red Planet [Region 2]
Starring: Val Kilmer , Carrie-Anne Moss , Benjamin Bratt , Tom Sizemore , and Simon Baker
Director: Antony Hoffman
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Mission To Mars
Event Horizon (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Sphere
Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Battlefield Earth

ASIN: B00005NJJ4

Customer Reviews:

Popular actors, standard formula, and passes time well........2006-05-14

ONLY DIE-HARD SCI-FI FANS WILL DERIVE SOME ENJOYMENT FROM THIS MOVIE..........2006-04-26

Average customer rating:

Very underated movie
If you believe in E.T.
Space Adventure
It's Just O.K.
An empty Sci-Fi thriller

Red Planet [Region 2]
Starring: Val Kilmer , Carrie-Anne Moss , Benjamin Bratt , Tom Sizemore , and Simon Baker
Director: Antony Hoffman
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items: