Mars: The Red Planet Collection

Starring:Mars-the Red Planet Collection
Studio: Brentwood Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
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).

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.

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!

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