Subject: Retrospective: Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)

From: Dennis Schwartz <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 01 Dec 2001 02:34:04 -0000

ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS (director: Byron Haskin; screenwriters: Ib
Melchior/John C. Higgins/from the book by Daniel DeFoe "Robinson Crusoe";
cinematographer: Winton Hoch; editor: Terry Morse; music: Van Cleave; cast: Paul
Mantee (Cmdr. Christopher "Kit" Draper), Vic Lundin (Friday), Adam West (Col.
Dan McReady); Runtime: 110; Paramount; 1964) 

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz 

A lowbudget unnoticed sci-fi film that is a gem. Largely ignored by the public
though receiving favorable film critic reviews on its release, this underground
classic was recently shown on AMC (they have commercials now during the film).
Director Byron Haskins should be praised for keeping faith with Defoe's classic
yet improving the script he was handed by making it more scientifically
plausible. This version makes use of the barren terrain of Death Valley to
substitute for Mars, shuns sentimentality in favor of intelligence and
imagination, and comes up with a surprisingly handsome work. 

Prepared to orbit and return to Earth, Mars Gravity Probe One nears Mars and is
forced to change course to avoid a massive meteor. Because of the pull of
gravity, the ship crash lands on Mars. This causes a fuel explosion and the ship
to be destroyed, forcing the crew to bail out. Naval Commander Kit Draper (Paul
Mantee) and the head of the mission, Colonel Dan MacReady (Adam West), and Mona
the monkey used for experiments, all evacuate to Mars in separate escape pods.

MacReady ends up missing, but Draper and Mona survive. The trick now is to find
oxygen, food, water, and shelter on Mars in order to survive. Draper manages to
do that, but after four months the isolation is driving him crazy. But he gets
an alien visitor, someone he will call Friday (Vic Lundin), when an
interplanetary vehicle from another planet on a mining expedition lands and a
slave escapes. He ends up staying in Draper's cave, where he is taught English.
In due time they develop a relationship, as they both hide from the enemy
interplanetary ship that is set to return for the slave. He wears a bracelet on
each wrist that must be removed, since that acts as a signal to his exact
location. He also gives Draper pills that produce oxygen when swallowed. 

This modest venture works as a simple survival and human interest story, and
thankfully steers clear of contrived action scenes. It all seemed believable and
provocative. There's much to be said about a film that knows its limits and what
it does achieve is well within them. A rare sci-fier that is also sensitive to
humans and monkeys, without being phony about it. 

REVIEWED ON 11/23/2001     GRADE: B + 

Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" 

http://www.sover.net/~ozus 

[email-masked] 

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED   DENNIS SCHWARTZ

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X-RT-ReviewID: 269290
X-RT-TitleID: 1045905
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X-RT-RatingText: B+