The Angry Red Planet

The Angry Red Planet

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Ib Melchior
Produced by Sidney W. Pink
Norman Maurer
Screenplay by Sidney W. Pink
Ib Melchior
Based on an original story by Sidney W. Pink
Starring Gerald Mohr
Naura Hayden
Jack Kruschen
Les Tremayne
Music by Paul Dunlap
Cinematography Stanley Cortez
Edited by Ivan J. Hoffman
Production
company
Sino Productions
Distributed by Sino Productions (originally)
American International Pictures
Release dates
  • November 23, 1959 (United States)
Running time
 83 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget US$ 190,000

The Angry Red Planet (also called Invasion of Mars and Journey to Planet Four) is a 1959 science fiction film starring Gerald Mohr and directed by Ib Melchior. Melchior was only given 10 days and a budget of $200,000 to make the film.[1] The shortened production time necessitated the use of a CineMagic technique, which involved using hand-drawn animations together with live action footage, and it was used for all scenes on the surface of Mars. Although this process was largely unsuccessful, producer Norman Maurer would attempt the same technique again in The Three Stooges in Orbit.[2]

Plot

The rocketship MR-1 (for "Mars Rocket 1"), returns to Earth after the first manned flight to Mars. At first thought to have been lost in space, the rocket reappears but mission control cannot raise the crew by radio. The ground crew land the rocket successfully by remote control. Two survivors are found aboard: Dr. Iris Ryan (Naura Hayden) and Col. Tom O'Bannion (Gerald Mohr), the latter's arm covered by a strange alien growth. The mission report is recounted by Dr. Ryan as she attempts to find a cure for Col. O'Bannion's arm.

While exploring Mars, Ryan is attacked by a carnivorous plant, which is killed using a freeze ray (nicknamed "Cleo") fired by weapons officer Jacobs. They also discover an immense bat-rat-spider creature, after mistaking its legs for trees, and the monster is repelled, again by Jacobs. When they return to their ship, the crew find that their radio signals are being blocked and the MR-1 is grounded by a force field. O'Bannion leads the crew to a Martian lake with a city visible on the other side. They cross in an inflatable raft, only to be stopped by a giant amoeba-like creature with a single spinning eye. The creature kills Jacobs and infects O'Bannon's arm. The survivors escape to the MR-1 and commence liftoff. The survivors then return to Earth, where O'Bannon's infected arm is cured using electric shocks.

When the mission scientists attempt to examine the expedition's data recorders, all they find is a recorded message. An alien voice announces that the MR-1 crew were allowed to leave so they can deliver this message to Earth. The Martians have been watching human development throughout history, believe our technology has outpaced cultural advancement, and accuse mankind of invading their world. They warn humanity to never return to Mars or Earth will be destroyed in retaliation.

Cast

Production

Sidney W. Pink originally wrote a treatment called The Planet Mars, which told the story of an Earth trip to the planet Mars.

"It was written on my kitchen table," said Pink later. "My kids were my critics, they'd tell me what was good and what just fell flat!"[3]

Pink gave his treatment to Melchior, whom he'd met at a party; Melchior agreed to write the script if Pink allowed him to direct. While writing the script, Pink met Maurer, who was developing a new cinematic technique, CineMagic, which attempted to make drawings look like photographic images. However it soon became apparent the technique would not be able to deliver what had been promised.[4]

"The damn Cinemagic didn't work like it should," said Pink later. "It was supposed to be sort of a 3-D effect. What we came up with was great anyway!"[3]

Filming started on September 9, 1959, a month after Melchior completed his final draft.[4]

Release

American International Pictures released the film as a double feature with Circus of Horrors. It was the first of several movies Melchior made for the studio.[5]

"Arkoff and I had a working relationship," said Pink. "Neither of us trusted the other… which worked out well because I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. Jimmy Nicholson was the brains of that operation. With Arkoff, you never got a straight count."[3]

Box office

The film was popular at the box office and enjoyed a long life on television.[3]

Critical response

When the film was released, Eugene Archer, film critic for The New York Times, critiqued the film's special effects, writing:

The Angry Red Planet, solemnly warns its audiences not to go to Mars. Stubborn patrons who ignore the advice will discover that the planet looks like a cardboard illustration from Flash Gordon and is inhabited by carnivorous plants, a giant amoeba and a species resembling a three-eyed green ant."[6]

Film critic Bruce Eder retrospectively praised the film, writing:

The effects are a combination of costuming, model work, and puppets, with Bob Baker's giant (puppet) bat-rat-spider moving off in the distance perhaps the best shot in the movie. Danish-born director/screenwriter Ib Melchior brings a surprisingly light, deft touch to the proceedings, allowing the actors a chance to have fun with their roles -- especially Gerald Mohr, still looking and sounding a bit like Humphrey Bogart, as the stalwart mission commander, and Jack Kruschen as the good-humored technician in the crew -- without losing sight of the adventure and the story line, and meshing it all seamlessly with the special effects-driven sequences."[7]

Home media

The Angry Red Planet was released by MGM on Region 1 DVD on April 1, 2003.

References

  1. ↑ The Angry Red Planet at the Internet Movie Database
  2. ↑ Wingrove, David. Science Fiction Film Source Book (Longman Group Limited, 1985).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 David C. Hayes "Interview with Sidney Pink" Yahoo Contributor Network 31 March, 2005 accessed 15 April 2014
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mark McGee, Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures McFarland, p 161-168
  5. ↑ Gary A. Smith, The American International Pictures Video Guide, McFarland 2009 p 14
  6. ↑ Archer, Eugene. The New York Times, film review, May 5, 1960. Last accessed: February 21, 2011.
  7. ↑ Eder, Bruce. The Angry Red Planet at AllMovie. Last accessed: February 21, 2011.

External links