Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)

Expected more

The first must-see film of the year.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

***SPOILERS*** Remake of the 1719 Daniel Defoe classic "Robinson Crusoe" taking place in the far future as Commander Chris "Kit" Draper, Paul Mantee, avoiding a runaway meteor crashes on the red planet with his co-pilot Col. Dan McReady, Adam West, getting killed and only having his pet monkey Mona, Barney the Wooly Monkey, as his only companion. Trying to survive the harsh environment Draper has to rely on Mona to find him water as well as the Martian rocks when their heated to provide him both heat and oxygen.It's some time later that Draper comes upon an alien concentration camp on the planet that is using slaves to construct a landing site for it's space crafts and rescues one of the escaping slaves that he names Friday, after the character in the original Defoe novel, played by Victor Lundrin who looks like Elvis Presley wearing a "Beatle" wig. This partnership between Draper and Friday at first a slave master relationship grows over time where the two learn to respect each other and treat themselves as equals together with Draper's pet monkey Mona who not only leads the two to water but to freedom up in the planets freezing northern regions.****SPOILERS**** Attacked by alien spaceships on their trip up to the frozen north the trio are saved when a giant asteroid that strikes the Martian North Pole melting the ice and snow there making it possible for them to be rescued by a US space probe mapping the planet. Beautifully photographed in dazzling color the film, like the novel, shows how men of different backgrounds or in this case planets can work together and learn to respect each other when their survival is at stake.Draper who at first looked down on Friday as an uncivilized savage found that he in fact was an intelligent as well as religious, yes Friday did believe in a supreme being or God that created the Universe. As for the lovable monkey Mona she in fact used her animal instincts to save the day for both Draper and Friday as well as adding a bit of comedy relief in this at first hopeless and depressing situation that the two found themselves in.

I recently watched this to see if it was better than The Martian, because the title suggested that it would be similar. But it's not a quality picture at all. I would go as far as to say that it is just plain awful. It is not as great as the rating suggests; doesn't even come close.Let's start with the fact that it just sucks, even for a sixties sci-fi movie. The main reasons are clear: it has low production value, it makes tons of scientific mistakes that would make children laugh - and it is just acted incredibly poorly. The very fact that the space-Crusoe can breathe on Mars says it all. It's just ridiculous. It is the exact opposite of splendid old-timer sci-fi movies like A Space Odyssey...Besides, I can't even begin to criticize the animal cruelty that went into this production. The monkey is clearly suffering in that space suit, and it is depressing to watch that suffering. This movie is a prime example of selfish people exploiting animals to make a buck on some crappy movie that people will never love. I do not consider the suffering of innocent animals a treat. Go screw yourselves, even if you were from another time!!!It's clear by now: I hated everything about this movie. Go see The Martian instead.

ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS has a lot going for it, especially during the first half, when he's trying to figure out a way to stay alive until he can be rescued. (PLANET OF THE APES would kinda sorta follow suit a couple of years later.) This part of the movie gives ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS a verisimilitude that the second half sadly lacks. (In PLANET OF THE APES, this "down to Earth" feel CONTINUED all the way through to the end, making for a much better film overall.) It's in the second half that ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS starts to deviate too far afield: the alien ships (which we last saw in George Pal's WAR OF THE WORLDS) aren't used very effectively (two or three sequences seem to be repeated over and over) and the whole idea of slave-driving aliens would've been much better if both of the alien races looked like ALIENS instead of ancient Egyptians and Earthlings in spacesuits. "Crusoe's" uber-Butch tack with his newfound companion rings of a jailhouse relationship (BROKEBACK PLANET...) and, if this one were to ever be remade, it's likely that THAT would become a point of departure...

This is a great sci-fi film, an excellent premise, thought-provoking, touching and almost sappy but not quite. Adam West's supporting performance is far better than he managed in his later, lead role on TV as Batman.The suspense in this film, and the down-time between, is nerve-wracking. Just a real nail-biter. The character interactions are fascinating throughout, and even the faux science (present in all sci-fi flicks) is fun to think about. I was prompted to write this review when I read the news today 9/28/2015 that there is, currently, flowing water on Mars which means there is life on Mars for sure.