|
Robinson Crusoe on Mars is a 1964 science fiction film retelling of the classic novel by Daniel Defoe. It was directed by Byron Haskin, produced by Aubrey Schenck and starred Paul Mantee, Victor Lundin and Adam West. Many of the Mars scenes were filmed in Death Valley, California, at Zabriskie Point.
Synopsis Commander Christopher 'Kit' Draper (Paul Mantee) and Colonel Dan McReady (Adam West) are in orbit about Mars when emergency maneuvers to avoid colliding with a meteor force an unplanned descent to the surface. McReady is killed in the landing and Draper is stranded along with a monkey named Mona. The commander finds a cave where he can take shelter, but it is by accident that he obtains the rest of what he needs to survive. First, he discovers that certain rocks give off oxygen when burned. He is then able to repressurize his oxygen tank, so he can move around in the rarefied atmosphere. Next, Mona keeps disappearing periodically. When Draper notices that she doesn't need his dwindling food and water, he gives her a salty cracker. Eventually Mona gets thirsty and leads him to the pond she has found; there are also edible alien "sausages" growing in the water. Finally, Draper fashions a sand clock that sounds an alarm to waken him in time for a periodically needed dose of oxygen. One day, advanced alien spacecraft appear in the sky. Draper investigates cautiously and sees them using slave labor for mining. One of the slaves (Victor Lundin) escapes, running into Draper. The aliens kill the remaining workers and try to locate the escapee. The stranger has bracelets on his wrists that are used to discipline and track the slaves. After unsuccessfully trying to blast the two, the alien ships depart. Draper names his new acquaintance Friday and starts teaching him English. In return, Friday shows him "air pills" that provide oxygen for a period of time. They gradually grow to trust and like each other. After a while, the aliens return. The castaways' hiding place is discovered and they are forced to flee across the hostile Martian surface. Draper manages to cut Friday's bracelets off and the aliens seem to give up. Afraid to return to their cave, they travel to the north polar icecap and its water. Exhausted and nearly out of air pills, they prepare to die. Just then, they spot a spaceship from Earth. Draper radios it, identifies himself, and a lander comes down to pick up Draper and his companions. Trivia See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| |