Martian Chronicles, the
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Martian Chronicles, the
 | |
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| Episodes: | 3 |
| Year: | 1980 |
| Country: | United States, United Kingdom |
| Seasons: | 1 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 3 |
| Category: | Earth Future |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Mini-Series |
| Company: | Charles Fries Productions, Stonehenge Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Polytel International Film |
| Creator: | Based on The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury |
| Run Time (mins): | 98 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | |
| First Aired: | August 9, 1980 |
| Last Aired: | August 23, 1980 |
Summary
Earth launches its first manned probe to Mars in 1999, but the mission ends in tragedy when a jealous Martian kills the two astronauts after his wife experiences erotic dreams involving them. A subsequent expedition fares no better: its members are hypnotised into believing they have arrived in the childhood town of their commander and have been reunited with deceased relatives and acquaintances, after which they are poisoned by the Martians.
Col. John Wilder leads the third expedition and discovers that a chicken pox virus brought by the earlier missions has devastated the Martian population. One member of Wilder’s team becomes increasingly fixated on protecting Mars from human influence and murders several colleagues before Wilder is forced to kill him. As colonists begin to settle on Mars, including priests searching for spiritual revelation, a solitary Martian assumes the identities of the individuals most desired by various settlers.
A global war on Earth ultimately reduces the planet to radioactive ruin, prompting most of the Martian settlers to return home before the catastrophe. Wilder attempts to gather the remaining humans on Mars, each of whom copes with isolation in different ways and refuses to abandon their chosen place. Wilder eventually encounters a Martian from either the distant past or future who reveals the principles of the simple Martian way of life, persuading him to relinquish the habits and assumptions of Earth.
Cast
Col. John Wilder ROCK HUDSON, Ruth Wilder GALE HUNNICUTT, Sam Parkhill DARRIN MCGAVIN, Father Stone RODDY MCDOWALL, Elma Parkhill JOYCE VAN PATTEN.
Tags: Earth Future, United States, United Kingdom, 1980, English
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