Secrets of the Red Planet: 12 films and 2 TV series about Mars and the Martians

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

In honor of the release of the film "Alien", Lifehacker recalls stories about the colonization of the fourth planet, as well as about the invasion of its inhabitants on Earth.

Films

1. The Martian

• USA, 2015.
• Science fiction, adventure.
• Duration: 142 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

In the world of the future, a group of scientists hastily leaves Mars due to a storm that has begun. During the evacuation, one of Watney's expedition members is injured. Colleagues are sure that he died, and therefore fly away without him. But Watney comes to his senses and realizes that now he must somehow survive alone on a distant planet.

Ridley Scott's film is based on the book of the same name by Andy Weier. However, this did not prevent the authors of the now emerging Russian film "The Alien" from declaring that the studio had stolen the idea of the script from them, and even suing the creators of "The Martian". Of course, the claim was not satisfied.

2. Remember everything

• USA, 1990.
• Science fiction, action, adventure.
• Duration: 113 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

The life of the builder Doug Quaid is pretty boring. He decides to go to the Recall company, which invites visitors to implant fake memories. After such a visit, a person is completely sure that he has visited other planets and carried out dangerous missions there. But it turns out that Doug is indeed a secret agent who visited Mars, and his real memories have been erased. Remembering everything, the hero goes to the Red Planet to sort out his past.

This film was born out of a very small story by the famous science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. The plot corresponds to the plot of the work, but then the action develops in a completely different way. At the same time, the hero of the book is an ordinary office clerk, and Arnold Schwarzenegger was absolutely not suitable for such a role. Especially for him, the character's profession was changed to a builder.

3. Capricorn-1

• USA, UK, 1977.
• Drama, thriller.
• Duration: 123 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

In the mid-80s, a manned expedition to Mars is being prepared in the United States. However, before the flight, the management understands that the life support systems are not working and the crew will most likely die. To avoid a scandal, the ship is sent into flight without a crew, and the members of the expedition are forced to take part in a staged landing on Mars. Everything goes smoothly until one of the NASA employees and his fellow journalist notices that some of the signals are coming from Earth.

This fictional story refers to a very popular conspiracy theory: many still believe that the Americans did not actually land on the moon, but filmed the installation of the flag in the studio.

4. John Carter

• USA, 2012.
• Science fiction, action, adventure.
• Duration: 132 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

Civil War veteran John Carter suddenly lands on Mars. Due to the lower gravity, he is almost a superhero there. Now he has to become a participant in the war for the independence of the peoples of the Red Planet.

The film is based on Edgar Burroughs' classic novel The Princess of Mars, light pulp fiction with a touch of fantasy. Despite the book's cult status, the expensive film adaptation failed at the box office, causing huge losses to the studio. But in Russia they fell in love with this film - it set a record for the box office.

5. Mars attacks

• USA, 1996.
• Science fiction, black comedy.
• Duration: 106 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 3.

The long-awaited contact with an alien civilization took place: once the Martians landed on Earth. They announced that they had come in peace, after which they began to shoot everyone who got in their way and blow up cities. As it turns out later, they can only be destroyed in a very unusual way.

This film by Tim Burton stands out from the director's usual gothic style, but the traditional black humor and grotesque characters fully compensate for the strange picture.

6. Red planet

• USA, Australia, 2000.
• Science fiction, action, thriller.
• Duration: 106 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 7.

The earth is suffering from pollution and overpopulation, and people are trying to colonize Mars. Special probes spread algae on the planet, which should produce oxygen, but after a while the process stops. A small team goes to Mars to deal with the situation, but on approach, the ship breaks down, and the astronauts are practically abandoned on a distant planet. They are threatened by a lack of oxygen and unknown insects. In addition, the robot that was supposed to accompany them on the expedition goes into combat mode.

7. Mission to Mars

• USA, 2000.
• Science fiction, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 6.

In 2020, a mission to Mars encounters a mysterious phenomenon - a semi-intelligent vortex. Almost all members of the expedition die, and then another team is sent to the Red Planet. Having figured out what happened, its participants find themselves on the verge of a discovery that will shed light on the very appearance of a person.

8. The last days on Mars

• UK, Ireland, 2013.
• Science fiction, thriller, horror.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 5.

On the last day of the Martian expedition, a member of a small crew discovers microscopic traces of a local life form in soil samples. He tries to hide his find, but soon almost all the astronauts are infected with a virus that turns them into monsters.

This film received low reviews from critics. Many felt that it was too simple for science fiction and not brutal enough for a real thriller, but the atmosphere of suspicion and general tension in this picture is perfectly conveyed.

9. The Mystery of the Red Planet

• USA, 2011.
• Science fiction, adventure.
• Duration: 88 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 4.

Milo once had a violent fight with his mother over the fact that she forced him to eat broccoli. He wished her to disappear, and that same night she was stolen by aliens. It turns out that there was no one on the Red Planet to raise children, so the Martians kidnapped other people's mothers. Milo, with the support of the bully Gribble, has to save his mother.

For some reason, in the Russian localization, they decided to add seriousness to this animated film, because in the original it is simply called “Mars needs mothers”.

10. Doom

• USA, UK, Germany, Czech Republic, 2005.
• Science fiction, action, horror.
• Duration: 100 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 2.

In 2046, a signal for help comes from the Martian laboratory. A detachment of marines from Earth is sent to Mars through a special spatial gate. Arriving at the place, people discover that genetic experiments were carried out there and now the laboratory is filled with insane mutants.

The plot of this film is based on the game Doom 3, but in the film adaptation the very plot of the story has been greatly changed. But there is a scene where the action is filmed in the first person - it reminds of the atmosphere of the original.

11. My beloved Martian

• USA, 1999.
• Comedy, fantasy.
• Duration: 93 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 0.

Loser reporter Tim O'Hara is on the verge of being fired from his job. Suddenly, he has the most sensational material in history in his hands: he encounters a real Martian who has crashed. Quite quickly, Tim realizes that he should not secretly shoot the alien on camera, but help him return home.

12. Ghosts of Mars

• USA, 2001.
• Science fiction, action, horror.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• IMDb: 4, 9.

In the XXII century, Mars was already colonized, an earthly atmosphere was created there. Suddenly, the settlers discover a door leading to an ancient cave. It is inhabited by ghosts that can enter the bodies of people, turning them into zombies. The police woman and the criminal she is transporting have to fight them.

The author of "" John Carpenter is called the master of second-rate cinema. He loves making cheap sci-fi and horror movies with consistently grotesque characters and predictable dialogue. For this, many critics scold him, but an army of fans rejoices in every director's work.

Serials

13. Mars

• USA, 2016.
• Science fiction, drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

In 2033, the Daedalus spacecraft delivers six people to Mars. They must create the first human settlement on the planet, but they have to face many dangers of an unknown world.

This series is produced by the National Geographic Channel, so Mars features an interesting combination of fantasy, drama and a purely scientific approach. The action is regularly interrupted by interviews with various scientists suggesting possible solutions for the colonization of the Red Planet.

14. First

• USA, 2018.
• Science fiction, drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

In the not too distant future, a group of engineers, scientists and astronauts are sent on the first manned flight to Mars. They must colonize the Red Planet. The plot tells not only about the dangers faced by the pioneers, but also about difficult times for their relatives and colleagues left on Earth.