Having just finished viewing The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963, aka Spaceraid 63), it’s difficult to find much to praise in connection with this movie, beyond the clear cinematography and excellent audio. A movie about a NASA scientist in charge of the Mars probe, he returns home to his angry wife and their children, only to find various members starting to become terrorized by what it appears to be other members of the family.
It’s true, the 30 seconds of the Mars-roving robot is inutterably adorable, and the daughter has a certain charming freshness about her. But I could not help but wonder if under the wife’s ornate hair style there might lurk a motorcycle helmet; the little boy could have been used to greater affect; and despite the use of a noir ending, the entire plot sadly crosses the line from tantalizing to insipid. I’m not sure why: we are not overly informed as to what’s happening, the special effects are adequate. It may be the characters, who do not exceed the limitations we automatically place on them. The wife is angry, then terrified, with no particular innovation in her responses; the husband understands her anger, is preoccupied with his data, but has heroically chosen to work on his marriage rather than the data; the daughter is dutiful with both parents and with her boyfriend (lucky guy), who in turn gets so little camera-time that when he is offed, we feel nothing. Even the assistant scientist, despite the devotion of a freakish pair of glasses, has little impact in his bizarre ending.
Perhaps the problem lies in its theme: I couldn’t identify one, really. Don’t explore? Don’t send cute probes? Nothing really stands out. The morality of the theme Don’t go to Mars! has little impact or relevance on the typical movie-goer.
Don’t bother with this one.
Oh, yeah, the family estate is immense. Makes you wonder if it was actually one of the homes of William Randolph Hearst.
