The Martian Chronicles (1980)

My Review

The exploration of the planet Mars and the discovery of inhabitants there is the subject of the exciting miniseries “The Martian Chronicles.” Director Michael Anderson (“Around the World in 80 Days” 1956) and teleplay author Richard Matheson expertly adapted this motion picture from Ray Bradbury’s 1950 scifi novel with good special effects, outstanding production values, and wonderful performances.

The talented cast includes Rock Hudson, Gayle Hunnicutt, Richard Oldfield, Bernie Casey, Darren McGavin, Roddy McDowell, Joyce Van Patten, Fritz Weaver, Maria Schell, Christopher Connelly, Barry Morse, Bernadette Peters, and Nyree Dawn Porter. “The Martian Chronicles” was first aired January 27-29, 1980, on NBC, with three episodes for a total running time of 294 minutes. It was filmed on Malta, the Canary Islands, and at Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, England, UK.