Robinson Crusoe on Mars (Paramount Pictures) (1964)

Robinson Crusoe on Mars’ Is Thrilling “Science Fact’ Film (Review) “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,’ opened last night at the....... an unusually thrilling picture, ... Theatre. This ‘science fact’ film from Paramount, starring Paul Mantee, Vic Lundin, Adam West and Mona The Woolly Monkey, is based on the Daniel Defoe classic adventure novel. Instead of Defoe’s shipwrecked mariner on a remote island, this adventure film presents the space-age Crusoe as a U.S. astronaut stranded on Mars. It excitingly shows his subsequent fight for survival in that alien atmosphere without oxygen, food or water. The story begins when a U.S. spaceship, circling above Mars, is suddenly confronted with a meteor directly in its orbit. In a sudden maneuver to avoid disaster, the two astronauts, Commander Christopher Draper (Paul Mantee) and Colonel Dan McReady (Adam West) veer off course which causes the ship to be pulled down by Mars’ gravitational pull. Using their ejection capsules, they separately escape from the ship (McReady taking the test monkey), but only Draper and the monkey survive. Alone and with little oxygen or food left, Draper tries to sustain himself. As we follow this modern day Crusoe, we see how an astronaut, faced with insurmountable obstacles, keeps alive by using his native skills and know-how. The excitement of the film increases when a spaceship appears overhead and then lands. Draper, thinking that he is going to be rescued, runs to the ship, only to find that it is from another planet. Hiding and watching, Draper sees someone run towards him. He is Cosmos (Vic Lundin), an escaped prisoner from another planet who has been left to die. As they come face to face, Draper shows him that he is friendly. In time, he and Cosmos (now dubbed Friday) learn to communicate with each other, and together, hoping for their eventual rescue, set out to explore Mars. What makes this film so excellent is that it is not fiction or fantasy, it is ‘science fact’ of the foreseeable future. Every facet of the script adheres to the most advanced space-age thinking, the achievement of what is already on today’s drawing boards. “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” was produced by Aubrey Schenck and directed in Technicolor and Techniscope by Byron Haskin. The film is an Aubrey Schenck-Edwin F. Zakel Production for Paramount. FIRST ON MARS Mat 1C Still $10893/32 MARS PROBE I—Paul Mantee, as U.S. astronaut Christopher Draper, plants the American flag creating the first U.S. base on Mars in this scene from Paramount’s Technicolor ‘science fact’ film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” which opens orear mite gil Te “USS! ey ape Mat 1B Still #10393/68 FRIDAY ON MARS! Vic Lundin, holding Mona The Woolly Monkey, plays a modern day Friday in Paramount’s exciting ‘science fact’ film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” which opens at the Ree ee RAS OLS Cae Theatre. This thrilling Technicolor adventure also stars Paul Mantee and Adam West. “Robinson Crusoe on Mars’ Is Authentic ‘Science Fact’ Film In preparing Paramount’s new Technicolor ‘science fact’ film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,”’ which ODONSS ck ae BE TO SK ovis read ole Theatre, a number of authorities on space flight were consulted. Among them, E. V. Ashburne, Lockheed Aircraft Mars Probe authority, and rocket expert Wernher von Braun. The consensus of opinion as to what ‘skin’ to use for the space capsule favored the use of Titanium, a metal which has not been utilized much lately in high speed aircraft. In fact, it has fallen into disfavor since the shift in emphasis from manned aircraft to missiles. Nevertheless, Titanium is noted for its combination of high strength, light weight and resistance to heat. To conform with the realism of making a ‘science fact’ film, producer Aubrey Schenck and director Byron Haskin decided to have the exterior of the space ship’s shell constructed out of Titanium, the metal many qualified authorities considered to be obsolete. Much to the astonishment and surprise of all concerned with the making of “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” the story broke recently about the super-fast high flying A-11 jet; the disclosure not only revealed its tremendous capability, but also that the material used in its construction is—Titanium. Said producer Schenck: “President Johnson’s disclosure that the A-11 was the result of the mastery of metallurgy and fabrication of Titanium leads me to believe that when a space capsule does in fact make the landing on Mars, it will be wearing a Titanium skin!” * * Vic Lundin, whom _ sport fans may remember as Illinois’ star when that university defeated Stanford in the Rose Bowl game of 1951, stars in Paramount’s Technicolor ‘science fact’ film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” which opens ats Savas atythe oss aco ce sbheatre. Mat 2B 2 Still #10393/2 COMPANIONS FROM DIFFERENT WORLDS! Paul Mantee plays a modern day Robinson Crusoe and Vic Lundin plays his man Friday in Paramount’s exciting adventure film, tHtcbatr: Dpto « ati theses sie hee os “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” .... Theatre. Filmed in the breath which opens taking beauty of Technicolor, this motion picture realistically and thrillingly tells the story of a U.S. astronaut fighting to survive in an alien atmosphere without food or water. A Professional Snow Job Is Done On “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” Illusion is sometimes more difficult to simulate than reality. As yet, no astronaut has landed on Mars to factually confirm what information has thus far been ascertained regarding the atmospheric conditions and the terrain of that planet. Still, enough is known about its environment for producer Aubrey Schenck and director Byron Haskin to make an authentic ‘science fact’ film on what to expect when the first interplanetary expedition makes a landing on the planet. With the aid of such outstanding experts as Ib. J. Melchior, former science editor of Life Magazine, and Wernher Von Braun, great care has been taken to make Paramount’s ‘Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” which opens ...... at the rents (te Theatre, as scientifically as accurate as possible. For one thing, thirty tons of ice and snow were used on the set at Paramount to create the effect of the polar ice caps of Mars for a scene with stars Paul Mantee and Vic Lundin. Although the sound stage is normally warm enough to require the use of large fans, director Haskin and the production crew had to bundle up in heavy overcoats and galoshes to shoot the scene on the frozen expanse. At the completion of shooting, director Haskin with a chill in his voice and a vapor condensation trail coming from his mouth, said: “Okay. Print it. That winds up the polar cap sequence.” Producer Schenck, his teeth chattering like castanets, nodded agreement, as well as relief and said: “T’m glad that we got this on ice!” In a few hours, the ‘ice cap’ had melted away to a vast pool of water, and once again, the blowers were turned on to cool off the sound stage to the prevalent temperature of sunny California! Mat 2C Still $10893/28 LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS! In this scene from Paramount’s thrilling ‘science fact’ film, ““Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” which opens ........... AUTEN EOS area thee Theatre, U.S. astronaut Christopher Draper (Paul Mantee) looks for his co-pilot in the wreckage of his ejection capsule. Filmed in Technicolor, this exciting motion picture realistically shows how an astronaut fights to survive in an alien atmosphere without oxygen, food or water. “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” Opens Here Today “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” the new ‘science fact’ film from Paramount, opens today at the ....... Theatre. Starring Paul Mantee, Vic Lundin, Adam West and Mona The Woolly Monkey, ‘Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is an exciting updated version of the famed Daniel Defoe adventure classic. Following Defoe’s story, “‘Robinson Crusoe on Mars” presents the space-age Crusoe as a U.S. astronaywt, stranded on Mars, and his subsequent fight for survival in that alien atmosphere without oxygen, food or water. The film thrillingly shows how a_ thoroughly trained astronaut, faced with unsuspected problems, uses his skills and native know-how to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is not just fantasy or fiction, it is ‘science fact’ of the forseeable future. Every facet of the script adheres to the most advanced space-age thinking, the achievement of what is already on today’s drawing boards. Keeping this in mind, producer Aubrey Schenck purchased the modernized version of the Defoe classic from Ib Melchior, former science editor for Life Magazine. The John Higgins and Melchior script was checked and rechecked by two of today’s outstanding space authorities, rocket expert Wernher von Braun, and E. V. Asburne, Lockheed Aircraft authority on the current U.S. Mars probe. Filmed in Technicolor and Technoscope, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” was produced by Aubrey Schenck and directed by Byron Haskin, It is an Aubrey SchenckEdwin F. Zabel Production. Mat 1D Still $10393/34 A MAN AND A MONKEY—ALONE ON MARS! Paul Mantee, as a U.S. astronaut who has crash landed on Mars, tries talking to his monkey in this scene from Paramount’s thrilling ‘science fact’ film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” which opens RE ALY Be alsthey(iia lies. t Theatre. This exciting film is based on the famous Defoe classic. Those who live in the vicinity of Paramount Studios may have thought that the U.S. government had started underground nuclear testing. There was an explosion, all right, but it occurred on the studio’s Stage Eleven where Paramount’s new ‘science fact’ film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” was being shot. This exciting adventure story, starring Paul Mantee, Vic Lundin, Adam West and Mona The Woolly Donkey, ONCTIS nk se ies at the Paul Mantee, star of Paramount’s Technicolor ‘science fact’ film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” which opens ....... AUN A its sss Theatre, was a former football, swimming and tennis star at the University of California. He originally majored in journalism but switched to acting after appearing in several university stage plays.