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Posted: |
Nov 11, 2013 - 8:53 PM
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By: |
Michael24
(Member)
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When I was growing up, I occasionally heard my dad talk about a movie called Robinson Crusoe on Mars, and how much he had loved it when he was younger. It always sounded intriguing to me, but it wasn't until about 2001 that I finally saw it when it turned up one night on AMC. We watched it together, and I really enjoyed it. When it aired again about a month later, I recorded it and became really taken with it.
In 2002, I was at a convention in South Pasadena, and in one room I happened to notice that Paul Mantee was there. I went over to his table, and we chatted about the film. He seemed genuinely surprised and delighted that someone my age (I was 23 at the time) was familiar with the film. He personalized a photo for me, and when I got my money out to pay, as is customary at cons, he gestured for me to lean in and said, "They always want me to charge for this stuff, but I really don't like doing that, so this one's on the house, kid." Very cool of him.
EDIT: And in June, Mantee's Robinson Crusoe on Mars co-star, Victor Lundin, passed away, too. Had no idea. 
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/actor-victor-lundin-star-trek-robinson-crusoe-585570
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ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS is the only film with an outer space setting that I like. I love it, in fact, and thought Paul Mantee should have been a major movie star. Rest in peace.
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Posted: |
Nov 11, 2013 - 9:59 PM
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By: |
RoryR
(Member)
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And a very cool story, Michael24.
I was only five when ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS came out, so I didn't see it in a theatre, but it must have come to TV only a couple years later because I remember first seeing it, I think, on NBC's Saturday Night at the Movies. It made an impression in those years of the actual US space program, and I can vividly remember riding my bike outside at dusk when you can see the first stars just coming out, and looking up at them reminded me of RCOM. I've been very sentimental about this movie ever since and I'm so glad FSM released the CD they did, and that Criterion saw fit, because it was a favorite movie of someone that worked there, to release it first on Laserdisc, then on DVD and Blu-ray (otherwise we'd still be waiting for it). I highly recommend it to anyone with even the slightest interest, and not just because of the movie itself, but the commentary track with both Mantee and Lundin. It's one of the best commentaries ever done and some of the things Mantee says.... are heart breaking.
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I watched RCOM in the theatre as a teenager. I liked the film very much, but because I had already seen Paramount's War Of The Worlds on TV, I instantly spotted those Martian War Machines being recycled. That was a disappointment for me. Don't forget...I was a teenager back then. I'll be glad to give this flick a second chance, here in my 60's...
Sorry to learn about Paul and Victor...
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Was very disappointed to read that Paul Matee had died. I was 21, fresh out of the marines and living in downtown Los Angeles, when "Robinson Crusoe On Mars" came out, and went to see it at a theatre on 8th Street near Broadway, and loved it and loved Mantee. When it was finally released on DVD a few years ago, I rented it at Netflix to see if it matched my memories of it; unfortunately it didn't, so I never bought it. But I loved the commentary track with a delightful Victor Lundin ("And in June, Mantee's Robinson Crusoe on Mars co-star, Victor Lundin, passed away, too"), who had some great stories to tell about the making of the film.
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What a strange world it's become, where I view this "non-film score" message board for the first time in weeks and suddenly learn that a friend has died. He'd be very touched to know that he and his performances are remembered so warmly. What you may not know is that he devoted -- and I mean, devoted -- his later years to the craft of writing, and in fact produced two novels which were published to much critical acclaim.
He was a great cook, too. It's no accident that his first book was called IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT RAVIOLI.
Damn.
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Posted: |
Nov 14, 2013 - 9:24 AM
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By: |
RoryR
(Member)
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What a strange world it's become, where I view this "non-film score" message board for the first time in weeks and suddenly learn that a friend has died. He'd be very touched to know that he and his performances are remembered so warmly.
It's one week ago today that he died and I'm still a little in shock of it, though I don't know why. No one lives forever, but it's the down side of being an aging cinephile, I guess, watching the passing of people that are idols in a way. I have an original insert from RCOM that has hung in my living room for years, and a 1-sheet packed away someplace.
Without looking at IMDb.com, because I don't feel like it, does anyone know off-hand what was the Charles Bronson movie where at the end the bad guy, Paul Mantee of course, gets chopped up in the blades of a plane's prop? I remember catching that on TV once and thinking, "Oh no! Robinson Crusoe!!!"
I also seem to recall he was in an episode of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," but I can't recall which. I have all of them on DVD. I guess I'll have to check that out.
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I recall the actor as "Lt Corassa" from CAGNEY & LACEY, one of my favorite cop shows. I too saw ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS, but, as much as I like the concept, I thought that that film was incredibly dull.
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I recall the actor as "Lt Corassa" from CAGNEY & LACEY, one of my favorite cop shows. I too saw ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS, but, as much as I like the concept, I thought that that film was incredibly dull.
it wasn't dull to a 12 year old in 64 
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Posted: |
Nov 15, 2013 - 10:18 AM
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By: |
RoryR
(Member)
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Without looking at IMDb.com, because I don't feel like it, does anyone know off-hand what was the Charles Bronson movie where at the end the bad guy, Paul Mantee of course, gets chopped up in the blades of a plane's prop?
The only movie I could find at IMDb with both of them is Breakout from 1975. Was that it?
I guess so. I haven't seen BREAKOUT in years. I do know it has a Jerry Goldsmith score, one that I don't have in my collection.
I also want to defend ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS against these charges that it's boring or it just doesn't do it for you any more. I really don't know what younger viewers expect. RCOM was in production around this time of year fifty years ago! It'll have the 50th anniversary of its release next July, and it was made mostly for a youth audience. It's from a time when films were slower paced. One person noted how it recycled the Martian crafts from WAR OF THE WORLDS. Well, yes it did. So what? It's special effects look no worse than those in the original "Star Trek," and RCOM and WAR OF THE WORLDS share the same director, and of the two, do you know which was his favorite?
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bump
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