Marooned

Rating:
Summary: The movie that made history!
Review: A movie straight from history, it inspired the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project by generating ideas of cooperation in space for emergencies. Nevertheless, the movie itself is interesting. It isn't accuarate about the space program, for instance, the Voshkod wasn't in service while Apollo was flying, but I'm well aware that it is but only a movie. The best part of the movie was the end, if you can find it humerous watching people blowing sirens and throwing papers about in the air. Very cool, however.

Rating:
Summary: Do Give it a Chance
Review: A real classic, though admittedly mostly for fans of the space program. It really milks the atmosphere & procedures of Cape Kennedy as other films didn't until very recently. They've obviously slogged through the first third to get the setup out of the way, as the value really kicks in after that, and it's worth waiting for. Plot and characters really shape up, acting & pacing improves tremendously, unusually authentic in most ways, and a great twist that's stuck with me for decades. Also some then-hypothetical technology I was surprised to see, such as an astronaut MMU backpack, and a dead ringer for the funding-shuffled CRV (Crew Return Vehicle) being bickered over in Congress right now in consideration of the ISS crews.

Basic plot: Astronauts spend months in a Skylab-like tin can, and leave early due to excessive fatigue (hey, it WAS made in 1968, when the longest mission had been 2 weeks!). Engine won't fire, astronauts in deep doo-doo. What now? Gregory Peck is ideal as the square-jawed head of 'the Cape', Gene Hackman as a burnt-out crewmember, James Franciscus as a really terrific analytical keel-evener. Also Richard Crenna as the veteran commander, David Janssen as the get-the-job-done Chief Astronaut. Effects around the Skylab-type space station are simple, but they get better by the time the plot kicks in. Recall that this film did win the Oscar for special effects that year...oh, 32 years ago!

The video transfer is much better than I hoped! The print is a little banged up, but not at all objectionable. The soundtrack, though, is unfortunately uneven, as if the tracks weren't mixed properly. The volume control on your remote will get a good workout. (Let's hope they fix it on the DVD release...Let's hope there'll BE a DVD release!)

Very interesting tidbit is that real-astronaut Jim Lovell (played by Tom Hanks in APOLLO 13) said he watched this movie in a local theater shortly before launching on his own abortive mission. Some of the similarities to the Apollo 13 mission are fascinating, as well as imagining the moment he recalled seeing this movie while stranded in his own capsule.

Worth giving it a chance. You'll very likely be surprised, and elements of it will stick with you. The Mission Control atmosphere is excellent, brushing contact with the Russian space program fit my 9-year old memory of the time, and I will always associate hurricanes with the space program!

Rating:
Summary: This was a good movie.
Review: Although I thought this movie was a little slow-paced, I enjoyed it. Gregory Peck was outstaning in his role. There were moments in the movie when you really came to appreciate that man is not all bad and can make sacrifices in behalf of his fellow man. Overall, I would recommend this movie.

Rating:
Summary: More science fact than science fiction, but just as good
Review: Aside form Ice Station Zebra, director John Stuges brings Martin Caidin's classic novel of a joined resucue mission by NASA and the Russina Space program with excellent precision and accuracy. Most of all, the late director stays true to Caidin's work. Not only does the movie have award-winning special effects, a good, solid plot, excellent actors and actresses, it also stays true to what NASA would do in a situation like this.

The film centers around the crew of the Apollo spacecraft IRONMAN 1, and how they are starnded in Earth orbit. While NASA and the Russians prepare a joint rescue operation, the astronauts learn that one or two of them must sacrifice themselves because of their limited oxygen supply. From that point on, it is a race against time to rescue the astronauts from a slow death.

Another cool thing about this movie was the actually filming in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and the stock footage of the Apollo 11 mission taking off from the launch pad. It really captures the era it was set in. Marooned is an excellent film. More science fact than science fiction. If you are a follower of the space program, then you might want to consider checking this film out. It's worth watching.

Rating:
Summary: Still Works Well After All These Years
Review: Fairly good special effects, budget and an impressive cast bring Martin Caidin's classic novel to life. The almost documentary feel of 'Marooned' may have been intentional and space films often looked to the fantastic far-future rather than the realistic near-future 'Marooned' portrayed. This film is rather slow and deliberate at times, but that isn't a surprise considering that movies like '2001' were also made in this era. So 'Marooned' is to be valued as a realistic rarity in any decade. There were and ARE too few real space program films being made. If only Martin Caidin had written more things like 'Marooned'. And I'd rather like to see this movie re-mastered and available on DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Finally -- this much-maligned classic is on DVD!
Review: Hopefully, Columbia will do a nice job in transferring this classic space opera -- much maligned on release, and unfairly parodied on "Mystery Science Theater 3000." If you were fortunate enough to see it in its original run, on the huge theater screen (which were twice the size of the biggest ones now), you remember what an impact this film had. Too many critics unfairly compared it to "2001", but they're obviously two different kinds of films -- this wasn't an art-house head trip, but a straigtforward sci-fi epic entertainment, and it hit its intended mark dead on. Great film, with terrific performances.

Rating:
Summary: "IT WORKED FOR ME"
Review: I recall seeing this movie on the big screen during my adolescent years. To say the least It sparked my imagination and left a profound impact on my life. In my opinion it worked for me.

Rating:
Summary: Great suspense.
Review: If you liked Apollo 13, you should love this space suspense film that came out at the height of the space program. The special effects are good, the acting great, the story and screenplay (concerning a rescue attempt of stranded astronauts) suspenseful and dramatic. It's hard to find many serious science fiction films that will satisfy a space enthusiast - this is one of the few, along with Destination Moon and Mission to Mars.

Rating:
Summary: "Marooned" makes for good science fiction (or is it fact?)
Review: In the wake of last year's near-disaster on board space station Mir, the movie version of Martin Caidin's novel, Marooned, makes for timely, even nostalgic reading.

Although routinely panned for wooden, heavy-handing acting, "Marooned" was ahead of its time, illustrating very clearly the dangers that space travelers face. The realism of the lingo and sets makes this an enjoyable story. It's definitely difficult not to watch this movie from start to finish!

For an extra treat, I recommend reading the original novel, Marooned. END

Rating:
Summary: The best movie ever!
Review: MAROONED is, in my opinion, the best movie ever made! Starring wonderful actors such as Gregory Peck, having unmatchable dialouge, plot, and excitement, this is a movie you can't live without! It is about 3 astronauts who get trapped in IRONMAN 1 with no retro power, which means that they cannot return to earth. MAROONED is the ultimate in edge of your seat action, drama, and basically all movie categories!