Ray Bradbury, author of "The Martian Chronicles", was reportedly deeply disappointed in this TV adaptation of his work, and it's not hard to see why. Perhaps he expected an A-list production, and it's clear from the look and feel of this brief miniseries that it was a low budget production. The visuals --- effects, costumes, and props --- are cheap and stagy; some of the dialogue is hokey, and the characterizations are thin.
In spite of all these flaws, there's an atmosphere of mystery and tragedy suffusing the story that almost manages to overcome the cheap feel of the production. At its best, it's like watching a stage play with few props, using your imagination to fill in the blanks. Rock Hudson is much better than you might expect --- he certainly tries his best, and he has a few good moments.
Bradbury's book was a collection of linked stories, not a novel (in fact the British edition originally deleted two stories and substituted two other Bradbury tales in their place --- one of those is dramatized here, starring Roddy McDowall). So it's hardly surprising that an adaptation of it would be equally episodic and would have some inconsistencies.
Still, you get a good feel for the lost Martian civilization, dying in the shadows as Earthmen take control of the planet. Some of the best of Bradbury's stories survive, and this is a lot of fun if you accept it on its own terms.
In spite of all these flaws, there's an atmosphere of mystery and tragedy suffusing the story that almost manages to overcome the cheap feel of the production. At its best, it's like watching a stage play with few props, using your imagination to fill in the blanks. Rock Hudson is much better than you might expect --- he certainly tries his best, and he has a few good moments.
Bradbury's book was a collection of linked stories, not a novel (in fact the British edition originally deleted two stories and substituted two other Bradbury tales in their place --- one of those is dramatized here, starring Roddy McDowall). So it's hardly surprising that an adaptation of it would be equally episodic and would have some inconsistencies.
Still, you get a good feel for the lost Martian civilization, dying in the shadows as Earthmen take control of the planet. Some of the best of Bradbury's stories survive, and this is a lot of fun if you accept it on its own terms.