The film begins with people on Earth discovering that their rocket to Mars had not been lost but was just drifting out in Space near out planet. When it's retrieved, one of the crew members is ill, one is alive and the other two are missing. What happened to them is told through a flashback by the surviving member.

While on Mars, the crew was apparently attacked by a whole host of very silly bug-eyed monsters. Oddly, while the sets were pretty good, the monsters were among the silliest I have seen on film. Plus, in an odd attempt at realism, the production used a process called "Cinemagic". Unfortunately, this wonderful innovation just made the film look pretty cheap when they were on the surface of Mars AND the intensity of the redness practically made my eyes bleed--it was THAT bad!! Despite all the cheese, the film did have a somewhat interesting plot as well as a good message about space travel. For lovers of the genre, it's well worth seeing. For others, you may just find the whole thing rather silly--see for yourself and decide.

While by today's standards this isn't an especially good sci-fi film, compared with the films being made at the time, it stacks up pretty well.

PS--When you watch the film, pay careful attention to Dr. Tremayne. He looks like the spitting image of Dr. Quest from the "Jonny Quest" cartoon! Plus, he sounds and acts a lot like him, too.

I well remember The Angry Red Planet from when I was a lad as it appeared on double bills as a second feature to some class A film from MGM. Although it certainly has not stood the test of time as the Mars rover has indicated, the film still has a nice fun and imaginative quality to it.

The film is done in flashback as a lost spaceship to Mars is found apparently dead in space. One of the survivors after some shock therapy tells the story of the expedition.

There were four on the crew Gerald Mohr, Nora Hayden, Jack Kruschen, and Les Tremayne. The place is a forbidding red tinted world accomplished on screen through a red tint filter. The crew meets up with some really strange life forms and they do get a glimpse of what looks like the Emerald city on Oz if it were red instead of green.

I really loved the giant Bat/Rat Spider, one of the lower forms of life on Mars. There was also a giant amoeba and a carnivorous plant for your thrills and enjoyment.

The end is really something as a recording is played where the Martians tell the people of Earth to stay away from their planet, they don't want them messing up the neighborhood as earthlings are primitive and warlike. I'm betting space exploration was put off several generations.

I rather enjoyed The Angry Red Planet and I think most viewers will.

This is the highest rating I can give this film, not because I didn't have fun with it; it just isn't very good. The story is told in flashback after a rocket, floating in space, is retrieved by remote control When it lands, there are two on board: a macho guy whose arm has been enveloped in what looks like lime Jell-o and a pretty red-headed woman. They were two of the original crew of four that piloted a first Earth ship to Mars. Mars, of course, has long been known as "the red planet." In this film, it is red during the day and apparently blue at night. When the explorers go out, they turn red. Of course, this is cheaper than figuring out a way to contrast the with their environment. The crew are typical fifties types. The macho guy is full of testosterone and lusts after Iris (whom he calls Irish). She powders her nose and puts on perfume before attending to her duties. She also carries a purse. There are frequent wolfy comments about her womanhood. On board are a scientist and a guy whose job it is to protect them. He uses a sonic gun he calls Cleo which, for some reason, freezes what it is fired at. This is also cheaper than showing actual gunfire and its affect on the target. Anyway, they explore and encounter Martians and their livestock. They bumble around stupidly without natural precautions. At one point, a giant mouse thing with forty-foot legs attacks them. Later, it's an enormous amoeba. Much of the story is talky and tiresome. Once we return to present time, the issues must be dealt with. The woman's memory has been tapped (there is some pretty convenient science involved here). Mr. Jell-o arm is the primary concern. The other issue is a tape recording, the last surviving one after all others have been erased. You must make it to the end to find out what was said. Pretty typical 1950's stuff.