Robinson Crusoe on Mars

[glowe]

Robinson Crusoe on Mars, released in 1964, is not a movie that I would guess anyone has seen, but on a Sunday afternoon, it was the only interesting thing on TV. The premise is that a lone human survivor of a spaceship crash, an astronaut is stranded on Mars with only a monkey who happened to be traveling with the humans. The astronaut must figure out how to find oxygen, water, and food on the lifeless planet.

OK here is why I bring this up at all. First, my suggestion is that no one watch the movie, but what was interesting is that when the astronaut was confronted with potential danger, he draws out his space weapon to protect himself. The space weapon turns out to be a Smith & Wesson Single Shot Pistol with a 10" barrel. Now the director could not have thought a 22 single shot pistol would take care of martian creatures . . . or did he???

The bigger question is will a 22 LR cartridge actually fire with a little or no of oxygen present??

 

[jinx]

I remember this movie. Saw it when it came out and saw it again many years later. I did see that it was played in the last few days.
I would like to get some of those sausages and M&M's that put out the oxygen.

 

[sheepdawg]

Right now it will be as easy to find a box of 22lr. for sale on Mars as anywhere else.

 

[e3mrk]

I have seen it and it's not a bad Movie for a rainy Saturday.

 

[coltle6920]

The bigger question is will a 22 LR cartridge actually fire with a little or no of oxygen present??

Can we have a picture and the s/n? More than happy to check the catalog and see if that was possible.

 

[rwsmith]

I liked it as a kid.....

Not a blockbuster but an interesting take on the old RC story. As far as the pistol goes, I don't remember but I'm sure it was chosen for looks over function.

 

[Alpo]

Saw it on TV, years ago. Don't remember the gun.

But guns will fire underwater. There is enough oxygen in the cartridge case for the primer to ignite, and the burning powder seems to produce its own.

I just saw, over to IMDB, that Mona, the girl monkey, was played by Barney, a boy money, who wore fur jockey shorts to hide his boyness.

I'm pretty sure I read that Lassie was also played by a boy, wearing "screening garments" to hide his boyness. Something about "male collies normally having better coloring than females" - I think?

 

[DR505]

When I was a kid, I loved that movie! Now I'll have to watch it again.

 

[rwsmith]

The bigger question is will a 22 LR cartridge actually fire with a little or no of oxygen present??

I think gunpowder has a component that supplies the oxygen for it's burn so it's not dependent on atmospheric oxygen. That's one reason a full cartridge full of powder can burn before the bullet leaves the muzzle.

 

[Alpo]

This is an interesting take on the movie. I don't agree with everything the author says, but it's a good read.

Patriotism, Politics, and Propaganda: The Naturalization of Friday's Man, Robinson, in Robinson Crusoe on Mars - Bright Lights Film Journal

 

[.41 cal]

Gun powder produces it's own oxygen so no problem there not sure about primers.

In it's day it was quite the futuristic SiFi movie, very entertaining to an 8 year old at the time.

.41 cal

 

[Grayfox]

I remember that movie. We had a small local theater that showed a scifi/ horror double feature every Saturday. I saw this when it was first released and it became a fairly popular second feature for several years. I must have seen it a dozen times as a kid. Saw it a few more times on TV over the years.
It was considered to be quite good in its day. If I had known it was on, I would have watched it again.

 

[zzzippper]

I saw it at the theater when it came out. I loved the little monkey and have wanted a monkey ever since. I've been married four times and I still can't find one that will let me have a monkey.

Here is the definitive answer: http://www.livescience.com/18588-shoot-gun-space.html

 

[Sconnie]

I saw that movie on TV as a kid and happened to catch it again recently. Did not recall the gun either and it is a glaring omission from the Internet Movie Firearms Database.

Saw a movie trailer for it on Youtube and it ended with this little splash screen...

 

[glowe]

I saw it at the theater when it came out. I loved the little monkey and have wanted a monkey ever since. I've been married four times and I still can't find one that will let me have a monkey.

Here is the definitive answer: What Would Happen If You Shot a Gun In Space? | Can Guns Fire In Space? | Can I Shoot a Gun in Space?

I bet you can throw the ballistic tables out the window when trying to sight in your high powered rifle in space! This would mean a round fired at 3000 fps would still be traveling that speed a hundred, thousand, or more miles away.

 

[zzzippper]

Here is another take on the answer: Gunpowder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[cmort666]

It's no "Forbidden Planet", but it's not bad. Can't tell you how many times I've seen it over the years. It was just on last week, I think.

I also noted the pistol when I saw it in the theater as a kid.

Interesting how they recycled props from several other SF movies, including "War of the Worlds" (alien space ships), "Forbidden Planet" (alien weapons) and "Destination Moon" (alien space suits).

 

[glowe]

It's no "Forbidden Planet", but it's not bad. Can't tell you how many times I've seen it over the years. It was just on last week, I think . . .

Well maybe it would grow on you over time. Maybe I am just too used to high-tech Star Wars quality movies.

 

[A10]

IIRC Adam West as the spaceman? Or am I thinking of a different one?

 

[cmort666]

IIRC Adam West as the spaceman? Or am I thinking of a different one?

He's in the movie and plays A spaceman, just not the lead.