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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 18, 2016 - 10:17pm PT
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I just finished watching The Martian again. I saw the film in the theater about 6-8 weeks ago, and received a BlueRay copy as a birthday gift yesterday. Watched it with the family yesterday, and again tonight.
I was intimately familiar with the storyline, since I was a selected reviewer by Amazon for Andy Wier's novel that was the basis of the film. I am an absolute sucker for GOOD science fiction involving space travel; it brings out my nerdiest persona. Not really mentioned in any of the background stories in the reviews, or elsewhere, is the book by Robert Zubrin: The Case for Mars, which outlines the concept of Mars Direct missions, but also the need for utilization of the resources found on the Red Planet. The book(s) were written before the confirmation of available water, but that really didn't impact the "science' in the movie presently being discussed.
Overall, the film is scientifically excellent, since it had a great deal of assistance from NASA. I suspect that NASA sees in this film some excellent PR as a result. Very similar results for NASA could result from the near future concept presented--not at all fanciful--as happened in the 1950s for the Maine Corps, from the John Wayne film Halls of Montezuma. That resulted in a huge recruitment boost for the Leathernecks.
If you haven't yet seen the film, it's a fun movie. Great special effects depicting the Martian surface, and with NASAs input--great science.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Jan 19, 2016 - 09:19am PT
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Loved it. Best movie I've seen recently. Didn't butcher the story like they did with every other Mars book/movie.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jan 19, 2016 - 09:38am PT
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I studiously avoid sci-fi/space books and films but for a select few like Aliens, Cosmos,
Childhood's End, and Stranger In A Strange Land. However, based on the above two
recommendations I might give it a shot. It will be hard though to overcome my repugnance
after hearing numerous radio ads with the lamely intoned line
"Bring our astronaut home."
The best American film I've seen in years was Trumbo, but I'm a sucker for things
closer to reality.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 19, 2016 - 10:58am PT
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Reilly-
This was really a great effort by Ridley Scott; NASA "opened up the store," in order to help the production, down to allowing views of their Mars rover vehicles. Very plausible scenario; Andy Weir admitted the Martian storm was highly fictionalized by the exaggerated atmospheric effects that caused the onset of difficulties. Not gonna' say any more, since I don't like to "do spoilers."
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snyd
Sport climber
Lexington, KY
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Jan 19, 2016 - 11:25am PT
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Ridley Scott ruined the movie with the last scene and the mechanism of the rescue. The last scene was not in the book and I can only speculate was added by committee. The mechanism of rescue was a joke in the book and ruined what was a pretty good movie for me.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Jan 19, 2016 - 11:28am PT
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I'll agree that it was very good. Infact it is my favorite movie in over a year. Perhaps the best pure or "hard" sci-fi movie ever made. Not saying that lightly. Other than the "windstorm" I found no comparable glaring implausibilities in the move.
And of course more importantly than genre or subject.. It was a good story well told.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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Jan 19, 2016 - 11:30am PT
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bdc, couldn't agree more. It was awesome.
In a class by itself. As far as film awards go, it beat
Revenant easily in realism. Haha, how ironic is that.
See you on Mars in about 100 years!
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MikeMc
climber
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Jan 19, 2016 - 11:40am PT
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Jim, agree with you about Moon. Just a great SciFi flick.
Might need to grab the martian and see what the fuss is about.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 19, 2016 - 11:41am PT
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HFCS-
You should get a copy of Zubrin's The Case for Mars. He built a methane generator for Lockheed-Martin as a pilot project, to manufacture fuel for a return to Earth, and it utilized the carbon (carbon dioxide)from the Martian atmosphere as a source. The hydrogen came from electrolysis of water, which also generated the necessary oxygen for astronaut use. Oxygen is also a byproduct of carbon dioxide decomposition.
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perswig
climber
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Jan 19, 2016 - 02:44pm PT
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Liked it.
Hope it helps maintain/reinvigorates kids' interest in STEM (what we're calling it these days?) stuff.
Dale
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 20, 2016 - 08:44am PT
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I've always been a big supporter of the space program, and was in despair when Obama cancelled the NASA Ares project. At least some work has gone forward on a new "capsule" designed to service the International Space Station (a giant money sewer). The NASA budget needs a huge boost in order to get us moving in a more vigorous direction---to Mars by 2025 or 2030.
There are 2 competing concepts, the original that was begun under GWB, referred to as the "German Plan," was that proposed by Werner Von Braun back in the mid 1950s and published in Collier's magazine. This involves a complete and self sustaining vehicle system, all the supplies necessary for the trip to Mars, construction of a "habitat," and all the food, fuel, etc. for the Earth return. This was all based on the hypothesis of no water on Mars, and a lack of knowledge about the tenuous atmosphere of the Red Planet (mostly carbon dioxide). Cost of this undertaking was originally estimated at $500 Billion in year 2000.
Subsequently, a group of engineers (the Mars Society), led by Robert Zubrin, have put forth the concept of Mars Direct. The key difference in the Mars direct plan is in sending in advance, several robotic and supply vessels with much of the habitat and food supplies, instead of the "all at one time" method in the German plan. Zubrin is a former Lockheed Martin engineer who was able to demonstrate a pilot model Methane generator which used the Carbon from carbon dioxide (Mars atmosphere) and Hydrogen generated by electrolysis of water found on the planet. He built the working model for the modest sum of $25,000, and it worked well. Coupled with a liquefaction system, the fuel for the return trip would be there waiting, along with liquid Oxygen, the oxidizer for the rocket motors. That, and having a in situ water supply as well as oxygen, would allow a much longer dwell-time on the planetary surface (even to the point of growing potatoes?). The proposed cost of this was significantly less by a factor of 10, or maybe a $50 Billion. Additionally, this makes the idea of a continuous planetary presence a distinct possibility.
On the other hand, the spacecraft depicted in the film being discussed manages to deal well with the problem of bone decalcification under reduced gravity. 'Nuff said about that (spoiler alert!).
Overall, NASA hopes this will rekindle some excitement in the possibility of Man again being the explorer, vis a vis Magellan.
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Erik
Trad climber
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Jan 20, 2016 - 09:31am PT
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I thought it was "Meh".
For one it was so painfully politically correct it wasn't even funny. The studio bent over backwards it seems to have all races and genders included in every single leading position. Which isn't bad, but it was obvious what they were doing. And they still got flak for not being inclusive enough! lol Maybe they needed a transgender bisexual Inuit in there too somewhere for good measure.
Two - the overbearing soundtrack was schmaltzy and annoying
Three -- pretty unrealistic overall (surviving on nothing but potatoes? Driving 500 km in a vehicle with a 10 km range to find an ancient buried rover and miraculously revive it's communication potential? Gimme a break)
Four -- for a character who found himself in such a dire survival situation, there was zero suspense or apprehension conveyed by the film. Typical Hollywood though -- it's just the catchy music that counts in the end.
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lars johansen
Trad climber
West Marin, CA
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Jan 20, 2016 - 09:37am PT
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For intelligent scifi try "Europa Report" as well-lars
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Jan 20, 2016 - 10:43am PT
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You're a tough customer Erik. Definitely some suspended belief required for all the low-probability events to come together in the movie, but it is conceivable and it is a movie after all.
One problem with making a movie is that if you made just few enough engineering triumphs and overcoming circumstances to mirror reality with similar probability outcomes, the events might be truly amazing and wonderful but the over-stimulated and high-expectation movie-going audience would be yawning and unimpressed. Too much blending of fantasy and reality in movies for most people to get excited by plain old amazing instances of reality.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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Jan 20, 2016 - 11:20am PT
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bdc, I have the book actually. From years and years ago. I just have to get off my ass one of these days and read it.
Looks like we have a few naysayers and deniers on this thread. When the day comes - trips to Mars - they can stay home.
I wonder how that project to send humans on a one way mission to mars is coming along. I havent' heard anything lately other than there are hundreds if not thousands who have volunteered.
I'd go in a heartbeat.
Now that I'm 50-plus.
Mars here we come.
Comparing Moon (2009) and The Martian (2015), the latter was more upbeat and hopeful. I liked that. Maybe it was mostly the (disco) music though. And the "comedy"? lol
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Erik
Trad climber
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Jan 20, 2016 - 11:24am PT
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We should probably learn to take care of our home planet first before we go off and mess up another one.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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Jan 20, 2016 - 11:27am PT
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Well, I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. Not with 7 billion plus and still growing. Maybe after a few boon and bust cycles we'll get around to it? By then we might be on Mars. We can hope.
Don't be such a debbie downer.
The future is bright. (Just not for us.)
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WBraun
climber
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Jan 20, 2016 - 11:33am PT
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You foolish earthlings will never get to colonize any planet.
You are on earth for a reason.
And you're modern science has no clue why.
Thus you will never be issued a passport to other planets until you understand why you're even here to begin with.
Instead you can keep floating around in your space station around earths orbit doing nothing except drooling.
Clueless modern people .....
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
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Jan 20, 2016 - 11:39am PT
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By the way,
how'd you like that tension early on between the commander (female, btw, less testosterone?) and Watley? "Prep for departure." "Let's wait it out." "We're scrubbed." "Let's wait it out."
Could just as well been a project in the high sierra. "We better bail." "Let's go for it." 'We better bail."
When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 20, 2016 - 01:09pm PT
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HFCS-
My recollection of the book is growing dim, since Amazon sent me a publisher's pre-print version several years ago. The racial balancing act was OK, but the female Commander (her Navy rank) allowed her to overrule the rest of the crew re: emergency Mars departure, hence a scrubbed mission. Yeah, in several instances, the plot is a bit "hokey," but never out of the realm of possibility (not probability?).
One thing necessary for this undertaking in the "real world" would be some systems redundancy, not putting all your Basques in one Exit.
My curiosity always overwhelms me when a chance to do something this interesting coincides with the availability of technology. Would I go to Mars on a one way journey? Probably, which depends on what sort of "life" one would have. Go there to just die there? Nope. Go there and do some science there before dying a natural death? Yep.
The possibility of detection of now extinct life forms in rocks as fossils? Detecting subsurface molds, bacteria, fungi? I'd be into that in a heartbeat. Even though I'm now an old curmudgeon, I'm still a research chemist curmudgeon My curiosity about the physical universe overwhelms my desires to simply rot in place.
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