As I’m once again off to Mars, PA for this years Monster Bash to partake in zany creature features, sit in and listen to film historians and hopefully drop a small fortune on movie memorabilia in the vendors room, I thought it best to celebrate the intended journey with a gallery of film posters that have the key word “MARS” on the printed page.

Borrowed from one of the titles below is this thought provoking narration.

“The heavens. Once an object of superstition, awe, and fear. Now a vast region for growing knowledge. The distance of Venus, the atmosphere of Mars, the size of Jupiter, and the speed of Mercury. All this and more we know. But their greatest mystery the heavens have kept a secret. What sort of life, if any, inhabits these other planets? Human life, like ours? Or life extremely lower in the scale? Or dangerously higher? Seeking the answer to this timeless question, forever seeking, is the constant preoccupation of scientists everywhere. Scientists famous and unknown. Scientists in great universities and in modest homes. Scientists of all ages.”

So let’s start our flight into orbit with a Cameron Mitchell feature.

The Wizard of Oz was of course Frank Morgan but The Wizard of Mars? None other than John Carradine, who else!

If you’re gonna go then why not have some laughs along the way.

A classic story revisited on Mars and it’s even got Adam West!

Even Darren McGavin and Nick Adams made the journey (on the cheap) while the women gambled their love back on Earth. Or so the poster tells me.

How about a change up with this pair of titles you didn’t see coming with Faye Dunaway and Judy Garland.

 

Long before he made us laugh as an Airplane Pilot showing Joey a cockpit, Peter Graves faced down the red planet.

If I was of age in 1954 I know exactly what movie I’d have been going to see this weekend.

Something a little more recent that I get a big kick out of from Tim Burton with a cast that’s out of this world.

Tony Curtis? You bet.

A classic title to be sure from 1953 that saw a remake as I was getting into the study of movie history in 1986.

And tucked away here in the vault comes the remake’s one sheet from Tobe Hooper. A special thanks to Little Brando for helping me locate it.

More to come on my latest venture to Mars next week and feel free to check me out on facebook where I’ll be sure to post a picture or two or three of monsters, green men and the latest memorabilia destined for the vault here at Mike’s Take.