For the past 3500 years, earthlings have been fascinated by their nearest planetary neighbor, Mars. Each civilization and culture has its own observations and stories about Mars, but curiosity about the red planet seems universal and has only grown stronger over the centuries. Every November 28th, we celebrate our global fascination with Mars on Red Planet Day by commemorating the launch of the Mariner 4 spacecraft on November 28, 1964, the first successful earth spacecraft to reach Mars. As of 2024, Mars hosts ten functioning earth spacecraft, seven of which currently orbit the planet with three more operational on the planet's surface. Currently, the hope is for a manned human mission to successfully reach Mars no later than 2050 and a permanent self-sustaining outpost to follow. In celebration of 60 years of Mars exploration and the 60th anniversary of the launch of the Mariner 4 spacecraft, a Mars-themed movie and short poll.
Which of these selected movies or shorts which features travel to and from the planet Mars, and/or is set on the red planet itself or one of its orbiting moons (Phobos and Deimos), and/or has a single or group of Martians among its lead characters is your favorite Mars-themed feature-length movie or short film? Discuss the topic here. #WorldRedPlanetDay
