A MESSAGE FROM MARS (1913) has the honour of being the first full-length British science-fiction movie. It is now available to watch online for free.

The British Film Institute has spent six months restoring the movie ready for viewing and incorporated a new soundtrack by Matthew Herbert. Their results can be seen on the BFI website or on the BBC Arts site. BBC Arts also made a documentary about the restoration process and their site is worth having a look over for a few related documentaries.

The film itself stars Charles Hawtrey (at the time a leading comedy actor), who is taught a series of moral lessons by a visiting Martian who cannot return to Mars unless Hawtrey’s character changes his mind about how he lives. It was adapted from a play, popular at the time, that Hawtrey had premiered in London in 1899, taking it to New York in 1901. In substance, it is clearly influenced by DIcken’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. The Martin, Ramiel (E. Holman Clark), has little of the futuristic about him and is more angelic than alien – this brings to mind later classic films such as THE BISHOP’S WIFE or even IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE!

Full information, plus the movie itself, click here.

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW OR ON TWITTER @STARBURST_MAG

Find your local STARBURST stockist HERE, or buy direct from us HERE. For our digital edition (available to read on your iOS, Android, Amazon, Windows 8, Samsung and/or Huawei device – all for just £1.99), visit MAGZTER DIGITAL NEWSSTAND.

CLICK TO BUY!

MORE FROM AROUND THE WEB:

Recommended Posts

No comment yet, add your voice below!


Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *