In the old days, when you were marooned, at least they left you with a pistol, some rum, and a single shot. In space, all you get is… Gene Hackman.
Hackman’s character is the weakest link in a satellite mission overseen by temperamental Gregory Peck, in John Sturges’ “Marooned” (1969), our focus for this week’s Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner.
Three astronauts are stranded in orbit, after their capsule’s retro rockets malfunction, making reentry into the earth’s atmosphere impossible. That means they basically have no choice but to sit around and try not to unravel as a rescue attempt is mounted. With David Janssen, Richard Crenna, and James Franciscus in the cast, space was never muskier.
Sturges, director of “The Magnificent Seven” and “The Great Escape,” here lacks his house composer, energetic Elmer Bernstein – or any musical score, for that matter – which is a pity, since if there’s one thing this movie needs, it’s a swift kick in the ass. (Just like Hackman.)
The would-be thriller was given clearance to launch, at the height of first-man-on-the-moon mania. Unfortunately, the special effects, coming so close on the heels of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” are not exactly stellar.
Man-up for our slow-burn conversation about “Marooned.” Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner drifts aimlessly into its second season. Squander your oxygen by shouting in the comments section, as we livestream on Facebook. this Friday evening at 7:00 EDT!