137 comments

  • I thought the movie was good, however the books are “always” better.
    Details in the books are much finer than in the movies. And as someone had said before ERB wrote the barsoom novels first….Stars Wars came a long time afterwards, The barsoom books are science fiction classics which a large majority of authors (of today) drew upon. before I say anything good or bad about a sequel, I want to see it first and compare it to the book. By the way “The Princess Of Mars” is an excellent book.

  • I agree that Hollywood is out of ideas…how many remakes have they come out with recently that were nothing more that cast changes (Footloose, Steel Magnolias, The Thing, etc.)?
    JC was original, though horribly marketed. It should have at least had the word ‘Mars’ in the title. Hopefully the sequel will be titled ‘The Gods of Mars’ and will have legitimate trailers (Voice-over of Dejah explaining the history and culture of Mars, with her as at the end of JC, “Barsoom”. Show images of the relationships and the story and not just the creatures). Do something to at least ‘try’ to build interest.

  • historia de mas de 100 años quien dio origen a muchas versiones taquilleras, excelente la pelicula parece real es original y el hecho que fracasara en taquilla no lo se sera por mal markting, taylor kitsch demostro ser un gran actor esperemos la 2 parte creo que taylor puedo demostrar su talento.
    he leido que muchas pliculas se basaron en john carter de marte es una pena haber esperado tanto pero bueno ahora tengo 23 años y puedo verla a parte taylor es el ideal para el papel

  • just wanted to say this film was one of my favorite in a long time. hollywood has been making so many bad movies of late it is nice to see one of this caliber come along. it would be a huge mistake for a sequel not to be made! if nothing else mabey you should just do it because you have had so many faithful fans of other movies over the years.

  • Pity the reviewers of John Carter were so illiterate that they thought it was a take off of Avatar and Star Wars. There would be no Avatar or Star Wars without John Carter of Mars. This is one of the best movies ever made with such a dreadfully mismanaged marketed model. Disney should have foreseen the need to educate the public as part of their marketing strategy. JC is a failure of the studio executives and not the movie.

  • John Carter (of Mars) is becoming one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s like Star Wars for big kids. Everytime I watch it I notice more little details and My appreciation for how well it was done grows. When I saw Avatar I thought “This should have been John Carter”. Pity JCOM wasn’t out first, then there wouldn’t be any confusion about which came first!

  • I already commented on another thread about how excellent this movie is and the fact remains that I am holding out hope for a sequel and actively seeking news of one online. The fan-base for JC has the make and feel of a current-day Star Wars. I am already finding fan-art pop up on some of the largest international websites for art and design (such as Deviantart.com) and I suspect that even without the currency to justify a sequel, the devotion of a rising cult classic fan-base could push the possibilities in a positive direction.

  • “John Carter” is the best Sci-Fy movie since “Star Wars.” Extraordinary cinematography, a perfect cast, a fascinating story buttressed, but not overwhelmed by dazzling special effects with characters and issues –a dying planet–that I really cared about. I saw the film twice and went out to buy the Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Princess of Mars” novel which I now plan on team teaching with the astronomy and history teachers next year. Civil War, love, honor, friendship, family, racial prejudice, father-daughter theme, woman as intelligent warrior, the environment, astronomy. An outstanding film. Encore! I would change the title to “John Carter of Mars,” so audiences know they are going to see a Sci-Fy film. With a more effective marketing campaign and word of mouth praise audiences will come.

  • It’s great to see so many positive comments about a film I have waited to see since I read aPoM in 1957. Between the self proclaimed critic’s blogs before the film was seen, to the poor marketing of Disney Studios, no wonder it was a setup to fail. I took a close friend to see the film at his request. He is the kind of guy that naps during a movie. Well he stayed awake the entire film and loved it, He had never read aPoM or any other ERB book.

    Was it my view of aPoM? No, however it was a 10 as far as an Action/SF film can be. I’ve seen it 3 times and pre-ordered the Blu-Ray.

  • Well, its gone from the theaters. I saw it four times and would have seen it more but I felt a little foolish telling my wife I wanted to see it one more time. She liked it too and saw it twice with me. But she gave me strange looks the last two time I went. I grew up loving the books. (Note to Victor Forsythe: I have all the books from the 60’s as well and always said that if I had a daughter I’d name her Deja) This movie brought it all back to life for me. The tharks, the throats, Woola, the world of Barsom. I was shocked when I learned it was doing so poorly. If there is ever to be a sequel, it will but up to us the fans to make it happen. If you liked the movie and want to see more, rent it, buy it, get it for presents, buy JC stuff from the Disney store on line and sign the petition to John Lasseter at Disney to do a sequel. It can only happen if Disney continues to recoup their losses. Don’t let this great series die with only one film.

  • Good, but not without flaws – the major one being that because everyone was assuming they’d get a sequel green lit, several plot strands were left either unexplained or simply made no sense – Who/what are the Warhoons? Why do the Therns send JC back to Earth at the end? Why not just kill him when they have the chance?

  • My wife and I went to see John Carter in the theater this past Friday. I really wanted to see it in IMAX 3-D, but with all the bad reviews it received and what not, I put it off until now. A good friend of mine who is a big fan of the novels (as am I) told me it was quite good and not to believe the critics. Well, after seeing it, I have to agree with him. Why this movie received such a universal panning is beyond me. Why Disney did such a crap job of promoting it is also beyond me. From the sounds of it, there was A LOT of politics going on at the House the Mouse Built and it looks like John Carter took the hit because of it.

    The film is not without its faults. I think the story line was a bit convoluted and strayed a bit too far from Burroughs books. In other words, it got Hollywood-ized, which is to be expected with the studio suits these days. My major gripe has to do with the casting of Taylor Kitsch as John Carter. He did okay, but I’m in the same camp as a lot of folks out there that Hugh Jackman should have been the man to play Carter. His screen presence alone would have kicked the production up a notch. Lynn Collins did a great job as Dejah despite some of her dialogue being a bit clumsy. She wasn’t the exact physical embodiment of Dejah Thoris I have in my head, but then what woman could be?

    This movie did fall short of being “EPIC” in stature, and I think that responsibility falls on the folks at Disney giving the movie over to Pixar’s Andrew Stanton instead of someone like a Peter Jackson or Ridley Scott, who have directed LIVE ACTION movies of a similar epic nature. The real tragedy here is that we are very likely not going to see another Barsoom movie for a long time due to Disney’s mishandling of the JCM Property. I just hope we don’t have to wait another hundred years, though.

  • Fire the marketing department. John Carter OF MARS! was a hit in my book. I loved the Civil War undertones. The 1900’s atmosphere. The depiction of Mars. The animation and the cast of Rome which fitted perfectly with the gravitas of the city states. The flying craft looked liked they could work. So ignore the critics – what do they know. I chose to ignore them (I don’t like being told what to think) and voted with my feet. Great fun Disney well done. I’m sure it will become a classic and I hope that the ball begins to roll due to people power!

  • “There is barely a science fiction movie that EVER comes out that I’m not aware of in advance … However with John Carter this was NOT the case … Disney Marketing I suspect deliberately sabotaged the publicity and promotional campaigns for some unknown reason. Barely a mention about it crossed my internet existence. ”

    I’m just as big an SF fan as you say you are, and I knew about the JC years ago and eagarly awaited it’s release. The Internet provided TONS of information about the film.

    This trend toward conspiracy thinking is an example of inanity and reductionism. There is a saying: “Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.”

  • I am what you would call a sci-fi fan, from the original series of Star Trek back in early 70’s growing up through all the advances in motion capture to Modern Cgi techniques I have been there on the first day opening of Starship Troopers and first day openings of AVATAR, Bought the series FIREFLY on its day of release etc.. etc.. There is barely a science fiction movie that EVER comes out that I’m not aware of in advance..

    However with John Carter this was NOT the case. Disney Marketing I suspect deliberately sabotaged the publicity and promotional campaigns for some unknown reason. Barely a mention about it crossed my internet existence.

    I got to say… Its not almost the end of April and I’m only becoming aware of JOHN CARTER the movie NOW and albeit too late to see at the cinemas in Australia. I managed to watch a version online but I SOOOO desperately wanted to see it at the cinemas (And take my kids along).. They had it showing for about 1 month only and then dropped it like a hot potato. I have called every cinema in my state in despair to see it and no such luck. Reading the reviews by high paid idiots I am stunned at the bad reviews and shock resignations over what is by far DISNEYS best movie they have released in a decade.

    Intellectual and exciting, this movie shows humanity, grit and adventure. I am definitely going to be buying a DVD when its released. The plot is incredibly rich and diverse with deep cross character interplays. The typical Disney scenes of hero meets princess was to be expected, but then deep in this movies plot Disney delivered a WHOLE lot more than I truly expected.

    More stunning visually than AVATAR, deeper plot lines than Star Wars and better character development than Indiana Jones… John Carter is a movie that I have now commented on EVERY trailer on youtube about. I simply cannot wait until I can buy the DVD to watch it on my home TV.
    -Steve J

  • I have read the first four books of john carter cycle. I think the film captures very well the first two books. as correct adaptation, uses elements of the books and add other more current. An example is the plot of Therns. A pity that the love story between John and Dejah has not been better publicized. Also do not understand the answer in USA rooms. Also disappointed in the UK and Italy. Japan has not received the film well. By contrast the overall result in the world is correct but could be improved. $ 200 million (33 million in Russia). Moreover, China has raised 41 million. Missing debut in India but I think that will happen as in Japan. The bad press has weighed too much on this movie. I would have liked to see a trilogy. There is enough material in the 11 books to develop many stories. I am realistic and I think that Disney continue with a sequel. Should. happen so that something exceptional happened. I wish I could say back to Barsoom.

  • Great flick! Haven’t read the books but I have borrowed some from a friend. Some parts seemed dated and perhaps details from ERB’s book could have been modified. My daughter said she loved the movie (we’ve seen it 3 times together) but she never would have gone on her own based on the trailer so poor advertizing may have played a hand in the poor box office reception. Also, my wife complained about the title; “it sounds so ordinary.” Saw it last night as it is heading out of town but we had to drive ~ 30min to see it in one of the few remaining theaters where it is showing. May have been a dozen diehard fans but everyone enjoyed it. All the laugh lines got lot of laughter. Love the dog!!!

  • I’m from Hong Kong and loved John Carter. I even watched it 3 times and still can’t get enough. It was an awesome and great movie. Fantastic actors, gorgeous her and a beautiful princess. WOOLA is super cute.Can’t wait for the release of the DVD..

  • I loved this movie. I want to return to Barsoom. I never see movies more than once. But I went to this one 3 days in a row. It struck something deep in my pysche. I felt the story was excellent, the actors well casted, and the cgi did not distract from the story. The green martians looked real as did the martian setting in the film. I also never buy DVDs, a waste of money, but I will break my rule for this film. It was an epic, with high adventure, romance, a beautiful princess, and great action. I encourage anyone who has not seen this film to do so now

  • I absolutely loved this movie. I watch a *lot* of movies, and this is tied with Avatar as my favorite SciFi movie of the past couple decades. I might go further and say that this is to 2012 what A New Hope was to 1977 (or at least what Return of the Jedi was to 1983).

    I watched it in 2D the first time, and then went back to the theater a couple of weeks later and watched it in 3D. I loved it in both versions.

    It puzzles and angers me to hear how poorly this movie was reviewed. It makes me wonder if the critics slept through the movie or didn’t have time to watch it, or something along those lines.

    I really hope that the word gets out about this movie, so that sequels can be made. It would be a great injustice in the film industry if this movie ended as a flop, while so many lesser movies succeed. I’m glad to see that there is a site like this one which can portray the movie in a better, more accurate light.

  • I still have the original paperbacks to all the Barsoom series I got back in the 60’s

    I even made myself a Martian warriors harness costume.

    My favorite one was Mastermind of Mars

    I named my daughter after Deja, the Princess of Mars

  • I like it more as I think about the movie. The marketing was sinful…they should have used more Dejah / Carter interactions, referenced ERB boldly, had a voice intor to explain teh cultural/environmental/historical persepctives.

    I may try to go see it one more time this week-end. I will pre-order teh DVD/Blueray from Amazon this week-end.

    Not making a sequel with some legitimate marketing would be a HUGE Disney mistake.

    ron

    ( http://www.rongoulden.com/Literary.htm )

  • I loved the movie. I sincerely hope and pray that someone will continue the series with a sequel. Disney failed miserably by not referencing ERB in their marketing.

  • Fantastic adventure film. Very accurate adaptation of Edgar Rice books. Upgrade your stories to our times. This film has nothing to envy of Star Wars, who used his theme as did G. Luke with “Men of the lenses.” This film is worthy of a trilogy. The books support it. I do not understand the American public, who has caused massive failure to attend the theaters. Also do not understand why the public youth opts for teenagers movies, bland and boring. J.C. is adventure, with a script quite right (not for Oscar), fun, with romance and well finished. I’d go back to Mars with John Carter.

  • By Issus I love this film! It was absolutely fantastic and this websites fantrailer was the very reason I saw this film on day one! So kudos to this site for that. Again if Andrew Stanton, the cast and crew,and/or anyone who works at Disney is reading this, from the bottom of my heart thank you from bringing us film goers the best sci-fi/adventure film seen in years.

  • I just revised my review on Rotten Tomatoes (half star up):

    Ugly, but beautiful. This puzzling block buster could have been a wake-up call for Hollywood’s repeating treadmill, but unfortunately the clumsy narration makes it hard to connect. An amazing world and a spectacular movie that will grow on second views, becoming one of the few to remember.

  • i really am not sure what all the fuss was about…
    good story…
    great effects…
    a mysteriuous lead with a dark history..
    And a loveable monster dog thing…
    i loved it

  • I loved it! I’m a fairly easy-going movie goer these days. I do love a good sci-fi flick though. As a fan of Star Trek and Doctor Who, its not hard to love John Carter. I’m glad I went! The characters had way more depth than I was expecting and I was pleased to see it. The color, art and costume design was AWESOME! I can’t wait for “the making of” book to come out. I felt like the story was intriguing and I didn’t get pulled out by a weird outlier, that sometimes happens in films like this. The quality of story, sets and actors was consistent throughout. I guess I’m saying I really liked the film. I don’t know why folks were bashing it or comparing it to Avatar. They are so different. Besides, I like John Carter better anyway.

  • I agree…the marketing was criminal. Disney should fire their entire marketing staff. The trailers make it look like little more than a rehashed Conan.

    They should have had more of the interaction between John & Dejah (Much like Leia’s kissing Luke ‘for luck’ in Star Wars.) When I saw the trailers, I was almost inclined to skip the movie, even though I’ve been an ERB fan for more than 50 years.

    Collins made a believable Dejah, in spite of the tattoos.

    I too hope for at least one sequel.

  • John Carter continues to divide the audience like no other film of the last decades, and this is already an extraordinary achievement that deserves further study. To explain it in a few words, I’d say that Stanton created Barsoom really amazing, but his way to tell the story just didn’t work. Hopefully the sequel will put it right.

  • “John Carter” is the answer to a dream for me, that began almost 50 years ago, when I was 15. I’ve wanted to see this story, done properly, on the big screen ever since. When I first saw “Avatar,” I knew that the means finally existed to do Burroughs’ masterpiece real justice. Then, finding out that Stanton was another long time Burroughs fan was almost too good to be true. Now, we HAVE to get “Gods” and “Warlord” made as well, hopefully without the unnecessary expense to production and aggravation to viewing of 3D.

  • Awesome film, can’t say enough good. It is everything I imagined in 1972 when I first read the books.

  • I just re-watched Jason and the Argonauts and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and it occurred to me…John Carter is essentially the same style and type of movie! Harryhausen had actually tried to make a Barsoom film, but (surprise surprise) it would have been far too ambitious and expensive to make. I think the spirit and style of these films is essentially the same kind of energy that was captured by Stanton and crew.

    The parts that bug me about John Carter are the addition of the dead family, and the attempt to create a complex, overarching plot that would extend into sequels. The story would have benefited from greater simplicity, and understanding that John Carter is, by definition, a bit of a blank slate as a character. The additional ‘depth’ given to him by the script actually works against the style of the movie…its a 21st century angel on the character show-horned into a retro story, which I think is why the whole ‘damaged goods’ aspect of Carter doesn’t work for me. It is alien to the story, is a deliberate and self-conscious attempt to make the audience feel something, and therefore doesn’t flow naturally from the narrative.

    Strip away the clutter, and you have a perfect example of a Harryhausen picture, which is why I enjoy the movie as much as I do.

  • Our family enjoyed “John Carter” very much — wish we could have seen it in an IMAX theater. The film had the right mixture of action (but not gore), romance, humor and fantastic
    special effects. Lynn Collins was excellent (and Taylor Kitsch did a great job too). I read this book series, but it was some years ago — so I was not caught up in picking out the differences from the novel. I would definitely love to see a sequel!

  • ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE EVER SEEN! I can’t believe the unfair critics about the movie…… the movie is BRILLIANT…. I’m gonna see it again tomorrow, I saw it for the first time yesterday, also yesterday I watched ‘hunger games’, hunger games is the worst movie I have seen in my life, I still can’t believe I paid for it!

  • Well said, g fowler! JC could really have been the new Star Wars, it has the same “sense of wonder” of the 1977 original!
    I’m not saying this is the best movie I’ve ever seen (it isn’t) but it’s truly different from most of modern films in a refreshing way: rich in characterization, fun but moving and thoughtful too, full of wonderful special effects that aren’t more important than the story.

    The “alieness” you’re referring to is a very important element and it’s there on the screen, especially in the Tharks’ scenes. We feel like we’re exploring a truly different world with its races, civilizations, science, politics etc.
    Is this “too alien” for modern audiences?
    Are we living in a society so dumbed-down and conformist that a movie that doesn’t look like 1000 others before (no matter what the critics said…) it’s too difficult to be successful?
    I hope not.
    And the many people (younger or older) who loved it and show their support here on this great site, on the Take me back to Barsoom FB page and everywhere on the Net make me think that hope is not lost yet…

  • The criticism hurts because I think this is the best film that I`ve ever seen (4 times so far).
    Why? Because it aims SO high compared to other recent films. eg Avatar -its closest rival- is so simple – cripple gains legs and becomes environmentalist – that you know what`s going to happen from 15 minutes in.So predictable-During most recent films you can almost feel your IQ dropping.
    JC is really,really beautiful and really makes you feel like you`re there because it embraces the alienness – characters,dialogue,habits-instead of using more understandable stereotypes transported from California.
    It`s not quite perfect though-Quite a few scenes are a little disorientating- Sab Than trapped and saved before you realise it (or losing an arm!)etc etc.
    This film aims so high,you can forgive it this.It`s the new Star Wars.
    But if critics say that it`s bombed from day #1,what chance does it have?

  • It seems I´m one of the few people who felt fascinated by the dreadful trailer. I´ve seen in many, many times. I felt drawn to Barsoom, I wanted to explore Helium. I loved the movie and the score. Giacchino made a great score. I read the books afterwards. I do have a problem with female characters, so I found Dejah Thoris really inspiring, strong….and beautiful. The chemistry between them was great and the touches of humor. I understand that changes sometimes are needed (I felt really angry after some of those changes in LOTR:THE RETURN OF THE KING and I´m not a hard core Tolkien fan)but I don´t think they hurt the movie so much. I missed the sense of time. There is a limited number of hours in a day for the Two Moons to rise, but I got over it and the not-wedding scene is one of my favourites. I didn´t realise how powerful bad comments and reviews and publicity may be till I start recommending it to my friends. Hope it helps.

  • I have finally gotten around to seeing “John Carter” a second time.

    Yes, this is an excellent movie. Yes, the Barsoom of Burroughs has been brought to the screen. Not, perhaps, as I saw it on the screen inside my head, but that is a truth for each of us to measure this movie against.

    Certainly there are changes from “A Princess of Mars”. Most are forgiveable, especially having just recently reread the first three novels.

    A change in how John Carter gets to Mars was needed, for the idea of “astral projection” simply would not work for most movie-goers today. The change to technology rather than what amounted to magic made the other changes necessary.

    And, standing back from these novels and looking at them with a critical eye, Burroughs wrote an exciting tale, but he did not build a story that would translate into a movie.

    For obvious reasons, I should think, as the movies were not much beyond a novelty when this was published.

    The adventures of John Carter on Mars, especially in the first novel, read more like the events of life, for all the fantastic elements, as there is no guiding force, no central plot, but rather the events of a man thrust onto a strange and distant shore.

    As the first novel of a man who would go on to write such amazing adventures, we can forgive the somewhat aimless nature of “A Princess of Mars”, even tracing the growing skill of the author as he goes along in his first endeavour at writing. As a movie, however, this would never appeal to the modern audience, especially with a large block that never read the original.

    In the end, I give this effort the highest marks, though I will go on to agree with others that the marketing of “John Carter” was nearly a complete failure. A failure which, I fear, will mean that it is unlikely that we will see a Disney sequel of this, and will have to wait years–those of us who will live that long–to see a new adventure on the dying planet of Barsoom.

  • I read these stories when i was a young boy at grandma’s house, where she had all the old hardcover Edgar Rice Burroughs novels. I was ecstatic that they were finally coming to life on the screen. The movie was very good. I would rate it A-.

    But where the hell was the marketing on this movie? Why was the historical context not capitalized on? Why did the trailers tell us nothing important about the film? Why were movie reviewers panning the film with over-the-top negative hyperbole before we even had a chance to see it?

    This movie was NOT flop-material! It was a good enjoyable film! But they spent $100 million on MARKETING??!!! Where the hell did that money go?! The marketing department ran off with a huge bundle of cash and failed to generate enough critical interest.

    Whatever! I loved the film and i will buy the dvd.

  • Several weeks ago I saw a trailer for a science fiction flic called John Carter. All that was shown was a virtually unkown cast(which I love when done right), a pretty red -skinned girl that was obviously wearing a ton of make-up on that wasn’t explained, a man throwing people around as if they were light as a feather, some flying ships, something about Mars, and some green skinned aliens with 4 arms. The movie that was depicted in this $250 million budgeted blockbuster’s trailer was that of something you go out of your way to avoid and dislike without ever giving it a try, or seeing it.

    The fact is, this movie is nothing like the badly put together trailers for it. You are on the edge of your seat the entire time being fed little by little an amazing journey with a storyline, plot, universe, and characters to not just rival Avatar, but to top it. You are drawn in through a historical yet science fiction 19th century atmosphere that has you questioning if your in the right movie or not. The flashbacks and pre-setups that take place from everything to the current timeline of the story to the main characters previous family keep you interested, intrigued, and not able to predict some linear obvious plot like today’s movies normaly do. The main storyline continues to entice all the way through till what seems to be an ending to the main plot and a temporary but happy ending to the romantic subplot.

    Romance, no matter how many people try to deny it, makes or brakes a movie. The cast involved, the emotional levels, the depth or lack of depth involved, the accurate gestures, the dialogue, etc. lays the foundation for the plot. John Carter’s romance provides a perffect mixture of mystery, fueds, drama, and just the right amount of screen time to make the actual plot believable and interactive.

    Being a part of the technological generation that has strayed away from reading and more towards social networking, television, and movies is almost a curse. I had never heard of the amazing book franchise that sparked this motion pictures creation and funded the breathtaking world that is John Carter. I inted to read the first books I haven’t had to read for college in the next couple months, and they will be the novels that inspired John Carter.

    John Carter deserves more than just a sequel, and I believe 90% of the science fiction fans who have actually seen the movie and not the trailers or negative reviews know this. Nothing else can be said besides the marketing FAIL on behalf of Disney or if the director really was solo’ly responsible for the advertisement. Anyone with a brain can tell there a significant market for science fiction in this messed up world we live in with a disapearing middle class and a growing instability in governments. Disney would be out of their minds to not introduce a new commercial or last minute advertisement campaign and attempt to gain a larger gross from the weeks John Carter still has in theatres and the dvd release.

    10/10 and replaces Avatar in my mind as the most interesting fantasy universe I have yet to come across and would like more of. I will continue to spread the word of what a real movie should look like, like John Carter.

  • Let’s talk marketing.

    I saw the 1st preview for JCOM during the Super Bowl, and thought I was hallucinating since I had no idea the books were even being turned into a movie. I had read them all – much like some of the previous comments – as a goofy adolescent with a passion for science fiction, and a shortage of popularity, circa 1981.

    I was such a hardcore fan. I made a cardboard Jetan playing board with all the pieces decorated and showing available moves. I also discovered the Tarzan books, Time Forgot books, and other classic “pulp” by ERB.

    Why was this movie never promoted as, From the Creator of “Tarzan”?

    I think it’s a travesty how poorly this movie was promoted… yet a small slice of me is thankful it flopped, because I didn’t particularly want to share my secret love with the masses.

    For me, I bought Synthetic Men of Mars because of the awesome Michael Whelan artwork on the cover, and ended up immersed in my own visions of Barsoom, going back to a Princess of Mars and reading the whole series from start to finish.

    Long story short: Sometimes a Hollywood-flop is just a way for us true fans to keep John Carter’s fantastic world all for ourselves.

    Unrelated PS: When’s the Druuna movie getting made? LOL

  • I am so glad I actually liked the people that played John Carter and Dejah Thoris . It was sooo important to me and I think Whew !!! they got that part right….
    I would really love to see an ongoing stream of adventures by John Carter and Dejah Thoris….
    I think that a positive viewpoint that is publically proclaimed by folks brings the story Alive more…
    I have searched the net for more pictures and vid clips etc …
    I have found some really great art and fun wallpaper for backgrounds on my computer desktop….! Especially for my iphone ….
    Have you folks actually gone to the Disney website and looked at the John Carter Swag….???
    AND SERIOUSLY look at the Edger Rice Burroughs Website… its really fantastic !!!!!!

  • Let me preface my reaction to the film with an anecdote: I literally owe my life to John Carter, the Warlord of Barsoom. I discovered the Barsoom novels when I was 14 years old after watching Carl Sagan’s “Blues for the Red Planet” segment of “Cosmos” in Junior High Science class. After hearing about these amazing books I recalled seeing what I thought might be them at my local library, I went and found them and began reading “The Gods of Mars” the following weekend. Now let me also say that my Junior High/early High School years were not very good for me. I was tormented and bullied and downright harassed. Every day. It was sheer hell. At home I had no refuge, I was being raised by a single father who although a good provider materially was emotionally distant to say that least. The Barsoom series became my escape, my refuge. ERB is why I didn’t become a teenage suicide statistic. I have continued reading the books and continue to love them. I’m now a happy socially functional 29 year old with a career and a family and many dear friends who are just like family, all thanks to Barsoom. Thank you ERB. Thank you John Carter.

    So the film, I have to say I was skeptical. I was expecting disaster. I was considering not seeing it at all. I was hesitant after deciding to go. But Stanton, Andrews and Chabon’s interpretation of Barsoom won me over despite the deviation from the source material, and the more I’ve thought about it the less the deviations seem to matter.
    I love the cinematic John Carter. Stanton tapped into something I always felt was there, John Carter’s complex personality and motivations. Chivalrous Virginians don’t turn their backs on their families and run away to remote desolate territories just for the sheer joy of it. I always sensed in reading that first chapter of APOM that John Carter had demons, but in his staid 19th century way he was glossing them over. The climactic scene where John Carter valiantly stands against the charging Warhoon horde is the epitome of what Burroughs John Carter was and is. The John Carter trilogy of Barsoom novels (APOM, GOM, WOM) are Carter’s personal journey of rebirth on a new world, his life on Earth was over, his life on Barsoom commenced but only because he finds new purpose in his dedication to the Princess Dejah Thoris. The film not only captured that, it enhanced it. In wonderful ways. The Warhoon battle scene won me over.

    John Carter is an amazing film. Truly inspiring if we can open ourselves up to it. Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, Michael Chabon gave us a brilliant story. Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willen Dafoe and the whole cast brought life to Burroughs amazing characters. Kitsch really wowed me, I wasn’t expecting such a genuine and powerful performance, the people who are tearing it down must not have seen the same film I did. If any of those who helped put our beloved Fighting Man of Virginia, his beloved Red Martian Princess, his faithful Thark comrade, or his loyal ten legged companion to the silver screen should happen to read this: Thank you, thank you from the deepest place in my heart.

    This film can live on, just like Wizard of Oz, just like Citizen Kane, Cleopatra, and Blade Runner have lived on. All it needs to do so is for we who love it to keep it alive.

    Thanks for this website, its wonderful we Barsoomians have a place to get together and discuss. Sorry for the long winded reaction, but concision has never been a skill of mine. Best wishes. AC.

  • I loved the John Carter Movie !! I especially loved the Air battle at the beginning of the movie where 3 Helium flying gunships were swarming the Zodangian Battlecruiser…!!!

    If only those Nasty Therns had not been there !!!!

    The Movie left me with good feelings and I loved everyone… so By all means I want to see more…!!!

    I also Wish the Website here The John Carter Files would post MORE PICTURES !!!!!!

    I want to see More Dejah Thoris !!! and more THARKS !!! and More John Carter !!!

    Give me links !!! Give me Pictures and Give me Ringtones !!!!!

  • I am astounded at the response by some of the critic completely over the top. I think the fil is excellent and,for me,better than Avatar or the last 3 Star Wars films.

    It is beyond me that Disney would talk this film down when its doing great business here in the UK and across Europe.

    Everyone who has actually seen the film, loves it- so shame on those blinkered so called critics.

    i hope it still has legs and word of mouth gets people in the cinema i am going to see it again this weekend in 2D

    Well done Andrew Stanton its a great film I loved it

  • I am a fan of the original books and have been waiting for this movie for about 30 years. I enjoyed the film very much and will definitely buy the dvd. I would love sequels but after this announcement from disney it doesn’t look likely. This is a great shame. After all the other science fiction which the Barsoom/John Carter books have inspired (Flash Gordon, Adam Strange, Star Wars, Avatar, etc) I think it is awful the way disney are treating the film, but I will stay and fight for Barsoom!

  • I think you put it perfectly, Terry. All too often I read people saying that the changes Stanton made ‘updated’ the film. Personally, I felt they did the opposite. Like you said, it went from having the potential to be a truly great science fiction film, to a standard popcorn-fodder film, with very little to do with the far superior, original and more coherently plotted and characterised source material.

    As for sequels… If someone other than Stanton took control and managed to pull things back in line with the true characters and stories, then I’d be interested.

    If Stanton is left in charge, then no, I have no interest in seeing sequels either. The way he’s set things up means that any sequels will be even more drastic departures from the source material, which is difficult, considering how little this one had to do with the book already.

  • Well. It’s been one week to the day since I saw the movie with a small group of friends and family. With ages ranging from 15 to 63 years amongst the group. Everyone including myself enjoyed the movie. Now, speaking for just myself I have to say I enjoyed it for what it was. A fun action packed Science Fiction movie enhanced to about a 3 stars out of 5 movie only because of my familiarity and love of the written stories.There are many, many things to be nit-picked about the movie but I’m not going to do that. It’s a personal choice for all of us who are so familiar with the stories on what changes we will except to bring ERB’s works to the big screen. I personally think what Stanton did with the story line concerning the Therns and the ninth ray; along with the character of John Carter, was a bastardization of the core story line. Yes it’s a strong word to use but that’s how I feel about it. I think the changes made the movie ordinary, when it could have been exceptional, and not just (run of the mill) standard fare.

    APOM and TGOM it was not. And to be truthful I have no interest in seeing the story line carried into TWOM. My God! how unrecognizable would that story become.

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