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''Rocketship X-M'' (also known as ''Expedition Moon'' and originally as ''Rocketship Expedition Moon'') is a 1950 American black-and-white science fiction film from Lippert Pictures, the first outer space adventure of the post-World War II era. The film was produced and directed by Kurt Neumann, and stars Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, John Emery, Noah Beery, Jr., Hugh O'Brian and Morris Ankrum. ''Rocketship X-M'' tells the story of a Moon expedition that, through a series of unforeseen events, winds up traveling instead to distant Mars. Once on the Red Planet, its crew discovers the remnants of a Martian civilization destroyed long ago by atomic war and now reverted to barbarism. ==Plot== Four men and a woman blast into outer space from the White Sands Proving Ground aboard the RX-M (Rocketship Expedition-Moon) on humanity's first expedition to Luna. Halfway to their destination, the RX-M's engines shut down; the problem is resolved by recalculating the fuel mixture ratios and then moving around some of the propellent tanks and their connecting hoses. When the engines are reignited, the RX-M rapidly careens out of control, accidentally setting the spaceship on a runaway course heading beyond the Moon and into deep space. During this burst of rapid acceleration, the crew, one by one, becomes unconscious due to a drop in oxygen pressure. The engines are shut off just in time. At some later time, perhaps many days, they slowly come around. The revived crew soon discovers the RX-M has traveled some 50,000,000 miles while they were unconscious. Against all odds, this surprising sequence of events has put them on a direct course heading toward Mars. They also notice the RX-M's speed is still increasing, this time due to gravitational attraction: the Red Planet is drawing them in. They quickly calculate they are only 50,000 miles away. This forces Dr. Karl Eckstrom (John Emery) to "pause and observe respectfully while something infinitely greater assumes control." The RX-M passes through the Martian atmosphere and begins its landing, eventually setting down just as a rain storm begins. The next morning the scientists, clad in aviation oxygen masks due to the low atmospheric pressure, begin exploring the desolate surface of Mars, eventually coming across physical evidence of a now dead advanced civilization: a partially buried-in-the-sand, stylized, Art Deco- or Tiki culture-like metal face sculpture, and in the distance Moderne architecture-like ruins. Their Geiger counter registers a dangerous radiation count in that direction, however, keeping them well away; from the levels of radiation in this "city," it is clear that a long time ago there had been an atomic war on Mars. After the explorers find refuge for the night in a canyon cave, they notice in the distance the primitive descendants of that civilization emerging from behind boulders and creeping toward them. Amazed, Dr. Eckstrom comments "From Atomic Age to Stone Age." Soon after leaving the cave, two of the explorers have an encounter with a dark-haired woman who has lost her footing and rolled down a hill toward them; she is blind, with thick, milky cataracts on both eyes. She screams in terror at the sound of their oxygen mask muffled voices. They quickly retreat, and she is just as quickly led away by two bald tribesmen with severe radiation burns on their backs. The primitives then attack, throwing large rocks and stone axes. Armed with only a bolt-action .30-06 rifle and .38 caliber revolver, the explorers defend themselves by purposely missing their pursuers. Two are killed during the ensuing pursuit, including Dr. Eckstrom, felled by a stone axe; one more is badly injured by a large thrown rock. The three survivors eventually make their way back to the safety of the RX-M. The return voyage proves disastrous. The RX-M manages to make it back to Earth, but the survivors calculate they have inadequate fuel remaining for a safe landing. Col. Graham contacts their White Sands base by radio and reports their dire status to Dr. Fleming (Morris Ankrum), who listens intently and wordlessly over his headphones. Col. Graham's report is not heard, but Fleming's subtle reactions tells of the crew's odyssey, their discovery on Mars of a once advanced civilization destroyed long ago by atomic war, and of the crew fatalities at the hands of its descendants reverted to barbarism. The RX-M begins its uncontrolled descent and Col. Graham and Dr. Van Horn embrace while consoling one another in the remaining moments left to them. Through the crew cabin's large porthole, they bravely watch their very rapid descent as the RX-M crashes into the mountains of Nova Scotia. The press is later informed by a shaken Dr. Fleming that the entire crew has perished. When asked if their mission was a failure, he responds with confidence and conviction in his voice, stating that all theories about manned spaceflight and exploration have now been proven. He continues, underscoring the point that a dire warning has been received that could very well mean the salvation of humanity, "A new spaceship, the RX-M-2, begins construction tomorrow." The pioneering exploration begun by the first RX-M's heroic crew will continue; this is only the beginning. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Rocketship X-M」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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