A Fight That Won Friends
Edgar Rice Burroughs would be most remembered for "Tarzan of the Apes". In fact, there have been too many adaptations of the novel, both in movies and television. This noble savage captured the hearts of generations of readers, who was contemptuous of the hypocrisy of civilization. But fans of Burroughs couldn't forget his other great creation, John Carter. He was the first interplanetary adventurer.
Disney's big-screen version of John Carter's adventures wasn't the first about this mysterious fellow. "Princess of Mars" was out in 2009, with Antonio Sabato Jr. playing John Carter. It was a direct-to-DVD feature, which didn't do favor to Burroughs. But Disney didn't do any better.
"John Carter" was released on March 9, 2012, another adaptation of "A Princess of Mars". It wasn't one of those dates to remember for the studio, as the film bombed. It was a fun depiction of the novel, the first of the Barsoom series. Where did the producers gone wrong? Perhaps they overlooked the fact that the book was published in 1917.
Lost in the sky
"Upon closer observation I saw as we passed them that the buildings were deserted, and while not greatly decayed had the appearance of not having been tenanted for years, possibly for ages."
John Carter, a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War, went prospecting in Arizona. If not for the Apaches, would he end up in a sacred cave? If not for his search of gold, would he be transported to Mars? Chance or coincidence, the native of Virginia found himself in a planet that could only be seen during twilight. Moss abound, and the lack of gravity gave him strength. (Think of Superman.) It didn't take long for him to meet the inhabitants, twice as tall as him, and the animals, which have an extra pair of limbs.
Burrough introduced romance and adventure into a story, which most travelers would attest was far from being romantic and adventurous. But John Carter's tale had something else. He saw portraits, reminding him of Earth. Could it be Mars back then? They called it Barsoom, its precarious state due to the conflict between the red Martians and the green Martians. John Carter was about to fight for a worthy cause. There was something special about it.
The new ruler
There was no need to analyze it, comparing Mars (Barsoom) to America (during the 19th century). And it was certain that Burroughs read lots of pulp writings. Where else would he had been inspired to pen such stories?
The American didn't depict an accurate picture of the planet. It may be possible that asphyxia killed all life forms, but it won't be long before we would know the reasons. (There have been plans for a moon colony, and don't be surprised if it would happen decades later.) It won't be remote to think that "A Princess of Mars" - and the rest of the Barsoom series - inspired a generation to look above. There might be life outside.
