That said, the “this film is scientifically accurate” claim has always given me a chuckle, especially the Elinor-M’s vehicle frame orbiting Mars at such a low altitude that it “whooshes” over every so often. Love the delayed “bang” when Draper destructs it. I guess that’s supposed to make it accurate. Then, there’s the Everest-sized asteroid that rumbles overhead every now and then. Not to mention that Friday and Chris being so close to the asteroid impact at the Martian pole should have left both of them as pulverized as a T-Rex standing too close to the Yucatan K-T asteroid impact.

Then, there’s the whole issue of the alien mining operation and the inevitable wondering why, if their tech is so advanced, they don’t just toodle over to Sol 3 and enslave all the natives there into the mining biz? Wouldn’t even need “air pills.”

All that said, if you hung the “scientifically accurate” moniker on any Trek, SW or other SF film, it would be just as hilarious. The only one that would be able to wear it well would be “2001: A Space Odyssey,” in which no majestic starships rumble through the vacuum on perpetual full power.

Anyway, no matter its flaws, RCoM is a diamond in the rough of early 1960s SF krap. Except, I always expect Paul Mantee to blurt out something like “Holy Asteroids, Batman” during the opening scenes.