The Mercury Men was not released this year but I first experienced this year. I thought it was an excellent piece of work and deserves to be praised for creating a compelling adventure on a shoe-string budget that was dedicated to recreating a retro-styled science fiction experience. By now, you guys know how I feel about costumes. The costumes in this project were gorgeous. The entire piece was in black and white giving it a Twilight Zone/ retro-futuristic look. The shots and framing of scenes were so expertly done that I began to wonder why we don’t see more things this carefully and mindfully done.
I was especially fond of the fact that the aliens were from Mercury. We hear a lot of stories about the Moon and Mars but rarely is Mercury used. I loved how the aliens were made of lightning and they crackled every time they walked. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it and because of that I enjoyed its originality. The main character, Jack Yager is a lovable Han Solo/ John Crichton type. Edward Borman was responsible for making the entire project FEEL retro. He had the classic Twilight Zone look to him and absolutely convinced me he belonged in the era. There was a noticeable absence of a female lead but it didn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the show.
The Mercury Men was produced for Syfy and shown in several series of shorts. It is now available in a 42 minute chunk on Amazon for $1.99 and it worth it.