Space Odysseys: ‘Invaders From Mars’ and ‘2001’ : William Cameron Menzies’ 1953 chiller and Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 adventure are released in deluxe editions.

Four decades ago, a shoestring probe of mysterious, nasty aliens invaded the nightmares of legions of youngsters. But since then, William Cameron Menzies’ 1953 “Invaders From Mars” has mostly been doomed to the status of “cult classic,” usually visible only in mutilated versions on late-night TV.

Now, it has been rescued by laser-disc technology and released by Image Entertainment in a handsome edition ($50) carefully produced by Marvin J. Mayo.

The 78-minute 1953 film, starring Arthur Franz and Helena Carter, speaks to the fears of all youngsters, personified by Jimmy Hunt, that something inexplicable could happen to their parents. Experiencing with Jimmy the transformation of loving, caring parents into unfeeling monsters still terrifies even the mature viewer with its attack on our most primal and basic feelings.

Mayo’s diligent work in restoring what was obviously damaged footage with present-day digital technology brings together the chilling Raoul Kaushaar score with a finished print that, unfortunately, still has some scratches and color fade-outs, but nonetheless is a welcome rescue. The second disc is CAV, which makes it possible to use the laser machine’s freeze-frame capabilities in the scenes featuring the Martian mutants (one of whom is identified as James Arness). Mayo provides copious liner notes that detail the history of the film, which germinated from a story by John Tucker Battle, based on his wife’s nightmare.

In addition to the classic poster and stills from Mayo’s collection on the two-disc album cover, supplemental materials include an alternate ending that was released only in Europe (more in line with the film’s original conception that this was not a dream, but reality) and a painfully stilted observatory scene that would have slowed the film down with its plodding lesson on outer space, but is fascinating when seen from the perspective of 1993. Also included are the stills, posters, lobby cards, press materials and original theatrical trailer.

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This year also marks a milestone in science-fiction filmmaking, the 25th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s critically acclaimed “2001: A Space Odyssey.” To commemorate that, MGM/UA Home Video has re-released the 2 hour, 19-minute film digitally mastered directly from MGM’s archival 65-millimeter interpositive ($70).

The anniversary-edition boxed three-disc CAV set comes with a handsome full-color brochure that includes an essay by the film’s co-writer, Arthur C. Clarke. The sci-fi writer is also featured in a quaint “production featurette,” which focuses on his speaking to a dinner gathering overflowing with self-congratulation by an MGM executive. Also included is the film’s original theatrical trailer.

On even a modest surround-sound system and good-sized TV screen, the struggle of Keir Dullea to outwit HAL, the computer to end all computers, remains all-enveloping, complete with sound effects that seem to be coming from the Barcalounger next to you.

The MGM set is a viable alternative to the more costly Criterion Collection CAV edition ($125) of “2001” released in 1989, though not necessarily technically superior. The film-to-tape transfer of the Criterion three-disc CAV boxed set was supervised by Kubrick, among others, and includes far more meaningful supplemental material.

A segment with the younger Clarke, in which he discusses the film with a Look magazine reporter, reveals much more about its intent than does his banquet banter available on the MGM set. Additionally, there is NASA footage of the Voyager I and II Jupiter flybys and interviews with a dozen scientists discussing the hypotheses raised by the provocative, philosophical look at man’s evolution.

Written material included on the Criterion special edition includes a discussion of the slit-scan technique used in “2001” by Douglas Trumbull and a John Whitney film segment on it, as well as footage detailing the construction of the centrifuge for the movie. Technically, the Criterion and MGM sets would seem comparable to most laser-disc viewers, though the MGM color might appear slightly more intense and the Criterion a bit more subtle. Both sets, in any case, are superior to an earlier pan-and-scan edition issued by MGM. The film is also offered in two-disc CLV editions on Criterion ($60) and MGM/UA ($40).

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If “Invaders From Mars” and “2001” whet appetites for early vintage space-based lasers, there is also the 1956 “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers,” directed by Fred Sears and featuring Hugh Marlowe (Image, $25). This black-and-white film, like “Invaders From Mars,” rises above its B-movie origins in no small part because of Ray Harryhausen’s special effects.

New Movies Just Out

“Scent of a Woman” (MCA/Universal, in both wide-screen and pan-and-scan, $40); “Sommersby” (Warner, $35); “Swing Kids” (Image, $40).

Coming Soon: The comedy/drama “Benny & Joon” (MGM, $35) is due Aug. 18. Image is releasing Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” on Sept. 29. Certain to be one of the year’s top sellers, it will be available in a $30 pan-and-scan version as well as a $50 wide-screen edition including a “making of” documentary. On Nov. 24, Pioneer is putting out a new disc of the Arnold Schwarzenegger action hit “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” with about 12 minutes of extra footage.