The War of the Worlds

I was 6 when I saw War of the Worlds, my first color sci-fi film, "live" in a theater. (We did not have TV then!). I've seen all the other classics like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Day the Earth Stood Still", "Them", "The Thing", etc. before and after WOTW, all good films but War of The Worlds was in a class all by itself. I know, the Brits lampoon the film all the time because it's not set in England/London, and not in the proper time period. I didn't know why it was updated and set in LA but..as a 6 year old I could have cared less...the movie was magical, frightening and memorable.

Over the years I've read the book and and seen dozens of films within this genre. Yes, FX are far better now but 50 years ago this film set the standard. I hope the rumored remake in 2004 can be as memorable. Gene Barry and Ann Robinson did a great job. (If they're up to it, it would be neat for them to have cameos) Has anyone compared the farmhouse scene to the similar scene in "Close Encounters". Both deliver the goods...they scare the heck out of you. The sound effects were so outstanding the producers of the new film should consider using them again! All true WOTW fans know that the sounds of the "cobra" and the weapons fire are sounds you never forget..like the antenna sounds of "Them".

Try to look past the re-locating and re-dating, kick back and enjoy a film that was king for 20-30 years, not topped until "2001", "Star Wars", "Close Encounters" and "Alien" came along.

Somewhere out in the American West, a huge meteor-like projectile crashes in the soil. Everyone initially believes it to be nothing more than a meteor, but soon all learn it is really an investigative ship from the planet Mars out to destroy anything and everything in its path. This film directed by Byron Haskin, based on a script by Barre Lyndon, and produced by George Pal is one of the quintessential science fiction films of the 50's, otherwise known as the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Based on the novel of the same name by H. G. Wells, this film keeps the spirit of the book intact while changing some things like the setting. The book takes place primarily in and around London. All of the talents in this film help make The War of the Worlds an innovative, intelligent, and evocative film that tries to get one thinking about alien invaders and their intentions. The earthlings in this film are the good ones...trying to be friendly, yet, treated as nothing more than impediments in the Martians' way. So many scenes in this film are strong: the army fighting the Martian space ship while a man of God tries to make peace with the strangers, the old farmhouse, and the ending as the aliens attack Los Angelos. Acting is strong too as leads Gene Barry - doing a very good job as a scientist who just happens to be nearby - and Ann Robinson convincingly portray what life might be like in a world with such horrific news. But despite a first-rate script, solid direction from Haskin, and good acting, The War of the Worlds owes its greatest debt to producer George Pal. Pal knew how to put films like this together and was a driving force in the film's innovative and unique special effects. Who could forget those bright green Martian ships or that figure of a Martian?

H.G.Wells' The War Of The Worlds remains a terrifying novel, and two adaptations of it have justifiably passed into popular culture, the Orson Welles radio production in 1938 which convinced many Americans that creatures from Mars actually WERE invading Earth, and Jeff Wayne's 1978 musical album, which still holds up today. The film Independence Day was basically a semi-remake, and of course we are all probably looking forward to the Steven Spielberg version. Somewhat forgotten amongst all those is this 1953 film version, which is a shame. It has considerable flaws, and deviates form the book considerably. However, it's still very enjoyable.

One really needs to think how spectacular and darned frightening it must have seemed to 1953 audiences. Films about aliens visiting Earth had up to than been relatively low key, they would have aliens taking human form, or coming in peace, or just taking over a small town. Here, we had aliens intent on just one thing- the complete destruction and extermination of everything and everyone on Earth. Battles between the Martians and the army, Martian death rays frying huge numbers of people, the destruction of Los Angeles, there had been little like it before, and all this on a moderate budget, which is why the cast is strictly B Movie, although they are adequate to the film's needs.

Of course to a modern audiences many aspects are dated and may even seem laughable. The sometimes visible wires of the Martian death machines -surely they could have been removed with computer technology for the DVD?. The oft repeated stock shots of the military. The religious element, which would have offended the atheist Welles and even suggests God got rid of the Martians. Some VERY corny dialog.

Yet the film has some scenes which are still extremely effective. Most notable is a lengthy sequence in which the hero and heroine are trapped in a house by Martians, this remains genuinely scary. The designs of the briefly seen Martians, their death machines-wires notwithstanding- and their 'cameras' still look great. Of course one misses the huge tripods of the novel, and certain other aspects of the novel, such as the red weed. I'm sure Spielberg will deliver on much of this, even if he is adapting a story which will always be more effective when set in Victorian times. However, until than, this version is still worth seeing as one of the most memorable alien pictures of the 50s alongside The Day The Earth Still and Invasion Of The Body Snatchers.

This film is easily one of the Top Ten of the Sci-Fi genre. Producer George Pal and director Byron Haskin certainly reached a creative plateau back in 1953 that is seldom attained even now in the current age of CGI effects and ear-splitting soundtracks.

I was lucky to attend the 50th anniversary screening in Hollywood recently, with Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, other actors and production people from the film, and 'Mr. Sci-Fi' Forrest J. Ackerman, all in attendance. To see it on a full size theater screen for the first time, and with these people there, was the thrill of a lifetime, for sure!

The Martians and their war machines in this movie are still some of the best and most memorable designs in the history of science fiction films. The color cinematography and musical score also hold up very well. And any film that starts off with the beautiful space art paintings of Chesley Bonestell has my vote of approval. Also, Jack Northrup's Flying Wing bomber puts in a splendid cameo appearance.

Simply the best 'alien invasion' type film ever made - bar none!

The film adaptation of the H.G. Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.

So, you know, most of the backgrounds look like matte paintings, creating a set that is only about ten or twenty feet in depth. But that is unimportant. The colors, the impressive meteor and alien technology... few films -- maybe none -- were able to look so incredible in that era.

The story has been told multiple times, and most people are probably aware of the basics. But this version may be the best, far better than the Tom Cruise version fifty years later, and maybe even better than the original radio drama.