View Full Version : War of the Worlds
thetigerman
25 Aug 2004, 16:53
A new version of the classic 1953 movie War or the Worlds will soon go into production with Tom Cruise in the lead role.
It is said to have a budget of $200 million , making it one of the most expensive movies ever made.
If you have never seen the original , go get it at your video store.
Asgardian
25 Aug 2004, 18:38
The 1953 version was an excellent movie for its time, however certain aspects left me uncomfortable.
The overt Christianity, whilst okay for the 50's with McCarthyism, is a turn off to today's sensibilities, well at least to mine anyway.
The naive priest walking out to face the aliens, with nought but a Bible held out in front of him. I was cheering when the Martians crispy fried him.
Ann Robinson played the pastor's daughter (or whatever she was), like the typical 50's woman - helpless, frightened, always ready to scream, then faint, and oh so very christian, believing a church would give sanctuary enough to withstand a Martian attack........ UGH
Finally the Martians are defeated, and guess what, they are done in by GOD'S smallest chreatures, germs, damn, aint we lucky god invented germs.
Don't get me wrong, I like the movie, the book's better, yes old HG had some interesting metaphors for certain political system, which had to be banished in 1950's Hollywood.
Dry Rot
25 Aug 2004, 20:35
12 years ago I was lucky enough to get an invite down to the old ABC studios in William Street and heard Orson Welles' radio version.
Fantastic stuff.
clucas91
25 Aug 2004, 22:16
Gotta love the musical version...fantastic record.
CarterS
26 Aug 2004, 00:15
If the latest version of HG Wells' Time Machine is any indication then this will stink big time. Cruise is a big name though and I'm sure there'll be a big name director aboard. I hope they don't change the setting of the story to modern times but I suppose it is inevitable.
I think they should use the theme from the musical version as the main theme of the new movie...its a powerful piece.
The 1953 version was an excellent movie for its time, however certain aspects left me uncomfortable.
The overt Christianity, whilst okay for the 50's with McCarthyism, is a turn off to today's sensibilities, well at least to mine anyway.
The naive priest walking out to face the aliens, with nought but a Bible held out in front of him. I was cheering when the Martians crispy fried him.
Ann Robinson played the pastor's daughter (or whatever she was), like the typical 50's woman - helpless, frightened, always ready to scream, then faint, and oh so very christian, believing a church would give sanctuary enough to withstand a Martian attack........ UGH
Finally the Martians are defeated, and guess what, they are done in by GOD'S smallest chreatures, germs, damn, aint we lucky god invented germs.
Don't get me wrong, I like the movie, the book's better, yes old HG had some interesting metaphors for certain political system, which had to be banished in 1950's Hollywood.
You can be guaranteed they'll change that for a new set of Hollywood clichés and cringe inducing US patriotism. What happened to the version of it the guy from the Drudge report was going to make?
SaveFeriss
26 Aug 2004, 07:56
The chances of anything coming from Mars, were a million to one...
Im more concerned about what planet the aliens will come from.. I mean in an upddated version Mars just aint gonna be realistic enough :p
Loved the film and record as a kid, haven't heard the original radio version except for a cpl of snippets over the years.
I'd love to see a version of.. The Day of The Triffords.
that book rocked!
Love H. G. Wells' Novel. An amazing piece of Science Fiction for something written in the late 19th Century.
Love the Orson Welles Radio Programme. I have on CD somewhere, I'll have to look for it.
Love the Musical Version. I have this on CD as well.
Love the 1953 film. Even the Religious slant didn't put me off.
But the thought of Tom Cruise starring in a remake makes me sick. Although I'm probably being a little harsh as I've never seen a minute of any film starring the little dweeb.
Rusty Brookes
26 Aug 2004, 09:11
Love H. G. Wells' Novel. An amazing piece of Science Fiction for something written in the late 19th Century.
Love the Orson Welles Radio Programme. I have on CD somewhere, I'll have to look for it.
Love the Musical Version. I have this on CD as well.
Love the 1953 film. Even the Religious slant didn't put me off.
But the thought of Tom Cruise starring in a remake makes me sick. Although I'm probably being a little harsh as I've never seen a minute of any film starring the little dweeb.
Amen to that ;)
Fritz_the_Cat
26 Aug 2004, 09:21
First learned about this in primary school from a drama teacher.. scared the ******** out of me then.. especially the look of fear on one of the ladies faces as she ran away from the aliens in the cover art. Then only a short time later i was lucky enough to hear it live late at night on shortwave BBC radio... even though i knew the history.. it still seemed very real & scared me again... i was only 9 or 10 at the time but i can see why some people reacted the way they did when it was originally aired on radio... it comes across like its actually taking place.
Great story & soundtrack.. doubt the new version will come any where near the original.
Adrian Shelton
26 Aug 2004, 11:14
We listened to it over a few days at school when i was younger, already liking alot of Moody Blues music made it good too, wonder if they'll have anything to do with the soundtrack of this version?
thetigerman
26 Aug 2004, 16:27
12 years ago I was lucky enough to get an invite down to the old ABC studios in William Street and heard Orson Welles' radio version.
Fantastic stuff.
I would love to hear the Orson Welles radio version, it must have cause quite a panic , as some thought it to be real.
How about one of the TV stations showing the made for tv movie about the panic it caused, remember seeing it years ago but cant remember the
name of the movie or who's in it, but i think it was Powers Booth or Vic Morrow.
Is the radio version still avalable anywhere ????
Asgardian
27 Aug 2004, 23:52
The thought of Tom Cruise starring in a remake makes me sick. Although I'm probably being a little harsh as I've never seen a minute of any film starring the little dweeb.
I know lots of people like to stick the pins into 'ol Tommy, but to tell the truth, I quite enjoyed "Interview with a Vampire", a lot even hate that film, oh well, I like it.