The War of the Worlds (1953)
Genre: Scifi
Duration: 85 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Byron Haskin
Stars: Gene Barry, Ann Robinson and Les Tremayne
IMDb score:
7,0 (42.416)
Releasedate: 13 August 1953
The War of the Worlds plot
"Mighty panorama of Earth-shaking fury as an army from Mars invades!"
A giant meteor lands in a field near a California village. A few scientists and some passers-by are watching from a distance. For now, the thing is still too hot to approach. Three men keep watch at the colossus that night. Nothing happens... until they hear a strange noise, the meteor opens and an alien ship appears, which will destroy everything that comes near it.
Actors and actresses
Dr. Clayton Forrester
Sylvia Van Buren
Pastor Dr. Matthew Collins
Maj. Gen. Mann
Fiddler Hawkins (uncredited)
Col. Ralph Heffner
Dr. Bilderbeck
Dr. Duprey (uncredited)
Dr. Pryor (as Bob Cornthwaite)
Commentary (voice) (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Reviews & comments
RuudC
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- 4636 messages
- 2529 votes
Slightly less disturbed by the Christian message than the gentleman above, but indeed it should not have received any attention. Can say that this version of War Of The Worlds is otherwise surprisingly fresh. Definitely ahead of its time! There is momentum in this film. Of course the story has to get going, but I didn't have to get bored with it. The aliens soon arrive. The image is in color; another pleasant surprise. the action may be outdated. It is rather bloodless and few explosions, but nevertheless not annoying to watch. I just think you have to have a certain preference for nostalgia to appreciate it.
Where War of the Worlds does score very well is the fear factor. The characters are quite convincing. In addition, this is finally a film in which not just a village is harassed, but the world threatens to end. The focus is all over the world. Not only California, although that is of course the focus. WotW also radiates a bit of fear of the Soviets and the looming nuclear war and the film manages to convey that feeling to the viewer. This is a great film adaptation of Welles' book. The designs are definitely there. Even Spielberg ran off with some designs.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Lovelyboy
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- 4222 messages
- 3173 votes
And another one from the old box, and just like Assault on Precinct 13 an original of a remake that is very mediocre. An original that I like much better this time as well.
The script already shows many more similarities with Wells's book. A crashed meteorite that one tries to open and finally guards. It must be said that once again it is not in England, but that is manageable. Despite the fact that characters and dialogues do not exactly go into depth, and the playing time is limited, a lot still happens and many moments emerge from the book. Unfortunately, the scene in the house here is slightly rushed and in the 2005 version it is better with what happens in the basement.
The '54 version wins the 2005 with two fingers in the nose as far as I'm concerned. The old-fashioned look and old special effects have a certain charm, moreover I am particularly annoyed by that terrible family around Ray, Tom Cruise, which is followed in 2005. Although not entirely true to the book, '54 is a wonderful film to watch. with a denouement that lasts until the very end. And subtly refers to a nuclear war and an enemy that is technologically advanced. The pro-religious moralistic ending that someone else seems to see is not so bad for me. It is a fact that in those days the faith was of course more adhered to and so is something that must be seen in the image of the time, then there is the phenomenon that when despair is near, one turns extra to God in an attempt to rescue and otherwise forgiveness. Finally, the professor himself says that one needed a miracle, in order to finally refer to creation. If the film and its denouement were so pro-religious, why does the pastor face his death? You don't win souls with that, I thought.
The War of the Worlds is for me a more than fine film that in my opinion is rated a bit too moderate.
Translated from Dutch · View original
wihu61
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- 1062 messages
- 581 votes
Still doable with a nice pace. Unlike a lot of other work from this time, I found the special effects very convincing, and luckily they weren't limited to one or two copies (detail: when they had to crash-land with that plane you saw a few more popping up in the background , so you really got the idea of a total invasion, something you usually just have to imagine in many other productions, because the "scientist" in attendance says so).
Translated from Dutch · View original
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