The War of the Worlds
Released: August 26, 1953
Budget: $2 million
US Box Office: NA
Global Box Office: NA
Director: Byron Haskin
Cast: Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Robert
Cornthwaite, Sandro Giglio, Lewis Martin
Synopsis: A California professor fights to save humanity when comets filled with violent Martians start falling.
Best Quote: “If you took all the energy expelled in just one square-
Review:
The 1953 adaptation of The War of the Worlds hasn’t aged too well as a disaster movie, but as a period peace it is pretty darn entertaining.
It’s amazing how similar fifties cinema is to spoofs of fifties cinema like Pleasantville. In this adaptation, the hero is clean cut, the aliens are actually from Mars, and even the heroine with a Master of Science degree finds time to serve the men coffee and pastries. For better or for worse, this is a fine example of vintage cinema. Unfortunately, for a member of the Internet Generation like myself, it is difficult to see this film as much than that. Since I’m not old enough to be nostalgic, the Technicolor and cheesy dialogue are a source of amusement more than anything else.
That said, there are reasons that this movie still gets played and received Special Edition status back in 2005. There is a stubborn pride in humanity throughout this movie that I didn’t feel was there in Speilberg’s adaptation. Additionally, the influence of this movie on future generations of disaster films is undeniable. I hate when movies (like Deep Impact) cop out on special effects and don’t show the audience everything. That is certainly not the case here as we get a front seat to battles in this war of the worlds. By actually showing the destruction of buildings and cities, The War of the Worlds established a precedent that future films would have to live up to.
In this genre where visuals play an important role, The War of the Worlds is at a natural disadvantage to modern blockbusters. Even so, the movie holds its own and remains a must see for any fan of classic films.
