WAR OF THE WORLDS-1953-In this classic
science fiction film based on the HG Wells novel Earth is invaded by
the inhabitants of the planet Mars. An off screen narrator (Sir
Cedric Hardwicke) tells us why the Martians chose our planet. When
one of their ships lands on Earth residents (who think it's a meteor)
of a small town investigate. Vacationing scientist Dr. Clayton
Forrester (Gene Barry) investigates. He meets up with Sylvia Van
Buren (Ann Robinson) and her uncle Dr. Collins (Lewis Martin), the
pastor of the local church. After Forrester decides to stay for a
while they all go to a square dance. Meanwhile three locals (Paul
Burich, Jack Kruschen (as a Mexican) and William Phipps) check out
the object when it opens it's hatch. Armed with a white flag they
decide to approach the ship and be friends. They are promptly
obliterated and the whole town is thrown into a blackout.
The army is
called in along with General Mann (Les Tremayne). Martian ships
eventually show themselves and for some reason Collins sacrifices
himself in a last ditch attempt to reason with them. He's killed and
the army throws everything they have at the invaders to no avail.
Forrester and Sylvia escape in a plane and spend some time evading
the invaders but the doc manages to get one of the tri-color laser
“eyes”. The Martians themselves are revealed to be little guys
with long arms the same tri-color “eyes”. (The martians in the
original novel are much more frightening) Meanwhile the Martians
devastate the world and despite the US's best efforts including
dropping an A-bomb they learn: “guns,tanks, bombs! They're like
toys against them!”. After looters steal his truckload of
scientific equipment Forrester searches the the devastated city for
Sylvia who he finds in a church. Just when it looks like all hope is
lost the Martian ships crash and burn and the aliens die (“We were
all praying for a miracle”) due to germs in our atmosphere.
This
Sc-Fi/cold war classic was produced by George Pal, who originally
planned it to be in 3-D and directed by Byron Haskin, who also worked
as a special effects technician on many films which may have helped
since WAR OF THE WORLDS 's SFX won an Academy Awa
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