THE WAR OF THE WORLDS 🤩

I have always been a fan of sci-fi books and movies. For me, it’s about the possibility that we are not alone. Just saying those words out loud gives me goose bumps. I have never believed that in this vast galaxy, we could be the only species alive. I mean, have you looked up at the stars lately? There are infinite scenarios, endlessly fueled by creative minds, both on the page and on the screen. 

There have been hundreds of tales written about the Martians. I think it’s because Mars is the closest planet to Earth, even though it has an inhospitable climate. Recently, those rumors have been laid to rest by NASA’s scientific, picture-taking explorations of Mars, but in 1898, no one really knew the truth about that red piece of rock. 

Speculation was rampant, especially about the genius and creative mind of H.G. Wells. He was able to push the imaginations of millions. His two greatest novels, THE TIME MACHINE and THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, knocked the air right out of the public’s lungs and replaced it with a burning desire to find the truth. It took close to fifty years for Hollywood to catch up, even without computers and CGI. In 1953, THE WAR OF THE WORLDS premiered, and the sci/fi film industry has never looked back. This is why TWOTW is so meaningful and memorable. It was the first of its kind to really set the bar for celluloid fans. Those who came after have never forgotten the film that forged the trail using techniques still talked and taught today. 

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS was a techies’ dream project. It won the Oscar for Best Special Effects and was nominated for Best Sound and Editing. It was given close to $2 million to do what it needed to do to make it believable. No sound, music, or miniature models were explored. The director, Byron Haskins (THE SEA HAWK, ARSONIC AND OLD LACE) was given a free hand by the studio to do his thing, and so he did. He invited every member of his crew to be as creative as possible, especially within the art, set, and music departments. 

Gene Barry was cast as the lead scientist, Dr. Clayton Forrester. To me, Barry was miscast. I can only see him as Bat Masterson. His costume bothered me throughout most of the movie. He was always wearing a suit and a tie. Yes, it was the 50’s, but it didn’t look believable while he was being chased by Martian weaponry. I was finally relieved when his suit jacket was removed, and he was left in only the shirt and tie. It really helped when he looked dirty, ragged, and torn up at the end. His performance was a bit stiff. I never really connected with him as the smartypants scientist. 

The romance between Forrester and Sylvia (Ann Robinson) was unnecessary. It seemed to distract from the action. I realize it was probably added for the audience’s relief amid all the death and destruction. 

The best parts of the movie were the fight sequences. Hundreds of National Guard soldiers were used as extras to showcase their battle maneuvers. This is why it all looked authentic. They even saluted the actor playing the Major General (Les Tremayne) each time they passed him on set. Tremayne said in later interviews that he felt very honored. 

Miniature models of downtown Los Angeles were built in the soundstage. It took extreme patience to film the perfect camera angle to capture each building exploding during the main attack. Exploding buckets of gas were going off continuously. Scenes had to be filmed several times to capture the bright red and green Martian bombing effects. Power drills were used on sheets of metal to create eerie sounds. Sparks from welding tools kept any extra from getting too close. 

The modern jet bomber was a tiny model filmed from two different angles and then reversed to make it look like two Martian ships plowing into several skyscrapers. The desolate areas were filmed in a desert location in Arizona. Every aspect of the war was thoroughly planned and executed. It was an outstanding achievement again, for the time. This is what made TWOTW so spectacular in scope and recreation. It really does boggle our current computerized brains.  

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS is not perfect. Fans of Wells’ original book were disappointed by how much the film version veered from his story. They were not fond of the additional religious aspect since Wells was an agnostic. But here’s what everyone has to remember. THE WAR OF THE WORLDS is a campy, sci-fi classic in every sense of the word. It holds up well for being 73 years old. It tickles our imaginations. It made masses of people look to the skies. It intrigued Steven Spielberg to make his own version 52 years later. It inspired the look of alien feet forever. It elevated the threat of the Cold War to every country. Terror and hope went hand in hand as I watched every scene. Now we all must wonder if some other species is watching us everyday and waiting…

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS is available on TCM.