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My favorite 1953 SciFi Movie: War of the Worlds
The hills
Behind the scene
In 1953, actors dressed as policemen ran all over those hills but they looked real from our house. It was for a scene early in the movie. The Puente Hills were not listed as a location in the IMDb location list but that doesn't matter to me. The fact they were there made it very much my movie.
Synopsis and editorial comment
The Martians land around the globe and vaporize people. The American’s fight them with atomic bombs to no avail.
The story, no matter where it is set or the year, is compelling and food for thought. The remakes are equally good and every bit as scary as the one that frightened me. As a child I wondered if the atomic bombs were more dangerous than the aliens but it appears not.
While there are some major differences between characters in the book and the movie, the ending remains the same. Man tried to defeat the Martians with all the weapons at their disposal but they were eventually undone by the smallest thing. In the end, the Martians were defeated by a virus that man had become immune to. Who knew a simple cold like virus could save the world?
Not the first time War of the Worlds scared a generation
Scaring an earlier generation, the adaptation of H. G. Wells, War of the Worlds, was broadcast on the Mercury Theatre on the Air radio program. The Halloween special aired on October 30, 1938. Since it ran without commercials, many people who tuned in late missed the opening disclaimer that it was a work of fiction. Needless to say, it created a bit of a ruckus
Part of a scene shot in our hills
The movie trailer
Want your very own copy of War of the Worlds? I have mine.
The remake was pretty good
Which is your favorite War of the Worlds movie?
H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells was a prolific writer penning several well known works like The Time Machine and The Invisible Man. The War of the Worlds was first published in 1897 as a serial for Cosmopolitan in the United State and Pearson's Magazine in the United Kingdom. It didn't appear in book form until 1898.
H. G. Wells credited the success of War of the Worlds to Orson Welles who produced the radio broadcast in 1938.
War of the Worlds - 2005 remake
A nod to the remake
I am not generally a fan of remakes. I like the originals better but have to admit they did a good job with this movie.
In the 1950s we were taught our military might could solve all problems. In the remake, the military takes a back seat while the human spirit battles for the right to live. Either way, the Martians still remain scary and the thought of an invasion still frightens children now as it did so long ago.