The War of the Worlds

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The War of the Worlds
Starring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Robert Cornthwaite
Directed by Byron Haskin

Synopsis:
Martians are looking for a new planet to live on, and they set their eyes on Earth.  As they begin decimating the world, it's up to Dr. Clayton Forrester (Gene Barry), Sylvia Van Buren (Ann Robinson) and the U.S. Army to find a way to stop them before they take over the world, but it seems that all their efforts have been in vain.

Review:
There are times when you really want to go back and enjoy the golden ages of cinema, where CGI wasn't the main star, and where story trumps effects.  The 1953 classic "The War of the Worlds" has that, but also showcases some stellar effects for its time, even earning an Oscar for Best Effects in 1953. 

Watching it now, it looks extremely primitive and you wonder how it could've been seen as an actually scary film, but the same could be said for the mass panic Orson Welles gave the world when he broadcast "The War of the Worlds" over the radio, inducing mass panic.  I'm sure people 50 years from now will see our big budget extravaganzas as mere child's play, so one's review of the film as simply an outdated piece of scrap is discounted.

For the era it was filmed, the effects were stunning.  The acting was impeccable, with the old Hollywood-style charm and fashion that's sorely missing nowadays.  The destruction is pretty surprising in its scope, and the ending - be it very quick and anti-climatic - was still a satisfactory one.

Synopsis:
If you like the Tom Cruise spectacle, you should see the original.  It's a lot better.

My Rating: A

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