Old Time Radio Science Fiction (Smithsonian Collection) [Audio Cassette]

Radio Spirits (Author), Ray Bradbury (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996 | Series: Smithsonian Collection

This is an all new collection of favorite old time radio science fiction thrillers created in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution. This collection features radio's best science fiction programs including "The War of the Worlds," "Suspense," "Escape," "Lights Out," and many more. 4 cassettes.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Radio Spirits; Audio Cassette edition (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570190216
• ISBN-13: 978-1570190216
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,895,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Books on Cassette > Authors, A-Z > ( B ) > Bradbury, Ray

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classics from the Golden Age of Science Fiction, March 1, 2001

By 

George R Dekle "Bob Dekle" (Lake City, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Old Time Radio Science Fiction (Smithsonian Collection) (Audio Cassette)

My mother remembered the night Orson Welles panicked the country with "The War of the Worlds." I asked her if she was fooled by the broadcast and she said she was not. She was listening to Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on the other channel. Two things contributed to the hysteria caused by Welles' broadcast. Firstly, the news-report format of the show was extremely realistic, and secondly a number of listeners switched over to "The War of the Worlds" partway through the broadcast when an unpopular singer followed a commercial on the Charlie McCarthy show (I thought people didn't start channel surfing until the invention of the TV remote).

One wit said that all the intelligent people were listening to the dummy and all the dummies were listening to "The War of the Worlds." But that is unfair. When I listened to the show the first time, I was struck by the realism of the radio announcer's panicked description of the Martian attack. It reminded me of the broadcast of the Hindenburg tragedy, and I wasn't at all surprised to learn that the actor who played that part had consciously tried to model his delivery after that broadcast. We'd like to think we're smarter than our countrymen from that earlier time, but you need only look to the recent Y2K panic to realize we're not as sophisticated as we think.

"The War of the Worlds" isn't the only gem in the collection. "Donovan's Brain," "The Martian Chronicles," "The Time Machine," and "Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea" are classics by anyone's definition. The other stuff isn't quite as good as these excellent episodes, tending toward sci-fi formula stories and space opera, but the high quality of the named shows would be hard to equal in any genre.

The fifties were the "Golden Age" of science fiction writing, with talents like Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Alfred Bester all in their prime. Judging from the quality of the offerings in this collection, fifties radio sci-fi measured up quite well against printed science fiction.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Think the stories, and sound effects are outstanding., February 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Time Radio Science Fiction (Smithsonian Collection) (Audio Cassette)

If you like science fiction, even a little bit and you have to drive a half hour or more this collection is a must have. Just listening to the War of the Worlds from the 1938 broadcast is worth it as you can see why over 1 million people were in such a frenzy. The stories are not too long and combined with some nice sound effects are very enjoyable. They made my ride to work go by in a blink. Highly Reccomended

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection of SF stories, April 23, 2000

By 

Jeff (Ma.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Time Radio Science Fiction (Smithsonian Collection) (Audio CD)

A great collection. It has many classic shows, such as "The War of The Worlds", "Escape", and "Suspense". Ther is only one other radio show it needs. That is "Escape"'s brodcast of "The Earth Abadies". But it still is a fascinating collection.

In "Suspense"'s "Donovan's Brain", a multimillonaire's brain is kept alive by a scientist, played by Orson Wells. In "The War of The Worlds", Earth is invaded by martains. In "Lights Out"'s "The Metor Man", a semi vampire alien haunts a human couple. There are many more classics in this collection. Get it!