Customer Reviews

The War of the Worlds (Original 1938 Radio Adaptaion)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the actual radi broadcast made in the 30s, and I can see where people could get the idea of the story being real. The details are authentic to the period and it really sounds like those old radio news shows from the time. The plot follows the H.G. Wells classic with minor changes, like the introduction of airplanes in the futile defense of... New York City! Yes, there are changes that yould make this little joke seem more real to an American radio audience.

Ahh, the days when there was no such thing as television and people had to use their <gasp!> imaginations while listening to the radio.

I am 29 years old and I love collecting old radio programs, especially the "Suspense" series. I'm fascinated that people could write well enough to keep a listening audience's attention for a full thirty minutes and make them want to keep listening until the end. I have great respect for the actors and actresses of the era when radio was king as it takes a lot of talent to let your voice do the acting. Today, an "actor" or "actress" can get away with being attractive and being a bigger hit with trashy tabloids more than at the box office.

It is well known how much people were freaked out by this broadcast (so much so that the FCC launched an investigation including looking at whether or not Welles and his fellow actors were not part of some conspiracy to create such a hysteria) and, while listening to this, it's easy to imagine channel surfing on the evening of October 30, 1938 and catching the program well after Welles stated the obvious: That it was a radio play based on the H.G. Wells novel of the same title. It was authentic in that it included the names of men in FDR's cabinet and picked out small towns in Northern New Jersey where Martians initially landed. And, as another reviewer previosuly pointed out, the show was done in the same format that radio news shows were done then, so for those who missed Orson's explanation of the program, they were bound to think this was the real thing happening at that place and at that time.

Unfortunately, the mass hysteria and publicity (dare I say infamy?) was no doubt a jinx on the talented Welles. True, he made the mighty classic "Citizen Kane" in 1941 but, apart from that, he was, and still is, remembered as the guy who made people think that the world was really being attacked by Martians. Near the end of his life he made a comment on his career, "I started at the top and worked my way to the bottom."

It's a shame things turned out the way they did for Welles but one thing's for sure, he sure stirred up plenty of mischief on that Mischief Night in 1938.

This should be required listening for everyone. The story is fantastic. You can easily understand how people could be convinced that it was real. In a time when radio and print news were the primary sources of information, this broadcast was quite convincing. If you missed the few times the broadcasters mentioned that it was a performance, you would easily assume that it was real. Although I have read the story several times, this was the first time I have experienced the broadcast. Definitely something worth having.

Halloween, 1938. It did'nt seem to dawn on people listening to this radio broadcast that it was only a phony hoax and Halloween prank being pulled on everyone. Why ? In the wake of World War 2, the most convincing form of communication and media was not television, but radio. Over the radio, an elaborate and powerfully charged broadcast like this could easily fool hundreds. And it did. Orson Welles, a familiar icon of cinema, narrated the events, in nearly journalistic fashion. His voice and his attention to details of the alien invasion frightened people and assured them that indeed they were being invaded by flying saucers.

This radio broadcast was inspired by the H.G. Well's novel "War of the Worlds", which was the first science fiction novel to consider the possibility or theory or idea of aliens. War of the Worlds also became a highly successful film in the 50's, one of the many drive-through films in which people enjoyed to see special effects at the time and full of camp horror. For antique collectors and fans of the genre, this is a must have. War of the Worlds in its original contents on the radio broadcast, Orson Welles as narrator, is heaven for fans.

Interesting to listen to; note the extreme confidence of scientists and the military when initailly confronted by the Martians, an optimism that turns to despair when it hits home that Earthlings do not stand a chance. Also amusing to note the accents and diction of the radio announcers, very similar to the accents of radio and television announcers in the SouthPark cartoon series; no doubt Trey Parker and Matt Stone were lampooning the way Americans used to speak and sound, and of how current media has been "dumbed" down to serve a less literate listening and viewing public.

There's a reason that this CD is priced so low. My low rating has nothing to do with the material itself, but the poor quality audio. Welles's outstanding oratory skills and clever sound effects are overwhelmed by the low levels of the vocal track combined with an unrelenting hiss. The CD isn't even good for "old-timey" atmosphere, since *in between* the words of the original program they seemingly removed noise so there is a kind of "stutter". It's like listening to the show over a bad voice-activated radio circuit. Underwater.

By all means, get this classic recording. Just get it in a better, cleaned-up version. This CD is no bargain.

This is a wonderful original of the 1930's classic, but who in their right mind puts 60 minutes of recording on a CD and makes ONLY ONE TRACK? If you miss any portion of the "show", you have to start the whole thing from the beginning, there's no going back. Each of the pauses could have been made into a track break so that you can listen to the story at your own pace and not have to start over with the same drone if the kids, telephone, doorbell or any one of a million other distractions come about to prevent you listening to the whole thing, totally, in one sitting. Do not get this unless you have one full hour of completely dedicated time to listen, with NO distractions. Otherwise you will listen to Orson Welles and the orchestra about a million times before you can get the whole show.

Incredible. Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre crew really took advantage of the radio format to create a totally unique adaptation---much better than the rest of their series of radio broadcasts leading up to this, which are very good but fairly typical of the radio dramas of the time. I still can't believe that was Ray Collins as farmer Wilmuth (among other roles)! Frank Readick is great, too. (And again, Bernard Herrmann did the music for this show.) Four and a half stars.

My dad said it's good, and the first side is better than the second. This began a conversation about the career of H.G. Wells.

First, I am diappointed that television and computers were invented; with television, you lose your immagination; with computers you lose your intellict; that being said, radio had the answer; listen, and immagine; no eyes, no lights, just the pleasure of being alone. War of the Worlds is a radio drama using briilance, and intellict. Orson Wells did an awesome job, and to this day it was then, and will be a masterpiece. For that reason, and so many which I can not name, find as many of the radio dramas you can find, and put all of them up against any Television program; radio will win! Orson Wells did so many radio shows on the Mercury theater, and Campbells soup; they were all great but War of the worlds made you think, wonder, immagine, and listen caefully!
An awesome masterpiece which rules!