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on August 27, 2015
In many ways this is a very common film. There has been a long standing plot line... aliens/creatures appear, beautiful woman falls in love with scientist, dramatic action and danger, and happy ending. I would bet you can think of at least two films right now with that general plot line. The ending, the demise of the aliens was clever and unique and that earned 4 stars. One other thing: there are religious overtones woven into the scenes and narrative. If you are devout atheist, it might bother you a little.
on April 29, 2017
Excellent DVD has 2 commentery tracks and some other special features which is more that many blu-rays! Only problem is this film needs video cleanup for today's market as the screens have higher definition than in the past so you can see the strings in some of the 1953 special effects.
on March 17, 2017
This is a classic sci-fi movie that everyone should see at least once. It's not only a great story, but has pretty amazing effects for the time it was made. Very colorful and well made.
on December 31, 2011
I'm a big fan of quality science fiction. I've read hundreds of sci fi books and watched dozens and dozens of sci fi movies. HG Wells is one of my favorite authors and The War of the Worlds is my second best favorite of his (The Time Machine is my favorite).
The War of the Worlds was made on a radio show in the 1930s by Orson Wells. Great 5 stars.
The remakes AFTER this (original MOVIE staring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson and Les Tremayne) were only 3 stars and the plot, acting and special effects not as good. Even the recent movie War of the Worlds on DVD staring Tom Cruise was only 4 star compared to the original. In all fairless the special effects in the Tom Cruise movie INMO were better due to better technology than in the 1950s but the acting and plot were not as good.
Now to The War of the Worlds Special Collectors Edition. The color and sound are 5 stars. The great George Pal produced the original movie. This movie won an Oscar for its special effects. They did an excellent job of remastering the movie and putting it on DVD. Here is a 5 star plus movie and INMO in the top 5 Science fiction movies of ALL time. The plot, narration, acting and 1950ish special effects were spectacular.
We hear from a great narrator, beings of Mars are intently observing Earth. Their world Mars is dieing and they are looking for a world to escape to, survive and colonize. Cylinders are launched from Mars and start crashing/landing on Earth. Gene Barry as Pacific Tech scientist Professor Forester and a group of scientists are fishing very near where the first cylinder falls. He meets a graduate student played by Ann Robinson and her preacher uncle. 3 men with a white flag of peace are the first to be vaporised by one of the heat rays on one of the craft that eventually come out of the cylinder. Each cylinder carries 3 craft that are supported by invisible magnetic force field/legs. The preacher uncle is vaporised with a Bible in his hand walking toward a Martian craft to make peace and communicate.The Martians can apply protective invisible domes that allow immunity from all Earth's man made weapons including a super powerful atomic bomb dropped from the Air Force's Flying Wing bomber (The plane looks so cool). Tanks, artillery, lots of men and jets are vaporised as armies and all kinds of military around the world are powerless to stop the rapid deployment of the Martians and the possible conquest of the entire planet in 6 days.
I'm an old time car fan and in the movie I liked seeing lots of the early 1950s cars. I gained lots of empathy with the characters in the movie. I felt so sorry when the preacher gets killed. You feel the fear and desperation as people try to escape from being vaporised and the desperation the military feels as nothing they throw at the Martians can stop them.
What was so much better than any of the remakes was the global scope of the movie showing humanity fighting and failing to beat the Martians. Plus INMO the acting was much much better.
We see Ann Robinson huddled and praying in a church as the Martians are destroying the city. Dr. forester holds her as part of the church crumbles. Then the death rays and slaughter stop. 2 Martian craft wobble and crash into partially destroyed buildings. We see the horrible suction cupped fingered hand coming out of the craft, then bluish coloration as the creature dies. All around the world the hundreds of Martian craft are falling and crashing as all the Martians die.
Humankind was powerless to destroy them with our weapons but God in his wisdom created the little bacteria that the Martians had no defense from.
If you like GREAT quality science fiction with a superb plot, superior acting and Oscar winning special effects this DVD is for you and your collection. Rated 5 stars plus and INMO one of the top 5 science Fiction movies of ALL time.
The War of the Worlds was made on a radio show in the 1930s by Orson Wells. Great 5 stars.
The remakes AFTER this (original MOVIE staring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson and Les Tremayne) were only 3 stars and the plot, acting and special effects not as good. Even the recent movie War of the Worlds on DVD staring Tom Cruise was only 4 star compared to the original. In all fairless the special effects in the Tom Cruise movie INMO were better due to better technology than in the 1950s but the acting and plot were not as good.
Now to The War of the Worlds Special Collectors Edition. The color and sound are 5 stars. The great George Pal produced the original movie. This movie won an Oscar for its special effects. They did an excellent job of remastering the movie and putting it on DVD. Here is a 5 star plus movie and INMO in the top 5 Science fiction movies of ALL time. The plot, narration, acting and 1950ish special effects were spectacular.
We hear from a great narrator, beings of Mars are intently observing Earth. Their world Mars is dieing and they are looking for a world to escape to, survive and colonize. Cylinders are launched from Mars and start crashing/landing on Earth. Gene Barry as Pacific Tech scientist Professor Forester and a group of scientists are fishing very near where the first cylinder falls. He meets a graduate student played by Ann Robinson and her preacher uncle. 3 men with a white flag of peace are the first to be vaporised by one of the heat rays on one of the craft that eventually come out of the cylinder. Each cylinder carries 3 craft that are supported by invisible magnetic force field/legs. The preacher uncle is vaporised with a Bible in his hand walking toward a Martian craft to make peace and communicate.The Martians can apply protective invisible domes that allow immunity from all Earth's man made weapons including a super powerful atomic bomb dropped from the Air Force's Flying Wing bomber (The plane looks so cool). Tanks, artillery, lots of men and jets are vaporised as armies and all kinds of military around the world are powerless to stop the rapid deployment of the Martians and the possible conquest of the entire planet in 6 days.
I'm an old time car fan and in the movie I liked seeing lots of the early 1950s cars. I gained lots of empathy with the characters in the movie. I felt so sorry when the preacher gets killed. You feel the fear and desperation as people try to escape from being vaporised and the desperation the military feels as nothing they throw at the Martians can stop them.
What was so much better than any of the remakes was the global scope of the movie showing humanity fighting and failing to beat the Martians. Plus INMO the acting was much much better.
We see Ann Robinson huddled and praying in a church as the Martians are destroying the city. Dr. forester holds her as part of the church crumbles. Then the death rays and slaughter stop. 2 Martian craft wobble and crash into partially destroyed buildings. We see the horrible suction cupped fingered hand coming out of the craft, then bluish coloration as the creature dies. All around the world the hundreds of Martian craft are falling and crashing as all the Martians die.
Humankind was powerless to destroy them with our weapons but God in his wisdom created the little bacteria that the Martians had no defense from.
If you like GREAT quality science fiction with a superb plot, superior acting and Oscar winning special effects this DVD is for you and your collection. Rated 5 stars plus and INMO one of the top 5 science Fiction movies of ALL time.
on April 21, 2017
I saw this as a child. What fun it was to see it again with the commentary explaining the special effects and general knowledge seldom made available.
on September 23, 2011
In my opinion "War of the Worlds" is one of those classic 50's movies which depicts sci-fi, special effects and acting at their best! War of the Worlds was probably the second sci-fi movie I saw as a youngster, preceded only by another great 50's classic, "The Day The Earth Stood Still" being the first! I cannot even venture a guess as to how many times I have seen both, and to this day I never tire watching either of them. In viewing WOTW it is easy to see why Orson Welles' radio broadcast caused so much widespread panic and fear to an unsuspecting radio audience and population!
If I had to choose my favorite of the two my vote would have to be for War of the Worlds -- both having excellent special effects and an excellent cast and acting, but WOTW was filmed in color. I typically enjoy those black & white 50's classic sci-fi/horror films over colorized, but the colorization in WOTW serves to enhance the special effects, alien spacecraft, and other movie props to provide better realism and visual viewing enjoyment!
On the slight possibility that there may be some who have not yet seen War of the Worlds , I urge you to purchases it and do so ... I promise you won't be sorry or disappointed. It is not one of those cheaply produced, low-budget B-films, but a professionally and expertly produced film which will keep you riveted from beginning to end. A truly classic sci-fi film in every sense of the word!
The commentary by the actors appearing in the film and other studio personnel contained in the special features section menu also provides many interesting and enjoyable facts and tidbits in the making/filming/production of WOTW!
If I had to choose my favorite of the two my vote would have to be for War of the Worlds -- both having excellent special effects and an excellent cast and acting, but WOTW was filmed in color. I typically enjoy those black & white 50's classic sci-fi/horror films over colorized, but the colorization in WOTW serves to enhance the special effects, alien spacecraft, and other movie props to provide better realism and visual viewing enjoyment!
On the slight possibility that there may be some who have not yet seen War of the Worlds , I urge you to purchases it and do so ... I promise you won't be sorry or disappointed. It is not one of those cheaply produced, low-budget B-films, but a professionally and expertly produced film which will keep you riveted from beginning to end. A truly classic sci-fi film in every sense of the word!
The commentary by the actors appearing in the film and other studio personnel contained in the special features section menu also provides many interesting and enjoyable facts and tidbits in the making/filming/production of WOTW!
on March 27, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed seeing my favorite sci-fi film of all time again. The documentaries in the special features were particularly enjoyable.
on August 24, 2017
this movie didn't get a Blu-ray up grade...but its the next best copy out there...I was surprise how much clearer and sharper the images were,for not being Blu-ray...nice extra of Gene Barry and Ann Robinson adding commentary.
on March 20, 2017
The only thing to add is this has 2 great audio commentarys, one has the two main actors comemtary, doesn't get any better.
