The story of War of the Worlds has had quite a long life, from the initial H.G. Wells novel in 1898 to an infamous 1938 radio dramatization that caused a public panic. Over a century after its publication, we have recent adaptations including the Steven Spielberg-helmed Tom Cruise version in 2005 and the currently airing TV series on EPIX. As beloved as some of these versions are, chief among them is Byron Haskin’s original 1953 film The War of the Worlds from When Worlds Collide producer George Pal. The film loosely follows the story put forth by Wells and shifts the perspective from Victorian-era England to 1953 southern California. These changes allowed the film to tap into the Cold War-era paranoia and fear of nuclear annihilation. This mastery of tone mixed with impressive feats in filmmaking conjured up something truly terrifying, which has cemented its place in the pantheon of science fiction films.
After Martians decide their home planet is becoming too unstable to sustain life, they take a journey through the universe where they find planet after planet of hostile environments unable to support their needs. As they happen upon Earth, they find a lush, welcoming planet that seems ripe for invasion. They crash land in areas all over the world, but The War of the Worlds largely focuses on the site in southern California. Initially, a group of men from the town go out to survey the wreckage until the authorities can make their way to the site. It does not take long before we realize that these visitors do not come in peace. Bodies are disintegrated with reckless abandon as deadly rays and beams shoot forth from the Manta ray-shaped spacecraft. These aliens have absolutely no interest in anything to do with humans. In no time at all, everything in the vicinity from buildings to vehicles to people is turned to ash. To make matters worse, the invaders have shields that render our weapons absolutely useless. The entire situation seems like a lost cause for mankind.
At the center of this mayhem are a vacationing well-known atomic scientist, Dr. Clayton Forrester (Gene Barry), and a local USC library science instructor, Sylvia Van Buren (Ann Robinson). The pair hit it off at the crash site before things really go to hell, which allows the film to develop an emotional through line. Barry and Robinson have great chemistry, which make it easy to get invested. They attempt to use their smarts against the invading forces, but there is only so much they can do against heretofore-unknown beings. The supporting cast are all doing noteworthy work in their brief time they are alive. The film is pretty merciless in its destruction and death toll among the townspeople. This is part of what makes the film so terrifying. There is no reasoning with impending doom; you just have to make sure you fight with everything you have to stay alive, and just maybe you will be one of the lucky ones. The War of the Worlds rarely lets up on the tension enough to allow you to regain your composure. This can mostly be attributed to Wells’ text that so thoroughly conjured a frightening scenario that all you had to do was put your own slight shine on it. The only change that was made that is a minor ding to the film is the depiction of religion in a more positive light than Wells ever would have appreciated.
There are many reasons why this film has endured for nearly seventy years. Many modern films are burdened with the constantly evolving expectations of what CGI and special effects should look like from year to year. If you look at some of the CGI from the 90s, it can frankly look pretty embarrassing. With The War of the Worlds, we were still firmly in the golden era where practical effects reined supreme as the only choice in filmmaking. Sure, you can occasionally see the seams of how they pulled off the certain sequences, but there is something special about seeing something made by hand that your brain can forgive. The sound effects are likewise indelible after all these years. You are genuinely creeped out when you hear the invaders slithering through and scanning the premises. Finally, there is something evergreen when it comes to a story about fear of an unknown force. We live in a time where seemingly any threat could possibly be on the table, and this film executes that fear flawlessly in a tightly paced package. When it comes to science fiction, The War of the Worlds stands as landmark in the genre.
Video Quality
The Criterion Blu-Ray of The War of the Worlds arrives with a brand new 4K master in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 that looks stunning in 1080p. This new presentation has removed pretty much all dirt and debris that was prevalent on the old Paramount DVD. This transfer is intensely clear and crisp without giving away too much of the special effects process. Black levels are very deep and yield impressive detail. Colors are vivid in a way that really pops off the screen. Skin tones are natural, and there are no signs of compression artifacts. Depth of field brings about a cool, three-dimensional image, especially with the creeping spacecraft. There is some inherent softness baked into the source material in certain shots, but it rings true to how the film was originally captured. The film has never looked better!
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray provides both English LPCM 1.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks, depending on your fancy. Both tracks are powerful in their own right and serve the movie incredibly well. For those who want full immersion, the 5.1 track surrounds you with the alien onslaught as beams sonically fly throughout the room and explosions happen all around you. Purists who want the film as it was originally intended will not be disappointed with the mono track. Both have crisp, clear dialogue that is never overwhelmed by any music or sound effects. There are no noticeable age-related issues with this track. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. This same amount of care was put into the audio presentation as the video.
Special Features
The Criterion Blu-Ray of The War of the Worlds includes a multi-page fold out booklet featuring the essay “Sky On Fire” by J. Hoberman, longtime film critic for the Village Voice and writer of the Found Illusions trilogy on Cold War Hollywood. This gives great context to the world that the film was released in at the time. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Audio Commentary: A feature-length commentary recorded in 2005 featuring filmmaker Joe Dante (Gremlins), film historian Bob Burns, and writer Bill Warren (Keep Watching the Skies!). This is a very lively, informative track in which background and bit actors are highlighted and given greater context in film history, plot and special effects are discussed, and personal experiences with the film are shared. This is nifty companion to the feature film.
- Movie Archaeologists: A newly produced thirty-minute discussion with visual effects supervisor Craig Barron and sound designer Ben Burtt in which they discuss many of the technical achievements of War of the Worlds, as well as some of the promotional material of the time. There are many interesting anecdotes including some historic moments in stunt work and actors getting injured during filming. The pair also take a stab at recreating some visual effects and sound elements using modern technology to gain a greater appreciation as to what the movie was able to achieve at the time.
- From the Archive – 2018 Restoration: A 21-minute program with senior VP of asset management for Paramount Pictures Andrea Kalas, visual effects supervisor Craig Barron and sound designer Ben Burtt where they discuss the 2018 restoration of War of the Worlds. The trio discusses the care each of them took to make sure the original artistic intent was preserved including locating an original print to see what audiences most likely witnessed at the time. They also discuss the pros and cons of working with a 3-strip Technicolor print and tricks used to make a new, enveloping sound mix. Those who appreciate preservation details will love this.
- The Sky Is Falling: This thirty-minute documentary takes a look at the production and legacy of War of the Worlds including interviews with Robert Cornthwaite (Dr. Pryor), Gene Barry (Dr. Clayton Forrester), art department specialist Jack Senter, Ann Robinson (Sylvia Van Buren), art director Al Nozaki, and first assistant director Micky Moore, amongst others. There are interesting stories about the casting process, the practical special effects and how the actors were actually frightened by some of the aliens. The coolest part of this is seeing unused Ray Harryhausen models of the aliens.
- Wells and Welles
- The Mercury Theater On The Air: The hour-long infamous radio adaptation directed and narrated by Orson Welles that was broadcast live on October 30, 1938, is presented here in its entirety. It is so well executed that you can understand why this sparked a minor panic for those who missed the announcements during the show.
- KTSA Interview: A 24-minute interview between H.G. Wells and Orson Welles, recorded at KTSA radio in San Antonio, Texas on October 28, 1940. This is a fascinating discussion, as the two seem to have a genuine admiration for one another. They discuss the public panic of Welles’ broadcast, make references to Hitler and even plug Welles’ upcoming film, Citizen Kane. This is a highlight among the special features.
- George Pal: A 50-minute audio recording of producer George Pal’s Harold Lloyd Master Seminar at the American Film Institute on February 5, 1970. Pal answers questions from the students that allow him to discuss his legacy, budgets, securing film rights, his personal beliefs and more.
- Trailer: The nearly three-minute trailer is presented here in HD. It does a good job of building up anticipation for the spectacle of the picture.
Final Thoughts
The War of the Worlds is one of the most iconic and impressive films in science fiction history. The film works as a product of its time, as well as in the context of modern day. The visual effects are a staggering achievement in filmmaking, which allows the film to thrill even after nearly seventy years. The Criterion Collection has put an immense amount of care into providing a 5-star A/V presentation along with some truly engaging special features. This is a must for anyone with even a passing interest in classic sci-fi. Highly Recommended
The Criterion Collection edition of The War of the Worlds will be available to purchase on July 7, 2020 on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.