War of the worlds

[Adirondack]

Steven Spielberg's "War of the worlds" by H.G. Wells is coming soon in german cinemas.
Can somebody tell me please, if this motion picture is about the martian invasion (with tripod fighting machines and so on) or what. The trailers only talk about an alien invasion. But one trailer shows the "red weed".
Shortly: I just want to know, if the motion picture is a good adaption of the story by H.G. Wells or even Jeff Wayne's musical version. Uhhhlaaaa!

Adirondack

[Dollan]

Since it isn't being released here until the 29th, the best that I can do is point you towards the official web site at http://www.waroftheworlds.com/

The movie looks good, but mind you true adaptations probably aren't very practical with modern audiences. In fact, I would be very surprised if the aliens are defeated by Earthly germs in this version. Most modern audience members would likely (I'm ashamed to say) demand some sort of final major battle that defeats the aliens,

...John...

[Don. Edwards]

From what I have read it is very much based on the book. I read that yes it is going to have the tripod machines and it is Martians not extrasolar aliens.

[Adirondack]

@John:

seems they will release the movie worldwide simultaneously.

I've been on the official website, but there's nothing that
would answer my questions. No tripod figures, no cylinders, no
martians.

Most modern audience members would likely (I'm ashamed to say)
demand some sort of final major battle that defeats the aliens

Well, Tom Cruise will save the world ...

... and I bet, the movie ends at Pasadena Control, if Martians are
involved:

"It's looking good. It's going good. We're gettin' great pictures here at Nasa Control.
The landing-craft touched down on Mars 28 kilometers from the aim-point ...
How 'bout that, Bermuda?"

BERMUDA: "Fantastic! Look at that dune-field!"

PASADENA: "Hey, wait! I'm gettin' a no-go signal. - Now I'm losing one of the craft.
Hey, Bermuda, you gettin' it?"

BERMUDA: "No, I lost contact. There's a lot of dust blowin' up there."

PASADENA: "Now I've lost the second craft. We got problems."

BERMUDA: "All contact lost, Pasadena. Maybe the antenna's ..."

PASADENA: What's that flare? See it? A green flare, coming from Mars, kind of a green mist behind it. It's getting closer..."

Well, that's the doorway for part 2 of the movie.


@Don:
Thanks, that's an information I wanted to hear!


Adirondack

[mindless]

Hihi, yeah the Tommy is going to save the world But not alone I thnk
We'll see what will happen ...

[rjcraig]

The movie looks good, but mind you true adaptations probably aren't very practical with modern audiences. In fact, I would be very surprised if the aliens are defeated by Earthly germs in this version. Most modern audience members would likely (I'm ashamed to say) demand some sort of final major battle that defeats the aliens.

I haven't seen the movie yet or heard much (intentionally avoinding spoiler sites), but I agree; when I heard Spielberg was making a new version, my first thought was, "How is he going to defeat them in the end? The 'God's littlest creatures' germ gambit still worked for the '50s adaptation, but it won't fly today."

I prefer to put a positive spin on it, as indicating that audiences are more sophisticated...not in that they want a final bloodbath, of course; anyone who has seen a movie since The Andromeda Experiment should be aware of the issues and know that any species capable of mounting an interplanetary invasion (beyond human means at present) is surely going to be smart enough to perform tests before exposing themselves to the potential pathogens of an alien environment. Spielberg should be the one ashamed if he portrays the Martians in any other way.

(The overwelming Martian technological/military superiority argues against a final battle denouement, ID4 notwithstanding! )

[WOWspaceISbig]

I prefer to put a positive spin on it, as indicating that audiences are more sophisticated...not in that they want a final bloodbath, of course; anyone who has seen a movie since The Andromeda Experiment should be aware of the issues and know that any species capable of mounting an interplanetary invasion (beyond human means at present) is surely going to be smart enough to perform tests before exposing themselves to the potential pathogens of an alien environment. Spielberg should be the one ashamed if he portrays the Martians in any other way.

That's a good point. In the book, the Martians disposed of all bacterial life on Mars, but even if the same is true in the movie, obviously the Martians should have remembered the extinction of bacteria similarly to how we view the extinction of the dinosaurs-as a major event in history. If for any unlikely reason they didn't, and the existence of bacteria was forgotten completely, they most likely wouldn't have found out that bacterial life is present on Earth (obviously because of the size of bacteria) and rush right into an invasion. (This would probably be the only excuse Spielberg would have for the Martians to die of infection, unless the Martians in the movie were either really bold or really careless-which is unlikely.)

(As you can probably tell, I didn't see the movie yet ...)

[ajtribick]

Quite a good movie... stays quite close to the book, for all that its been transplanted into 21st century America - many of the scenes in the book are in there (even a few of the ones which didn't happen to the narrator of the book), if adjusted to suit the flow of the movie. The only bits which were jarringly Victorian were the beginning and end narration.

[rjcraig]

I'd forgotten I was watching this topic until you two posted!
I have to say I enjoyed the movie, too.

Until five minutes after it was over. Once the afterglow of the suspended animation (of disbelief; very willing because I wanted to like this one!) wears off, the rational mind can be a real PITA.

I've already expended my bile supply on my blog, so I won't repeat myself here. Faithfulness to an original novel is usually a good thing in a movie, except when the novel is science fiction and is 107 years old.

Even though I've seen it characterized as "Sophie's Choice with LGM", if you haven't seen it yet by all means do, preferably in a theater for the full impact.

Just be sure to leave your brain at home soaking in a nutrient bath.

[Bluespace]

not at all intresting "war of the worlds"
it's not a thing that i expected from speilberg

the only thing that i found out intresting was , yeah it featured some sort of pyscho based effects,

but if u analize the film , then what does it have?
a monster that looks like the creature in (half-life2) an imapct(ligtining) which causes these huge metal creatures to evolve(what a visualisation), it sucks blood, (and finally a BATMAN) the movie wastes so much time for that scenc where that rattle snake like thing explores the basement where they are hiding, why that thing only came to their place??


so the only thing which i like was the TOM CRUISE' acting (pycho based or the knowledge of REALITY) featured at the begining of the movie that, HE realizes there is danger, there is something happened, he try to control his mind to save his childrens, although he know that that is the war of the world(the END) probable)

[Sitting Duck]

I do believe the film has some merits, for your information the tripod from HL2 was created a little over a hundred years after H.G. Wells wrote his alien invasion story (which was all a metaphor for imperialism i believe).

I do agree with you however on the 'eye probe' lingering much to long on frame.

The psychological effects are prfound throughout the film, especially because we can relate so closely to the people in the film, theyre not glorifyed heroes, they are average evryday people with problems; this touch to the movie i didnt mind

I found it hilarious when they mentioned the machines could be 'terrorists' or 'from europe', I am from Belgium and when i saw the film in America the audience was surprised to see me burst into laughter at this point. it frightened me a bit how seriously they took the statement!

[Bluespace]

found it hilarious when they mentioned the machines could be 'terrorists' or 'from europe', I am from Belgium and when i saw the film in America the audience was surprised to see me burst into laughter at this point. it frightened me a bit how seriously they took the statement

is it? as english(language) comes 3rd here in india, i often doesn't understand the most of the conversations in the movies

thanks that they didn't mentioned it was russian or japan o, , might have been formed a REAL -- WAR OF THE WORLDS -

but in the past also i have noticed this feature in american movie where they menetion if it's DANGER coming then it will be from russia or europe, or the whole Asia, i wonder why they left Africa

quite a cool way to make a MOVIE, Indian movies also features terrorists comes from PAK

What ever the anger level rise between nations

I AM SURE THAT OUR NATURE(EARTH) WILL FIND A WAY TO END THESES MENECE

i love ya EARTH, thanks for giving life to ME and HATE for giving life to THOSE who makes this earth miserable

[StarSeeker]

American audiences are far too jaded IMHO...