IMDb > The War of the Worlds (1953)
The War of the Worlds
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The War of the Worlds (1953) More at IMDbPro »

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The War of the Worlds (1953) -- The film adaptation of the H.G.Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.
The War of the Worlds (1953) -- AllTrailers.net - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   10,986 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 21% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Byron Haskin
Writers:
H.G. Wells (novel)
Barré Lyndon (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The War of the Worlds on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 August 1953 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller more
Tagline:
Amazing! terrifying! The most savage spectacle of all time! more
Plot:
The film adaptation of the H.G.Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(6 articles)
Discuss: Why Are Movies Like '2012' So Interesting?
 (From Cinematical. 16 November 2009, 9:02 AM, PST)
Jason Donovan & Liz McClarnon Set for War Of The Worlds Tour in 2010
 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 10 November 2009, 10:51 AM, PST)
User Comments:
Still a classic after 50 years! more (178 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Gene Barry ... Dr. Clayton Forrester
Ann Robinson ... Sylvia Van Buren
Les Tremayne ... Maj. Gen. Mann
Robert Cornthwaite ... Dr. Pryor (as Bob Cornthwaite)
Sandro Giglio ... Dr. Bilderbeck
Lewis Martin ... Pastor Dr. Matthew Collins
Houseley Stevenson Jr. ... Gen. Mann's aide
Paul Frees ... Second Radio Reporter / Opening Announcer
William Phipps ... Wash Perry (as Bill Phipps)
Vernon Rich ... Col. Ralph Heffner
Henry Brandon ... Cop at Crash Site
Jack Kruschen ... Salvatore
Cedric Hardwicke ... Commentary (voice) (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cliff Clark ... Australian Policeman (scenes deleted)
Rudy Lee ... Boy (scenes deleted)
more
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
85 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor) | Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording) (35 mm optical prints) | 3 Channel Stereo (Western Electric Multi-Track Magnetic Stereophonic) (35 mm magnetic prints)
Certification:
USA:Approved (PCA #16011) (original rating) | Netherlands:12 | Spain:T | Germany:16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | USA:G (re-rating) (1977) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1954) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | Canada:G
Filming Locations:
City Hall - 200 N. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA more
Company:
Paramount Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Lee Marvin was offered the male lead. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the farmhouse sequence, when Syliva is cooking the eggs, the coffee pot is placed on the back left burner of the stove, when Clayton reaches for it a second later it has moved to the right burner. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Radio Reporter: [voiceover] In the First World War, and for the first time in the history of man, nations combined to fight against nations using the crude weapons of those days. The Second World War involved every continent on the globe, and men turned to science for new devices of warfare, which reached an unparalleled peak in their capacity for destruction. And now, fought with the terrible weapons of super-science, menacing all mankind and every creature on the Earth comes the War of the Worlds.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Simpsons: The War of the Simpsons (#2.20)" (1991) more

FAQ

Where (according to the movie) did the Martians first land?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
39 out of 53 people found the following comment useful.
Still a classic after 50 years!, 19 August 2003
Author: moonbus69 from Mouse Town, USA

This film is easily one of the Top Ten of the Sci-Fi genre. Producer George Pal and director Byron Haskin certainly reached a creative plateau back in 1953 that is seldom attained even now in the current age of CGI effects and ear-splitting soundtracks.

I was lucky to attend the 50th anniversary screening in Hollywood recently, with Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, other actors and production people from the film, and 'Mr. Sci-Fi' Forrest J. Ackerman, all in attendance. To see it on a full size theater screen for the first time, and with these people there, was the thrill of a lifetime, for sure!

The Martians and their war machines in this movie are still some of the best and most memorable designs in the history of science fiction films. The color cinematography and musical score also hold up very well. And any film that starts off with the beautiful space art paintings of Chesley Bonestell has my vote of approval. Also, Jack Northrup's Flying Wing bomber puts in a splendid cameo appearance.

Simply the best 'alien invasion' type film ever made - bar none!

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