The War of the Worlds (1953)

Director:

Byron Haskin

Writers:

H.G. Wells (novel)
Barré Lyndon (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 August 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Amazing! terrifying! The most savage spectacle of all time!

Plot:

The film adaptation of the H.G.Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.

Plot Keywords:

Martian | Invasion | H.g. Wells | Bomb | Alien Invasion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

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 (as Housely Stevenson Jr.)
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)
Peter Adams	...	Pine Summit Fire Watcher (uncredited)
Eric Alden	...	Man (uncredited)
Hugh Allen	...	Brigadier General (uncredited)
Ruth Barnell	...	Mother (uncredited)
Edgar Barrier	...	Prof. McPherson (uncredited)
Russ Bender	...	Dr. Carmichael (uncredited)
Paul Birch	...	Alonzo Hogue (uncredited)
Hazel Boyne	...	Screaming Woman (uncredited)
Tony Butala	...	One of 3 Boys in Final Church Scene (uncredited)
Mushy Callahan	...	Burning Soldier at Pit (uncredited)
Ann Codee	...	Dr. Duprey (uncredited)
Edward Colmans	...	Spanish Priest (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Man at Pacific Institute of Science and Technology (uncredited)
Russ Conway	...	Rev. Bethany (uncredited)
Martin Coulter	...	Marine Sergeant (uncredited)
Vittorio Cramer	...	First Radio Reporter (uncredited)
Pierre Cressoy	...	Man (uncredited)
Jim Davies	...	Marine Commanding Officer (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Woman in Church (uncredited)
Ralph Dumke	...	Buck Monahan (uncredited)
Jimmie Dundee	...	Civil Defense Official (uncredited)
Al Ferguson	...	Police Chief (uncredited)
Dick Fortune	...	Marine Captain (uncredited)
Alex Frazer	...	Dr. James (uncredited)
Frank Freeman Jr.	...	Bum #2 Listening to Radio (uncredited)
Charles Gemora	...	Martian (uncredited)
Ned Glass	...	Well-Dressed Looter (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	Looter (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Looter (uncredited)
Nancy Hale	...	Young Wife (uncredited)
Virginia Hall	...	Girl (uncredited)
Ted Hecht	...	KGEB Reporter (uncredited)
Douglas Henderson	...	Staff Sergeant (uncredited)
Gertrude Hoffman	...	Elderly Woman News Vendor (uncredited)
Patricia Iannone	...	Girl (uncredited)
Jerry James	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Carolyn Jones	...	Blonde party guest (uncredited)
Don Kohler	...	Colonel (uncredited)
Frank Kreig	...	Fiddler Hawkins (uncredited)
Ivan Lebedeff	...	Dr. Gratzman (uncredited)
Freeman Lusk	...	Secretary of Defense (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton	...	Chief of Staff (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Traffic Cop (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney	...	Young Man (uncredited)
John Mansfield	...	Man (uncredited)
Joel Marston	...	MP in Jeep (uncredited)
Sydney Mason	...	Fire Chief, Crew #3 (uncredited)
John Maxwell	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Mathew McCue	...	Man in Church (uncredited)
David McMahon	...	Minister, First Church (uncredited)
Bill Meader	...	P.E. Official (uncredited)
Lee Miller	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Los Angeles Red Cross official (uncredited)
Alvy Moore	...	Zippy (uncredited)
Bob Morgan	...	Injured Civil Defense Worker (uncredited)
Stanley Orr	...	Marine Major (uncredited)
George Pal	...	Bum #1 Listening to Radio (uncredited)
Walter Richards	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robert Rockwell	...	Forest Ranger at Crash Site (uncredited)
Walter Sande	...	Sheriff Bogany (uncredited)
James Seay	...	Air Force Bomber Pilot (uncredited)
Cora Shannon	...	Old Woman (uncredited)
David Sharpe	...	Looter (uncredited)
Teru Shimada	...	Japanese Diplomat (uncredited)
Bobby Somers	...	Deputy at Crash Site (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Man in Church (uncredited)
Charles Stewart	...	Marine Captain (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	...	Looter (uncredited)
Gus Taillon	...	Elderly Man (uncredited)
Morton C. Thompson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Looter (uncredited)
Dorothy Vernon	...	Elderly Woman (uncredited)
Edward Wahrman	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
Anthony Warde	...	Military Police Driver (uncredited)
Waldon Williams	...	Boy (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	...	Rescuing Civil Defense Worker (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	...	Marine Lieutenant (uncredited)

Directed by
Byron Haskin

Writing credits
H.G. Wells		(novel)
Barré Lyndon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Frank Freeman Jr.	....	associate producer
George Pal	....	producer
Cecil B. DeMille	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Leith Stevens

Cinematography by
George Barnes		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Everett Douglas

Art Direction by
Albert Nozaki
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Emile Kuri

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Frank Caffey	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael D. Moore	....	assistant director

Art Department
Chesley Bonestell	....	astronomical art
Romaine Birkmeyer	....	props (uncredited)
Ivyl Burks	....	props (uncredited)
Gordon Cole	....	property master (uncredited)
Charles Davies	....	props (uncredited)
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Milt Olson	....	props (uncredited)
Lee Vasque	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
William Andrews	....	sound editor
Gene Garvin	....	sound recordist
Harry Lindgren	....	sound recordist
Loren L. Ryder	....	sound director
Howard Beals	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Dan Johnson	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Tommy Middleton	....	sound effects (uncredited)
Lovell Norman	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Walter Oberst	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Chester Pate	....	special effects (uncredited)
Bob Springfield	....	special effects (uncredited)
A. Edward Sutherland	....	special effects (uncredited)
Barney Wolff	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ivyl Burks	....	special photographic effects
Jan Domela	....	special photographic effects
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects
W. Wallace Kelley	....	special photographic effects (as Wallace Kelley)
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special photographic effects (as Paul Lerpae)
Irmin Roberts	....	special photographic effects
Jack Caldwell	....	special optical effects (uncredited)
Marcel Delgado	....	miniatures (uncredited)
Jan Domela	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography (uncredited)
Walter Hoffman	....	special visual effects: a-bomb sequence (uncredited)
Aubrey Law	....	special optical effects (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	visual effects camera operator: Technicolor (uncredited)

Stunts
Mushy Callahan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Graham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Gray	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Soldier Graham	....	chief gaffer (uncredited)
Murray Young	....	key grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Edith Head	....	costumes
Charles Gemora	....	costume maker: Martian costumes (uncredited)
Diana Gemora	....	costume maker: Martian costume (uncredited)

Music Department
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Monroe W. Burbank	....	Technicolor color consultant
Chesley Bonestell	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Gae Griffith	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Robert S. Richardson	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (as A Paramount Picture)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Films (1953) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1953) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1954) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1954) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Paramount Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1997) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (Spain) (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• CIC Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor) | Black and White (newsreel archive footage before opening credits)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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) | UK:PG (tv rating) | USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1954) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (2005) | UK:X (original rating) | Canada:G

Filming Locations:

City Hall - 200 N. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The Martian war machines were originally going to be walking tripods as they were depicted in Wells's novel, but Pal didn't know how a tripod would walk and instead went with the flying machines.

Goofs:

Continuity: As the troops are moving in to surround the first Martian cylinder, Sylvia is serving coffee and donuts; there is an American Red Cross patch apparently sewed onto the left sleeve of her dress. After Forrester and Sylvia run for the airplane after the attack, the patch is gone, never to be seen again, though the dress is the same, and there is no indication that the patch was torn off or removed roughly in some way.

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.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Saturday Night Live: Tony Danza/John Hiatt (#14.11)" (1989)

Still a classic after 50 years!

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!