THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953) – Episode 125 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
Release Date: 05/21/2022
Decades of Horror | Horror News Radio
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“Billy, they were the biggest things I ever saw, and they had tattoos on them. You know, I may be in love. I might just go right back in there and ask her out on a date.” It’s curious how Deputy Charlie was so enthralled with the biker chick’s big feet. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they discover what kind of science fiction, horror movie stars Chuck Norris? The answer? (1982). Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 287 – Silent Rage (1982) Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel!...
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“You’re asking me questions, Harry, and I hear you. A scientist cannot afford the indulgence of guilt. And after all, if God doesn’t want me to continue, the means of my disposal are always at his command.” If you want to communicate with God, talking to a snake might be the wrong approach. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, Daphne Monary-Ernsdroff, and Jeff Mohr – as they try their hand at snake wrangling while they finally get the chance to cover (1973). Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 243 – Sssssss (1973) Join the Crew on the...
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“Yes, most distressing, but, alas, inevitably, you can’t have operations without screams. Pain and the knife, they’re inseparable!” But apparently not that distressing as long as some strong blokes are there to hold folks down? Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Chad Hunt, Doc Rotten, and Jeff Mohr – as they walk the (1958) with Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee. Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Episode 205 – Corridors of Blood (1958) Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get...
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“Well, they will have to get un-unanimous and un-choose her. Now, I’ve been going on Safari most of my life, and I’ve never taken a woman. And I’m not going to change now, Barney.” Spoken like a true dinosaur of the human variety. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, Gregory Crosby, and Jeff Mohr – as they discuss (1977), a movie whose title refers to two different kinds of last dinosaurs: one is the man-in-suit Tyrannosaurus Rex variety and one is the obsolete human variety. Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 241 – The Last Dinosaur (1977)...
info_outline“That’s the darndest thing I ever saw. The way that thing’s unscrewing.” It sounds just like a metal lid on a mason jar. Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Chad Hunt, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Jeff Mohr, and special guest host Dave Dreher – as they discuss another science fiction horror classic of the 1950s, H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds (1953).
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 125 – The War of the Worlds (1953)
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ANNOUNCEMENT
Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL
Which all now include video episodes of The Classic Era!
Available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, Online Website.
Across All OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.
https://classicscifichannel.com/; https://classichorrorchannel.com/; https://wickedhorrortv.com/
A small town in California is attacked by Martians, beginning a worldwide invasion.
- Director: Byron Haskin
- Writer: Barré Lyndon (screenplay by); H.G. Wells (based on the 1897 novel by)
- Producer: George Pal
- Film Editing: Everett Douglas
- Sound Department: Loren L. Ryder (sound director) (uncredited)
- Makeup Department: Wally Westmore (makeup supervisor)
- Art Direction: Albert Nozaki, Hal Pereira
- Art Department: Chesley Bonestell (astronomical art)
- Special Effects:
- Chester Pate (special effects) (uncredited)
- Bob Springfield (special effects) (uncredited)
- Ken Strickfaden (special effects electrician) (uncredited)
- A. Edward Sutherland (special effects) (uncredited)
- Barney Wolff (special effects) (uncredited)
- Visual Effects:
- Gordon Jennings (special photographic effects)
- Marcel Delgado (miniatures)(uncredited)
- Costume and Wardrobe Department:
- Charles Gemora (costume maker: Martian costumes) (uncredited)
- Diana Gemora (costume maker: Martian costume) (uncredited)
- Selected Cast
- Gene Barry as Dr. Clayton Forrester
- Ann Robinson as Sylvia van Buren
- Les Tremayne as Major General Mann
- Robert Cornthwaite as Dr. Pryor
- Sandro Giglio as Dr. Bilderbeck
- Lewis Martin as Pastor Dr. Matthew Collins
- Housely Stevenson Jr. as General Mann’s aide
- Paul Frees as Radio reporter / Narrator (voice)
- William Phipps as Wash Perry (as Bill Phipps)
- Vernon Rich as Colonel Ralph Heffner
- Henry Brandon as Cop at crash
- Jack Kruschen as Salvatore
- Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Commentator (voice)
- Charles Gemora as Martian (uncredited)
- Carolyn Jones as Blonde Party Guest (uncredited)
- Alvy Moore as Zippy (uncredited)
- George Pal as Bum #1 Listening to Radio (uncredited)
- James Seay as Air Force Bomber Pilot (uncredited)
- Paul Birch as Alonzo Hogue (uncredited)
This early-50s gem from producer George Pal features excellent special effects and unique plot elements for the time. Jeff has been an H.G. Wells fan since he was a tyke so it’s no surprise that The War of the Worlds is his pick. Even so, he was a bit put off the first time he saw it, wondering where the Martians’ tripods were. Once he got over that change in Wells’ story, he fell in love with the film, observing that many of the cast and crew tackled this endeavor early in their careers. He is especially impressed with Gene Barry’s performance.
Dave recounts his grandfather telling him about the Orson Welles adaptation of this story for radio and how this film version blew him away. The effects in The War of the Worlds are outstanding for the time and still amaze him. It looks so good when the Martian ships are destroying the city. Daphne also really loves The War of the Worlds and is really impressed with the color. She is also surprised when the darkness of society surfaces with the mob attacking the trucks. When he was a kid, The War of the Worlds was pretty creepy, scary stuff to Chad and kept him on the edge of his seat. The idea of a story with no superhero-type leading man and no hope in sight fascinated him.
If you’re as impressed with The War of the Worlds as your Grue-Crew, it’s high time you checked it out again. If you’ve managed to miss this true classic, it’s high time you filled that gap. At the time of this writing, The War of the Worlds is available to stream from Amazon Prime, Paramount+, and multiple other subscription or PPV streaming services. If physical media is your thing, a Blu-ray is available from Criterion.
If you’re an H.G. Wells fan, check out these other Decades of Horror podcast episodes:
- Dead Of Night (1945) – Episode 31 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era (The Golfer’s Story segment based on “The Story of the Inexperienced Ghost” by H. G. Wells)
- The Invisible Man (1933) – Episode 50 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era
- Island Of Lost Souls (1932) – Episode 98 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era
- Food Of The Gods (1976) — Episode 28 — Decades Of Horror 1970s
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Up next in their very flexible schedule is one chosen by Daphne: Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell (1968), a unique take on vampires!
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