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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Paramount
EAN: 9781415711668
Format: Collector's Edition, Color, DVD, Full Screen, Special Edition, NTSC
ISBN: 1415711666
Label: Paramount Pictures
Languages: EnglishOriginal LanguageDolby Digital 2.0 MonoEnglishSubtitled
Manufacturer: Paramount Pictures
MPN: PARD026394D
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Paramount Pictures
Region Code: 1
Release Date: November 01, 2005
Running Time: 85 minutes
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Theatrical Release Date: August 26, 1953
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 08/22/2006
Amazon.com essential video:
After the success of 1950's Destination Moon and 1951's When Worlds Collide, visionary producer George Pal brought the classic H.G. Wells story of a Martian invasion to the big screen, and it instantly became a science fiction classic and winner of the 1953 Academy Award for Best Special Effects. It's a work of frightening imagination, with its manta-ray spaceships armed with cobra-like probes that shoot a white-hot disintegration ray. As formations of alien ships continue to wreak destruction around the globe, the military is helpless to stop this enemy while scientists race to find an effective weapon. Gene Barry and Ann Robinson play the hero and heroine roles that were de rigueur for movies like this in the '50s, and their encounter with one of the Martians is as creepy today as it was in '53. It finally takes an unseen threat--simple Earth bacteria--to conquer the alien invaders, but not before War of the Worlds has provided a dazzling display of impressive special effects. As memorable for its sound effects as for its spectacular visions of destruction, this is a movie for the ages--the kind of spectacular that inspired little kids such as Steven Spielberg (not to mention Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, whose Independence Day cribs liberally from the plot) and still packs a punch. --Jeff Shannon
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
The other reviews said this was a very crisp copy of the movie. They were absolutely correct.
Rating: -
Ah, War of the Worlds. Still my favorite incarnation of this story. This was shown on television around Halloween just about every year in the 80's, and it was my yearly tradition as a kid to come home after an evening of trick-or-treating with my mother and sit down and watch this while eating my candy and popcorn. If I wasn't regularly watching it then, I was renting it on VHS from the local video store. Finally, after years of hoping for a Special Edition DVD, we have this. (The original DVD's only bonus was a trailer.)
As far as the movie itself, where do I begin? It's absolutely timeless. 90% of the special effects hold up even now. In fact, some of them look even better than the overtly-CG stuff seen today. Sometimes, models and practical animation effects look better. The story is filled with drama, and as I get older, I still find lots of little nuances in it that I never noticed on previous viewings. Of course, seeing it first as a child (dozens of times), I didn't understand the dialogue per se, so what grabbed me was the overwhelming fear of the unknown, the fate of loved ones, and the menacing imagery, colors and sounds of the Martians. The hissing of the machines creeped me out for years, and whenever I hear a neighbor's sprinkler on a summer night, I still get a chill. The manta-ray shape of the ships is very affecting on a visceral, psychological level, as well as the cobra-like "head" that shoots the heat rays. This, to me, is still the epitome of frightening Hollywood aliens.
This new Special Edition is loaded with a sizable amount of extras. There's two seperate commentaries; one with stars Gene Barry and Anne Robinson, and another with filmmaker/writer fans Joe Dante, Bob Burns, and Bill Warren. Also included is an hour-long documentary about the making of the movie (meticulously guided by Anne Robinson, who has remained almost an unofficial "keeper of the flame" as far as War of the Worlds fandom and information), a featurette on original author H.G. Wells, as well as an audio feature which includes the entire 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles. Although it's unfortunate that the original Cinemascope print hasn't been put out on DVD yet, perhaps they will in the future. Nevertheless, the print looks great here, with amazing detail and color. Oh, and the trailer is also included.
I notice that a lot of people tend to glorify one version of War of the Worlds over another, with this one receiving a fair amount of praise, and the 2005 Spielberg one getting dumped on more often than not. Whatever happened to liking all of something? I enjoy each version of the story for its own unique voice. The 1898 novel, the 1938 radio drama, the late 80's TV show, and both movie versions...are all great. Get them, because they're all classics and timecapsules of their time, and should be cherished as such.
Rating: -
Excellent movie, excellent price. Some reviewers have mentioned that the quality is so improved that now you can see the wires holding up the spaceships. This is true - and who cares!? I thoroughly enjoyed the additional item on the making of the movie. It was interesting to see just how they handled the special effects at that point in time. Don't pass this one up!
Rating: -
Purchased for disbled brother. Quick shipment, great price. Would purchase other movies in the future. He loved the movie...
Rating: -
This classic 1953 version of War of the Worlds is much better than the recent re-make. I also found the commentaries very interesting. The included audio copy of the original Orson Wells broadcast of War of the Worlds is a gem!
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