.gif)
H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds (2005 film)
Encyclopedia
H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds (also known as The Classic War of the Worlds or simply as War of the Worlds) is one of three film adaptations of H. G. Wells
' classic novel
released in 2005, about a Martian
invasion of Earth. This version was produced by the independent film
production company Pendragon Pictures and unlike the other film adaptations which were set in current day in the United States
, it was the first set in the book's original time period and location, in the Victorian era
of the late 1890s in England
. The film is shot entirely with colour schemes to resemble the film quality of the early twentieth century, and has been noted for its "extreme faithfulness" to Wells' novel. It received mostly negative reviews by critics and was released on DVD in America. The movie has recently been released through GAGA on DVD in Japan. The film has altogether sold over half a million DVDs in the United States
and Canada
.
with plans for their version, but with no results. Director Timothy Hines
had long desired to make his own version of the story since he read the original novel at the age of eight. He had always wanted to tell the tale just as it was in the novel, but he eventually settled on a modern retelling, much like the original 1953 film
and the 2005 Spielberg adaptation
. Hines' version was to take place in Seattle, with a Martian
attack preceded by neutralizing electromagnetic power
, so that events could be kept as similar to the novel as possible.
Anticipation for the film began to stir in July 2001, specifically from many anxious Wells fans. In a 2004 interview with Scifidimensions.com, Hines stated that after early Microsoft employees and others in the computer industry saw his desktop film, Bug Wars, a package of $42 million was assembled for the updated modern version. Katie Tomlinson was supposed to lead the cast as the lead character Jody, the foreign correspondent, and Susan Goforth was also set to star. Hines stated that in 2001 he began fantasizing negotiations with Michael Caine
, Charlize Theron
and Eric Stoltz
to be in the film. Hines was also planning to shoot the film in the brand new Sony CineAlta HD system which George Lucas had used to film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
.
Production began in early September 2001, with plans to move into principal photography
by October of that year, and a Halloween
2002 target release date. Businessweek reported that Hines abandoned this approach after the World Trade Center
attacks. Two weeks later, with the support of Charles Keller, the director of the H. G. Wells Society
, Hines began writing a new script with producer
Susan Goforth
, while they were filming Chrome. The new direction taken was that this version was to be adapted directly from the Wells novel.
Little information appeared about the film until 2004, when it was revealed that the principal photography had finished under the cover title of The Great Boer War, and the producers planned to release the film on March 30, 2005. That date came and went with no film release; the film never opened in theaters, but was released in North America
on DVD in June 2005. In a series of questions presented by audiences, Hines claimed that the film never saw a theatrical release due to exhibitors pulling out, either from being bullied by Paramount, or through fear of reprisal from the studio.
The 2005 book War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg devotes a chapter to the Pendragon film, and states that the budget was "approximately $25 million."
H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds
comic possessed visual similarities to Pendragon's film. Pendragon set up a website poll showing image comparisons. In April 2008, the company publicly announced the legal settlement of the matter, stating it "apologizes for any misconception its press release or later internet poll may have caused."
the film as a whole saw mixed reviews by critics; who, while often praising the good intentions behind the project and its faithfulness to the source material, variously described the result as "unendurable" and "terrible in almost every way a movie can be", with "awful" effects.
Reviewers invoked the work of Ed Wood, and the worst of Mystery Science Theater 3000
. But one reviewer suggested the performances were like that in British period melodramas, and likened Hines to Karel Zeman
.
Hines himself said of the movie, "I wanted to make War of the Worlds. But what I made was something that has a macabre cult following, like an Ed Wood movie."
Reviewers complained about the original film's three hour running time, and this version cut about forty-five minutes. The version was only available in regions 2 and 4, and thus not available in the United States
and Canada
.
This edition is the special final cut edit of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds and is 125 minutes long, fifty-five minutes shorter than the original film. It has added scenes, re-edits, and re-tooled special effects. The director says this is the definitive version. The Classic War of the Worlds replaces the 3 hour rough cut version, H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, that was widely distributed and is now discontinued.
to be reunited with his wife in Leatherhead
as an army of Martians
attacks the planet, driving in massive Tripods and taking control of the Earth. The film also shows the adventures of his brother, who accompanies two women to the coast of England in an attempt to escape the aliens.
Much has been omitted during the latter parts of the story. In particular, the scenes of devastated London are largely gone. Use of Black Smoke, so prominent in the novel, is almost entirely absent. The climactic scene of the novel, where the Narrator looks down into the Martians' great pit, their headquarters, is also missing.
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
' classic novel
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles...
released in 2005, about a Martian
Martian (War of the Worlds)
The Martians, also known as the Invaders, are the fictional race of extraterrestrials from the H.G. Wells novel The War of the Worlds. They are the antagonists of the novel, and their efforts to exterminate the populace of Earth and claim the planet for themselves drive the plot and present...
invasion of Earth. This version was produced by the independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
production company Pendragon Pictures and unlike the other film adaptations which were set in current day in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it was the first set in the book's original time period and location, in the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
of the late 1890s in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The film is shot entirely with colour schemes to resemble the film quality of the early twentieth century, and has been noted for its "extreme faithfulness" to Wells' novel. It received mostly negative reviews by critics and was released on DVD in America. The movie has recently been released through GAGA on DVD in Japan. The film has altogether sold over half a million DVDs in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Production history
The film's development dates back to 2000, when Pendragon Pictures approached ParamountParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
with plans for their version, but with no results. Director Timothy Hines
Timothy Hines
Timothy Hines is an American film director, writer and producer. Best known for his adaptation of the H. G. Wells novel The War of the Worlds, he has a background in directing television commercials and short films. In 1999, he founded the independent film production company Pendragon Pictures...
had long desired to make his own version of the story since he read the original novel at the age of eight. He had always wanted to tell the tale just as it was in the novel, but he eventually settled on a modern retelling, much like the original 1953 film
The War of the Worlds (1953 film)
The War of the Worlds is a 1953 science fiction film starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. It was the first on-screen loose adaptation of the H. G. Wells classic novel of the same name...
and the 2005 Spielberg adaptation
War of the Worlds (2005 film)
War of the Worlds is a 2005 American science fiction film adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel of the same name, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp. It is one of three film adaptations of War of the Worlds released that year, alongside The Asylum's version and...
. Hines' version was to take place in Seattle, with a Martian
Martian
As an adjective, the term martian is used to describe anything pertaining to the planet Mars.However, a Martian is more usually a hypothetical or fictional native inhabitant of the planet Mars. Historically, life on Mars has often been hypothesized, although there is currently no solid evidence of...
attack preceded by neutralizing electromagnetic power
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
, so that events could be kept as similar to the novel as possible.
Anticipation for the film began to stir in July 2001, specifically from many anxious Wells fans. In a 2004 interview with Scifidimensions.com, Hines stated that after early Microsoft employees and others in the computer industry saw his desktop film, Bug Wars, a package of $42 million was assembled for the updated modern version. Katie Tomlinson was supposed to lead the cast as the lead character Jody, the foreign correspondent, and Susan Goforth was also set to star. Hines stated that in 2001 he began fantasizing negotiations with Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
, Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron is a South African actress, film producer and former fashion model.She rose to fame in the late 1990s following her roles in 2 Days in the Valley, Mighty Joe Young, The Devil's Advocate and The Cider House Rules...
and Eric Stoltz
Eric Stoltz
Eric Hamilton Stoltz is an American actor, director and producer. He is widely known for playing the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film Mask, which earned him the nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture...
to be in the film. Hines was also planning to shoot the film in the brand new Sony CineAlta HD system which George Lucas had used to film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
.
Production began in early September 2001, with plans to move into principal photography
Principal photography
thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
by October of that year, and a Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
2002 target release date. Businessweek reported that Hines abandoned this approach after the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
attacks. Two weeks later, with the support of Charles Keller, the director of the H. G. Wells Society
H. G. Wells Society
The H.G. Wells Society, founded in 1960, is an international association composed of people interested in the life, work and thought of the British writer and thinker Herbert George Wells , and encouraging a wider interest in his writings and ideas...
, Hines began writing a new script with producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
Susan Goforth
Susan Goforth
Susan Goforth is an American actress and producer. Credits to her name include stage roles in Guys and Dolls, Me and My Girl, Singin' in the Rain, A Chorus Line, Follies, to name a few...
, while they were filming Chrome. The new direction taken was that this version was to be adapted directly from the Wells novel.
Little information appeared about the film until 2004, when it was revealed that the principal photography had finished under the cover title of The Great Boer War, and the producers planned to release the film on March 30, 2005. That date came and went with no film release; the film never opened in theaters, but was released in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on DVD in June 2005. In a series of questions presented by audiences, Hines claimed that the film never saw a theatrical release due to exhibitors pulling out, either from being bullied by Paramount, or through fear of reprisal from the studio.
The 2005 book War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg devotes a chapter to the Pendragon film, and states that the budget was "approximately $25 million."
Dark Horse
In July 2006, Pendragon Pictures announced in a press release that the Dark Horse ComicsDark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds
H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds (comic)
H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds is a comic adaptation of H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds by Ian Edginton and D'Israeli. The same team earlier created the comic Scarlet Traces, and several characters from it can be seen in this series, as well as this series reusing the designs of the Martians...
comic possessed visual similarities to Pendragon's film. Pendragon set up a website poll showing image comparisons. In April 2008, the company publicly announced the legal settlement of the matter, stating it "apologizes for any misconception its press release or later internet poll may have caused."
Reception
Although the film's score by Jamie Hall was well received,the film as a whole saw mixed reviews by critics; who, while often praising the good intentions behind the project and its faithfulness to the source material, variously described the result as "unendurable" and "terrible in almost every way a movie can be", with "awful" effects.
Reviewers invoked the work of Ed Wood, and the worst of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. But one reviewer suggested the performances were like that in British period melodramas, and likened Hines to Karel Zeman
Karel Zeman
Karel Zeman was a Czech film director, artist, production designer and animator. Because of his creative use of special effects and animation in his films, he has often been called the "Czech Méliès."-Life:...
.
Hines himself said of the movie, "I wanted to make War of the Worlds. But what I made was something that has a macabre cult following, like an Ed Wood movie."
Re-releases
To date the film has been re-released twice, available in 17 countries including Japan.H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds: Director's Cut
Released: September, 2005Reviewers complained about the original film's three hour running time, and this version cut about forty-five minutes. The version was only available in regions 2 and 4, and thus not available in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The Classic War of the Worlds
Released: December 25, 2006This edition is the special final cut edit of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds and is 125 minutes long, fifty-five minutes shorter than the original film. It has added scenes, re-edits, and re-tooled special effects. The director says this is the definitive version. The Classic War of the Worlds replaces the 3 hour rough cut version, H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, that was widely distributed and is now discontinued.
Synopsis
The early part of the film follows the early part of the novel's plot in great detail. It follows the experience of a late nineteenth century journalist, known as "the writer", who races through LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to be reunited with his wife in Leatherhead
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
as an army of Martians
Martian (War of the Worlds)
The Martians, also known as the Invaders, are the fictional race of extraterrestrials from the H.G. Wells novel The War of the Worlds. They are the antagonists of the novel, and their efforts to exterminate the populace of Earth and claim the planet for themselves drive the plot and present...
attacks the planet, driving in massive Tripods and taking control of the Earth. The film also shows the adventures of his brother, who accompanies two women to the coast of England in an attempt to escape the aliens.
Much has been omitted during the latter parts of the story. In particular, the scenes of devastated London are largely gone. Use of Black Smoke, so prominent in the novel, is almost entirely absent. The climactic scene of the novel, where the Narrator looks down into the Martians' great pit, their headquarters, is also missing.
Main cast
- Anthony Piana - The WriterWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
/The Brother - Jack Clay - Ogilvy
- John Kaufmann - The CurateCurateA curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
- Darlene Sellers - Mrs. Elphinstone
- James Lathrop - The Artilleryman
- Susan Goforth - The Wife
- Jamie Lynn Sease - Miss Elphinstone
See also
- H. G. Wells' War of the WorldsH.G. Wells' War of the Worlds (2005 film)H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds is a science fiction horror mockbuster by The Asylum. It is one of three 2005 film adaptations of H. G...
, also titled Invasion or The Worlds in War, another direct-to-DVD film adaptation, produced by The AsylumThe AsylumThe Asylum is an American film studio and distributor which focuses on producing low-budget, usually direct-to-video productions. The studio has produced titles that capitalize on productions by major studios; these titles have been dubbed "mockbusters" by the press.-History:The Asylum was founded...
.
External links
- H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds Official site.
- H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. News Repository
- Advertisement. Variety. Ad placed by Pendragon Pictures in 2001.
- "War of the Worlds - update. Since events of 11 September..." Dowse.com. Tony Lee, 1991. Pre- and post-9/11 info.