THE
WAR OF THE WORLDS (Blu-ray Review)
Starring
Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Bob Cornthwaite, Lewis
Martin. Directed by Byron Haskin. (1953/85 min)
FROM
CRITERION COLLECTION
Review
by Mr. Paws😸
This
might be the best restoration of a film I've ever seen.
If
not the quintessential alien invasion movie, The War of the Worlds
is certainly one of the most influential. Not being around when it
was released in 1953, I first saw it on TV as a kid years later on an
old hand-me-down black & white. Along with Star Trek
reruns, it was my first exposure to pure science-fiction and left an
indelible impression.
But
aesthetically, time was not kind to the film. Subsequent releases for theaters, home video and TV airings used prints which not-only
muted its vibrant color palate, they made the ample use of wires - to
move the Martian machines - clearly visible, completely breaking
the illusion and erasing the menace. But I didn't know any of this,
simply assuming the whole thing was rendered archaic by my bitchin'
flat-screen.
Like
a lot of beloved classics, it's been given a 4K restoration and –
finally! - released on Blu-ray for the first time. While I
think 'remastered' and 'restoration' are terms which are sometimes
thrown-around a bit too liberally, this time the results are clearly
noticeable to anyone who ever grew up watching The War of
the Worlds on TV. The film not-only looks gorgeous, its vivid use
of color – which I never noticed before – is remarkably similar
(at least in terms of enhancing the tone) to The Red Shoes.
 |
| The time-honored sci-fi tradition of poking alien objects with a stick. |
But
best of all...no wires! Well...almost no wires. Trust me, I've
seen the film enough times to know when they're coming. For the most
part, they're gone, the result of the painstaking restoration process
which is thoroughly discussed in one of the disc's many bonus
features (including before & after comparisons). The point is
this print renders the film new again, the illusion restored, just
like it probably looked in 1953.
Speaking
of bonus features, most of them are brand new, as well as a few
archival supplements and – of course – Orson Welles' original
radio broadcast from 1938, all of which help make this disc from
Criterion Collection one of the best Blu-ray releases of the
year. Beautifully restored, The War of the Worlds is an
essential film for any collection.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
"MOVIE
ARCHEOLOGISTS” - 30 minute doc covering the sound and visual
effects, featuring Ben Brutt & Craig Barron, both of whom worked
on the restoration.
"FROM
THE ARCHIVE” - 30 minute doc covering the film's restoration,
featuring Paramount's Andrea Kalas and Brutt & Barron.
"THE
SKY IS FALLING” - Retrospective doc (from 2005) featuring
interviews with surviving – at the time – cast & crew.
AUDIO
COMMENTARY – By director Joe Dante, historian Bob Burns &
author Bill Warren.
THE
WAR OF THE WORLDS RADIO PLAY – Orson Welles'
infamous 1938 radio adaption, along with a discussion between Orson
and H.G. Wells.
GEORGE
PAL AUDIO INTERVIEW
ORIGINAL
TRAILER
SUPPLENTAL
INSERT – Includes cast-crew listing, restoration info &
credits and “Sky on Fire,” and essay by J. Hoberman.
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEE-OW! LIKE TAUNTING A MOUSE TO DEATH.
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