| | | Paramount Double Feature.
Features: DVD, 2 Pack
The War of the Worlds: Laden with Academy Award winning special effects, this chilling adaptation of H.G. Wells' frightening novel detailing a Martian invasion delivers fiery thrills, laser-hot action and unrelenting, edge-of-your-seat suspense. Gene Barry (TV's Bat Masterson) and Ann Robinson (TV's Fury) are among the humans intrigued when a meteor-like object crashes to Earth...but its occupants are definitely not friendly. The assault on Earth is underway, and the Martian machines-hovering "swan"-shaped vehicles of destruction-are both beautiful and terrifying as they cut a relentless path of annihilation.When Worlds Collide: When scientists discover a distant planet is on a catastrophic collision course with Earth, the government refuses to believe the evidence. It's now up to private citizens to finance and build a spaceship to carry a limited number of people and animals to another planet and begin a new civilization. Massive tidal waves, earthquakes, the impending destruction of our world and deciding who gets to live and die brings out the best and the worst in people. This human emotional drama produced by George Pal (The War of the Worlds), combined with Academy Award-winning special effects, make When Worlds Collide one of science-fiction's pioneering classics.
"[War] A classic that should be seen by anyone who really likes genre of science fiction in the cinema." Dragan Antulov, Rec.Arts.Movies.Reviews
"[When] A fun, sometimes cheesy descent into apocalyptic nonsense." James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
"[War] A great Cold War re-imagining of Welles' classic tale." Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
"[When] ...an amazing spectacle of special effects." TV Guide's Movie Guide
Editor's Note
This double feature presents two of the greatest 1950s sci-fi classics: in the original WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953), H.G. Wells's novel about the invasion of the Earth by Martians is brought to the screen with dazzling special effects; and in WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951), a dying star hurtles through space on a collision course with Earth, with no way to stop it. See individual titles for further plot details.
| Features | Audio: English Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital Mono | | Audio: French Dolby Digital Mono | | Dubbed: French | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English |
| Technical Info
|
Release Information
| | Studio: Paramount |
| Release Date: 8/7/2007 |
| Running Time: 287 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1951 | | Catalog ID: 12426 | | UPC: 00097361242644 | | Number of Discs: 2 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Standard 1.33:1 [4:3] |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Winner (1954) | | | Oscar, The War of the Worlds, [War] Best Effects, Special Effects | |
Nominee (1954) | | | Oscar, Everett Douglas, [War] Best Film Editing | | | Oscar, Loren L. Ryder, [War] Best Sound, Recording | |
Winner (1952) | | | Oscar, When Worlds Collide, [When] Best Effects, Special Effects | |
Nominee (1952) | | | Oscar, John F. Seitz, W. Howard Greene, [When] Best Cinematography, Color |
|
| | Professional Reviews | Variety 9 of 10
[War] War of the Worlds is a socko science-fiction feature, as fearsome as a film as was the Orson Welles 1938 radio interpretation of the H.G. Wells novel. Gene Barry, as a scientist, is the principal in this story of an invasion of the earth by weird, spider-like characters from Mars, against whom the world's most potent weapons, even the atom bomb are of no avail...Into this setup, the special effects group headed by Gordon Jennings loosens a reign of screen terror, of futile defense, demolished cities, charred landscapes and people burned to ashes by the invaders' weapons...While following closely the plot laid down in Wells' novel, the film transfers the first invasion to a small town in Southern California. What is believed to be a huge meteor lands near a small town but it turns out to be a Martian machine that raises itself on pulsating beams and promptly turns deadly heatwaves on humans, buildings and anything else that comes within range...In the siege of terror, the story finds opportunity to develop a logical love story between Barry and Ann Robinson. Both are good and others seen to advantage include Les Tremayne as a general; Lewis Martin, a pastor who faces the invaders with a prayer and is struck down. An ominous commentary is spoken by Cedric Hardwicke.
|
| |
|
|
|
