Brandon's Cult Movie Reviews: THE WAR OF THE WORLDS 

Which do you prefer: the 1953 or the 2005 version of "War Of The Worlds"?

The Martian hover craft is still one of the most badass alien warships ever designed. A manta ray crossed with a cobra and a ton of firepower.

There was one thing that you forgot to mention: this movie was so influential that the Library of Congress included this movie alongside Forrest Gump and Bambi for their historical significance in the National Film Registry in 2011.

This movie was waaaaay ahead of it's time. It's stylish and the sound effects were very good. The 2005 one was actually pretty good I thought, but by comparison I find the 50s one more enjoyable

Now that Brandon has done this movie, my hopes that he might eventually do the THEM movie are higher then ever. A geek can dream!

One of my favorite movies ever. Even have a large framed print up on the wall. Thanks for doing this!

I would disagree with the General being 'gung-ho' in this. Unlike many 50s movies, he actually acts like a real General would.

There was a trifecta of wonderful sci-fi films in the early 50s: "When Worlds Collide", "The Day the Earth Stood Still", and this film. You can also add "Forbidden Planet". They hold up even today.

Fun fact: The heat ray sound effects were processed recordings of someone striking a guy wire (steel anchoring cable) from an electrical tower.

The 2005 version paid a small homage to the 1953 version by casting Gene Barry and Ann Robinson in small cameo roles at the end of the 2005 movie.

that alien weapon and ship sound effects became popculture material

Independence Day was a remake of war of the worlds. There are too many parallels for it not to be. Brandon pointed out a lot of them. But he didn’t mention that ID4 even had a flying wing bomber deliver the bomb. I always thought that surely it was a remake of the 1950s WotW, but something for some reason made them change the title.

This is a legit classic! Influenced MST3K, and Sci-Fi for over 70 years

Living in L.A. as a kid, the most memorable scene for me was the destruction of City Hall.

That John Wayne quip was dark, Dude; really, really dark. I loved it!

That 1953 opening narration by Sir Cedric Hardwicke is still one of the best in sci-fi. You might remember Sir Cedric Hardwicke from Cecil B. DeMille's, "The Ten Commandments", he was Pharaoh Sethi I, father of Rameses. Also, this movie has made the "Flying Wing" bomber forever famous. I've talked to fans who, but for this movie, would never know that aircraft existed.

The forcefields in this are honestly probably the biggest departure from the novel , and as it's something that the 2005 version kept it also had an impact there. In the book, the tripods not only don't have them, but they're not invincible either. The British army defeats a few over the course of the book, using things like ambushes, landslides and perhaps most famously ramming one with a boat. This creates a pretty important difference in tone IMO, because in the novel the martian response is to stop relying on the iconic "heat ray" and instead to progress to using "the black smoke", what was essentially a powerful chemical weapon. So they go from waging a more traditional war to total genocide because they suffer some losses. It's a pretty important point when you consider that the martians plan isn't just conquest, they want to terrform earth and drink the blood of humanity as a food source, its an abandoning of that plan in part as a reaction to things not going like they imagine. Notably the 2005 version does keep aspects of this whilst this movie dropped them. Fans of either movie, or just War of the Worlds in general should check out Scarlet Traces, a series of graphic novels from 2000ad (the judge dredd people) that serves as a direct sequel to the events of the book and is excellent.

I always thought that Independence Day was an unofficial remake with elements of other 50s invasion films

Seeing this first at the young age, the farmhouse scene gave me nightmares for years. I still find that alien creepy.

This movie not having a screaming Dakota Fanning or Justin Chatwin playing a character you're praying for the aliens to kill makes this the superior version.

I was a fan of War of the Worlds. I read the book and I love both movies. I also listened to the Jeff Wayne Musical.

War of the worlds was one of the greatest movies I've ever seen,its defenitly in my list of top 10 greatest films I've watched before.

"And, because it's the 50's, that means every car has to look like if the Griswolds were bank robbers." And that's where I lost it. LOL.

My dad used to have this on VHS and it was the first alien invasion movie I saw and loved, the ships were unstoppable and the world really looked completely doomed.

When I was a kid in the 80's I first saw scenes from this movie playing on a TV in the film Explorers. I found out it was footage of a real sci-fi classic and rented it from Blockbuster that weekend. Wasn't disappointed! Great and hilarious review as always Brandon! 😁😁😁

Fun fact, in the book the martians had a extraterrestrial plant called red weed, it spread around England before dying. Now that I say that, I kinda wish ray harryhausen didn’t drop out of the project, heck, imagine if a company like toho adapted war of the worlds.

6:47 It's nice of Brandon Tenold to slip up and use his real voice.

I remember seeing this film when I was rather young and; having found it years later, I now have it on DVD. Definitely some classic sci fi well ahead of its time and one of my favorite old sci fi films.

Did you know there was a *"Direct to DVD"* sequel to Spielberg's film called *The War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave??* You should do a review on that film. It's right up your alley.

1953. The FX hold up, it's well paced, the characters feel real... and it has some absolutely classic scenes (and just THINKING of it makes me crave bacon & eggs LOL). The remake has some STUNNING FX & scenes (the flaming train, the ferry sinking, the first attack) - but the pacing is clunky and the daughter's CONSTANT screaming is thoroughly off-putting. I have DVDs of both... but if I HAD to keep just one, it would be the 1953 one. It's just better.

The heat ray effects and sounds creeped the hell out of me s a kid, they were downright chilling. And now this review has me imagining a younger Jeff Goldblum as Superman.

When I was a kid, one of the local radio stations would broadcast the Orson Welles version on Halloween. It's amazing what a kid's imagination will do, listening in a dark room, with the green glow of an old stereo radio to add to the spooky atmosphere.

Of all the adaptations of War of the Worlds this one and the Musical are arguably the best.

This is one of my favorite alien invasion movies and the special effects still hold up.

I love this choice from Brandon! Not only one of the top sci-fi films of the 50's but of all time. The Criterion remastering is absolutely stunning.

Loved this movie as a kid, so much style and mystique, probably one of the 50's finest pieces of movie making.

I love War of the Worlds. I've seen every version. If anyone is interested, there's a musical audio version "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds." When I was a kid, I must have listened to the album dozens of times. It's really good, check it out. Oh, also, the famous Welsh actor, Richard Burton narrates.

This story inspired me twice! The book got me into science fiction, and this movie got me into 50s sci-fi movies.

I loved those flying saucers, and yes, I know technically they hovered. That's how you design a menacing spacecraft.

A silly movie, but one of my all-time favorites! Also I’m so in love with this ridiculous martian design...

I love the effects of this one that are so ahead of its time

The best adaptation of HG Wells' classic Sci Fi novel. Ray Harryhausen was originally attached to the project for the VFX, but his version was later scrapped in favor of the Martian's bring more believable, and the only thing that survived of Harryhausen's version was test footage. It can be found online.

I will never not love the fact that the MST3K guys literally did name their "villain" scientist after the character from this movie. I actually remember watching the TV series that was a direct follow-up to this, I enjoyed it until it did the thing where S1 ends, then S2 is so different it might as well not be the same show. Now I'm curious and I'm gonna go look up why that happened...

I would like to see the novel brought to film set in the 1800s just like the books and follow faithfully to the book. If done right, it would be super awesome.

I love the 1953 War of the Worlds. The alien space ship design and the sound effects were stylish. The 2005 version was fine and Tom Cruise was good. Sadly, it was too depressing for its own good.

I love this sci-fi masterpiece, but the aliens always look like they had the game of Simon stuck to their heads.

I enjoy this movie. Independence Day will always be the best War of the World's remake.

The sound effects for the Martian "skeleton beam" would later be used on Star Trek for the photon torpedo sound effect.

There were a couple of TV series adaptations of this in the last year or two. One was set in turn-of-last-century England, and one was a tad more modern (in France I think).

I’ve listened to the radio drama, read the book, and watched the Tom Cruise movie adaptation. I didn’t know there was an older “War Of The Worlds” movie. I have to give it a watch now.

This movie will always be a timeless classic!

Love your opening artwork. Kudos to the artist.

In the book, if I remember right, the Martians drank human blood for sustenance, which made them even more susceptible to Earth's diseases. Always thought it was strange that creatures that had the knowledge and resources to launch an interplanetary invasion didn't think that part thru.

I remember watching this growing up when WOR or WPIX would broadcast it on some weekend afternoon. The special effects have stood the test of time.

A masterpiece. Story & acting are what counts, effects are good enough. I lived next door to the church where they waited for the end in Hollywood. Only a halfwit thought the Welles radio show was real.

Watching this 70 years ago at the cinema must have been quite the experience

Didn't expect Brandon to cover a GOOD, or in this case iconic, films. That said it's great when he covers films I recognise and have seen beforehand Also Brandon should watch The Tripods. A British scifi series from the 80s, it's geeky but the story is interesting and the effects are fascinating for the BBC budget at the time.

Has very great special effects for the 50s

Still have this on VHS. I can recite every line from memory, and those Martians haunt me into my adult life. The Matte Paintings are beautiful and timeless, and I can never forget them.

Man this was a cool one to see Brandon go through. I remember seeing this way back as a little kid, and it definitely left an impression.

I love war of the worlds and its adaptations!

I liked them both, preferring the imagery of the 53 film, but I think the 1978 double album and illustrations are my favourite War of the Worlds version.

That Boomerang, by the way, was the first sighted flying saucer. Civil aviation pilot Kenneth Arnold in July 1947 saw a flight of several such craft that were classified at the time. He described their flight characteristics - not shape - as being like a saucer skipped across the pond. He drew a picture of what he saw and the Flying Wing was it. It would eventually inform the shape of the B2 Bomber that had the advantage of producing a smaller radar cross section, i.e., stealth.

I've gotten the DVD of the Movie during last fall and I've seen the 1953 War of the Worlds a number of times and it would later get its own TV Series in the 1980's.

Yes! Yes! Yes! This movie is awesome! Thank you, Brandon!

03:00 I just love the look of matte paintings from that era through to the 70s. Even if they don't always look realistic, they have this beauty to them that I prefer to realistic CGI renderings.

That little shot a 9:26 of the war machine and the explosion just gives off such a aura of strength and power.

One of my favorites! I had the pleasure of meeting the star Anne Robertson a few years ago at a screening. She said the ships were made of copper, including the electronic eye, sadly they were all scrapped for a Boy Scout metal drive, a year or so after filming wrapped.

Personally I think the manta designs of the ships as well as the aliens are pretty unique compared to something like flying saucers and green men

from the moment the movie was reviewed on your show, it was doomed to suffer wisecracks, but i cant deny most of them are funny as hell

For any of us old enough to get this Fun Fact: the the war movies at the beginning, and the announcer when they dropped the a-bomb, where done by Paul Frees, who was Boris Badenov on "Rocky and Bullwinkle" (+ their various show titles). (Frees also had a small role as a scientist in "The Thing from Another World").

Did anyone notice at around 16:58 the electricity power lines in the street get vaporized by the heat ray. Way to go SFX team ! All the times I've seen this movie and it's the first time I noticed that.

The 1953 version freaked me out as a child. The 2005 version confused me as an adult, because it was an incoherent rushjob.

The Time Machine Is a true classic of its day

In the second arc of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen the characters actually take on the aliens from War of the Worlds as they invade Britain. It has Mr Hyde take down a walker with his bare hands.

The special effects in this movie was very well done given the time it was made

Love the MST3K reference there! I need to re-watch this movie again. It has been a while!

This movie is great and keep up the great work

This is one of my all time favorite SF from the 50's. Wonderful SFX, great cast of characters actors from that era, Gene Barry as Dr. Clayton Forester, Ann Robinson as Dr Sylvia Van Buren (she was an actual horse stunt rider) and the great Les Tremayne as Major General Mann really stand out in the film. Wonderfully directed by Byron Haskin who worked with the great George Pal on other productions. I loved how serious the film turns when Uncle Matthew (Lewis Martin) is incernerated by the Martians--while walking towards the War Machine with the Bible. The Army commences their attack but their 40's-50's weapons technology prove ineffective! Great scene!

I'm really happy you covered this one because I have the poster in my bedroom and I really like the thumbnail art for this one.

Thanks for reviewing this film....one of my favorite films of all time...

Love this film. I remember it being shown on UK repeats during the 1980s and seeing as a child. The alien effects are still amazing and way better than the crappy Spielberg aliens. And the dull thudding beat before the heat ray fired used to get me all the time. Aaaahhh memories

I saw the notification and was like YESSS!!!! i was wondering when you where gonna cover this, my grandfather showed me this and it gave me nightmares but i loved it and watched it every time i went over his house. This was the movie that got me into the sifi genre

Idk why, but I almost died laughing at Brandon’s stereotype Canadian accent.

One of my favorite movies, one of my favorite reviewers, and a title card by one of my favorite artists. It's a triple crown. I remember covering this in 5th grade, when we read the original novel, listened to the Orson Wells version, and then finally watched this. I then began a hunt for a copy, eventually finding a version with packaging that advertised it as for anyone who loved Independence Day.

For a late 80s show the first season of the TV series was pretty great and took more of an Invasion Of The Body Snatchers turn. Didn't care for it after the first season when they basically rebooted it and made it into a completely different alien invasion story.

Genuinely of my all time faves. I have a yearly birthday tradition of watching this and 'Them!' back to back.

"Thanks for that" was perfect. Good job on that one. I've loved this movie when I was a kid and I'll still watch it today.

Great movie ! Definitely in my top 10 sci fi list. i didn't like the 2005 version at all.

You briefly mentioned the TV series from the 80's. It's dated as hell now, but the basic concepts were cool and it would be a great reboot candidate.

From what I remember reading decades ago, they originally tried out putting the ships on tripods, but it took so much power, it would've caused a fire. Not to mention how difficult it would have been to get them to look right. The ships alone took up a lot of power just for the internal lighting and the bulb for the heat ray and articulating it. No fibre optics, not even transistors were around yet.

Technical point: The statue at 14:53 is St Joseph carrying baby Jesus.

Great movie--fun change of tone and a good balance of fun and respectful to a real classic!

Yeah, it's a good movie and all, but what pisses me off is that we could have had a Ray Harryhausen War of the worlds movie, if they didn't go behind his back, to make this instead. Imagine the martian tripods, in glorious Harryhausen stop motion. He even did tons of concept art and a short test. It was his dream project, and from what I remember, he was screwed over...

Thank you! I would love to see a few more of these massively influential and genre-defining films from you. Not always, I mean, I love the cheese and schlock you do, but I also like you take on things like this.

Thanks for the deep dive on this one. The trivia and history on this one is fascinating.

Great video on a brilliant movie! Im kinda surprised you haven't covered this sooner to be honest... its so cult and schlocky and iconic and KIND OF a monster movie right? Anyways, i always enjoy your take and view on movies that i love, also i enjoy discovering new old films that i haven't seen yet, and trust your opinions on whether something is worth watching. So thanks for that dude 😄

I remember my parents would watch Chiller Theater in the early 70s, & this was one of the ones I watched with them... kinda messed me up for a while 😅 but those sound effects, yeah, iconic... also caught Invasion of the Body Snatchers & Little Shop of Horrors (the non-musical version)... classics!

13:07 The boomerang is a Northrop YB-49.

8:56 - the same reaction any Super Metroid player had to the death of the baby Metroid. Fantastic review and well done for tipping your hat to Ray Harryhausen.