STARS...
Malcolm McDowell, David
Warner, Mary Steenburgen, Joseph
Maher, Patti D'Arbanville, Charles Cioffi
PLOT SUMMARY...
When Jack the Ripper, in 1890's London, steals H.G. Wells operational
time machine, young H.G. pursues him through time, to 1979, San Francisco.
QUICK SCAN....
This film could be compared to "The Time Machine". TIME AFTER TIME
features romance, action, and great use of the San Francisco locations.
Malcom McDowell and Mary Steenburgen have great chemistry, as the lovers
from different times. David Warner is very spooky as Jack the Ripper. A
highlight is McDowell's first trip to a fast food restaurant.
SYNOPSIS...
Following another grisly murder in 1890, London, Jack the Ripper uses
H.G. Wells time machine to escape. When the machine automatically returns
to the past, Wells takes it to 1979, San Francisco, in pursuit of the evil
Jack.
In modern day San Francisco, Wells has fun encountering the modern world.
He also meets and falls in love with a pretty bank teller, a very modern
woman. In the meantime, Jack is killing women in the city by the bay.
In a showdown between Jack and Wells, Jack escapes in the time machine,
but Wells removes the key, sending a screaming Jack through time and space,
without benefit of the time machine. The bank teller decides to travel
back in time to 1890, London, with Wells.
DIRECTOR: Nicholas Meyer
YEAR & RATING: 1979 (PG)
Review:
WAR OF THE WORLDS, Directed by Byron Haskin, is a true classic of 50's Sci-Fi that has held up surprisingly well over the years.
Gene Barry ("Burke's Law") is a scientist on a finishing trip near a small California town. When strange meteors fall in a field nearby, Barry is called in to investigate. In the process of doing that, he meets a beautiful young Library Science teacher from U.S.C., Ann Robinson ("Dragnet" circa 1954), and her uncle, a pastor. Using a geiger counter, Barry determines that the meteor is "hot". Before he can investigate further, Barry is invited to the local square dance. Barry, perhaps to prove he's just folks (or maybe to get closer to the attractive Robinson) complies.
Later in the evening, three locals approach the meteor. The top to the "meteor" screws of and a long necked, snake-like object pokes out. The three decide to make contact with the E.T. and become famous. One of the guys ponders, "What are we going to say to them?" Another replies, "Welcome to California." Waving a white flag, the three approach the object. The snake-like object pulsates and zaps them out of existence. The FX in this sequence, by Producer George Pal, Director Haskin, and Director of Photography G. Barnes, are top drawer.
At this time, the power shorts out at the square dance. And speaking of short, Barry's tie in this scene is extremely short, reaching only halfway down his shirt front. I guess that was cool in the 50's. Anywho, the watches of everybody at the dance have stopped. This is a fun and different way to show that weird stuff is going on.
When the police go to investigate a fire in the vicinity of the meteor, the ashes of the three dead guys are found. Then the alien snake appears and zaps a cop car to kingdom come. Once again, the quality of the FX here is quite good.
Soon, more meteors (alien ships) land in the area. Barry, no dummy, tells the sheriff to contact the military. In short order, the military shows up, as well as other scientists. We also learn that alien ships have landed in other countries. Naturally, the media shows up too. When Barry is asked by the press to tell them about the Martians, he replies, "They may be able to smell colors," I'm not sure exactly what this means, but, courtesy of Screenwriter Barre Lyndon, the viewer is given a fresh and thought provoking concept to mull over, the hallmark of good Sci-Fi.
Subsequent battle scenes, between the military and three pleisiosaur (aquatic dinosaur) shaped floating alien craft, protected by bell jar-like transparent force fields, are excellent. These are the best man versus alien invader scenes filmed, not having been surpassed by later Sci-Fi films.
Let's talk acting. Gene Barry, who had mostly stage experience up to this point, gives an intense, overly emphatic performance. Little is seen of the smooth sophisticate he was later to portray on his TV series, "Bat Masterson", "Burke's Law", and "Name of the Game". Well, there's nothing wrong with growing and improving as an actor, and this film shows that Barry has done plenty of that!
Ann Robinson, as the Library Science teacher fulfills the standard requirements of the 50's Sci-Fi female co-star: brunette, beautiful, and less competent than her male co-star. Robinson doesn't really seem credible as a teacher of college level classes. I guess producer George Pal believed his scientist needed a love interest of basically equal social standing. I guess it's another 50's thing.
My favorite scene is when the aliens, having invaded Los Angeles, blow up L.A.'s landmark City Hall. The fact that I worked in that building, for eight unpleasant months some years back, may have something to do with my enjoyment of the scene.
The Music, by Leith Stevens, varying between spooky and religious, is a bit overdone, having aged less well than the rest of the movie. By 50's standards, however, it was right on, and can be appreciated on that level by a simple twist of the mind. Besides, forty years from now, film critics may be saying the same thing of a Music Composer like John Williams!
WAR OF THE WORLDS should be highly watchable for most Sci-Fi fans, whether
or not they've read H.G. Wells' classic source novel, or heard Orson Welles'
famous radio adaptation. Anyone who doesn't like this film is a dirty Martian!
Smelled any colors lately?
TARS...
Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, Alan
Young, Sebastian Cabot, Tom Helmore, Whit Bissell
PLOT SUMMARY...
When a Victorian scientist invents a time machine, he travels into
the far, far future where he encounters a strange, bizarrely fragmented
society.
QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "Time After Time". THE TIME MACHINE
features romance, action, and FX. Rod Taylor, ("Hotel"), is dynamic in
the title role of the time traveler. The Academy Award winning, Special
Photographic Effects are a treat. A film highlight is a torch battle between
Taylor and the Morlocks, in their underground world.
SYNOPSIS...
In 1900 England, a disheveled George Wells finally shows up for the
dinner party he threw for friends at his home. He claims to have spent
the last five days as a traveler in time. In flashback, we see George visit
1917, 1940, and 1966, encountering a World War in progress, EACH time he
stops.
Eventually George arrives in 802, 701 A.D., where society has
devolved into two groups: the naive Eloi, and their slave masters, the
underground dwelling Morlocks. George falls for a cute girl, named Weena.
George leads the Eloi in a successful revolt against the Morlocks, then
returns to the present.
As his mostly disbelieving guests leave, George says a final farewell
to his best friend Philby. With that, he hops in his time machine and zips
back to the far future, to be with Weena, and to help the Eloi build a
new civilization.
Eventually George arrives in 802, 701 A.D., where society
has devolved into two groups: the naive Eloi, and their slave masters,
the underground dwelling Morlocks. George falls for a cute girl, named
Weena. George leads the Eloi in a successful revolt against the Morlocks,
then returns to the present.
As his mostly disbelieving guests leave, George says a
final farewell to his best friend Philby. With that, he hops in his time
machine and zips back to the far future, to be with Weena, and to help
the Eloi build a new civilization.
http://www.sciencefiction.com/t22htm
http://www.sciencefiction.com/t23htm
http://www.sciencefiction.com/f4.html
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