"War of the Worlds" Through The Years

A Martian craft from the 1953 film

H.G. Well’s 1898 novel War of the Worlds has enthralled and fascinated readers ever since it was first published. The thrilling story of an invasion from Mars set the standard for the many tales of alien contact (and conflict) which followed in the science-fiction genre. The book has been adapted several times over the years, including the famous 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre, which panicked some listeners who thought it was an actual account of an invasion from Mars. There’s also the classic 1953 film version produced by George Pal, a 1988-90 TV series which starred Jared Martin, and Steven Spielberg’s 2005 remake featuring Tom Cruise, which was produced in the aftermath of 9/11, and whose stark tone was influenced by those horrible events. The 1978 album Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, featuring Richard Burton, David Essex and Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, is a cool rock opera retelling of the story. Recently, there have been two newer adaptations of the tale, a BBC produced mini-series set in the nineteenth-century time period of the novel, and a modern-day re-imagining featuring Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern, which aired recently on the EPIX cable network.

Most fans consider the 1953 film version of the novel to be the definitive re-telling of this classic story. The rights to War of the Worlds had been held by Paramount for years, and at one point, Cecil B. DeMille had plans to work on a cinematic adaptation of the book. Eventually, George Pal, who had produced the successful science-fiction films Destination Moon and When Worlds Collide, took on the project. Former cinematographer Byron Haskin was brought on board to direct the film, and relative newcomers Gene Barry and Ann Robinson were selected to star in the movie. Barry plays Dr. Clayton Forrester, a nuclear physicist, and Robinson co-stars as Sylvia Van Buren, whom Forrester meets while investigating what is at first thought to be a meteor which has crashed to Earth. The duo are catapulted headlong into a strange and harrowing situation when several more of these objects arrive. The “meteors” turn out to be alien ships from Mars, and similar objects have landed all over the world. It’s the beginning of an invasion, and the Martian ships weave a path of death and destruction across the Earth. No weapon or force seems to be able to stop them. The fate of the world hangs in the balance. Is this the end of humanity?

The film is exciting and suspenseful. Haskin’s direction is solid, and he keeps the action moving at a crisp pace. The script by Barre Lyndon updates the action of the novel to the present day, and the change works beautifully. We’re able to relate to Clayton and Sylvia’s experiences, and we see the terrifying events of the alien invasion through their eyes. The cast, aside from Barry and Robinson, is full of character actors and familiar faces, including Les Tremayne, Jack Kruschen, and Robert Cornwaithe, who appeared in the 1951 classic The Thing. Ann Robinson later reprised the character of Sylvia Van Buren in the 1988-90 TV series, which was set after the events of this film. The special-effects (which won on Oscar) are first-rate, and are still quite impressive. The cool, sleek design of the Martian craft and their powerful death rays, the marvelous sound effects, and the excellent matte work all combine to create a stunning vision of the indestructible Martians and their devastating power. Like a pair of other well-regarded films that followed, Forbidden Planet and This Island Earth, it’s obvious that War of the Worlds was produced on an “A” budget, unlike the many sci-fi movies that followed in the later years of the decade. The movie also clearly influenced many modern day big budget sci-fi thrillers, including the 1996 epic, Independence Day.

Cover for The Criterion Collection release

War of the Worlds was produced with great care and attention to detail by George Pal, and it shows. The movie holds up remarkably well, and is still an engrossing and exciting tale. It’s one of Pal’s best films, along with his other Wells adaptation, 1960’s The Time Machine. The movie has recently been issued on Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection. The film has been re-mastered in high-definition using an original Technicolor print as a reference, and this release also features a new 5.1 mix of the soundtrack. The excellent array of extras includes an informative commentary by director Joe Dante, movie historian/collector Bob Burns and the late Bill Warren, who wrote the definitive study of 1950’s science-fiction films, Keep Watching The Skies, as well as a vintage audio interview with George Pal, an audio recording of Orson Welles’ radio broadcast, and a brief interview Welles conducted with author H.G. Wells. There are also some wonderful featurettes, which include interviews with members of the cast, as well as the talented team who worked on the film’s restoration, including Ben Burtt and Craig Barron. If you’re looking to own a copy of the film, this disc is a must-have. For more info on this excellent disc from The Criterion Collection, follow this link: https://www.criterion.com/films/29942-the-war-of-the-worlds.

War of the Worlds has been re-interpreted and re-invented by several generations of artists since H.G. Wells first released the novel in 1898. But for kids of a certain age, the 1953 film will always hold a special place in our hearts. Here’s the original trailer for the 1953 version of War of the Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_DUxdhdSyk. For more on Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, the rock and roll version of the novel, head over to CultureSonar, and check out my story on the album by following this link: https://www.culturesonar.com/war-of-the-worlds/.

The Haunted Palace: Poe Meets Lovecraft

By 1963, Roger Corman had directed several successful Edgar Allan Poe adaptations for American-International Pictures, and was looking to try something a bit different. The producer-director was a fan of the influential horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, and suggested the idea of doing a film version of the author’s novella The Case of Charles Dexter Ward to his AIP bosses, James Nicholson and Samuel Z Arkoff. While they agreed to produce the movie, they hedged their bets a little by making the project part of the Poe series. The movie was eventually titled The Haunted Palace, after a poem written by Poe. At the end of the film, several lines from that poem were spoken by star Vincent Price. Oddly enough, Poe's name was misspelled in the credits as Edgar Allen Poe!

Debra Paget & Vincent Price

The Haunted Palace tells the story of Charles Dexter Ward, a man who has inherited his ancestral home in the village of Arkham. Along with his wife Anne, Ward visits the town, where his great-great grandfather had lived years before. The couple isn’t exactly given a warm welcome, as Ward’s ancestor, Joseph Curwen, was a warlock who terrorized Arkham, conducting fiendish rituals during which local girls disappeared, and demonic creatures were called upon to rise from a dark pit in Curwen’s home. The evil Curwen is eventually burned at the stake, but vows revenge on the townsfolk, cursing them and their descendants. Many of the residents of Arkham suffer from deformities that are blamed on the curse. Charles and Anne talk with Marinius Willet, the local doctor, who tells them the story of Curwen. When they eventually go to the house, they meet up with Simon, the odd caretaker of the estate.

Charles is strangely affected by the negative aura of the house, and is deeply influenced by an eerie portrait of Curwen. The spirit of his ancestor starts to take hold of him. The evil warlock enacts his revenge on the descendants of those who killed him, using Charles as his vessel. Along with Simon and Jabez, both of whom were compatriot of Curwen’s, the warlock plans to open a doorway to another dimension, allowing the monstrous creatures he worships to rule our world. Charles struggles for control of his mind, body and soul, but the power of his ancestor’s evil will might be too much for him. Anne and Dr. Willet try to convince Charles to leave the house before it’s too late. Will the kindly Charles be able to triumph over Curwen’s possession?

The Haunted Palace is a moody, strikingly photographed (by Floyd Crosby) chiller with solid direction by Corman. The appropriately chilling score for the movie is by Ronald Stein. The cast is especially strong; in addition to Vincent Price as Charles, and Debra Paget as Anne (in her last big-screen role), the film also features Lon Chaney, Jr., Leo Gordon, Elisha Cook, Jr. and Cathie Merchant. Price often gets an (undeserved) bad rap for being over the top and hammy, but he was a wonderful actor, steeped in the theatrical tradition in which he was trained. Price knew just when to take it over the top, and when to dial it down. Here, he's able to convey Charles' internal struggle with subtle gestures and small changes in mood and facial expression, aided by Crosby's effective lighting and use of color. The house itself is like a character in the film, evoking a real feeling of dread, especially that evil painting of Curwen, which almost feels alive. 

Roger Corman's The Haunted Palace is an eerie, well-produced thriller that will appeal to fans of Price, Corman’s Poe series, and Lovecraft aficionados. It’s one of my favorites of the “Poe” series, and it’s the first (and one of the best) onscreen adaptations of a Lovecraft work. The film effectively captures the Gothic tone of Poe's fiction and the otherworldly, fantastical elements of Lovecraft's work. AIP would later release a version of Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror, directed by frequent Corman collaborator Daniel Haller. Shout! Factory released an an excellent Blu-ray of the film as part of their “Vincent Price Collection” a few years ago, but that box set (like the MGM "Midnite Movies" DVD of the film) is now out of print. The film does show up on various cable stations on occasion, and is worth seeking out. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJT4uD64IZg.

A Double Dose of Hitchcock's TV Series

Director Alfred Hitchcock was a familiar face to television viewers during the 1950s and 1960s. He hosted the long-running anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which ran from 1955-1965. Until 1962, the series presented half-hour tales of suspense featuring both original stories and adaptations of classic mystery tales. Starting in the 1962 television season, the show expanded to an hour in length, and was renamed The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. Like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and Thriller, both versions of the show featured a host of talented actors including Sally Kellerman, Jessica Tandy, Charles Bronson, Bill Mumy, Joseph Cotten, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tony Randall, and Vincent Price. I thought I’d shine the light on a couple of watch-worthy entries from the series, to provide you a sort of “Hitchcock TV double feature.” First up, “The Case of Mr. Pelham,” the tenth episode from the first season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Tom Ewell

The episode stars Tom Ewell (from The Seven Year Itch) as Albert Pelham, a man who suspects that he has a double who has been impersonating him. The mysterious doppelganger has been showing up at Pelham’s apartment, his job and even his private club. No one is able to tell the difference between the double and the real Pelham. As Pelham relates the story in flashback to a doctor played by Raymond Bailey (best known for his role as Mr. Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies) he admits he’s begun to doubt his own sanity. The doctor assures Pelham that there is obviously a logical explanation for these events, but just what does the double want from Pelham? Does he intend to take over his life?

“The Case of Mr. Pelham” is one of the seventeen segments of the series that were directed by Hitchcock, and it’s a crisply paced episode with an intriguing concept. Ewell is outstanding as the troubled Pelham and his sinister double, and the climactic scene, where the two versions of Pelham share the screen, is excellent. Francis Cockrell wrote the teleplay for the episode, which was based on Anthony Armstrong’s story The Strange Case of Mr. Pelham. The tale was also the inspiration for the eerie Roger Moore film The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970). There are many excellent entries throughout the run of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, but “The Case of Mr. Pelham” is one of the best, and an especially good starting point if you’re new to the series.

Another fine segment of the series is “Captive Audience,” the fifth episode from The Alfred Hitchcock Hour’s first season. This episode was penned by the celebrated team of Richard Levinson and William Link, best known for creating (and writing episodes for) classic television series such as Columbo, Mannix, Ellery Queen and Murder, She Wrote. The story concerns a mystery writer named Warren Barrow, who sends tapes of his plot ideas to his publisher, Victor Hartman. The latest series of tapes he sends along to Hartman seem to be about a murder that Barrow is actually planning to commit, rather than just an idea for his new novel. The “story” is about a mystery writer’s volatile relationship with a married woman whom he calls Janet West.

Angie Dickinson & James Mason

The writer meets Janet and her husband Ivar, when he and his wife Helen are on vacation. There is an instant attraction between Warren and Janet, but neither of the two acts on it at the time. Warren’s wife dies in a tragic accident the same night. Some time later, he runs into Janet at a nightclub, and the two begin an affair. Janet cajoles a reluctant Warren into coming up with the perfect way to murder Ivar, so they can be together forever. Barrow outlines his plan on the audiotapes he sends to his publisher, detailing how they plan to kill Janet’s husband. But something happens when the plan is set in motion, and Barrow re-thinks his plan. Hartman brings in his friend Tom Keller to listen to the tapes, to see what he thinks of them. Is Barrow really planning a murder? And who is the victim? Is there time to stop him?

“Captive Audience” is a tense, noir-esque tale with some terrific performances. James Mason is marvelous as Warren Barrow, the mystery writer with both love and murder on his mind. Angie Dickinson is very good as the beautiful and seductive Janet, who may be manipulating Barrow for her own ends. The episode also features Arnold Moss as Hartman and Ed Nelson as Keller, both of whom will be familiar faces to fans of 1960s and 1970s television series. Levinson and Link’s fine teleplay is based on the novel Murder Off The Record by John Bingham. The well-known writing team later wrote a television film entitled Rehearsal for Murder (1982), a twisty tale of murder that has some echoes of this episode. In the movie, Robert Preston portrays a playwright whose actress lover apparently committed suicide. His new play provides a different explanation for her killing, and he plans on using the rehearsals for the play as a way to catch her killer.

Both “The Case of Mr. Pelham” and “Captive Audience” as well as other episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, are available on the Amazon Prime and Peacock streaming services. There have been video releases of both series, though some of those discs are currently out of print. Both versions of the series featured some fantastic episodes throughout their runs, and even the lesser entries are enjoyable, especially for Hitchcock’s often amusing introductions and end of episode comments. I highly recommend checking out “The Case of Mr. Pelham” and “Captive Audience,” and sampling some other episodes of the series, in both the half hour and hour formats. As The Master of Suspense himself would say, "Good evening."