War of the Worlds SCE (George Pal) (1 Viewer)

[Jim Peavy]

The orig. is OOP and going for big $$ on eBay. "How much" you may ask? I sold mine for $107.50.

This SE should be a real treat. Bill Warren stated over at the classic horror film/monster kids forum he, Joe Dante and Bob Burns had recorded a commentary track back before Spielberg's remake was released, back when we thought the SE would be coming out when the new one hit theaters.

 

[Joe Fisher]

Just pre-ordered my WOTW from dvdempire for $8.58.

Anyone know how long the 1938 radio broadcast is? It would be kinda cool if you could listen to the radio broadcast while watching the movie.

 

[Greg_S_H]

It's just under an hour.

 

[Nelson Au]

Re: The DVD artwork. The original DVD and LD had an all red background cover art with a Martian ship blasting a very modern cityscape. This new DVD is similar, modern type face and a modern cityscape. Perhaps the artwork is not final. I would bet it's not, for lack of credits and other bits. I've not seen any of the original movie poster art, but that would be something I'd consider if I was doing the artwork.

I just had a look at this DVD a few weeks ago, still a great adaptation. Looking forward to the SE and it's nice to read those extras are included.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Original WOTW posters:

http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_prod...ovie%5Fnss=899

 

[Steve Christou]

One of my all time favorite SF flicks, looking forward to the special edition. Looks like I'll have to hang on to my stereo region 2 version a while longer though.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Wow!!!

 

[RolandL]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...883490-5937409

Does the version in the link above from Amazon.com.uk have the stereo sound?

Thanks,

 

[Steve Christou]

Well it has a different cover to mine Roland. I'm not a hundred per cent certain but I think only the cover art was changed, the audio tracks are probably the same.

War of the Worlds (1953) region check

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks Greg, much cooler artwork!

 

[FrancisP]

I will be getting this. A lot of care went into this film. The design of the martian warships are far superior to Sielberg's remake.

 

[PeterTHX]

Except for the fact that the "remake" was a more faithful adaption of the novelization. The Martian craft in the novel were tripods. The 53 version floating vehicles were invented by Pal.

An FX supervisor on the 53 version said they couldn't make tripods work, so the floaters were the solution.

 

[Grant H]

I'm anxious to pick this up, but the lack of a stereo track makes me hunger for the LD.

I saw the remake, but it will be a one-timer for me. People will shoot me for it, but I prefer Independence Day as a WOTW "update."

I think I'd have rather seen Lucas take on WOTW than Spielberg. Too much sap for me, and I don't think I was supposed to WANT the little girl to die.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I much prefer the tripods in Spielberg's version to the 50's version. I know this is sacrilige, but If I could only have one version of WOTW to watch on a desert island, I'd pick Spielberg's (while shedding a tear for the 50's version).

I suppose one reason I prefer the tripods is I was very impressed by the tripods as drawn in the Classics Illustrated version of WOTW.

Speaking of that, the CI verson is being republished and I've ordered a copy. Haven't got it yet. The link, if you're interested is CI Version

I'm not affiliated with this company and get no money from this, just thought you might be interested.

 

[Greg_S_H]

What, not the Pendragon version?

Thanks for the information about the CI version. I'll be on the lookout.

 

[GregK]

So far none of the DVD releases have offered all of the audio selections available on the WAR OF THE WORLDS special edition CAV laserdisc-

1) The stereo remix via uncompressed PCM audio.

2) The FM tracks provided the original mono mix. Plus..

3) The music and effects track, which is a true delight given the classic sound effects used throughout the movie.

I must say Paramount is a strange bird when it comes to their DVD audio offerings. They remix the original Star-Trek series to 5.1, but then include a 2.0 Dolby Surround mixdown as the second audio track instead of offering the original audio mix. Meanwhile it's appearing War of the Worlds will be released (again) on DVD here in the States in mono English only. The original 3-channel stereo mag audio would of course be ideal. But if it's forever lost, at least provide the option of the stereo remix that was offered on the previous laserdisc and R2 DVD, along with the mono track.

 

[FrancisP]

Maybe the tripods were modern looking when HG Wells originally wrote the story over 100 years ago, but today they are clunky looking. Compared to the ships created by
Lucas for the Star wars movies, the Enterprise from Star trek, or even the Galactica from the original Battlestar Galactica, the martian ships created by George Pal still
hold up while the Spielber created ships look badly dated.
I will be buying only the George Pal film as I have no desire to see Spielberg's again.

 

[PeterTHX]

True of the original (classic) series, but the spinoffs 2.0 mixes are the original stereo mixes. One good example is the Borg voice in "Best of Both Worlds". They sound like a true collective in 2.0, their voice come out of ALL speakers. In the 5.1 remix they're confined to the front.

Not a Paramount film but "Enemy Mine" is another odd one. The 4.0 mix is the 70MM mix, but the 2.0 version is the 35MM version. There are different music cues! An example would be a dramatic music crash when the fighters launch at the very start is on the 2.0 version, totally absent on the 4.0 discrete version.

Paramount's Trek SEs also come from the 70MM discrete versions, however the mixes are different. In Trek II the dialogue is mixed to the front, rather than strictly the center channel. In Trek III there are different sound FX...when the Enterprise is destroyed there is additional explosion sounds, yet when the final death throes of the Genesis planet no longer have the "shhhh-BOOOOM!". HOWEVER dialogue is firmly anchored to the center channel, where on the previous mixes (on LD and VHS) the dialogue bled to even the surround channels. Sigh.

 

[PeterTHX]

Well, you're one of the few. Most people appreciate the fact that they were more faithful to the book. I liked the Martian machines in the '53 version as well, but I also like the tripods of the '05 version. I thought they were elegant and truly alien looking.

 

[Michael Harris]

I did like the fact that Pal paid homage to the tripods of the book by showing three lights underneath the ships, which seemed to support them in air.