DVD Review HTF REVIEW: The War of the Worlds (1953) - Special Collector's Edition (Recommended) (1 Viewer)

[Michael Elliott]

I'm not a huge fan of the movie but I thought Paramount did a brilliant job with this DVD. With the V/A and all the extras it seemed like a Warner release.

As for the wires, if we started correcting errors then I'm pretty certain EVERY sci-fi film from the 50's would need work. I say leave stuff alone.

 

[BarryR]

Still, who would actually miss the wires in this case?

I wouldn't! They weren't meant to be noticed to begin with, so what's the huge loss not seeing them? They should have asked Martin Scorcese for his opinion.

 

[ZackR]

I finally got to watch this and it was great! The picture quality was outstanding. I noticed the wires because I was basically looking for them thanks to this discussion, but after a few minutes, I was so engrossed in the film that they never stuck out to me again. It has been a while since I watched WotW - what a fun time.

 

[Daniel Bakken]

I don't understand why we can't have both wires and not, it seems like seemless branching would make this moot, and everyone could be happy. Well, except for those that want only things their way.

 

[Kevin M]

BTW, no one is suggesting that Paramount screwed up or payed a disservice to the film, we are just saying that the wires are much more visible now than ever before and do take us out of the film for a bit....that's all we are saying, it's not like (personally speaking) I looked at the wires and spit at the screen cursing Paramounts name. More of an "Aw, I don't remember seeing those before...oh well" reaction, the film is still great and the DVD is top notch especially for less than $10.00.
I'm just a little disappointed that the wires are as visible as they are and really only in the opening attack, later in the film they aren't as prominent.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Michael, you wouldn't be yourself if you felt otherwise.

 

[Mark-P]

When it comes to fixing things such as removing wires, what about the hundreds of little "mistakes" and continuity errors that are present in our classic films? Obviously no filmmaker ever intended his film to have continuity errors, but nevertheless they are there.

In another thread, someone said that in the final shot of "Vertigo" Universal has digitally removed the shadow cast by the camera. I think that was being over-zealous in film restoration. And I believe there was some digital enhancement to clean up the effects in Mary Poppins as well.

 

[Michael Elliott]

You were disappointed in the V/A and extras????

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I don't have the DVD yet. But if the video is so tweaked as to reveal the wires more than they were ever intended to be seen...

 

[Michael Elliott]

Oh, I see. I thought you had seen and reviewed the disc and that's why you were questioning my positive reaction to it. I'll be interested in your opinion after you do view everything included.

 

[CraigF]

Totally OT, but my favorite one is the background car in the 1938 Robin Hood...I'm glad Warner left it in, it would be trivial to remove these days.

I don't mind the wires at all, but I do understand they were not intended to be so visible. I can tune them out. Nice little package.

 

[Geoff_D]

Got the R1 to replace my laserdisc edition, and I was stunned by the picture quality, absolutely stunned. It's so crisp and detailed - my jaw regularly hit the floor when watching. Yeah you can see the wires, maybe even more so now, but I've always remembered the effects for that characteristic and it sure doesn't bother me now.

This edition is worth it just for that transfer, but to get Welles' radio production, a decent 'making of' for the film and even a couple of commentaries makes it a bargain.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

But I thought you've always said you don't need or care about extras? What happened to your faith in screen shots? You felt they were suitable when it came to defending Warner's THE BODY SNATCHER; aren't they suitable here to show evidence that the new miraculous Paramount transfer of WAR OF THE WORLDS, while stunning, also reveals too much of those wires that the filmmakers never intended?

 

[dpippel]

I think these are two entirely different classes of "mistakes". Continuity errors are usually there and then gone in a flash. The ship wires in WOTW are present in just about every shot involving the Martian machines, and they have a LOT of screen time during the course of the film. Would seeing Frank Oz's hand up Yoda's tunic during most of The Empire Strikes Back be acceptable?

Since modern video technology is what has made the wires so visible in the first place, I see no problem at all in using modern video technology to remove them.

 

[Sam Favate]

Watched this last night and I think Paramount did a good job with this title. The picture looks great and the extras are some of the best on an old title I've ever seen. I didn't notice any wires in the picture but I wasn't looking for them either.

 

[BarryR]

It's very hard NOT to notice the wires.

:b

 

[Steve Christou]

Hmmm, if you look real close at some shots it's not just the war machines on wires...




In a few days I'll be checking out the R2 edition, hopefully, and maybe post some screenshots, see what that looks like.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Ok, Steve, I know that's not from WOTW because there's no sex scene in the move.:b

 

[Michael Elliott]

People can't have it both ways Joe. The wires have ALWAYS been shown so we can take this beautiful transfer with the wires more clear or we can take a softer looking print with drained out colors and less detail but show less of the wires. I'll take the transfer as it is here with the wires.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

I can have it both ways.

Give me an ultra-sharp 1080P transfer and digitally remove the wires...then give me a 2nd disc on the same blu-ray set that has the "unmodified" version with the wires in tact for the purists.