WAR OF THE WORLDS Discussion - Page 4

But... Mars is in the trailer, right?

"What's the point of trying to make a alien invasion movie meet realistic expectations?"
Not so much meet realistic expectations, but not strain peoples suspension of disbelief beyond the breaking point. It seems to me that Kennedy's point that we know to much about Mars is a good point.
An Invasion from the planet we saw a probe running about on a little over a year ago is just a little too jarring. It's the small things like this, not things like the concept of an alien invasion that trip you up and cause audiences to say "Wait a Minute", which is a sure sci fi or Fantasy film is in trouble. I simply think a Martian invasion is too hard a sell for a 2005 audience. Faster then Light is a lot easier to beleive then that.
I think you get actually could get away with an invasion from Mars in a film set in 1898, but not 2005.

""we've changed lots of stuff"."
I would say the moving the time from 1898 to 2005 is a huge change. ANybody expecting a faithful adaptation after that leaked out is living in la la land.Of course this has been done with every adaption of WOTW from the Orson Welles broadcast on.
I never knew there were so many HG Wells purists out there....Of course on some websites this has taken a nasty UK vs the US tone.
Look, I wish that Speilberg had the guts to do it in 1898 and keep the English setting. But we have to judges the film on it's own virtues.
And now we are going to get , no doubt into a debate about being faithful to the spirit as opposed to being faithful to the letter just the like that kind that has been discussed ad fucking infinitum on the Tolkien pages.

BTW its kind of amusing to hear some people on the WOTW websites talking about how the Pendragon version is going to steal the thunder away from the Speilberg version. Give me a break. The Pendragon version looks like crap. It's a shame, because no one would like to see a good period version of WOTW more then I, but Pendragon has not done it. Let's hope the Jeff Wayne does better with his CGI anitmated version.

No. Mars is not specifically mentioned in the trailer. Only an "intelligence" that is much more sophisticated is referenced. The only thing alluding to Mars at all is the first few seconds when we see that red dot that turns out to be a stop light.

Actually for me the Speilberg interview made me more hopeful, since he has addressed my concern about
"ID4 Pt.2" and ....
THERE WILL BE TRIPODS!

Maybe not the trees. Maybe fungus...mushrooms and the like are very different from plants and animals, and have been theorized to have exterterstrial origin, long ago.

Well, yeah. I assumed that to be Mars, seeing how we see it suspiciously hovering just past Earth.

Yeah, you're probably right. The Kathleen Kennedy interview referenced above at Dark Horizons mentions on numerous occasions some sort of red vines or something. I don't recall any red vines in the old movie and its been a long,long while since I read the book so who knows.

She was also asked but avoided answering the issue of additinal effects being added to the Super Bowl teaser.

There will be aliens and there will be giant machines so shit will blow up. I'm cool with that.

It’s worth pointing out that, after publication, Wells was absolutely slated by the critics for using what they felt was a shockingly bad deus-ex-machina to wrap up the story.

Ironically, microbiologists now seem to agree that Wells was (once again) right all along. Like us, alien beings would be products of their own, distinct “biological soup” (laden with pathogens, viruses and other assorted microscopic nasties), and it is unlikely that we’ll ever be able to share the same space, unprotected, for risk of deadly cross-contamination.

Empirical evidence certainly backs this claim up. There are some good historical examples from our own planet where animals (and people) have been introduced into a new environment from which they have previously been geographically excluded and then either fallen foul of some horrendous disease that is not a major pathogen in the new area, or introduced some disease that is innocuous in their original environment, but totally devastating in the new one.

These examples make most minds expect that this will be a general observation when two independent geographically-separated populations come into contact, and that if any alien contact takes place it will also bring the same consequences.

Wells was a prophetic genius.

The vines are in the book, refered to as The Red Weed...essentially, the Martians brought along their own plants to 'terraform' along with the violent conquest.

Thanks. That explains a lot then.
I'm going to have to read that again soon.

Nice set visit Kevin.

STEVEN SPIELBERG: "It’s nothing you really…describe. The whole thing is very explorential. The point of view is very personal. Everybody, I think, will relate to the point of view. Because it’s about the family trying to survive and stay together and live through the most epically horrendous event you can possibly imagine."

............. explorential?

Spielberg's earned the right to make up words if he wants to.

http://chud.com/interviews/1524

Spielberg and Cruise are PROFESSIONALS. All that talk and they said almost nothing. They are GOOD. I like how they managed to keep emphasising how it would be different from all the other alien invasion films (and especially ID4) though not actually saying how.
It's a nice thought to think of the two of them trawling the internet late at night saying 'oh no! half a dozen people on CHUD are worried the film won't do anything to distinguish itself from ID4! quick, call a press conference!'

Confirmed tripods! Woo hoo!

I won't be happy unless Roy Thinnes gets a cameo.

That's if he's alive.

Wait a minute -- Spielberg and Cruise doing a Western?

I am so there.

I have doubts about whether Cruise could leap onto the back of a mighty steed and gallop off into battle.

Perhaps a Shetland Pony?

Funny, I thought the same thing. Wondering if they happen to be following this thread and giggling to themselves as they read through all the conjecture. HEY STEVEN or TOM - if you're reading this throw us a bone!
It's worth a try.

So pleased to hear the confirmation of tripods in the movie. Now I'm looking forward to the next set visit to see what else turns up. Good report.

I'm pretty sure someone has already mentioned this site http://www.waroftheworldsonline.com/ but I've only just stumbled onto it. There is some test footage there of Martian technology for Jeff Wayne's version, and I have to say the Fighting Machine looks damn nice! Hell, I am so glad he's finally gonna get a movie version of his musical. Now I just wish I still had my copy of the PC game !

Gosh, Scratch Lightning certainly has our number, doesn't he boys? We should certainly stop picking the flies out each other's hair and go to kindergarten right away. It's better late than never.

A quite spectacularly prickish post, Scratch. try leaving this thread alone.

edit: what charles b says, right below. also spelling.

Because the book JAWS and the movie are page by page exactly the same, right?

Dear GOD!!!...that Pendragon Film looks like shit!! I was originally rooting for Pendragon, but ohmy Christ, they can't even pull off the accents, the SFX look sub- Ed Wood (if Wood had access to crap CGI)...and from what i can see in the trailer, they're going for some cheeseball, sub PAL FLAVOUR...not so mUch an homage to the films of those decades, but a complete mockery!!!

Fuck me, Freddy!

Thank god, no...the whole wifey cold fish thing would have ground the movie to a halt.

...But Hooper would have gotten his jollies...Christ, can you imagine if the Jaws phenomena came out now, what we would of had to endure in it?

(shudders)

I was under the assumption nearly everyone in this thread has already read the source material and everyone knows that this is a Hollywood remake that is not even set in the same time period, so it makes more sense to focus more on the marketing and production of the film, than the book to look for clues of the potential twist Speilberg has put on his take of the story.

"I was originally rooting for Pendragon, but ohmy Christ, they can't even pull off the accents, the SFX look sub- Ed Wood "
I agree. The SFX look silly, and the accents scream" Renassaince Fair"I all over them. I love the way Pendragon claims the film was shot in the UK when the pricipal photography was near Seattle...
I think they started out with good intentions, but got in over their heads. It is a huge leap from doing commericals and industrial films to feature films.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with starting out in commericials...a great many film makers have stated the they learend more from spending 6 months shooting commericials then they did in four years in film school....But to go from that to a SFX heavy feature length film is a gigantic step to make.
Not to mention they still are maintaining a March 30th 2005, release date which nobody in their right minds believes. Hell, You can't set up a distribtuion that quickly, and i have a feeling the film is nowhere near complete.
But the Jeff Wayne version looks interesting. I have a feeling this might be the period version that I have wanted for some time.
"I was under the assumption nearly everyone in this thread has already read the source material "
Never make that assumption. It is amazing how many people will talk about books without having actually read them....
BTW both Gene Barry and Ann Robinson the stars of the Pal Version, have cameos in Speilbergs WOTW.

Most movie websites and discussion boards I've seen and looked through - with plenty being on this website alone, are for movie buffs willing, at times, to get a little stupid and excited for upcoming and previously released movies. Hell take a look at AICN. You'd have a heart attack reading that site.

It's an opportunity like this to have fun and discuss an upcoming film like WOTW that has sci-fi fans debating the mundane details of a 10 second trailer. Sure, in hindsight and well after the movie is released I may think back and say that I went a little overboard, but for now it's fun.

Anyway, whether we focus on the marketing and advertising, source material and/or theories of where Spielberg will take this remake please remember it's all in fun. If you can't, then fuck off.

AICN Talkbacks can cause brain damage, as many of the participants show...

Speilberg and Cruise have a standard interview in place since a lot of what they told the CHUD reporter is the same as they told "Dark Horizons" on Thursday.. This is SOP in the PR business.
The Tripod confirmation came out in the "Dark Horizons" interview also, and was noted here on Friday.
They seem to be doing a good job on not really revealing much while giving the geeks enough to keep them excited.
"As long as you don't get too defensive when I point out the inherent absurdity behind some of these posts.'
You think these are bad, look at the ones over at www.waroftheworldsonline.com . They are reaching www.theforce.net in silliness. The ones who still have endless faith in the Pendragon production are particularly amusing.

"It looks like a high school play."
Hey, when I was a techie in my High School Drama Depatment, the actors had much better British accents
when they did Shakespeare then the actors in the clips from the Pendragon film.

Indeed.

Although I’d guard against drawing too many more parallels between a classic work of fiction and a turd wrapped in paper, lest I come after you with a butcher knife and intent. <g>

Um,hello?We are talking about Mister..........Steven...........Spielberg!

Your post should read like this"the potential twist Spielberg has put on His take of the story."

Sounds like the 'Thunderchild', or other vessel, could be in the movie judging from the second part of report!!
The ferry is straight from the book!!

I cannot adequately convey to you the sheer confidence being exuded by all involved w/ this film. They think they've got *the* movie of the summer (ROTS included). I'm inclined to believe them.

It's easy for me to believe they can beat ROTS, but THE movie of the summer? Dem's fightin' words.

I can understand Steve and Tom being enthusiastic, but not even they can stand up to the awesome box office power of Wat "Had To Take A Court Order Out Against Matchstick" Tambor.

Summer, 2002. When he appeared and FM radioed his way into our hearts.

I think people that were disappointed with Signs will get what they want with this film. Seems to be following the same format of experiencing a global alien invasion through a limited pair of characters, though instead of a farm and aliens that inexplicably dont like water, it'll encompass the east coast and....[insert answer here please Steven, thanks]

And I also think this movie will be a serious contender for king of the box office summer 2005, I mean its Speilberg, the guy's a master at the event blockbuster movie, though you never know who might steal the show.

Also: A couple nights ago, I read the interview with the cast and crew of this film, on the front page of chud before going to bed, and I had numerous dreams where I watched the film (while somehow inside it) and it was very action packed, creepy and good fun. I cant remember any plot points unfortunately, all I remember is being in a car with Cruise and driving away from the aliens. (oO)

EDIT:

AICN has a small story about a potential spoiler regarding the origin of the aliens in Speilberg's WotW:

Spoiler?

i'm just not sure about this, i don't want it turning in to some disaster movie, or some idependance day movie, but it is speilberg so i bet there is something more to this, some kind of twist ending or something, it would have to be cause we've already seen the technologically superior aliens defeat the humans until the humans find a weakness and unit under a world banner to defeat the aliens kind of movie...i mean come on that's so 1996.

Parallel dimension, eh? Sounds pretty interesting.
They go from one version of Earth to another using up all the resources and then move to the next. Jet Li has a cameo.

It certainly adds a touch of irony to the film's title.

Right at the end of the second act they gather around a tv to hear an address by the president stating that the US de facto does not exist anymore and everyone should try and seek safety as best they can. the twist is...the president is John Kerry! This parallel world is being invaded by a world where George W Bush is president.

Perhaps we might even get to see Cruise vs Cruise: Double Impact.

Japanese TV spot with new footage

Like the Scanner Darkly trailer, I cant see shit.

Here is the Japanese trailer in Quicktime.
The Movie Box link

No new effects shots. Same destruction sequence but more people featured running, looking up and one or two evacuation scenes.

There is no such thing in Show Biz as a sure fire hit..but WOTW seems as close as you are going to get.
ROTS is the only film I can see competing with it at this point.
"Batman Begins" will do very well but it certainly has not gained the publciity and buzz with the general public that WOTW has.
BTW the whole parellel universe thing sounds like something that Spielberg would never do and real too complex for a Invasion flick.
And don't forget the source: An anyonymous email to AICN to Harry, Mr. Gullibility himself when it comes to rumors. You have to do better then that before I take it seriously....

WOTW will be a hit. But how big? And how quickly? I wonder if this could beat Spiderman's 3 day take of $114 million?