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Bookmark this pageThe War of the Worlds (1952)
Director: Byron Haskin
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Updated from London 1890 to contemporary California, George Pal's version of the HG Wells novel still works pretty well, thanks to its attractive special effects. You can on occasion see the wires manipulating the Martian ships, but their graceful sting-ray design (replacing Wells' tripod conception) is sleekly sinister; the wholesale destruction of (miniature) cities is surprisingly convincing; and the one-eyed humanoid/octopoid alien with the sucker fingers is an engaging creation. Too bad about the wooden cast, the tackily conventional romance, and a draggy religious message; but at least, given the time it was made, it isn't imbued with Cold War hysteria.Author: TM
Cast & crew
Director: Byron Haskin
Producer: George Pal
Cast: Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Henry Brandon, Robert Cornthwaite, Jack Kruschen full cast
Genre(s): Science Fiction
Duration: 85 mins
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