The War of the Worlds
The residents of a small town are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills, until they discover it is the first of many transport devices from Mars bringing an army of invaders invincible to any man-made weapon, even the atomic bomb.
Critics Sentiment
Forrester and Sylvia hide in the farmhouse with the Martian creature
Panic grips Los Angeles as civilians flee the Martian attack
The film drops significantly from the terrifying farmhouse encounter to the weaker evacuation scenes as critics felt the personal drama couldn't match the alien horror.
Critics praised the film's opening act and alien encounters, particularly the farmhouse sequence and Pastor Collins scene, as masterful examples of 1950s science fiction with groundbreaking special effects. However, the film loses momentum in its second half as reviewers found the Los Angeles evacuation and romantic subplot less compelling than the early alien terror. Despite mixed feelings about the religious ending and some dated elements, most critics recognized it as a landmark sci-fi achievement that surpassed later remakes.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 112
Gene Barry
Clayton Forrester
Ann Robinson
Sylvia Van Buren
Lewis Martin
Matthew Collins
Les Tremayne
General Mann
Frank Kreig
Fiddler Hawkins (uncredited)
Vernon Rich
Ralph Heffner
Sandro Giglio
Dr. Bilderbeck
Ann Codee
Dr. Duprey (uncredited)
Robert Cornthwaite
Dr. Pryor
Cedric Hardwicke
Commentary (voice)
Houseley Stevenson Jr.
General Mann's Aide
William Phipps
Wash Perry
Jack Kruschen
Salvatore
Paul Birch
Alonzo Hogue (uncredited)
Paul Frees
Second Radio Reporter / Opening Announcer
Henry Brandon
Cop at Crash Site
Peter Adams
Pine Summit Fire Watcher (uncredited)
Eric Alden
Man (uncredited)
Hugh Allen
Brigadier General (uncredited)
Ruth Barnell
Mother (uncredited)
Crew
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