Page 16 - IssueNo97

16 Issue #97 February 2021 www.sportsenergynews.com

In Reel Time

The War Of The Worlds

By Nikolai Adams

W .O.W.!!! Rallying the local military, they are led

Talk about a buildup. . . starting by Maj. Gen. Mann (Les Tremayne),
with the First World War, then came the a confident man who, despite being
Second World War, it all leading to. . . rebuffed by the superior technology of
the encroaching species, never gives
The War of the Worlds!!! A gargantuan
and ballsy way to introduce your film, up.
these black and white reels from the first Eventually leading to the doorstep
half of the twentieth century give way of Los Angeles, can the military do
to garish colours of the Atomic Age in anything to stop these technologically
Byron Haskin’s modernized 1953 take advanced intruders? Can Forrester and
on the iconic H.G. Wells novel. Van Buren, with their scientific minds,
devise some sort of plan to combat these
Controlled by ambitious producer
George Pal (who both produced and Martians? Might a white flag, waved in
directed The Time Machine), he surrender here, be an aggravating insult
on the Red Planet? And, perhaps most
obtained the material after it sat on
legendary director Cecil B. DeMille’s importantly, can love keep us together.
. . especially in the wake of impending
desk for some three decades (it was Photo Submitted
always a dream project for him). death?
Bringing in a talented team of creative A masterpiece of visual splendour,
War 2) – his design still an influence in future productions (including the
individuals, it was longtime special its combination of colourful creativity
effects man turned director Byron and human ingenuity is breathtaking. and inspiration to this day. Featuring a sound for the green rays being used
sweeping periscope heat ray weapon as the photon torpedo in the original
Haskin who was his choice. Cinematographer George Barnes
(known for his black and white work with a searching eye, two green Star Trek series). In fact, traditional
With a goal of transforming what skeleton beams coming from the sides, instruments, the new electric guitar, a
– he won an Oscar for Rebecca. . .
would normally be a cheesy B quality and an invisible force field that is only woman screaming played backwards,
drive-in picture, into an Oscar worthy, rarely dabbling with coloured films), seen when it blocks an attack, it really a microphone rubbing on dry ice, and
A list, grand theatre screened feature, uses the Technicolor process in a most the hissing of a tape’s feedback are
impressive way, making the screen pop is impressive. Made out of copper, the
he had Barré Lyndon (Night Has a only way at the time to make things look just a few examples of what was used
Thousand Eyes) update it from a with a rich Atomic Age palette. Almost to develop what we hear in the movie.
Victorian era British story, to a modern like Day-Glo inks, its fluorescent realistic, was to create giant miniatures And all of this is complemented by
day tale that encompassed the themes pigmentation makes the garish reds and (something Peter Jackson would use Leith Stevens’ pitch perfect score.
on the minds of an entire planet. greens glow in the dark (in a most alien nearly five decades later for The Lord
way), while his work with shadow of the Rings trilogy) of the cities and Winning an Academy Award for Best
Set during the Cold War in a small and light harkens back to his talent countryside. . . and boy is it sharp. In Visual Effects, The War of the Worlds
town just south of Los Angeles, the with non- colour films. It deserves a fact, some of the most unbelievable is one of the preeminent science fiction
fear and paranoia of the early Atomic prominent place along with the likes aspects (the green rays) find Tesla-like films of the 1950s. Influential in every
Age is palpable. . . people look to the of The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the controlled electricity being blown with which way, its combination of Cold War
skies not for inspiration from the stars, Wind, The Red Shoes, and Vertigo (to fans. A similar process was used when themes, newfound excitement in space
but rather, out of fear of a possible name but a few) atop the list of great they began developing electric beams exploration, and alien intrigue at the
nuclear bomb. Narrated by Sir Cedric Technicolor masterpieces of all-time. that would allow the spacecrafts to time, when mixed with its progressive
Hardwicke, his rich British cadence a effects and quality story, elevated the
nice nod to the novel’s original setting, This, combined with the forward- float, but it was a major fire hazard and genre, also bringing with it a number
we are drawn into the lives of a soon thinking visual effects, really makes they had to abandon the process (it can of movies looking to capitalize on
to be couple, scientist Dr. Clayton the piece. Opening with some only be seen when the vehicle rises for its success. So, remember that this is
Forrester (Gene Barry), who just so impressive matte paintings of the other the first time). no microbe in the cinematic reels of
happens to be enjoying some r&r when planets in our solar system (with some An equal amount can be said for the history, it is a superbug that ended up
the mysterious ball falls from the sky, miniature effects to add dimension. . film’s influence on sound design. . . influencing an age of improved effects
and a young woman, Sylvia Van Buren . the paintings were done by Chesley with many of the effects being reused and quality science fiction pictures.
(Ann Robinson) – who ironically Bonestell), the audience knows it’s in
has spent much of the past few years for some spectacular sights. Always 1916 Pitt Street N., Unit 1A (Heritage Business Centre)
reading through Forrester’s academic subverting expectations in a most CORNWALL • 613-933-1200
articles as she completed her Masters. original way, you won’t find any
cheesy flying saucers in this feature,
At first thought to be some sort of
asteroid, the people of this small, sleepy rather, a sleek, futuristic design by Al
little town soon learn that something Nozaki (who a decade or so earlier
much darker hides inside. . . an knew what an invasion felt like, for he Registered Massage Therapist Sheryl Calvank-Rodriguez, RMT
advanced alien species from Mars, hell was interned along with many other
bent on conquering the entire planet. Japanese Americans during World