Dr. Clayton Forrester dead at age 90
Al
say that most movie buffs remember him as Dr. Forrester from George
Pal's 1953 War of the Worlds.
Ol George Pal had a respect for the genre. The 1953 War of the Worlds
and The Time Machine are true standout SF films. We can kind of count
the birth of the modern SF film from Pal's Destination Moon (1950)
(before that some great films but no continuity).
It is still hard to believe that H.G. Wells wrote WOW in 1898! (Even
more jaw dropping that he wrote The Time Machine in 1895!)
WOW was already a classic when Orson Welles made a sensation out it.
The 53 WOW clocks in at 83 min., crisp and fast paced well focused
'updated' version of the H.G. Wells novel with a vernier of the other
Well's radio WOW....
Well's 'steam-punk' (yeah he wrote the first one!) novel is more
complex that any dramatic production has ever presented it, but well
one has to press on when doing drama can't get too entangled in
philosophy.
Like the 33 Kong the 53 WOW builds its narrative quickly and then it
like a bolder rolling down hill! Barry is particularly good as the
level headed steadfast , should I say action-hero scientist? Ann
Robinson is not exactly a screaming mimi (Howard Hawks would of had
her toe to toe with those gummy looking Martians!).
I have two favorite touches from the film:
(1) The motley crew of scientists at 'Pacific Tech' , seem to consist
of a group of Americans and European escapees from war torn Europe.
Nice touch(I don't think anyone is wearing a white gown!). The
examination of the Martian 'tele'-probe is to the point and lacking in
techno-babel.
(2) Les Tremayne as General Mann is just spot on! His explanation of
Martian war tactics is riveting. Alas he just vanishes from the
narrative.
Writer Barré Lyndon and director Byron Haskin don't waste a motion.
For 1953 the design, special effects , sound effects and composition
of these is almost hard to believe on a 2 million dollar budget (even
in 1953 dollars).
The flying wing nuclear bomb drop makes the film seem as if it came
from a parallel universe.
It's still hard to believe that Pal, Haskin and Barre with 2 million
could trump Spielberg's 117 min - 132 million WOW 52 years later!
Steven L.
> For 1953 the design, special effects , sound effects and composition
> of these is almost hard to believe on a 2 million dollar budget (even
> in 1953 dollars).
> The flying wing nuclear bomb drop makes the film seem as if it came
> from a parallel universe.
>
> It's still hard to believe that Pal, Haskin and Barre with 2 million
> could trump Spielberg's 117 min - 132 million WOW 52 years later!
I agree. The fast pacing and scary suspense just swept you along, from
the opening teaser scene right to the famous twist ending.
But you didn't say anything about Gene Barry's performance. He gave the
role of Forrester a real gravitas, the intelligent anchor for all the
chaos around him.
All in all, one of the great classic SF movies.
-- Steven L.
