View Full Version : War of the Worlds (1950's) & The Day the Earth Caught Fire
Is there a decent dvd release of WOTW and same question for TDECF but I'd also like opinions on the second film as well please as I've never seen it. Got a multiregion player so not stuck with R2 only.
jonathan.e
28-02-2002, 08:13
Yes, to both. There are R1 editions of these movies with Day the Earth Caught Fire being particularly splendid both as a disc and a movie: one of the very best of the Apocalypse genre. Anchor Bay have done a fine job with a great transfer, commentary and the restoration of the tinted opening and closing "bookends". War of the Worlds disc is decent but a film of this calibre really deserves the special edition treatment.
http://images.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/5146t.jpg http://images.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/27614t.jpg
I’d highly recommend both discs.
Yngwie3000
28-02-2002, 09:36
I haven't seen War of the Worlds but TDTECF is one of my all-time faves.
I've got the Region 1 version as detailed by Jonathon e. The is a Reg 2 version which I think is the same but also has an interview with Leo McKern. Both versions are listed by Play.
Whichever one you choose you will be getting a great film.
Foxy Slamdangle
28-02-2002, 13:12
Yup, go out and but TDTECF now. I've got the R2 version which is fine.
I wouldn't worry too much about the Leo McKern interview, it only lasts a few minutes and is shot on some dodgy home video camera in a pub. However, it does contain a few decent anecdotes about Edward "Think Bike!" Judd.
John Hodson
28-02-2002, 13:26
I thought the McKern interview was fascinating, and don't forget the R2 Easter Egg in which McKern recalls his days filming The Prisoner. Incidentally, McKern does Judd a diservice when he says he disappeared from view completely; I seem to remember him turning up in The Sweeney and Minder.
Fabulous film, fabulous restoration and transfer and best depiction of a newsroom I've ever seen.
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So many films, so little time...
Off topic, John (Hodson) have you got a brother Karl who lives down here in the south east?
Deaks.
John Hodson
28-02-2002, 14:21
No, but it's a fairly common name (Hodson, not Karl...)
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So many films, so little time...
Originally posted by John Hodson
No, but it's a fairly common name (Hodson, not Karl...)
It was just that you're in the right area for the rest of his family.
Deaks.
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
Seems an appropriate day to bump this one up! ;)
Is the UK disc still the one to get? Rewind says it is. It's under £7 at Play.com (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://playcom.at/thedvdforums) and Amazon.co.uk (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump2.php?url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/redirect-home?tag=thedvdforums-21&site=dvd)
Moving to Classic Cinema and DVD Forum
It seems to be. It is great that Val Guest was able to do commentary tracks for his films before he passed on, there are so many great directors who it would have been amazing to hear talk over their films.
While on the topic of 'Day the Earth Caught Fire' - a question about the ending:
Does the film end very suddenly after shots of the two potential newspaper stories 'earth saved' or 'earth not saved' on the side of a printing press? Or did I see a duff copy?
If so, that is probably the best ending in cinema.
John Hodson
19-07-2006, 10:08
If so, that is probably the best ending in cinema.
No, not quite so abruptly; there's a few seconds after with a panning shot and Judd's voiceover. It is wonderfully ambiguous though, I agree.
BTW, I *think* I'm right in saying that the R2 features correctly tinted scenes and the R1 doesn't?
Ah that's good to know, John! ta! :thumbs:
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