BBC Filming War Of The Worlds in UK

[dogsbody]

I discovered Jeff Waynes musical WoTW in the early 80's. Played the crap out those vinyl LP's and had to buy a second lot. In the 90's, I found it on CD in a local music store. Now it's on my IPod. 

 

I've read the H.G. Wells story at least 3 times since the 80's. I can hardly wait for the BBC version. Even if it's not what some of us have imagined it could be, it can't be as bad as that Tom Cruise P.O.S.! Or the 50's movie or that crap TV series from the late 80's.

 

 

Bring it on!

 

 

Chris

[Kallisti]

I quite liked the TV series, it wasn't Wells' WotW but it was pretty good. Of course they messed it up in series 2 and it got cancelled.

[Albeback52]

On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 6:45 PM, dogsbody said:

I discovered Jeff Waynes musical WoTW in the early 80's. Played the crap out those vinyl LP's and had to buy a second lot. In the 90's, I found it on CD in a local music store. Now it's on my IPod. 

 

I've read the H.G. Wells story at least 3 times since the 80's. I can hardly wait for the BBC version. Even if it's not what some of us have imagined it could be, it can't be as bad as that Tom Cruise P.O.S.! Or the 50's movie or that crap TV series from the late 80's.

 

 

Bring it on!

 

 

Chris

Hammy acting and clichéd dialogue apart, the 1954 version was infinitely superior to the aforementioned Tom Cruise P O S!! 🤣. But then,just about any film would be better than anything with Tom Cruise in it. I still rate the first appearance of the Martian war machines slowly rising above the ridge and gliding towards the doomed U S forces as one of my favourite film scenes.

I had of course long hoped to see a version of War of the Worlds set in a "contemporary" setting. I think, in fairness to H G Wells, his concept of the Martian war machines was quite in keeping with the scientific concepts of the time. Perhaps, magnetic levitation (per the 1954 film) and, even a defensive screen ( almost de rigeur nowadays) was simply too far ahead of the ideas of the time?

 

If I may digress slightly, One of the reasons I enjoyed Battlestar Galactica so much, (the 2004 revamp, not the truly awful 80s series) was its believable technology. No phasers, lasers, disruptors, plasma cannons or photon torpedoes! No force fields or warp drive either.  Fighters and warships with rapid fire cannons firing H E shells, guided missiles with HE/Nuclear warheads and, sidearms/small arms firing honest to god bullets!! And, who could ever imagine a nice old guy like Lorne Greene's Adama beating a Cylon to death with the proverbial blunt instrument! Oh yes! Nearly forgot! Caprica Six was well tasty!

 

Allan

Edited August 6, 2019 by Albeback52

[Meatbox8]

On 6/6/2019 at 2:15 PM, The Tomohawk Kid said:

Hot of the press from the Radio Times.

 

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2019-06-04/when-is-the-war-of-the-worlds-on-tv-who-is-in-the-cast/

 

Tommo.

Sigh. Whenever the BBC say something like giving it 'a contemporary feel', i know they're going to screw it up.

[cmatthewbacon]

1 hour ago, Meatbox8 said:

Sigh. Whenever the BBC say something like giving it 'a contemporary feel', i know they're going to screw it up.

Yeah... that update to modern times really made Sherlock unwatchable...

 

😜

 

best,

M.

[Meatbox8]

1 hour ago, cmatthewbacon said:

Yeah... that update to modern times really made Sherlock unwatchable...

 

😜

 

best,

M.

Indeed. Although that's not really what I meant.

[Mick4350]

14 hours ago, Albeback52 said:

 

 

If I may digress slightly, One of the reasons I enjoyed Battlestar Galactica so much, (the 2004 revamp, not the truly awful 80s series) was its believable technology. No phasers, lasers, disruptors, plasma cannons or photon torpedoes! No force fields or warp drive either.  Fighters and warships with rapid fire cannons firing H E shells, guided missiles with HE/Nuclear warheads and, sidearms/small arms firing honest to god bullets!! And, who could ever imagine a nice old guy like Lorne Greene's Adama beating a Cylon to death with the proverbial blunt instrument! Oh yes! Nearly forgot! Caprica Six was well tasty!

 

Allan

 

No warp drive, but they had the FTL jump capacity instead.

[Albeback52]

8 hours ago, Mick4350 said:

 

No warp drive, but they had the FTL jump capacity instead.

😀Fair comment but, of course they HAD to have something, even if it was an unexplained "FTL" drive!😉.

 

Allan

[Albeback52]

13 hours ago, cmatthewbacon said:

Yeah... that update to modern times really made Sherlock unwatchable...

 

😜

 

best,

M.

Agreed! "Contemporary" should only be applied if in the context of the time period in which the story was set.

 

Allan

[Noel Smith]

BBC  still a bit quiet with any announcements when they put their drama clips up. Not seen the WOTW clip for some time.

[peely20]

It now seems likely to be broadcast at Christmas... perhaps...

 

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-07-23/dont-worry-bbc1s-the-war-of-the-worlds-is-still-coming-to-tv/

 

 

[nheather]

6 hours ago, peely20 said:

It now seems likely to be broadcast at Christmas... perhaps...

 

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-07-23/dont-worry-bbc1s-the-war-of-the-worlds-is-still-coming-to-tv/

 

 

Sounds interesting.  Reading that link I see a couple of complications.

 

1) it has been rated as a 15 which means it must be shown after the watershed.  I for one are happy as that should mean that it has more edgy content, but not sure the BBC will be happy as they would have liked a bigger audience.

 

2) there are now two competing War of the Worlds productions so BBC are probably in strategy mode trying to decide when best to release.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

[fightersweep]

On 8/6/2019 at 10:37 AM, Albeback52 said:

One of the reasons I enjoyed Battlestar Galactica so much, (the 2004 revamp, not the truly awful 80s series)

 

Oi! That's there fightin' talk mister! 🤣🤣 I loved the original series as a kid, and still do. On the other hand, Galactica 80 was pants. Oh, and Starbuck is a bloke. End of. I know that because my carded Mattel Starbuck figure is a bloke, and it's signed by Dirk Benedict, who is a bloke's bloke. 

 

(On a serious note: I like the merits of both the original series and the "Re-imagined" series (btw, I loathe that phrase!). 

 

Steve

P.S. I'll admit the three eyed, Three Degrees rip offs were pants too. Daggit was annoying and pants, and Cylons were pants and were almost as bad shots as Stormtroopers. I still prefer original Vipers though and I had the hots for Athena, although she blubbed every time there was any trouble, which was pants. Signed: 9 year old me circa 1978.

 

Edit. P.P.S. I forgot to add. Seeing the original film at the cinema in Sensurround in 1978 was awesome, espcially when the Vipers launched. Thought the cinema was going to collapse, which might have been pants too.

Edited September 1, 2019 by fightersweep

[Albeback52]

15 hours ago, fightersweep said:

 

Oi! That's there fightin' talk mister! 🤣🤣 I loved the original series as a kid, and still do. On the other hand, Galactica 80 was pants. Oh, and Starbuck is a bloke. End of. I know that because my carded Mattel Starbuck figure is a bloke, and it's signed by Dirk Benedict, who is a bloke's bloke. 

 

(On a serious note: I like the merits of both the original series and the "Re-imagined" series (btw, I loathe that phrase!). 

 

Steve

P.S. I'll admit the three eyed, Three Degrees rip offs were pants too. Daggit was annoying and pants, and Cylons were pants and were almost as bad shots as Stormtroopers. I still prefer original Vipers though and I had the hots for Athena, although she blubbed every time there was any trouble, which was pants. Signed: 9 year old me circa 1978.

 

Edit. P.P.S. I forgot to add. Seeing the original film at the cinema in Sensurround in 1978 was awesome, espcially when the Vipers launched. Thought the cinema was going to collapse, which might have been pants too.

Well, I guess we will have to agree to disagree on that one Steve!. Yes, I hate the term " re imagined " as well. Maybe "rewritten or, "redesigned" are better? I have to agree that Maren Jensen (Lt Athena) was a bit of all right ! Still didn't make up for such a god awful series though.

 

I didn't like everything about the 2004 series. The character of Lt Valeri (Boomer) was probably the most irritating in the series.  And, I have to say, I did not like Starbuck's gender change! I didn't like the character at all. Nothing to do with the actress. Just the way the character was written. On the other hand, it was good to see the late Richard Hatch return as the scheming and sinister Tom Zarek.  One of the outstanding performances was Michelle Forbes (Admiral Cain). A thoroughly nasty piece of work especially compared to the rather jovial portrayal by Lloyd Bridges  (as the Pegasus; Commander Cain)in the 80s series

 

 

Allan

 

PS - I rather think that in the "real" world, the aforementioned Stormtroopers would actually be a lot more formidable and effective than the film allowed them to be

 

PPS I thought the redesigned Cylon centurions were uber cool and so much meaner and nastier than the originals which, I though were laughable!!Could never figured why they were all termed "Centurions" though

Edited September 2, 2019 by Albeback52

[Noel Smith]

Getting back on track I read recently that it may be that war of the worlds will air this autumn as a three part production. My guess is that it will be around Christmas or New Year. Someone in an earlier post mentioned that it will be a fifteen rating. From what I have heard already, there will be some pretty scary Martian action in the series that will not be suitable viewing for the ankle biters!

[Geoff_B]

3 hours ago, Noel Smith said:

Getting back on track I read recently that it may be that war of the worlds will air this autumn as a three part production. My guess is that it will be around Christmas or New Year. Someone in an earlier post mentioned that it will be a fifteen rating. From what I have heard already, there will be some pretty scary Martian action in the series that will not be suitable viewing for the ankle biters!

I think your right its possibly lined up for over the Christmas Period or for Early January.

[peely20]

Ah things are finally moving, we now have a trailer. The show is to be broadcast this Autumn.

 

 

[Noel Smith]

Watched the trailer last night on the beeb. Looks good.

[TheVoidDragon]

The trailer looks alright, but it seemed a bit lacking to me. There wasn't much in it (and in the way the trailer's edited) that makes the Martians seem like they're that much of a big deal, it all feels kinda small scale.

[Steve Coombs]

I will look forward to seeing the TV production. Anything but the Cruise version, please.

About the same time I found out about the TV serialisation, I had the pleasure of doing the Jeff Wayne's TWoTW: The Immersive Experience in London, and can thoroughly recommend it.

The experience is a mixture of live acting and scenery, plus some episodes of the story in VR, with the music we know and love soundtracking it. If you get motion sickness, the VR will probably trigger you. Some scrambling about, crawling, and sliding required, so probably a good idea not to wear your Sunday best (though you can dress up for it if you like). Food and drink is available at the venue, but payment is by plastic only - no cash.

Those Martian war machine tripods must have had some impressive gyros so they didn't topple when moving...

[Madmonk]

There was a BBC post on Facebook on Sunday with the trailer, no official release date just says this autumn! 

 

A lot of comments asking when and the Beeb just replies 'we will let you know soon!'

[Mikey-1980]

H.G Wells and War of Worlds being one of my all time favorite books, as well as the Jeff Wayne's musical version (stage show included to which I have seen many times), I was a little unsure on this....

 

However, it does look good and I will be watching with interest. One criticism I do have with the trailer...they showed the fighting machine FAR too early... a few glimpses perhaps, but keep it secret until the show is aired...

 

It would be interesting if there is any narration through the series as the "voice of humanity" 

[Noel Smith]

In Jeff Wayne's original musical version of featured Richard Burton's voice doing the narration. Fabulous!  I believe that Liam Neeson's voice was used in later versions. Morgan Freeman's I think was used in the Cruise movie. Neither had the same timbre of Burton's voice. Nearest actor with a similar voice has to be Anthony Hopkins who played Hannibal Ledger in Silence of the Lambs.

It will be interesting to see what narrator's voice is used in the BBC version of any!

 

Another interesting thing is that the BBC have also been advertising the Dark Materials by Philip Pullman as a forthcoming drama.

[Meatbox8]

On 9/30/2019 at 7:16 PM, Steve Coombs said:

I will look forward to seeing the TV production. Anything but the Cruise version, please.

About the same time I found out about the TV serialisation, I had the pleasure of doing the Jeff Wayne's TWoTW: The Immersive Experience in London, and can thoroughly recommend it.

The experience is a mixture of live acting and scenery, plus some episodes of the story in VR, with the music we know and love soundtracking it. If you get motion sickness, the VR will probably trigger you. Some scrambling about, crawling, and sliding required, so probably a good idea not to wear your Sunday best (though you can dress up for it if you like). Food and drink is available at the venue, but payment is by plastic only - no cash.

Those Martian war machine tripods must have had some impressive gyros so they didn't topple when moving...

I really wasn't taken by with the Spielberg/Cruise version.  I can't stand Tom Cruise personally but it wasn't just that.  It seemed to be just going through the numbers.  Not enough tension and (plausible) build up.  Not Spielberg's best, especially if you compare it to Close Encounters which I think is a masterpiece.  I was a little disappointed that he didn't set it in the Edwardian period, even in America.  I think it would have been more ambitious as well as more interesting and compelling. I did like the noise the Martians made though.

[Meatbox8]

2 hours ago, Noel Smith said:

In Jeff Wayne's original musical version of featured Richard Burton's voice doing the narration. Fabulous!  I believe that Liam Neeson's voice was used in later versions. Morgan Freeman's I think was used in the Cruise movie. Neither had the same timbre of Burton's voice. Nearest actor with a similar voice has to be Anthony Hopkins who played Hannibal Ledger in Silence of the Lambs.

It will be interesting to see what narrator's voice is used in the BBC version of any!

 

Another interesting thing is that the BBC have also been advertising the Dark Materials by Philip Pullman as a forthcoming drama.

Ah yes, Hannibal Ledger, the psychopathic accountant.