Spielberg's War of the Worlds (2005)

[Dean]

What role is cruise playing in the film? He could be anybody, really.  I can actually see him playing the part of the Artilleryman, a nice intertextual reference to his action star status.

[gregger]

Is it just me or does the idea of tom cruise starring in this movie sound awful.  I excited about the idea of remaking the movie but Tom Cruise.  Barf.

Just a thought.

[kakihara]

As long as he doesn't get to mellow and/or cheesy, I think Spielberg is the right man for the job. Especially if he has learnt anything from taking over directing from Kubrick's A.I.

[Scott]

A remake might actually work for WAR OF THE WORLDS. I liked the original, but it was missing something for me.

[Ozzymandias]

I think going back to the period piece after the radio and 50s version updated it would be bad. War of the Worlds is one of two stories that the film updates to modern times and it still worked. The other was Heart of the Darkness which was filmed as Apocalypse Now. A few years back TNT made a version of Heart of Darkness in the Victorian setting. It sucked. I believe once you've moved away from the Victorian setting successfully it is impossible to go back.

My question is will they try to use the names from the novel or the 50s movie. It they use the ones from the 50s movie they are going to get some laughs when Tom Cruise introduces himself as DR. CLAYTON FORRESTER.

[Prophet Tenebrae]

Skeptical, sums it up for me. I kind of get the impression that Spielberg has this hope that he'll be able to recapture those long lost days when he didn't suck.

Tom Cruise - why?

[Dave Munger]

Ozzy: I think that just means you really liked Apocalypse Now. I consider that to be different enough from Heart Of Darkness for the TNT movie to be the first HOD movie, rather than a remake of AN, and I done digged it big time.

[Ozzymandias]

I just felt the TNT movie moved really slow. The problem many people have with AN is they can't separate the setting from the text of the film. I had to read HOD as part of my English degree. I recently re-read the book and then watched AN. I had seen AN when it was first shown on TV in the 80s. After reading HOD I was amazed at how much it follows the themes of the HOD. It isn't about Vietnam, it just takes place there. Most people haven't read HOD so they don't understand it. To them it's another movie about Vietnam.

Maybe if I saw the TNT movie again, I would like it better after re-reading HOD.

[Eirik]

They already did this in 1996.  It was called Independence Day.

Pointless.

[Doc Rogers]

Okay..A word from overseas then...

When I first read the news about this remake, my heart skipped a beat. I am a huge fan of this story since childhood and didn't really like the Gene Berry-version of 'War...'. I could not understand why Hollywood didn't pick up this story for a remake, because with CGI-technology nowadays it's one of the best stories to capture on film. I disagree with people who don't take trust in either Spielberg as a director or CGI to be satisfying for this project. Mr. Spielberg has proven to be the right man to handle CGI because his Jurassic Park-trilogy is still the best example of what CGI can do. It didn't look fake like 'Hulk' or 'Flubber'. (Why did I ome up with that last example...beats me ;-)
All in all...this is gonnan be something to look forward to. Spielberg is a actor's director, so if the script is right and written in the right setting, like the novel, chances are that this could be up with classics like '2001..', '2010..' and 'Star Wars'. Hell...I think I'll send Uncle Steve an email to put me up as an 'assistent-to-the-assistent-gaffer-runner-cable boy'...or something!

'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'...Steven King

Doc Rogers, Delft, The Netherlands

[blink]

  To be even slightly worthwhile, the film HAS to follow the book, and very closely.  Ozzymandias is wrong to say you can't revisit it after updating it.  Ever read the book old son? Frankly someone needs to make amends for the travesty of the '50s version!
  I just hope to the holy lord above that this film won't turn out like the Time Machine (either of the versions.)

[trekgeezer]

I heard Spielberg promises to be truthful to the spirit of the book. I never like hearing this crap, it usually doesn't bode well.  

I agree with blink, if done right this could work well and probably best as a period piece.  I have always wanted to see the part when the narrator and the curate are stuck in the house under the crashed cylinder.  Wells did an excellent job of portraying the madness and mayhem that would occur if such a thing actually happend.


This could be a very chilling movie if they can manage to do it right.  If they don't , it will just be a better made version of Independence Day.

[loyal1]

Your signature.."All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Is not originally from Stephen King's The Shinning.  I KNOW I saw that quote from a much earlier film and said to myself, "That's where he got it from!". but now for the life of me I can't think of the movie it really came from!

If you know, please ease my curious mind, otherwise I wil be doing some serious IMDB searching. :(

[trekgeezer]

That cannot be attributed to Stephen King, it is an old saying that has been around forever.

[Fearless Freep]

If they don't , it will just be a better made version of Independence Day.

Which could be a good thing in it's own right...