The film War of the Worlds was originally made in 1953, and a remake when later then released within 2005. From a time when there was no technology to make a film seem more interesting, realistic and exciting, to a time where technology is everything to make CGI effects which fit into films to make it all seem realistic. The film itself back in the 1950’s was a popular film even though looking at it now, it doesn’t seem that great and interesting because we are used to the CGI effects which is one reason why a remake was made. Looking at the financial factor of the remake of the film, there will be Synergy (DVDs/Books/T-Shirts/Posters/Figurines) and the Horizontal Integration.
The War of the Worlds was originally made in 1953, by Byron Haskin. The genre of the film is Science Fiction which back the 1950’s was an exciting genre which had a lot to offer within a film. Paramount Pictures was the production studio which released the film to the nation. With its budget being $2 million, the film had $2,000,00 in the takings. The box office takings would not include all of the extra money they would of gained, being a popular film, people would be willing to buy posters and t-shirts which would have caught everyone’s attention. Back in the day of the film being released, the film itself was a huge hit as people believed it. The special effects which has been in the film itself such as the UFO, has been changed so the audience where not expecting the stereotypical UFO, as they were designed by Al Nozaki, they were made to look very sinister looking. The original film even today is still enjoyed by many people of all ages as they value the original films as they have certain memory’s about the film or even just appreciate good old fashioned films.
The war of the world is Well’s classic novel which had been brought. The tale of the alien invasion starts of in a small town in California when all of the residents of the small town get excited by a meteor landing in the hills of their sweet home town. The excitement starts to fade off and die when they realise that the passengers which have come with the meteor do not come in peace and are not very friendly. Then it is all revealed as it’s a war against the two and people thinking all hope is lost as they slowly begin to take over.
The story is set considered a usual typical style of an alien invasion. It all starts off in a small town in California when all of the residents got all excited about a flaming meteor what crashes and lands in the hills. The excitement soon disappears when they all discover the passengers who came with the meteor are not friendly like they might have hoped. The film is a very complex yet simple. The film itself is understood better when you or the audience sits down to consider that the film was made at the height of the ‘Cold War’.
War of the Worlds made in 1953 was a high class film which people themselves loved. They thought the film was scary and thought it was possible that one day it would happen. Looking back now, it doesn’t look that good or scary as the effects of the original doesn’t seem as great as what we see today in films. However, when DreamWorks bought Paramount which meant that everything Paramount owned, DreamWorks was entitled to, showing signs of horizontal integration. The remake was then made from Steven Spielberg’s obsession of the 9/11. There is intertexuality in War of the World with news footage from 9/11, Spielberg used political factor of terrorism after 9/11 and the fear in Americans as a metaphor for alien attack on the planet. Using Tom Cruise as the leading male, he considered the film might of got more views as Tom Cruise is a famous actor who nearly everyone loves. Spielberg has clearly interpreted the original and the tragic 9/11 together to create a better and more emotional film for the audience.
