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Poster for The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds

Seen it?

1953 | 85 min | Science Fiction, Action

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (89% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won an Oscar and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for sci-fi fans and action fans. If you loved They Live or The Terminator, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Mind-bending.
The pace
Fast-moving, at 1 hr 25 min.
What might put you off
  • Made in 1953: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

The residents of a small town are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills, until they discover it is the first of many transport devices from Mars bringing an army of invaders invincible to any man-made weapon, even the atomic bomb.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    89% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.8 out of 10

  • AwardsStrong

    Won 1 Oscar: Best Special Effects. Also nominated for 2 more Oscars.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $2 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 144K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Byron Haskin

  • Gene BarryClayton Forrester
  • Ann RobinsonSylvia Van Buren
  • Lewis MartinMatthew Collins
  • Les TremayneGeneral Mann
  • Frank KreigFiddler Hawkins (uncredited)
  • Vernon RichRalph Heffner
  • Sandro GiglioDr. Bilderbeck
  • Ann CodeeDr. Duprey (uncredited)
  • Robert CornthwaiteDr. Pryor
  • Cedric HardwickeCommentary (voice)