The War Of The Worlds

[emmie]

by H G Wells is on this evening, BBC1 9pm, looks intriguing

[dannyk13]

Caused a lot of panic when they broadcast it on the radio.
//The show caused widespread panic and hysteria across New Jersey and the country, and went down in history as an icon of radio//

[emmie]

have seen a few trailers, i wondered if it might seem a bit dated but will see. BBC have at least been showing some decent dramas recently, Gold Digger was very good..

[emmie]

Danny
wasn't that Orson Welles

[dannyk13]

Emmie, it was an American radio drama broadcast in 1938.

[fender62]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bj0z tv series

[emmie]

"The War of the Worlds" was the 17th episode of the CBS Radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air, which was broadcast at 8 pm ET on Sunday, October 30, 1938. H. G. Wells' original novel tells the story of a Martian invasion of Earth. ... Kaltenborn providing historical commentary throughout the story.
Narrated by: Orson Welles
Original release: October 30, 1938, 8 – 9 pm ET
Home station: CBS Radio

[emmie]

i thought it was narrated by Orson Welles..

[Toorak]

It was originally a novel - the radio broadcast was one of many adaptations

[emmie]

toorak i know that but the tv version is on tonight at 9pm

[AuntPollyGrey]

Don't know what you mean by 'a bit dated' . It a period drama. Fantastic book by Orson Wells which he wrote in 1898. Like a lot of his books the original book had political undertones. I think this will be a cracking series as its remaining close to the original book, unlike the two films which were set in the USA.

[emmie]

APG it was written by H G Wells not Orson - he was just the radio narrator in 1938

[derek-33]

apparently there was a cock up at the beginning of the 1938 radio broadcast, there should have been an introduction to the play but it did not come through, it went straight into Wells with his emergency report people thought it was real. (supposedly)

[maggiebee]

I had the double LP (now that dates me) of War of the Worlds narrated by Richard Burton - wonderful but quite chilling. Saw the stage show in Glasgow but was not impressed at all. Will watch tonight of course.

[Mozz71]

I'm really looking forward to this. I may be wrong, but I don't think there's ever been a version of WOTW that honoured HG Wells' Victorian setting.

[Mamyalynne]

Yes, right up my street - I hope they do it justice.

[gingejbee]

"I wondered if it might seem a bit dated"...I certainly hope so, as this BBC version is set in Edwardian England......

[Ken4155]

Though it has often been said that the radio broadcast caused widespread panic this is disputed on the basis that there weren't many listeners. I'll give it a whirl tonight.

[Mozz71]

Emmie, I think Orson Welles directed the radio play, as well as narrating it. I haven't heard it in years, but I seem to recall it was part of a series of plays Welles was involved in at the time.

[Tuvok]

I've got the Audible dramatisation set to Jeff Lynns music (no singing), narrated by David Tennant and I'd highly recommend it.

[4candles]

First serialised in 1897, Wells' book is set in 1905, as is tonight's first instalment of three.