Movie Trailers – War Of The Worlds

When I saw this trailer for the first time in 2004, I had never heard of The War of the Worlds! Seriously, no joke. I had never heard of it. So when I saw the name, and who it was starring, and who was directing it, it sounded almost like the next Star Wars (back when Star Wars was actually good). I had no idea, that it was something completely different.

I remember when it got released, and was partially excited to see it, but didn’t see it at first. I think the first War of the Worlds thing I ever experienced was Byron Haskin‘s 1953 classic starring Gene Barry, and Ann Robinson. I don’t think I actually got to see Steven Spielberg‘s version, starring Tom Cruise; until 2009, when it was shown on BBC One.

Personally I have mixed feelings towards it. It’s not an inherently bad film, it’s just not my cup of tea. I was hoping for something more action packed like Independence Day, with Earth vs Aliens being an integral focus of the plot, rather than a survival deal. But even though it’s not really my thing, it’s a film that you can find yourself drawn into watching, when it’s randomly shown on TV one day. It’s an easy thing to start watching, but even harder to stop.

The original teaser trailer is pretty cool, as it avoids saying anything about the plot, and allowing for a spot of imagination. It of course begins with a paraphrased version of those famous lines from the original H.G. Wells novel, whilst showing a montage of daily life across the globe. This then changes into what makes this trailer most memorable.

It’s just a normal looking suburban street. It’s night time, but the sky changes colour. Families peer out of the windows, and walk out into the street, to observe strange lights and sounds erupting over a nearby mountain range. There’s no real knowledge as to what is going on, but the colours change from the occasional blue, to browns, yellows, and reds, depicting a fight, or a battle. But between who and what, we don’t know. Followed by a couple of explosions, bringing the engagement closer to home.

This scene, is a pretty cool image, as it depicts what this film is going to be, but still allows a sense of mystery, as to the full image. And then the trailer ends, with the movie’s title, and acting and directing credits.

This teaser trailer is a pretty cool trailer, and does help to build anticipation for the film, by highlighting something mysterious, which can only be truly visible, if you see the film!