Pendragon's War Of The Worlds

[Ashe Raven]

Which is cool. Persoanlyl I think this thread's been handle very well

[killraven]

I have seen the original cut and would give it maybe 3/10.

As I've said before, I appreciated Hines' bravery to film the original setting, but I was disappointed with how he went about it. So much was slapdash when it could have been so much better without appreciably more money being spent. It would have been so much better even if only one aspect of the film (e.g. acting, or editing, or effects) had worked properly. Perhaps the 'special director's cut' (which I am still waiting to be delivered! ) will address the editing issue (though by Bittersound's review it would seem this hasn't been the case).

KR

[almichev]

No, and can't decide at the moment. PP's recent behaviour hasn't endeared them to me, but despite the negative reviews on here am still curious. The clips on youtube aren't encouraging. The fight scene goes on and on and on. And as for day for night photography..... thought that went out years ago.

[Reppu]

I've not seen it yet, there's no way to get it here in Spain (i don't want to pay international shipping for this film, you know). But i really do want to have it and see it. I don't care how bad is it, i want to own a copy. And i bet that most people bashing it has not got rid of their copies....humm....would that mean something?

[Lensman]

It's true, I've not gotten rid of this movie that I'd rate at zero out of four stars, but the reason is that it's so unbelievably inept that certain scenes are quite hilarious-- unintentionally. Some have compared it to Ed Wood's work, and that's unfair-- to Ed Wood. And about that, I am *not* kidding. Ed Wood at least was able to edit his films in a coherent manner, and was able to get a few of them shown in cinemas. That puts him "two snaps up" over Tim Hines.

[FALLINGSTAR]

I watched it ages ago in a drunken, drug induced stupor whilst falling over the furniture, takin a swing at my neighbour and telling the pizza delivery man his moped was crap.

Then I realised I wasn't drunk or drugged up - it was just the effect the film had on me! ;D

[steann]

teehee

[rusti]

What neeews today!

[Rocka]

Bought it when it came out, watched it with my old flatmate n copious amounts of vino. We both agreed it was hilarious yet dreadful. Seem to remember us fast forwarding thru a lot of that first viewing.
I've watched it since, and quickly realised the joke just ain't funny, Tim.

[FALLINGSTAR]

steann said:

teehee

And to top it off - turned out the pizza delivery man was really an undercover Hines agent!

Mind you - Hines makes a nice pizza if nothing else!

[obiwanbeeohbee]

I've seen it and posted reviews in the old forum and on IMDB. In my opinion, Hines had enough money originally to do about one-fourth of the movie he wanted to produce. That part of the film is very good by low-budget film-making standards. Too bad he didn't have the budget to finish the post-production work in a professional-looking manner. I personally look forward to seeing the Classic cut. The reviews that I read on Amazon talk of reworked effects. I hope that somebody who believes in the film enough see it whipped into shape was put in charge of the re-edit. We'll see. It should be arriving in the next week or so.

[Wastedyuthe]

obiwanbeeohbee said:

I've seen it and posted reviews in the old forum and on IMDB. In my opinion, Hines had enough money originally to do about one-fourth of the movie he wanted to produce. That part of the film is very good by low-budget film-making standards. Too bad he didn't have the budget to finish the post-production work in a professional-looking manner. I personally look forward to seeing the Classic cut. The reviews that I read on Amazon talk of reworked effects. I hope that somebody who believes in the film enough see it whipped into shape was put in charge of the re-edit. We'll see. It should be arriving in the next week or so.

Yes this is discussed in another forum. I am still not convinced that this 'new' release is actually a new version- rather a re-release of the first Directors Cut (the second release after the 3 hour version). You can't win- you either have a 3 hour cut which isn't edited enough, or you have a DC which is chopped to bits seemingly randomly in places! At least he tried to follow the book unlike some versions though.

[obiwanbeeohbee]

I agree 'yuthe. The one thing that this film has going for it is the fact that it is an attempt to do what the big studios have not before now. Produce a faithful Victorian version. In my opinion, a television network exec will eventually look at this film and try to convince the network to buy it as a "fixer-upper" and throw enough money at it to re-do it correctly. Dodgy as the acting is, parts are still quite good. Piana and the other actors will probably be available for some re-shooting of the principal photography. The market is certainly there. Especially if the rest of the effects are redone to the quality of some of the more spectacular effects used in the trailers.

[FALLINGSTAR]

obiwanbeeohbee said:

I agree 'yuthe. The one thing that this film has going for it is the fact that it is an attempt to do what the big studios have not before now. Produce a faithful Victorian version. In my opinion, a television network exec will eventually look at this film and try to convince the network to buy it as a "fixer-upper" and throw enough money at it to re-do it correctly. Dodgy as the acting is, parts are still quite good. Piana and the other actors will probably be available for some re-shooting of the principal photography. The market is certainly there. Especially if the rest of the effects are redone to the quality of some of the more spectacular effects used in the trailers.

I certainly hope not! Any authentic version of Wells book needs to be professionally done - not some touched up amateur effort.

[Lensman]

obiwanbeeohbee said:

In my opinion, a television network exec will eventually look at this film and try to convince the network to buy it as a "fixer-upper" and throw enough money at it to re-do it correctly. Dodgy as the acting is, parts are still quite good.

What parts do you think are worth salvaging? The only parts of the movie that "work" for me (aside from some of the opening montage of stock footage) are a few brief seconds apiece in three scenes of the tripod legs walking, and a couple of the very ending scenes-- the suicide woman on the windowsill and the reunion of the Narrator and his wife.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but in my opinion that's not much of a foundation to build a decent movie on.

I suspect that not long after Jeff Wayne's movie comes out, the Pendragon version will be as forgotten as Ralph Bakshi's "The Lord of the Rings" and Rankin & Bass' "The Return of the King".
.