Comments on: The chances of anything coming from Mars…

By: DennyMo

DennyMo — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:02:10 +0000

Anybody else read “War of the Worlds: Global Dispatches”? It’s a collection of “writings” from famous writers, leaders, etc. of that era as they “witnessed” the Martian invastion. Mark Twain reports on the battle for the Mississippi River, probably near New Orleans. Teddy Roosevelt has an entry, Einstein, etc. Interesting alternate history read. I still remember when my teacher played the LP of the Orson Welles broadcast to us in 5th grade. Spooky!

By: Jack Hagerty

Jack Hagerty — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:17:09 +0000

Karen says: “When I went to Maker Faire this year, I saw this amazing sculpture that instantly got that song stuck in my head”

Cool! I was at MF too (our rocket club had a “make-it, fly-it” booth). I had the exact same thoughts when I saw that sculpture. For those that can’t tell from the photo, it’s about 30 feet/10 meters high, the “head” swivels and the eye pulses red.

- Jack

PS – We’ll be there again next year. Be sure to stop by!

By: Jack Hagerty

Jack Hagerty — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:12:40 +0000

Chip says: “I can’t ask my dad now but do remember on a number of occasions him mentioning that several combinations of sounds were used for the Martian machines including a whacked spring. The bass guitar string was very likely that thumping sound heard before the ray blast.”

While most of the alien sounds in that movie were done with oscillators and custom filtering circuits (much like the Barrons did for “Forbidden Planet”), the heat ray sound was a combination of lots of electrically amplified acoustic sounds. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a large spring was among them. I do know that the main “skritching” sound was steel wound electric guitar strings being scraped by the pick back and forth rapidly with many different takes overlaid, some played backwards.

“I’m looking forward to reading “The Saucer Fleet” – looks like a cool book.”

Thanks, me too! After more that five years on it, I just want to get it out the door! If you’ll allow me a shameless plug, here’s the description page for it:

http://www.arapress.com/saucer.html

Scroll to the bottom and see who I sweet-talked into doing the Foreword!

- Jack

By: unthinkableMayhem

unthinkableMayhem — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:15:00 +0000

travissimo: I’ve still got that 1987 “screaming humans running at you” version of the book.

And I would also love to see a film version true to the original :]

By: Charlie Foxtrot

Charlie Foxtrot — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:29:33 +0000

“The tacked-on piece was supposed to bring the story “current” for audiences in the late ’70s, but nearly everyone I’ve talked to (including myself) just finds it wincing.”

I was first about 8 years old when I started listening to my Dad’s LP of the musical, and I always got a chill when I heard that last bit. I was living only a small distance from:

“Tracking station fourty-three Canberra
Come in Can-berra !”

I always wondered what the Martians had done to Tidbinbilla…

By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:05:49 +0000

I had a vinyl of the War of the Worlds soundtrack when I was a kid; I used to listen to it over and over, driving my parents nuts. When I went to Maker Faire this year, I saw this amazing sculpture that instantly got that song stuck in my head:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/foobarbazquux/2491035663/in/set-72157605047332574/

By: Jose

Jose — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:11:57 +0000

I first saw the movie when I was three. For a least a couple of years I was terrified of overhanging street lamps. Am I alone on this one?