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When a Martian spacecraft lands on Woking Common, mankind
is terrorised by aliens in tall, armoured capsules which stalk
the countryside on three legs. The machines wreak havoc on
London and the Southern Counties, and survivors are driven
underground. Scientist John Nicholson tells how he was plunged
into a paralysing nightmare of stark terror, savage madness
and utter destruction...
This
recording from the 1967 radio adaptation of The War of
the Worlds is well worth picking up if you are a lover
of classic sci-fi. Starring Paul Daneman (as John Nicholson),
Isabel Rennie (as Dora Nicholson) and Martin Jarvis (as Ogilvy),
this radio recording is as fresh today as it was back in 1967.
Peter
Sallis and Anthony Jackson also feature in this thrilling
six-part dramatisation of HG Wells's book.
The
drama is relayed in flashback, with Nicholson recounting the
events that have happened to him starting from the night of
the meteor landings. Then we are transported back to that
first night as Nicholson and his assistant, Ogilvy, are gazing
into the heavens trying to work out why activity seems to
be coming from Mars. Nicholson believes that the planet may
well be capable of harbouring life.
These
opening scenes work well to prepare the way for the alien
invasion. I loved the way that the producers used just the
one sound effect in this segment - a ticking clock in Nicholson's
study. This is used wonderfully to heighten the tension -
as though it's ticking down to something important that is
about to happen.
The
build up to the events is incredibly slow. That's not a complaint,
though. If anything, this slow unfolding of the plot helps
to build the tension to a point where I was on the edge of
my seat. Even though I know the original story inside out,
I couldn't help but be captivated all over again by this recording.
The
only real let down for me was the annoying screechy music
(for want of a better word) that opens and closes each episode.
It's difficult to describe how truly awful this is unless
you've experienced it, but for those of you who hate fingernails
being scratched across a blackboard, this music will make
you clap your hands over your ears in the same way.
There
was one scene which I had to relisten to. I was sure I heard
a swear word that would not have been allowed on the BBC in
1967. There is a scene where Ogilvy exclaims: "A meteorite
has landed! A f*cking great meteorite!" I've listened
and relistened and still I can't make out what he's supposed
to have really said.
If
you are a lover of classic sci-fi, then you'll need to add
this to your collection. This is still a series that I'd recommend
to a younger generation that have never read any H.G. Wells.
Another slice of classic radio from the BBC.
Pete
Boomer
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