The Night That Panicked America

This film was a very entertaining, and historically accurate recreation of Orson Welles' radio program "War of the Worlds", which was based loosely on H G Wells' novel of the same name. It is utterly amazing that so many people believed that this radio drama was real, and the film does an excellent job of dramatizing the reactions of several people who seriously believed that the Earth was being invaded by Martians. What amazes me even more is the fact that no one has made this excellent production available for sale on video. It surely is a marketable product.

This film was an excellent portrayal of the radio broadcast and the actor who played Orson Wells did an excellent job. The sound effects at the radio station was unbelievable accurate as to the sound of an alien space craft both landing and the sound of the hatch coming off, very scare as was suppose to happen especially back in the 30's. The acting to go along with the radio broadcast was out of sight. This was a very entertaining movie and i wish it was also available on video as stated by Mike Spangler, if that is not possible than it should be made available to be shown on TV again, so people could record it as I did some years ago, but have a very poor copy of. If this is available to be replayed on TV, than this Halloween should be appropriate to re-broadcast this fine movie

An okay telefilm about the famous (infamous?) radio broadcast. It certainly deserves good marks for adhering closely to what occurred during the original broadcast and, of course, dramatic license is to be expected with the various stories of Americans reacting to the show. But, still, it IS a TV movie from 1975 which means that it's low budgeted---therefore it seems underpopulated. For instance, Orson Welles (Shenar) arrives at the CBS Radio studios walking in at a leisurely pace in the early evening down an empty, quiet street... when in fact Welles was always rushing in at the last minute from a stage show rehearsal, and New York streets at 7PM would be bustling with people and noise (sometimes Welles hired an ambulance to get him to the CBS studio on time---now that would have been a great opening for this film!) Not to nitpick, but it's this kind of flatness in sound and direction that hurts the film. Additionally, Shenar looks nothing like a young Orson Welles (who looked very much like Bob Hope) and plays him with too much control. Welles was dynamic and explosive and very much a young man (in his early twenties in 1938) while Shenar is too aloof and too much older (he was nearly forty when he played this part). But Shenar does have the rich deep Wellesian baritone (probably the main reason for hiring him). A great subject for a movie and one that deserves another try... although this one is adequate.

This is a great movie. If it's ever on TV, I suggest watching it. Personally I don't usually like TV movies but this is an exception. Very good with interesting situations and likable characters. It's hard to beleive something like this once happened but it's allm true. Orson Wells must have gotten into a lot of trouble after that one. It's a shame it's not on DvD. Watch it on Halloween or the Night before.

On the night before Halloween, 1938, Orson Welles directs a radio adaptation of HG Wells' novel The War of the Worlds from forty years prior. The "breaking news" style of ominous storytelling convinced many listeners throughout America to take it seriously, causing a panic. The illusion of realism was reinforced by the lack of commercial interruptions, which meant that the first break didn't come until after all of the alarming "news" had been given.

A television production, "The Night that Panicked America" (1975) works well enough to help you see how Welles' show could deceive those who failed to hear the opening announcement indicating that the show was a work of fiction. Paul Shenar does a good job playing Welles and there are several familiar faces, like Vic Morrow, Eileen Brennan, Meredith Baxter, Will Geer, Tom Bosley and John Ritter just before his success with Three's Company.

The ending fittingly mentions the town of Concrete, Washington, which is located 96 miles northeast of Seattle. During the midpoint of the broadcast a coincidental power failure plunged the town of (then) one thousand people into darkness. Needless to say, they were probably the most terrified listeners in America.

It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles.

GRADE: B.