w*r of the Worlds, The (1953)

[bunniefuu]

In the first world w*r and for the
first time in the history of man,

nations combined to fight against nations,
using the crude weapons of those days

The second world w*r involved
every continent on the globe,

and men turned to science
for new devices of warfare,

which reached an unparalleled peak
in their capacity for destruction.

And now, fought with the terrible
weapons of superscience,

menacing all mankind
and every creature on earth,

comes...

No one would have believed

in the middle
of the twentieth century

that human affairs were being
watched keenly and closely

by intelligences
greater than man's.

Yet...

Across the Gulf of space
on the planet Mars,

intellects vast and cool
and unsympathetic

regarded our earth
with envious eyes,

slowly and surely
drawing their plans against us.

Mars is more than 140 million
miles from the sun,

and for centuries, it has been in the
last stages of exhaustion.

At night, temperatures drop far below zero,
even at its equator.

The inhabitants of this dying
planet looked across space

with instruments and intelligences
of which we have scarcely dreamed,

searching for another world
to which they could migrate.

They could not go to pluto,
outermost of all the planets

and so cold that its atmosphere
lies frozen on its surface.

They couldn't go
to Neptune or uranus...

twin worlds in eternal night
and perpetual cold...

both surrounded by an unbreathable atmosphere.
of methane gas, and ammonia vapor.

The martians
considered saturn...

an attractive world with its many moons
and beautiful rings of cosmic dust...

but... its temperature is close to
270 degrees below zero,

and ice lies 15,000 Miles
deep on its surface.

Their nearest world
was giant Jupiter,

where there are Titanic cliffs of lava and ice
with hydrogen flaming at the tops,

where the atmospheric pressure is terrible...
thousands of pounds to the square inch.

They couldn't go there.

Nor could they go to Mercury,
nearest planet to the sun.

It has no air...

and the temperature at its equator,
is that of molten lead.

Of all the worlds that the intelligences on
Mars could see and study...

only our own warm earth...

was green with vegetation,

bright with water,

and possessed...
a cloudy atmosphere eloquent of fertility.

It did not occur to mankind that a swift fate
might be hanging over us,

or that from the blackness of outer space,
we were being scrutinized... and studied.

Until...

at the time of our nearest approach to the orbit
of Mars during a pleasant summer season...

- That a fireball or somethin'?
- Boy, that's big!

Maybe it's a comet.

- Wonder where it lit?
- Miles away, I bet you.

- Hey, let's go find it, huh?
- That probably dropped halfway to pomona.

- Oh, it was nearer than that.
- I'm gonna see. Who's comin'?

This is pine summit.
I got a smoke.

160, 30.

Azimuth, reading:
160 degrees, 30 minutes.

Big?

I'll bet it's as big as anything
that ever lit in California.

You better get something over there.
It's started a blaze already.

You there, with the shovel!

Let me get in there!

Out of the way!

Bring that hose over here.

We're gettin' it licked, fellas.
Keep at it.

Hey, grab this.

Joe, Joe, lend a hand over here.

Number three to D.O.
Number three to D.O.

D.O. To number three, come in.

We're getting this under control.
We won't need any more help. Over.

Ok. Send the tanker in, but you can stand by
until that thing cools off. Over.

I think somebody ought
to check on it. Over.

Well, there's some fellows fishing at
pine summit, I think they're scientists.

They probably saw it come down.
I'll let them know. What's it look like?

Can't get near enough to see it very well.
Too hot.

But it's a whale of a size.

I got a message for you.

- You're the guys from pacific-tech, ain't you?
- Right.

- Looks like the fishing was good.
- Have some?

Well, I might just do that.

It's about that meteor.

They say it's a whopper.

The district officer phoned us
at the lookout up on the summit.

I thought you might be interested.

It's about 10 or 12 Miles from here,
over by Linda rosa.

Are they sure it's a meteor?
It didn't come down like one.

That's right.
Came down in kind of spurts, didn't it?

Well, you fellas will have to figure it out.
You're scientists.

All I know is, they say it's as big as a house
and practically red hot.

I'd like to borrow your car and
take a look at it in the morning.

We ought to get back.
I can fly Bilderbeck down in your plane.

Ok. The insurance is paid up.

Light?

No. I'll smoke it later.

- Did you watch it come down?
- I seen it from my window.

Harold. Harold.
Look here a minute.

Step over just a little and hold it.
Smile.

It must've hit way up there
and then skidded along the gully.

After it stopped, all that loose earth
and stuff shook down over it.

- Excuse me.
- I guess most of it's buried.

That's 12 feet thick,
easy. Maybe more.

Meteors always run heavy.

They won't be able to haul this
one away to no museum.

It'll be a real good attraction
for Sunday drivers.

Better than a lion farm or a snake pit.
We won't have to feed it.

Sure. We can sell tamales and
enchiladas and hot dogs, too!

Yeah! Ice cream,
cold drinks, souvenirs.

I think we should put up
a few picnic tables.

No, no. Then they'd bring
their own lunches.

What's the idea, buck?

- Gonna dig for gold?
- You think you're kiddin'?

It's gonna be like having a gold mine
in our own backyard.

I'm gonna get a
closer look at it.

Reckon it's solid all through?

Lucky it didn't come down
in the middle of town!

Wonder who owns this property.

That's it over there.

Feels pretty darn hot!

What's the idea of the shovel?

- Be careful, buck.
- Yeah, watch it, buck.

- Heh!
- It's pretty hot there.

Did you see it come down?

Yes. I was fishing
up in the hills.

You must've caught plenty
with all that tackle.

Oh, there were three of us.
The others flew back in my plane.

I don't understand why a meteor that size
didn't make a bigger crater.

Oh, it hit sideways
and skidded in.

At least that's what I think.
I don't really know.

But the ranger said a scientist is coming
from pacific-tech. He'll tell us.

Clayton forrester.
Ever hear of him?

What's that fellow trying to do over there,
dig it out?

He's top man in astro-
and nuclear physics.

He knows all about meteors.

You seem to know all about him.

Well, I did a thesis on modern scientists,
working for my masters degree.

Did it do you any good?

Why, sure. I got it.

- Say, do you have a match?
- No. I'm sorry. I don't smoke.

Forrester's the man behind
the new atomic engines.

They had him
on the cover of time.

- You know, you've got to rate to get that.
- Aw, he isn't that good.

Well, now, how can you say that
when you don't even know him?

Well, I do know him. Slightly.

Well, what's he like?

Well, he's like, uh...

Like, uh...

Oh.

Well, you certainly don't look like yourself
in that getup, Dr. forrester.

But I'm happy
to meet you, anyway.

I'm Sylvia van buren.
I teach library science over at U.S.C.

I didn't know how to stop you.

Well, I might have recognized
you without the beard.

And you didn't wear glasses
on the time cover.

Oh, they're really for long distance. When I want
to look at something close, I take them off.

We thought you were
gonna dig it out yourself.

Boy, you could fry eggs
on that thing!

All that sand'll keep the heat in
for a long time.

Oh, Uncle Matthew, this
is Dr. Clayton forrester.

My Uncle, Dr. Matthew Collins,
pastor of the community church.

Well, I... how do you do,
Dr. forrester?

- How do you do, sir?
- Hey, you!

What you got in here, fella?
Tickin' like a b*mb.

This is a geiger counter
for detecting radioactivity.

We did a little bit of surveying
while we were up in the hills.

It's that meteor.

- It's radioactive?
- Yes.

Difficult to account
for a reaction like that.

- Look at this thing. It's goin' crazy.
- Maybe we ought to keep people away from it, huh?

Might be a good idea.

I'll post two or three deputies.

They can make sure it doesn't
start any more fires, too.

You know, that meteor's either very light,
which is unheard of, or else it's hollow somehow.

If it were heavy and solid, it would have made
a tremendous crater when it landed.

I think I'll wait around
until it cools off.

If you tell me of a place in town, I...
I'd like to clean up.

I'd be delighted if you'd stay
at my house, Dr. forrester.

Thank you.

Probably won't be cool
for another 24 hours.

- What do people do around here on a Saturday?
- They don't do much of anything.

There's a square dance at the
social hall this evening.

* Allemande left
and the ladies star *

* gents walk around
but not too far *

* allemande left
and the gentlemen star *

* ladies walk around
but not too far *

* first and third,
you balance and swing *

* promenade the outside ring *

* three quarters
round the outside ring *

* through that couple
and not too far *

* meet in the center
with the right-hand star *

* swing your corner
with the left hand round *

* it's once and a half
on the merry-go-round *

well, let's take
another look at it.

Almost cold now, ain't it?

It won't start any more fires.
We might as well go home.

Yeah, no sense staying out here.

Let's go.

Hey!

It's moving!

It's a b*mb.

It don't go off last night.

Maybe it's gonna
go off now, huh?

It's an enemy sneak attack.

- Let's get out of here.
- Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Bombs don't unscrew.

It's no meteor, that's for sure.

Darnedest thing I ever saw...

The way that's unscrewin'.

- Thank you, Dr. forrester. You having fun?
- Yup.

And you want to know
what I was thinking?

If we could gather all the energy
expended in just one square dance,

we could send that meteor
back to where it came from.

- Must be somebody in there.
- Who?

- Where do you think they come from?
- How would I know?

I read someplace,
Mars is near the earth right now.

Happens every 18 or
20 years, they say.

Men from Mars.

What do you think?

Maybe these are not men...
not like us.

Everything human doesn't have
to look like you and me.

If it's men from Mars... We ought to
let them know we're friendly.

Don't fool around with something
when you don't know what it is.

We'd be the first to make
contact with them, see?

We'd be in all the papers.

How about that?

We could show them we're friendly, huh?
Walk out there with a white flag.

Hey, I... I got an old
sugar sack in my car.

What are we going
to say to them?

Welcome to California.

Come on.

- We're friends!
- Yeah!

Hey, there! Open up!

How they gonna understand us?

We'll talk in sign language.

They'll understand us,
all right.

Sure. Sure!

Everybody understands when you wave
the white flag, you wanna be friends.

Hey, there! Open up!

Come on out! We're friends!

That's right! We welcome you!

We're friends!

Yeah!

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Where's the fuse box?

No smoochin' in the dark, folks.

Any candles around?

Hey, look! Look!
All the lights in town have gone out!

Somebody's found some candles.

Zippy, call the electric company
and see what happened.

Ok.

Hey! The phone's gone dead!

That's funny. The phone's not on
the same circuit as the lights.

What are they saying, honey?

Something's wrong
with my hearing aid.

Well, we always play 'good night, ladies'
at 12:00, anyway. It must be nearly that now.

- My watch has stopped.
- Oh, I've got the time.

Huh. Mine stopped, too.

- So's mine.
- Jeepers, mine ain't workin'. What is this?

Why, they've all stopped
at the same time.

There's only one explanation
for a thing like this.

Do you have a pin?

- Oh, look! Oh!
- See that?

My watch is magnetized.

That's what knocked
the phones out, too.

How can it happen to
everybody's watch altogether?

- Do you have a pocket compass?
- Yeah.

Hey, that needle
isn't pointing north!

It's pointing to the gully
where that meteor came down.

All right, folks, let me through.
Let me through here.

- Sheriff, what's going on?
- I don't know any more than you do, Joe.

Look at the fire out there.

Let's go see.

The power lines are down.

That explains why
the lights went out.

Wh...

hey, look at the car!

Where are the
three men you left out here?

Look there!

People in town
started to follow us.

Don't let them come
anywhere near here.

Jump! Get under cover!

What is that gizmo?

I think that gizmo is a machine
from another planet.

We better get word to
the authorities.

Look!

Sheriff, you'd better
get word to the military.

You're going to
need them out here.

Get movin', on the double.

Take cover along the riverbed!
Get those 30s over here!

The area is under control of the marines from
El toro base, and the gully is surrounded.

Oh, and here's Professor McPherson of the
Canadian meteorological research council.

Is it true, Professor, you've had reports of
landings in other places? In Canada?

Not in Canada yet.

But in Bordeaux, France.
Some in Spain.

There's supposed to be one down
near the Gulf of Taranto, Italy.

We're trying to locate the second meteor
that landed in this vicinity just about midnight.

Well, do you think
they come from Mars?

What do you think,
Dr. forrester?

Oh, it's possible. At least it seems certain
they're from some planet other than our own.

Well suppose they are martians, Professor.
What would they look like?

Bigger than us? Smaller?

Well, as to martians... our gravitational
pull would weigh them down.

Our heavier air
would oppress them.

Then you think they'd be
breathing creatures like us.

What about the hearts
and blood and all that?

But if they are martians,
and if they do have hearts,

they'd almost certainly
beat at a slower rate.

Their veins might be distended.

Their senses could be quite different
from ours, of course.

They may, for instance,
be able to smell colors.

Precedent in our own evolution makes it possible
that they have more than one brain.

You mean two? Three?
Just think of that, folks!

It's only speculation.

Now, Dr. forrester, what about these
meteor machines?

They're probably controlled by jets
after they enter our atmosphere

and navigated by some form
of gyroscopic mechanism.

Thank you, Dr. forrester.

Oh, Colonel. Can you tell us anything
about this plane that's coming over?

It'll drop a flare, that's the only way
we dare put light on them.

Then air force cameramen will get pictures.

That was marine colonel
Ralph Heffner.

There's been a lot of mysterious
activity around the machine...

lights and dust, as if they're
digging themselves out.

And there it comes again!

If this keeps up, it'll be a guide
for the plane when it comes over.

- Is that the plane now?
- Yes. He's signaling.

The pilot has just blipped his motor,
that means he's dropped the flare.

He's flying high, so it'll take a few
seconds for it to come down.

When it does burst, we shall be the first men on earth
to get a real look at these invaders from space.

They're after the plane
with their ray!

Take cover!

Jump for it!

Here we are in...

Hey!

They cut me off!
They got my truck!

It looks like they're gonna come
out of that gully pretty soon.

We'll have to rush our defenses
to be ready when they do.

- You're going to need plenty of reinforcements.
- We'll get 'em.

They got the fire road blocked.

A truck turned over.

The troops are
certainly moving in here.

I know you sent word to
the sixth army command.

No, I just told them the local situation,
Colonel Heffner's in charge.

You never know where you're going to wind up
when you go to a square dance, do you?

Runner? Where's a runner?

- That's D-24.
- Correct.

Now, locate your observation
post on this hill.

Position your recoilless
75s back here...

- ...Carbon Canyon.
- Yes, sir.

I want your battery here.

You may find at daylight you're too exposed, so,
keep your prime movers ready to pull you out fast.

But you'll get first crack at 'em.

- Suits me. Will that be all, sir?
- Yes. Report when you're set up.
- Colonel Heffner?

Heffner.

Half-tracks? Ok.

Get in back of hill three.

Repeat, hill three.

If it's a moving target,
follow up from there.

- All right.
- Can you hear me?

Anybody get a look
at the martians yet?

They've located
that second meteor.

Mark it up.

Weapons truck
turned over on the road.

Take action and report.

How many tactical men
out of action?

No radio.

3, 1, 8, 0.

There's one. There's the other.

Here we are right between them.

So is the town, I notice.

I warned them to be ready
if they had to evacuate.

I just came to tell you
everyone has been alerted.

Hut.

As you were.

General Mann, I was told
to expect you, sir.

- I'm colonel Heffner.
- I'm here to make up a report,

not to interfere with the operations you've set up.
You're still in command.

Clayton Forrester.
I haven't seen you since oak Ridge.

Good to see you, general.

Oh, this is pastor Collins;

sheriff Bogany,
head of local control;

Miss Van Buren.

How do you do, general?
- Would you care for some coffee?
- Thank you.

General Mann's in charge of intelligence
for the pacific area.

That's their position.

Well, you've certainly
got them surrounded.

I suppose they neutralized
all communications here.

Not all, sir. Radio's out, but our
field phones are ok so far.

Well, they'll go the minute
there's another heat ray.

"Cylinder reported down by huntington beach."
Well, that's a job for the Navy.

Any news from abroad?

Washington is in constant touch
with the military of other nations.

Apparently, they're
coming down all over.

South America.

Santiago has two cylinders.

They're outside London.

They're in naples.

We've got them
between here and Fresno.

Outside Sacramento.

Two on long island.

They're just coming down at random?

No.

According to information
from foreign sources,

they're working
to some kind of a plan.

Now, what it may be
isn't clear yet,

simply because once
they begin to move...

no more news comes
out of that area.

We've been getting reports
of destruction, m*ssacre.

Here's an instance:

Town of St. Julian, South of Bordeaux
wiped out by ray of undetermined nature.

Local reports say
nothing remains.

Nothing remains.
What do you make of that?

All we've seen is
the heat ray they use.

Well, some of our newest
weapons are in here.

- We want to be sure to stop them.
- We will, sir.

Now, from the data, from that picture,
the air force took earlier tonight...

what we've got out there
is the original pilot ship.

On the basis of its observations,
the others were guided down.

Patternwise, one lands, then two...

making groups of threes
join magnetically.

- Is that possible?
- If they do it, it is.

My orders are not to go into action unless
they move out of the shelter of that gully.

Meanwhile, we'll have
a chance to observe them.

This is the only place we've had time to surround
them with sufficient force to contain them.

What happens here will be a
guide to all other operations.

Now, the minute action begins and
a pattern of defense develops...

I'll get my report
to Washington.

- You've deployed your forces well.
- Thank you, sir.

If they start anything,
we can blast them right off the earth.

They'll probably move at dawn.

There's something
moving in the gully.

Look at it, will you?

Beings from another world.

Is that some kind
of a flying machine?

No, no.

It's supported from the ground by rays,
probably some form of magnetic flux,

like invisible legs.

This is amazing.

They must keep the opposing poles in
balance and lift the machine.

Stand by to fire.

All command posts,
stand by to fire.

But, colonel,
sh**ting's no good.

- It's always been a good persuader.
- Shouldn't you try to communicate with them first,

and sh**t later if you have to?

Target as indicated.
Repeat. Target as indicated.

The 75s report they've got them
under open sights, sir.

I think we should try to make them understand
we mean them no harm.

There's another
machine coming out.

They are living
creatures out there.

But they're not human.

Dr. forrester says they're some
kind of advanced civilization.

If they're more
advanced than us...

they should be nearer the creator
for that reason.

It'll be a moving target.
Prepare to follow up.

No real attempt has been made to
communicate with them, you know.

Let's go back inside,
Uncle Matthew.

I've done all I can in there.
You go back.

Sylvia...

I like that Dr. forrester.

He's a good man.

Line by line resync and more
by Dandysubs on 20191217.

Attention all batteries...

Prepare for volley fire.
Repeat, prepare for volley fire.

Who's that?

What's he think he's doing?

Uncle! Uncle Matthew!

It's too late now!
He's too far away!

Stop him!

Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil.

Stop him!

Stop!

It's seen him.

Thou anointest my head with oil.

My cup runneth over.

And I will dwell
in the house of the lord...

forever.

Aah!

Let 'em have it!

Fire!

Those shells can't
get through to them.

They've put out some sort
of electromagnetic covering,

a protective blister.

That skeleton beam must be what they
used to wipe out the French city.

It neutralizes mesons somehow.

They're the atomic glue
holding matter together.

Cut across their lines of magnetic force,
and any object will simply cease to exist.

Take my word for it, general.

This type of defense is useless
against that kind of power.

You'd better let
Washington know fast!

- Hold 'em as long as you can.
- Right, sir.

Aah! Aah! Aah!

Aah!

Order all command posts:

Everything pull back north
of highway 60 tunnel bunker.

Right.

Everybody out of here!
Everybody out!

The air force will take care
of these babies now.

Dr. forrester, get out of here.

Everybody out of here!

Everybody ou...

You'll hit something.
Can't you go higher?

No. The air will be full
of jets any minute.

There they are!

Aah!

...all about the martian invasion.

They're in New York and Miami,

fighting outside Los Angeles.

All about it.

Hold it
right there, general, please.

- You're the gentlemen I asked to come here.
- General Mann what do you think of this situation?

Is it your opinion
the army can hold them?

Sorry. I've no time.

You've got g*ns and equipment
going out there all night.

Come on. Break it up.

The way he's hedging, maybe
the army didn't hold them.

I've seen news
off the pacific cables:

Sidney, Australia; Penang;
Rangoon; India.

From what's coming through,
nobody's stopped them yet.

I want to know, if the city
must be evacuated.

We're ready. Lots of people
have already moved out.

We've mobilized emergency cars
and buses in the yards.

The red cross is standing by.

Now, for your information, the enemy is
25 or 30 Miles outside Los Angeles.

Not down in full force yet, but developing.
It can happen any minute.

The crisis will come if they move
toward the metropolitan area.

Washington's on the line, sir.

General mann.

I'd say our effective losses were
nearly 60% men, 90% material.

Well, the jets went in,
but not one of them came out.

I watched high-level bombers
drop everything they carried.

They were knocked out of the sky,
and their bombs did nothing.

Nothing was effective
against them.

Yes. They have some sort of electronic
umbrella. It's quite impenetrable.

Dr. forrester believes they generate atomic force
without the heavy screening we use.

That's where they get
the power for their rays.

Very well, sir.

Call victorville, tell them I want the
fastest plane they've got.

You'll get all further instruction
from sixth army command.

- Now I'll make a statement to those reporters.
- Right.

All right, fellas.
The general will see you now.

General, we heard that Dr. Clayton forrester
was out there with you.

What's he think about this?

Ask him. He's back
at pacific tech.

No, he's not. We tried to get him there.
He hasn't shown up.

Wake up.

Let's get moving, huh?

Are you all right?

- Is that machine...
- It's gone.

- Where are we?
- Southwest of corona somewhere.

There must have been another cylinder down here.
They've been through this whole area
and cleared everybody out.

There's a farmhouse out there.

Let's see if we can find
something to eat, huh?

We're doing all right.

You know, I almost
forgot when I ate last.

Hey, that looks good.

You know, mostly I get my meals
in coffee shops and restaurants.

- Don't you live at home?
- No, on the campus.

I haven't any family.

I come from a big one.

There's nine of us,

all in Minnesota...

Except me.

I have no close folks.

My parents died
when I was a kid.

A big family must be fun. I imagine...

I imagine it makes you feel
you belong to something.

Oh, it does.

Maybe that's why I feel
kind of lost right now.

We'll get out of here safely.

Don't worry.

But they seem to m*rder
everything that moves.

If they're mortal, they must
have mortal weaknesses.

They'll be stopped...

somehow.

I've been as close to them as anyone,
and never close enough for any real observation.

I feel like I did
one time when I was small:

Awful scared and lonesome.

I wandered off.

I've forgotten why.

But the family and whole crowds
of neighbors were hunting for me.

They found me in a church.

I was afraid to go in
anyplace else.

I stayed right by that door...

praying for the one who loved me best
to come and find me.

It was Uncle Matthew
who found me.

I liked him.

He liked you.

Oh, I could bawl my head off.

But you're not going to.
You're not the kind.

Look, you're tired.
You've been up all night.

You cracked up in a plane,
slept in a ditch.

You want to know something?

It doesn't show on you at all.

Get down!

- How long was I out?
- Hours. Oh, I've been so scared.

They're right outside.
Several of them came down together.

There's a machine standing
right alongside of us.

An electronic eye.

Like a television camera.

It's looking for us.

Maybe they're not
too sure we're here.

They could be as curious about us
as we are about them.

Maybe.

Maybe they want
to take us alive.

It's pulling out.

Can't we get out of here?

Something moved out there.

- There's nothing there now.
- It was... one of them.

What was it like?

I couldn't see much in the dark,
but it was one.

We're right in a nest of them.
I've got to get a good look at them.

They've blocked it.

It's blocked here, too.

They've pushed earth or something
all around outside.

Here. This way.

The stairway up to the attic.

Look out!

Your scarf.

It's wet.

Blood.

No... No.

Aah! Aah!

Stop it!

Stop it!

Come on.

We gotta make a run for it. Come on.

The martians had calculated their descent upon
our earth with amazing perfection and subtlety.

As more of their cylinders came
from the mysterious depths of space,

their w*r machines...

awesome in their power
and complexity...

created a wave of fear which swept
into all corners of the world.

In every country, government officials
met in desperate conclave,

seeking ways to coordinate their defenses
with those of other nations.

The government of India, driven from
New Delhi, met in a rail road coach.

While massive hindu populations streamed
for the imagined safety of the faraway himalayas.

The redoubtable Finnish
and turkish armies,

Chinese battalions and Bolivians

worked and fought furiously.

Every effort against the tremendous power of their
other-world antagonists ended in the same frantic rout.

As the martians burned fields and forests,
and great cities fell before them,

huge populations were
driven from their homes.

The stream of flight
rose swiftly to a torrent.

It became a giant stampede
without order and without goal.

It was the beginning of the rout of civilization,
of the m*ssacre of humanity.

A great silence fell over half of Europe
as all communication was disrupted.

When the last wire photo out of Paris
reached the French cabinet, exiled in strasbourg,

they hit upon the idea of using
super-speed jets as couriers

Stripped of armament
and loaded with extra fuel,

these planes maintained connections
with the Scandinavian countries,

north Africa, the United States,
and especially with england.

It was plain the martians appreciated
the strategic significance, of the British isles.

The people of britain met
the invaders magnificently.

But it was unavailing.

As martians swept northward toward London,
the British cabinet stayed in session,

coordinating every item of information
that could be gathered,

passing it on to the united
nations in New York.

From there, the news was
forwarded to Washington

because here was the only remaining
unassailed strategic point.

48 north. 2 west.

- 31 east. Anchored on Cairo.
- Checking.

Dover blanked out.

- Brazil checking.
- Urgent, repete, Major Bentley Dawson,

report to general mann.

80 west by 38 north.

Make every effort to contact
the civil authorities

Now, this much is certain...

It's vital to prevent the Martian
machines from linking up.

Once they do, they adopt an
extraordinary military tactic.

They form a Crescent.

They anchor it at one end...

and sweep on...
until they've cleared a quadrant.

Then they anchor the opposite end...
and reverse direction.

They slash across country like scythes.

Wiping out everything that's
trying to get away from them.

That explains why communication is cut
the moment their machines begin moving.

Montreal's blacked out...
nothing more's come through.

Same thing that happened on the pacific coast.
Anything from them yet?

No, Mr. secretary we've had nothing
from San Francisco for over five hours.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Here's that
Los Angeles picture, sir.

This is a sonic radar picture
taken from extreme altitude.

It shows full details of the Martian
nest outside Los Angeles.

Their machines appear
as round blobs.

Newly fallen cylinders
are elongated.

We know there are three cylinders to each group...
and three machines to each cylinder.

All right. I've seen enough.

There's only one thing
that'll stop the martians.

We've held back because of the
danger of radiation to civilians.

Now there's no choice.

The white house will confirm an order
to use the atom b*mb.

Then our first target will be the initial
landing place outside Los Angeles.

First thing you get there, arrange for the
Pacific Tech scientists to monitor the drop.

I'll send wire orders ahead of you
and have the area cleared all around.

We've still time to
hit them before dark.

Then we'll blast them
all over the world.

- Forrester, everybody's been looking for you.
- I know. We've walked halfway from corona.

Finally found
an abandoned truck.

This is miss van buren.

Dr. Gratzman, Dr. Pryor,
James, Bilderbeck.

What's this I hear about the A-b*mb?

We been assigned as special detail, we going
in right afterwards, study its effect.

We're leaving in half an hour.

What's that?

King-sized fish eye?

This is an electronic eye.

The martians modeled it after their own eye.
They use it the way we use a periscope.

It'll tell us a lot about
their metals and alloys.

If this is actually a lens,
we can find out about their optics.

Interesting. Very interesting.

And this...

The blood of a martian.

I don't remember ever seeing blood crystals,
as anemic as these.

They may be mental giants...

but by our standards...

physically,
they must be very primitive.

Isn't it curious how everything about them
seems to be in threes?

Their eyes have three lenses and three
distinct pupils, strong light shocks them.

They're not accustomed to it.

Sunlight on Mars is approximately
half as strong as we get it.

Add their clouds and dust,
it amounts to no more than our twilight.

Now if you'll step
over here, please.

We've rigged the epidiascope to reflect
whatever the Martian lens picks up.

Move in a little.

Thank you.

There's how the martians see us.

Evidently there's a shift
in their spectrum.

Their color absorption must
be different from ours.

Let's see why they were so curious
about you, miss Van Buren.

Time to get started, gentlemen.

Let's go.

That martian blood, let them make a quick
analysis of it and see what we've got.

- It might give us something.
- Something we could use.

Oh, let it go.
If you're interested in martian blood,

you'll get all you want right after
the plane drops the b*mb.

The flying wing
is going to carry it.

Hello, tower, this is air force flying wing
ready for takeoff. Over.

Flying wing, this is the tower,
clear for takeoff, over.

Wish us luck, roger.

The target for the A-b*mb is this nest of
martian machines in the puente hills,

where more of these meteor-cylinders
came down early last evening.

A plane will pinpoint the target
for the drop from 6 Miles up.

We've been warned that this b*mb is 10 times
more powerful than anything previously used.

It's the latest thing
in nuclear fission.

Nothing like this has ever
been exploded before,

and we're going to be
pretty darn close.

But there are observers down in
the valley in a forward bunker,

well, they'll be a lot nearer than us.

The whole world is waiting...

for this will decide the fate of civilization...

all humanity.

Whether we live or die,
may depend on what happens here.

Attention, please.

4 minutes to b*mb time.

There must be a couple of million people back of us,
in the shelter of the San Gabriel hills, waiting...

Waiting to find out whether
they can go home again.

Everywhere, all around the world people
have been driven from their homes.

Direct cable communication is being
maintained with Washington,

but there's no radio at all,

not even with the bombing
plane that's coming over.

All radio is dead.

Which means that these tape recordings I'm making
are for the sake of future history...

if any.

Future history, he said.

Yes. If any.

Bilderbeck has calculated how long we have got,
until Martians take over the entire world.

If the A-b*mb fails, that is.

The Martians can conquer
the earth in six days.

The same number of days
it took to create it.

Attention please,
2 minutes to b*mb time.

Prepare to take shelter.

If you have no goggles,
turn away.

Remember the heat flash, and concussion
that follow, are dangerous.

50 seconds.

- There's the plane.
- Right.

40 seconds.

- We've spotted the plane, sir.
- Right.

30 seconds.

Look.

Look!

They're using those
protective blisters again.

20 seconds.

Attention. Stand by.

15 seconds.

10 seconds...

9... 8... 7...

6... 5... 4...

3... 2... 1...

Hello!

Hello, hello, there.
What can you see?

There's something moving.

They haven't even been touched!

It didn't stop them.

g*ns, tanks, bombs.

They're like toys against them.

It'll end only one way.

We're beaten.

No.

Not yet.

Washington issued orders...

in the event the A-b*mb failed,
evacuate all cities in danger of attack.

They'll be moving on
Los Angeles now.

We'll establish a line and fight them
all the way back to the mountains.

Our best hope lies in what you people
can develop to help us.

All right, on the double.
Get me back to 6th army headquarters.

Six days, you said.

Six days.

They'll stamp the city flat.

We'll take all our instruments and establish
a base laboratory in the rocky mountains.

It'll give us time to search out
some weakness in the martians.

A forlorn hope, but there is a chance.

We may get a lead
from that anemic blood.

You mean by some
biological approach?

We know now that we can't
beat their machines.

We've got to beat them.

Everybody, listen carefully.

The martians
are coming this way.

We must evacuate the city.

Take food and water and
extra clothing with you.

All major highways have been marked, to lead
you to shelter and welfare centers in the hills.

Come on, come on...

Keep going.

Keep moving.

Keep them rolling, there.
Keep going.

Come on.

Come on!

Gratzman, did you
get those biotics?

No. I thought you had them.

Never mind. I'll get them.

You get in the school bus.

Sylvia'll drive you.

Let me up.

- Get off, Buster!
- I'll give you $500 for your place.

I'll make it 1,000.

Money's no good anymore, Mac!

Here comes another truck!

Throw that guy off there!

Get him outta there!

Stop, you fools!

Stop, you fools!

Quick! Help me!
We've got to stop them!

We can't stop 'em.
The law's no good here now.

They're thieves, robbers, worse.

They wouldn't leave
with the rest.

It's like this all over.

They've got to be stopped!

Those instruments!

Hold it! Hold it a minute!

We've got to get those instruments.
They're our only chance!

Did that mob grab
the trucks ahead of me?

There were a lot of pacific tech people
with those trucks. Did you see them?

I don't know anything about other trucks.
There's been fighting on all the streets.

The school bus. A girl was
driving. Did they get that?

If they saw it, they took it.
They'll grab anything on wheels.

You can't buy a ride
for love or money!

Gratzman!

Bilderbeck!

Sylvia!

Hey, you, better get outta here.

I'm looking for some
pacific tech professors.

There's nobody left
around here now.

We had a chance.
We could've stopped them.

The mob stole all the trucks,
smashed everything up.

The fools! They cut
their own throats!

He's nuts. Come on. Jump in.

Hurry up! Jump in!

There was a girl with them.
If I can find her...

Come on. Jump in, will ya?

She's kind of lost.

You look kind of lost yourself.

But I think I know
where she'll be.

Come on, come on.
It's your last chance to get out of here.

* Amen *

We humbly beseech thy
divine guidance, O Lord.

Deliver us from the fear
which has come upon us.

From the evil that
grows ever nearer.

From the terror that soon will knock
upon the very door of this, thy house.

O Lord...

we pray thee...

grant us the miracle of
thy divine intervention.

Don't go, son.

Stay with us.

No. I-I'm looking for someone.

She'll be in a church, near the door.

Forrester!

Duprey, Bilderbeck!

I...

Where are the others?

The mob att*cked us.

We don't know what
happened to the rest.

I... I got...
I got knocked under our truck.

Du-duprey pulled me out.

What happened to Sylvia?

We never did see her again.

In our peril we plead,
succor and comfort us in this hour.

Please, God.

Sylvia!

Sylvia!

Sylvia!

Here! Here!

Sylvia!

Let me through... please!

Maybe they've gone away.

Let's go see.

It must be all right.

Something's happening to them.

It's dead.

We were all praying
for a miracle.

The martians had no resistance to the bacteria in our
atmosphere to which we have long since become immune.

Once they had breathed our air, germs which
no longer affect us began to k*ll them.

The end came swiftly.

All over the world, their machines began
to stop and fall.

After all that men could do had failed,

the martians were destroyed
and humanity was saved...

by the littlest things.

Which God, in his wisdom,
had put upon this earth.

* In this world and the next *

* amen *