BATTLE OF THE WORLDS (1961): A Blu-Ray Review

Introduction

In the 1960s Hollywood legend, Claude Rains, appeared in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). Also, in the 1960s, the four-time Academy-Award-nominee appeared in Antonio Margheriti’s campy low-budget Italian science-fiction classic, Battle of the Worlds (1961). It was filmed in Italy during a period when its filmmakers and citizenry were becoming obsessed with American westerns and science fiction films. The Film Detective has carefully restored Battle of the Worlds via an encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 format.

Synopsis

Released in Italy as Il pianeta degli uomini spenti, Battle of the Worlds takes place sometime in the future. Dr. Fred Steele (Umberto Orsini) and his colleague and lover Eve Barnett (Maya Brent) work together at an astronomical station. Located on an out-of-the-way and picturesque rural island, the couple is soon to be transferred off the outpost. They talk of plans of getting married and living happily ever after. However, all these plans are quickly put on hold when scientists on the station discover a runaway planet called “The Outsider.” The death planet is on a collision course with Earth and must be stopped.

Old and cranky Professor Benson (Claude Rains) lives on the outpost with his faithful dog, Gideon. The professor calculates that the Outsider will narrowly miss striking the Earth. Of course, most of the other scientists disagree with him. Mars Base Three, and its commander Bob Cole (Bill Carter), report no signs of the hurtling planet. This is because all of its electronic equipment is inoperative due to a magnetic storm. When the storm clears, it’s discovered that the Outsider has indeed passed Mars and is headed for Earth.

Cole and his wife Cathy jump on a ship headed for Earth in order to help the cause. Everyone is relieved however when it turns out the Outsider does in fact miss the Earth by 95,000 miles. Things take a turn for the worse, though, when the planet decides to place itself in Earth’s orbit, and unleash flying saucers to destroy anything that tries to get near it. When one of the saucers is shot down, it’s discovered that its pilot is a robot. Benson is called in to see if he can figure out a way to stop these machines. This all takes place as the Outsider hurtles towards Earth.  

Analysis

Much like the Italian spaghetti westerns of the day, Antonio Margheriti made films that were shot on a low budget and a tight schedule. His films also had a Saturday matinee feel to them, almost like something out of a comic book. It’s something that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg would pay homage to two decades later when they were conceiving of their iconic collaboration on Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). In a career that lasted for more than forty years, Battle of the Worlds is one of Margheriti’s earliest features. It’s also one of his most beloved.

While at times visually impressive and extremely innovative, Margheriti’s second feature film is littered with subplots that ultimately go nowhere. Additionally, the relationship issues between Fred and Eve make no sense and slow the film down. Their characters are so one-dimensional, that we really don’t care either way. The bickering between professor Benson and the rest of his colleagues is repetitive and somewhat confusing as the other scientists are quick to dismiss Benson’s mathematical calculations without ever really indicating why.

The film does have some redeeming qualities. One of those qualities is Claude Rains turning in a ridiculously over-the-top performance. He’s hands down the best part of Battle of the Worlds. While the film tends to be a bit light on action and overly talkative, Rains more than makes up for this by delivering a fun and campy performance. Also, fans of Star Trek: The Original Series will see that its creator Gene Rodenberry was influenced by the works of Margheriti with regard to set design, costuming, and lighting.

The Blu-Ray

This latest release of Battle of the Worlds is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of The Film Detective. The transfer is an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 formatting. While this version of the film is listed as a 4K version, this really can’t be taken too seriously as they are trying to scan from the film’s original “archival 35mm print.” This is the problem as the original source is clearly flawed. The result is a high-resolution scan that is underwhelming. The color timing also appears to be slightly off.

Battle of the Worlds features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track that is serviceable at best. Additionally, it appears that most of the actors were speaking English during the shoot, post the audio was looped in post-production. The result is some glaringly obvious syncing issues. Optional English subtitles are also available. It should be noted that this version of the film appears to be the shorter US version, as the Italian cut runs about fifteen minutes longer.

Considering the rarity of this cult classic film, and the fact that this is the best version we have, it’s not a bad release. It does look relatively sharp and clear. Close-ups on this release tend to, more often than not, be fairly detailed with density and color holding. The Blu-Ray offers a new commentary by Justin Humphreys, author, film historian, and curator for the estate of the late animation legend, George Pal. An additional feature is a new 30-minute featurette, A Cinematic Outsider: The Fantastical Worlds of Antonio Margheriti. 

Conclusion

The early 1960s was an exciting and surreal time for filmmakers in Italy. Look no further than the collective works of Michelangelo Antonioni, Luchino Visconti, Paolo Pasolini, Mario Bava, and of course, Antonio Margheriti. Battle of the Worlds is far from a perfect film. The plot is muddled, and the budget is stripped down. However, a gaudy performance by Claude Rains and the bombastic vision of its director, make this one of the go-to films with regard to the sub-genre of Italian science-fiction. The featurette and the solid and insightful audio commentary add to this worthy entry into the growing library of The Film Detective.

Read more Cinema Scholars reviews:

THE OLD MAN: A Review Of The New Jeff Bridges Series

CRIMES OF THE FUTURE: A Review Of David Cronenberg’s New Film

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