# How was Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" different from the book? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362 "2009-08-23T01:59:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/41 "2011-08-25T19:06:00Z")
Another way the book and the 2005 movie differed: the aliens in the Spielberg version were _not_ Martians. The film never tells us where they come from. We only (incorrectly) assume they’re Martians based upon the original book and its previous adaptations. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/42 "2011-08-25T19:23:07Z")
Ah, the infamous, “Based on…” as an excuse to get people to associate a movie with a book when there really isn’t any reason to do so beyond possible legal ramifications of using the same title. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/43 "2011-08-25T19:28:17Z")
Spielberg’s was a movie, Wells’ was a book. ALWAYS going to be differences between the genres. That being obvious to everyone here ;), I would really like to see a well done modern movie with the action kept in the original time period. And sugar free chocolate that tastes good, which ain’t gonna happen either. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/44 "2011-08-25T19:31:08Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > I would really like to see a well done modern movie with the action kept in the original time period. Alien invaders? Assemble the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/45 "2011-08-25T19:32:10Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > I’m eagerly awaiting Speilberg’s adaption of _Edison’s Conquest of Mars._ I’d pay to see that! (But he’d probably put a little kid on the invasion fleet.) The Barry movie was much better, I thought. Flying Martian battle machines were very cool, and the heat ray sound effects were awesome. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/46 "2011-08-25T19:35:03Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Alien invaders? Assemble the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! I _ **AM** _ the last of my kind! just mixing up movies again … ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/47 "2011-08-25T20:17:10Z")
> [@Jettboy](#): > > If you ever want to get the “feel” of the book without actually reading it, find a copy of _Jeff Waynes’ Musical Version of War of the Worlds_ and have a long listen. Smoking a J beforehand is advisable if you’re into that sorta’ thing. One thing I can thank my ex-husband for is introducing me to this. My favorite piece of music was the song _“When You’re Not There”_. A wistful tune, with the protagonist missing his wife. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/48 "2011-08-25T20:17:57Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > It was stated that Martians were at perhaps WWII-level of tech in the _book_ (where the Earthlings were at Victorian-era levels of [del]steampunk[/del] tech; still giving the Martians a decided edge), not in the movie. The book was written in 1898 - how did they know about WWII? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/49 "2011-08-25T20:24:56Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > The book was written in 1898 - how did they know about WWII? And since when are heat rays “WWII-level technology?” ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/50 "2011-08-25T20:55:23Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > The book was written in 1898 - how did they know about WWII? The book didn’t state it - **Chronos** did back in post 12. And as others said, I don’t remember the Nazi heat ray turning a lot of battles. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/51 "2011-08-25T21:13:55Z")
I thought the C. Thomas Howell version from 2007 was rather nice. Next to no money for effects so it was plot driven and there was no Dakota Fanning. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/52 "2011-08-25T21:17:00Z")
When my daughter was 7, I asked her what her favorite movie quote was. “What’s that, daddy?” "You know, a line somebody says in a movie that you liked. For example, a famous movie quote from _The Wizard of Oz_ is ‘I’ll get you my pretty… and your little dog, too!’ " “Oh, I get it!” :thinks: (She deepens her voice and shouts out) " ‘No, Robby, not like Europe!’ " I busted a gut. I didn’t know what to expect, but I sure didn’t expect _that_! Nowadays, she does a pitch-perfect _Napolean Dynamite_. It’s damned funny. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/53 "2011-08-25T22:20:18Z")
Spoiler alert- There are no cylinders but instead weird lightning strikes which deliver the aliens into the tripods which apparently have been underground since God knows when waiting for their crew. I actually thought that was kinda inventive. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/54 "2011-08-25T23:51:20Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I’m kind of curious what those posters who didn’t like Dakota screaming think a pre-pubescent girl (or boy for that matter) is going to do when they’re being attacked by those pesky aliens? Be stoic? Act in charge, barking orders? In the movie, over a 24 hour period, she lost her Dad’s house, she lost her Mom’s house (or Tim’s house, whatever), she saw more dead bodies than any of us have ever witnessed, the world has turned completely upside down, and she is fearful for her mother’s life, and by the next morning after the tripod arises, she’s a homeless refugee. > > I mean, really: complaining that a 12 year-old in a movie is acting like one would expect an average 12 year-old to behave in this scenario is kind of silly. I would consider stunned zombielike movements and stunned silence after the first attack. There is [in my opinion] only so much horror you can have trigger you before you are overloaded and start to withdraw. Newt is more what I would expect if she stayed active. The urge to be silent, and hide, and skulk around the edges and remain unnoticed. Survival instinct. Most kids do not have that much survival instinct now I feel thanks to the training of tv and computers to become passive observers. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/55 "2011-08-26T00:02:06Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Why would I want to watch a bunch of Victorians bare-knuckle box some Olde Tyme aliens in steampunk tanks? I’d pay good money to see that. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/56 "2011-08-26T00:26:29Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I thought the C. Thomas Howell version from 2007 was rather nice. Next to no money for effects so it was plot driven and there was no Dakota Fanning. I also liked it. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/57 "2011-08-26T01:12:14Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > And since when are heat rays “WWII-level technology?” Well, ok.. we had ‘Heat Bombs’. Seriously, I’d stack the US military as it existed at the end of 1945 against the martians as described in the book any day. The martians would get their asses handed to them. The heat rays as described don’t sound particularly more lethal than a barrage of 90mm shells called in by any GI with a radio. Nukes would be overkill but we had them. ---
**Author:** ![Abe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@Abe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/58 "2011-08-26T05:32:48Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I have seen this movie probably more times than anybody who has posted in this thread, but I do not remember this character (unless you’re talking about Tim Robbins, who didn’t provide informed commentary, just ramblings that didn’t make sense). Ogilvy, in the Wells original, was an astronomer neighbour/friend of the writer/narrator who provided some necessary scientific background and commentary. He turned out to be wrong on a number of counts, but he represented a scientific establishment utterly unprepared for the possibility of alien intelligence, so that is understandable. Ogilvy also made it into the Jeff Wayne version, essentially unchanged. In the abysmal Spielberg film, he is turned into a rambling blue-collar cretin for no reason whatsoever. > [@](#): > > I also think the movie is far better than a lot of people give it credit, and very morally complex. I disagree with your first statement, I agree to _some_ extent with the second but do not find it terribly important to the overall quality of the film. I think this might have been a better movie if it had been a stand-alone product (they completely massacred Wells’s story anyway!) without pretensions to one of the most important titles in literature. It could have been just another alien invasion movie. The problem is it \*was \*presented (not to mention hyped) as War of the Worlds, and it failed to meet the expectations raised by its hallowed name… except for Spielberg’s usual high standards in visual effects. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/59 "2011-08-26T12:08:49Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I’m kind of curious what those posters who didn’t like Dakota screaming think a pre-pubescent girl (or boy for that matter) is going to do when they’re being attacked by those pesky aliens? Be stoic? Act in charge, barking orders? My beef with Spielberg is that he always finds a way to insert children into his movies…and then have them SCREAAAAAM! He rewrote War of the Worlds to add screaming children. He rewrote Jurassic Park to add screaming children. Temple of Doom suffered because he felt compelled to give Indy a screaming-child sidekick. Hell, he even managed to insert a screaming child into Saving Private Ryan. I’m surprised he didn’t give Oskar Shindler a screaming nephew to tag along with him. Screaming children are a Spielberg tic, and a damned annoying one at that. ETA: Oh, and he also wrote The Goonies, which is like the Citizen Kane of screaming children movies. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362/60 "2011-08-26T13:52:17Z")
> [@Postariti](#): > > My mother just watched this, and was curious how well it followed the book. I never saw the movie, so I don’t know. I seem to remember that the ending was the same, and some people found it unbelievable. Two words: Tom Cruise major suckfest. sorry i wasted the money to see it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-spielbergs-war-of-the-worlds-different-from-the-book/507362.md?page=4)