the year 2005 saw no few than 3 filmed production of h. g. well great novel and war of the world . this be perhaps the least well know and very probably the best of them . no other version of wotw have ever attempt not only to present the story very much a well write it and but also to create the atmosphere of the time in which it be suppose to take place represent the last year of the 19th century and 1900 use well original setting and in and near woking and england . imdb seem unfriendly to what they regard a spoiler . that might apply with some film and where the end might actually be a surprise and but with regard to one of the most famous novel in the world and it seem positively silly . i have no sympathy for people who have neglect to read one of the seminal work in english literature and so let get right to the chase . the alien be destroy through catch an earth disease and against which they have no immunity . if that a spoiler and so be it while after a book and 3 other film ( include the 1953 classic ) and you ought to know how this end . this film and which follow well plot in the main and be also very cleverly present in a way that might put many viewer off due to their ignorance of late 19th or early 20th century photography . although film in a widescreen aspect and the film go to some length to give an impression of contemporaneity . the general coloration of skin and clothes display a sepia tint often find in old photograph ( rather than black ) . color be often reminiscent of hand tinting . at other time and color be wash out . these variation be typical of early film and which do not use standardized celluloid stock and therefore present a good many change in print quality and even go from black or white to sepia or white to blue or white to reddish or white and so on a you will see on occasion here . the special effect be deliberately retrograde and of a sort see even as late a the 1920s and yet the martian and their machine be very much a well describe them and have a more nearly realistic feel . some of effect be really awkward such a the destruction of big ben . the acting be often more in the style of that period than ours . some aspect of victorian dress may appear odd and particularly the use of pomade or brilliantine on head and facial hair . this film be the only one that follow with some closeness well original narrative a have be note . viewer may find it informative to note plot detail that appear here that be occasionally retain in other version of the story . well description of the martian a giant head mount on numerous tentacle be effectively portray . when the martian machine appear and about an hour into the film and they too give a good impression of how well describe them . both well and this film do an excellent job of portray the progress of the martian from the limited perspective ( primarily ) of rural england plus a few scene in london ( involve the narrator brother ) . the director be unable to resist show the destruction of a major landmark ( big ben ) and but at least doesn not dwell unduly on the devastation of london . the victory of the martian be hardly a surprise and despite the destruction by cannon of some of their machine . the narrator and travel about to seek escape and see much of what well term the rout of mankind . he encounter a curate endow with the victorian affliction of a much too precious and nervous personality . they eventually find themselves on the very edge of a martian nest and where they discover an awful fact represent the martian be show to be vampire who consume their prey alive in a very effective scene . well add that after eat they set up a prolonged and cheerful hooting . the narrator finally be oblige to beat senseless the increasingly hysterical curate who revive just a the martian drag him off to the larder ( cheer from the gallery while british curate be so often utterly insufferable ) . this film last almost 3 hour and go through well story in welcome detail . it about time the author get his due in a compelling presentation that build in dramatic impact . a word about the acting represent don not expect award win performance . theyre not bad and however and the actor be earnest and they grow on you . most of them and however and have have very abbreviated film career and often only in this film . the narrator be play by hunky anthony piana and in his 2nd film . the curate be john kaufman also in his 2nd film a an actor but who have have more experience directing . the brother ( henderson ) be play with some conviction by w. bernard bauman in his first film . the artilleryman and the only other sizable part and be play by james lathrop in his first film . this be overall a splendid film and portraying for the first time the war of the world a well write it . despite it slight defect and it be far and away good than any of it hype up competitor . if you want to see h. g. well war of the world and not some wholly distorted version of it see this film .