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Post by leswhite on Nov 14, 2019 22:58:48 GMT
Just a heads up to everyone interested that the NEW BBC Adaption of 'The War of the Worlds' starts on BBC 1 on Sunday 17th November at 21.00hrs.
The trailer for the series was just on TV and it looks pretty good as far as production is concerned but I can't speak to the accuracy of the storyline. This time round the story is set in WOKING , England 1905. The tripods look good and the military personel shown are in khaki uniforms with the 1903 bandolier equipment and peaked caps, so pre WW1 and fairly accurate as far as I can tell for a short trailer.
I'm sure the BBC will have something wrong that will upset fans of H.G. Wells but I'll wait until I see the first episode. I'm sure there will be plenty of opinions after it's aired.
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Post by manoftinblog on Nov 15, 2019 16:23:01 GMT
This looks an interesting trailer series youtu.be/RrGJ83iIvD8 - Potentially a chance to get the Airfix WW1 British infantry and Artillery out again! Lego for tripods? "It's bows and arrows against the lightning, anyhow," said the artilleryman. "They 'aven't seen that fire-beam yet." www.online-literature.com/wellshg/warworlds/12/And we get to see the Woking Tripod statue at the Woking 54mm weekend next March ... maybe we will see a Wellsian 54mm Little Wars of the Worlds from someone? Mark Man of TIN |
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Post by spiritofethandune on Nov 15, 2019 18:24:26 GMT
Mark,
I have some grid-based rules specifically written for War of the Worlds-the rules were being given away free many years ago at a convention (Colours? Salute?) where a 28mm WotW games was being staged. What I don't have are tripods that aren't too big for the table..!
Anthony
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Post by tradgardmastre on Nov 15, 2019 18:36:23 GMT
I too am looking forward to seeing the programme.
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Post by manoftinblog on Nov 15, 2019 20:02:28 GMT
Anthony
These rules sound interesting, if you come across them again it would be good to see them. Donald Featherstone doesn't quite extend to Tripods and Mechs.
Mark
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Post by timothylrose on Nov 16, 2019 17:13:47 GMT
I put a bid in to provide extras for this one - we gave them a choice of home service. Edwardian in Slade Wallace and slouch hats, full 1903, S/D with blue cloth and 1908 - all with the appropriate weapons for each period - we also offered proper artillery for the time frames and Maxims - the BBC hysterical advisor used some of our sample images and doctored up some WW1 S/d instead with guys who really struggle to look like Regular soldiers - and the Gatling Gun is a tad out of date (and cost them 4 times what ours would have come in at)They didnt bother fitting the equipment onto their chaps properly and missed giving them bayonets, haversacks and waterbottles amongst a whole range of basic errors like having Long Lees that are single shot rifles with charger fed 1903 bandoliers! - the joys of employing an ex para who knew nothing about the period rather than use people who do - a missed opportunity both in terms of getting a real period look and if you have watched the series already a major move away from the book - but thats entertainment!  Here's one in home service we dummied up for the late Victorian home service look and below the 1903 and 1908 options - atb Tim  |
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Post by manoftinblog on Nov 19, 2019 21:54:13 GMT
 
Here too, like the BBC, No expense spared in any historical accuracy or in recreating Wells' Little Wars of The Worlds in 54mm (young Lance Corporal Jones later of Dad's Army fixes his bayonet and shows that they do not like it up em, you know) and with a bigger cast of Airfix WW1 British Infantry
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Post by manoftinblog on Nov 22, 2019 8:00:05 GMT
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Post by Mike Blake on Dec 20, 2019 16:05:38 GMT
so...what did you think of the TV programme in the end?
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Post by manoftinblog on Dec 20, 2019 17:14:24 GMT
Overall I was a bit disappointed - the constant flicks forward to the Red Weed future disjointed the narrative for me and I thought the acting range was a bit limited by this. Was it trying to be symbolic and of contemporary relevance? I don't know. The Tasmania / Colonial question behind the writing of this was also 'obviously' discussed.
I preferred His Dark Materials shown straight after War of the Worlds.
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Post by spiritofethandune on Dec 20, 2019 22:36:02 GMT
I thought the visuals and period feel were great and it was nice to see the Martians vulnerable to artillery and naval gunfire as in the book, but I too didn't like the flash forwards or the portrayal of the H G Wells/journalist character as weak.
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Post by Mike Blake on Dec 21, 2019 9:22:12 GMT
More or less my views - but definitely not enough fighting and too much moralising. I wanted a shootem-up and got a serious discourse on the horrors of imperialism - no bad thing in itself but not what I was looking for.
I too am finding the Pullman piece most enjoyable, despite its quite serious take; brilliant CGI, and the girl lead is really good IMHO
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Post by timothylrose on Dec 21, 2019 13:13:16 GMT
It was a real mix and match and the reviews reflect that - I found the straying from the book for me rather distracting, and the fast forward to an apocalyptic world was equally lost - I have my own views on the standards of the kit and equipment used - but each to their own - some of the acting was dismal and some even worse - there were flashes of brilliance and flashes of what might have been - the beach scene was well done (even if very much Dunkirk / Atonement style) and such a pity those Thunderchild naval cap tallies were all we saw of her. Having worked for the BBC on several of their dramas I was left feeling ambivalent towards this one - a missed opportunity in my opinion - but as it said all along it was an adaptation of the book not using it as the script. I doubt I would pick up the dvd even at a £1 at a car boot sale.
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