"War of the Worlds" was one of those perennial Saturday afternoon
classics when I was a kid, and I liked it fine. But I found it
wanting for years afterwards. Recently though I've watched it a few
times and I'm gaining a new respect for the nature of its themes and
the quality of its storytelling. I think it was the somewhat inane
behavior of the girl (I forget her name) that got on my nerves. Now I
find that less grating and I find the straight ahead story
compelling. Gene Barry with his glasses is delightful through most of
it.

One of my favorite lines in any movie is the one in which confronted
with the meteor, a citizen announces there are scientists fishing a
few miles away and they should be consulted. It never occurs to
anyone that these "scientists" might have no particular special
understanding of the particular problem (a lot of biologists or
social science hacks for instance), but they are sent for right away.
It speaks to the devout nature of our approach to learning and
science as new religion. Now I see how that attitude is picked up in
the latter stages of the movie.

It's a pretty good gob-smacking sci-fi flick for sure!

Dean