SSC Film Studies

War of the Worlds has been recreated many times, due to being very representative. The way it’s representative is that it’s often released when people are in a state of danger or fear of ‘others’ invading the country. The first time this is noticeable is in the book it’s portraying the people who are scared of immigration and think people are going to become over and take natives jobs and change the main type of food etc. This was a worry for some people, however it would be seen as being ignorant in the modern age, but for some people this is the first time they've seen people from different countries come to the country.

            When it was put on to the radio, the viewing was a completely different experience as it was just before WWII and just after WWI. The paranoia of WWII was starting to affect people, as they knew that it was inevitable. People knew after WWI that humans could destroy each other as a race and feared it could be the end of the world when the Nazi party gains control over Germany. As a consequence of this people would be fearful that the Germans would invade and take over the whole world. 

            The first making of the film was released when the cold war was in action and the big fear was the USSR sending nuclear bombs over to Russia and destroying the world. They mention the aliens come from the red planet, which justifies the point about them representing Russians, as they were known as the red army. The fact that nuclear annihilation was imminent left people very paranoid for the sake of the world and people.

            The 2^nd film made in 2005 by Spielberg was about the war on terror that was happening because of a consequence of 9/11 essentially.  There are scenes were planes are seen crashed which could connote 9/11.  People at the time where fearful of extremist, Muslim terrorists who could invade and kill people by using modes of transport. This would make people relate to the 9/11 incident and almost create a sense of realism in the film, even though it's about aliens invading.

            Overall War of the Worlds displays different fears people have about ‘others’ or non-native people causing the natives to become fearful in some ways. Most of the fears being due to current affairs that people are hearing about constantly on the radio and television. Forms of entertainment where aliens invade has always been popular during times that people may think the human race is in danger, this is reinforced by the way War of the Worlds has been remade 3 times in different time periods.