Bad Astr. (etc) in Pendragon's "authentic" War of

[John Dlugosz]

At the beginning, they were observing Mars in a telescope. The astronomer said it was "40 million miles sunward" but the view was of a full phase.

It was also vibrating. This was explained as due to the clockwork that tracked the movement. Wouldn't that make it hard to photograph? Maybe he just needs to lube his drive belt.

Non-Astronomy:

The "ironclad" ship had three smoke stacks, but even at ramming speed had no smoke!

Skeletons continued to writhe even after the muscles were burned off.

Did they have boneless hams in 1898?

MST3K moments:

The Artiliryman told him to find a flask and pack some wiskey (not water?). Became a running gag.

Character responds, "my, isn't that unfortunate?"
audiance quip, "I wonder if Tom Cruise will handle it so well?"

Character says, "lothe that I am to do it, I may be forced to use violence!"
audiance quip: various, running gag for the rest of the demolished house set.

line in film about better to risk the French than to stay here and deal with the Martians.
audiance: various France jokes after that.

At the beginning, the cylindar unscrewing:
you can tell it's alien because it has a left-hand screw.

--John

[Inferno]

Amazing how many people have seen this film - which from 99% of accounts is complete and utter rubbish. Shows that there really is an audience for a 1900s english setting WOTW film. Hopefully the Jeff Waynes version does get the go ahead.

[Lianachan]

Amazing how many people have seen this film - which from 99% of accounts is complete and utter rubbish. Shows that there really is an audience for a 1900s english setting WOTW film. Hopefully the Jeff Waynes version does get the go ahead.

I've been waiting years to see this version of the film! I have low expectations, I always have had, but I really want to see it.

As far as I know, Jeff Wayne's animated War Of The Worlds film is still being made....isn't it? I've blown the dust off his CD set and moved it into the car.

[Inferno]

As far as I know, Jeff Wayne's animated War Of The Worlds film is still being made....isn't it? I've blown the dust off his CD set and moved it into the car.

It's in the early stages at the moment. They've done some test animation for the tripods. Aiming for a 2007 release, but really this project could fall into development hell at any moment.

They've also re-released the CD, with bonus discs and making of's.

[Lianachan]

They've also re-released the CD, with bonus discs and making of's.

Have you seen the collectors edition of the re-release? It looks very nice indeed. We wants it.

[mid]

We wussed out and got the basic version. Very nice in its own way, though; the packaging is good and they've done an excellent job of cleaning it up. I don't have an SA-CD player to check out the 5.1 version, however.

[Lianachan]

We wussed out and got the basic version. Very nice in its own way, though; the packaging is good and they've done an excellent job of cleaning it up. I don't have an SA-CD player to check out the 5.1 version, however.

Maybe you could play it in any 5.1 DVD players you have kicking about?

[Weird Dave]

We wussed out and got the basic version. Very nice in its own way, though; the packaging is good and they've done an excellent job of cleaning it up. I don't have an SA-CD player to check out the 5.1 version, however.

I've heard rumours that they have added some kind of comment by Jeff Wayne before each track; it sounds really irritating. Is this true? If not, I'm going straight out to buy it!

Ulla!

[tracer]

[Mars in the telescope] was also vibrating. This was explained as due to the clockwork that tracked the movement. Wouldn't that make it hard to photograph? Maybe he just needs to lube his drive belt.

From the H.G. Wells original, Book 1, Chapter 1:

"Looking through the telescope, one saw a circle of deep blue and the little round planet swimming in the field. It seemed such a little thing, so bright and small and still, faintly marked with transverse stripes, and slightly flattened from the perfect round. But so little it was, so silvery warm--a pin's-head of light! It was as if it quivered, but really this was the telescope vibrating with the activity of the clockwork that kept the planet in view."

[emphasis mine]

So, if you've got a Bad Astronomy beef with this scene, take it up with ol' Herbert George, 'cause it's his fault.

[Weird Dave]

[Mars in the telescope] was also vibrating. This was explained as due to the clockwork that tracked the movement. Wouldn't that make it hard to photograph? Maybe he just needs to lube his drive belt.

From the H.G. Wells original, Book 1, Chapter 1:

"Looking through the telescope, one saw a circle of deep blue and the little round planet swimming in the field. It seemed such a little thing, so bright and small and still, faintly marked with transverse stripes, and slightly flattened from the perfect round. But so little it was, so silvery warm--a pin's-head of light! It was as if it quivered, but really this was the telescope vibrating with the activity of the clockwork that kept the planet in view."

[emphasis mine]

So, if you've got a Bad Astronomy beef with this scene, take it up with ol' Herbert George, 'cause it's his fault.

The Thorrowgood Telescope here at Cambridge (built 1864) originally had a two-stage drive to correct for this. The telescope was directly driven by a movement regulated by air resistance. A separate pendulum clock controlled the flow of air through that mechanism, regulating its speed. The accuracy of a pendulum was thus combined with smooth air resistance.