War of the Worlds Retrospective and Parody

For those of you unfamiliar with H.G. Wells and his work, I suggest you begin familiarizing yourself immediately with such literary classics as The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and most notably, War of the Worlds.   War of the Worlds is my personal favorite* of Well’s literature.

*Ok fine, War of the Worlds is my second favorite just behind The Island of Dr. Moreau…I have a soft spot for mad scientist “furries” (I think that’s the meme…) hell bent on conducting experiments that society chooses to deem as “unnatural”.  I myself have taken the time to borrow my current border’s cat, Cubby, and turn him into an unspeakable abomination.  I still haven’t managed to clean that mysterious viscous excrement off of the walls.  But I digress.  (Pictures to come).

Interestingly enough, War of the Worlds appears to be the World’s favorite of Well’s literature, seeing as it has been adapted, parodied, referenced and sequelized more times than anyone can really count (including unreleased fan boy parodies/homages).  Probably the most famous adaptation of this classic piece is the October 30^th, 1938 American radio broadcast, directed and narrated by Hollywood personality Orson Welles.  This broadcast was a special Halloween episode to an ongoing radio show and aired as a series of News Bulletins to create the illusion that the Martian invasion was actually happening.  The broadcast was especially frightening, since the script was written as a modern day adaptation of the literary classic.  As expected, this famous broadcast triggered a journalistic uproar, with many newspapers and reporters slamming the episode for its frightening deception.  Adolf Hitler himself cited the broadcast and the following hysteria as evidence of the supposed degradation and perversion of Democracy as a system of government.  Today, the broadcast carries with it connotations of horror, as the reported hysteria varies in levels of intensity, depending on how much stock you put into the reports of the local newspapers at the time.  I recall the incident as being particularly amusing, but I never got a good look at the public’s reaction myself; I was a tad distracted that year (I was residing then in the closet of Hollywood Actor Owen Moore.  He’d get the most adorable frill on his eyebrows every time I woke him up by throwing Dixie cups at his face.  The poor man really needed to check his blood pressure more often.  He would get so mad).  

Pot to kettle...pot to kettle...come in kettle...you're black

Anyway, the other day my good ghoul friend Voodoo Roberre (not “girl friend” you perverts.  I’m not the crypt keeper.  I don’t make puns) forwarded me a splendid little parody of the 1938 broadcast.  Like Welles' adaptation it modernizes the alien invasion, leaving us with a very reminiscent ending to the infamous film Dr. Strangelove.  Something else worthy of note, the recording pokes a great deal of fun at the unfortunate drinking habits of the late Orson Welles during his biter twilight years.  I don’t know if any of you have seen those classic recordings of the esteemed and inebriated Mr. Welles awkwardly slurring his speech on the set of the commercials for the now defunct Paul Masson Champagne, but if you haven’t they are a scream.  Allow me to forward the link to you here. 

Voodoo Roberre

This parody is worth a listen.  It was written and directed by a Mr. Aaron Gray as a school project for his audio class.  It stars Aaron himself, a lovely up and coming voice actress Nique Rose and someone else playing the part of Orson who I wasn’t able to get the name of (I apologize to you sir).  I encourage any and every one of you who like such topics to take a listen.  

You can find the recording on Soundcloud here.  Orson Welles would be proud.

Special thanks to Dr. Macro for his cordialness of my theft of his image.