Summary: Interviews with John Houseman and Howard Koch highlight this 1988 documentary, reissued for the 70th anniversary of the infamous Orson Welles radio broadcast,
I never tire of hearing about the original Mercury Theatre broadcast of War of the Worlds - especially appropriate as we approach its 70th anniversary. The old-fashioned doco style of this feature suits the subject perfectly. The interviews are woven with excerpts from the radio play and it's a delightful half-hour of radio history. No tricks, all treat!
Though 20 years old, this program, like the original War of the Worlds, still rates a listen. Thankfully, the producer interviewed WOW producer John Housman not long before he died (on Halloween of 1988). The story of this legendary Orson Welles broadcast is for the most part allowed to unfold through descriptions by Housman, and writer Howard Koch, along with voices recorded at Grover?s Mills 50th anniversary event. You can hear traces of amazement in the voices of people who heard that broadcast 70 years ago. Housman, reflecting 20 years ago on why the program still holds fascination, said: "It's history. It's one of the great events of the new age of mass communications." True still.
Comments for "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast"
This piece belongs to the series "Joe Bevilacqua Documentaries"
Produced by Joe Bevilacqua
Other pieces by Joe Bevilacqua
Rating Summary
2 comments
David Swatling
Posted on October 15, 2008 at 11:41 AM | Permalink
Review of "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast"
I never tire of hearing about the original Mercury Theatre broadcast of War of the Worlds - especially appropriate as we approach its 70th anniversary. The old-fashioned doco style of this feature suits the subject perfectly. The interviews are woven with excerpts from the radio play and it's a delightful half-hour of radio history. No tricks, all treat!
Sydney Lewis
Posted on October 01, 2008 at 09:57 AM | Permalink
Review of "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast"
Though 20 years old, this program, like the original War of the Worlds, still rates a listen. Thankfully, the producer interviewed WOW producer John Housman not long before he died (on Halloween of 1988). The story of this legendary Orson Welles broadcast is for the most part allowed to unfold through descriptions by Housman, and writer Howard Koch, along with voices recorded at Grover?s Mills 50th anniversary event. You can hear traces of amazement in the voices of people who heard that broadcast 70 years ago. Housman, reflecting 20 years ago on why the program still holds fascination, said: "It's history. It's one of the great events of the new age of mass communications." True still.