PLAY AS WRITTEN. Thus Arturo Toscanini's preparation of the NBC Symphony for a performance. Thus, also (subject to the constraints of placing the action in early-21st-century New Jersey and New England) with the latest setting of H.G. Wells's War of the Worlds. Chris on the L&N Line has reviewed it; here's Anthony Breznican and selected review excerpts (including one excessively earnest fellow) in USA Today; there's a site called Rotten Tomatoes with lots of reviews; the movie is scoring at best a C minus there. One wonders if some of the reviewers who grumble about the ending ever sat down and read the book.

There is also a recently released independent version of War of The Worlds available on DVD.

"Imagine that you're making this movie that you've been wanting to make since you were 10 years old, and the most successful director in the world is making the same movie."

Must find this.

Must also attempt to understand how extremely intelligent beings can obtain nourishment from the fresh blood of animals that have digestive tracts and not suffer from coliform infections or trichonosis. Wells himself never addressed that point.

SECOND SECTION: Kennelworthy on the Ole Reliable also has a review up. Sean at The American Mind likes the idea of playing as written, as Classical Values notes.