The Film Detective digs deep in its vault to release the 4k scan blu-ray version of the shoestring sci-fi cult classic "Battle of the Worlds" (1961). This wonderfully low-budget Antonio Margheriti joint hits virtual shelves on August 9, 2021.
This Euro-centric film is worth buying if only for the performance by Claude Rains ("The Invisible Man.") The manner in which Rains portrays misanthrope scientist Prof. Benson almost certainly influences how Jonathan Harris plays Dr. Smith on the comparably monetarily challenged sci-fi series "Lost in Space" a few years later.
As the talking head in the included Ballyhoo Motion Pictures documentary "A Cinematic Outsider: The Fantastical Worlds of Antonio Margheriti" points out, the opening scenes of an alien-looking rocky Italian island perfectly set the tone for this atmospheric film. This isolated locale is where scientist Bob Steele and his fiancee Eve are playing "From Here to Eternity" when their honeymoon period ends before it even begins.
Benson ecstatically informs Steele that he discovered a large asteroid known as "The Outsider" threatening earth five days before the military brass found that object. Benson further proves that he is the smartest guy in the room by stating the time in the not-too-distant future when that large rock will cause chaos on the big blue planet. This aptly is the tip of the iceberg regarding the "I know something you don't know" 'tude of Benson.
The documentary also points out how the subsequent scenes that are very true to the Margheriti style support comparisons to "2001." These settings include a space ship that it is set out to explore the strange new world that puts ours in peril. We also see that Mars desperately needs women.
Except for any scene in which Benson hysterically expresses his contempt for humanity, the reveal that shows that the best brain behind The Outisder knows its Greek culture is a highlight. The 4k scan and Blu-ray video making the strings on the flying saucers very visible adds to the giddy glee. This involves a scene that is custom-made for the second generation of video games.
All of this leads to an especially satisfying 11th-hour climax that brings another big surprise. This involves Benson remaining true to his alienating nature.
The principle that every Detective release is physical-media worth because they don't make 'em like that anymore is particularly true this time. This film that illustrates the continental divide between Hollywood and Rome proves that kiddie-matinee B-movies and more artistic fare can happily co-exist.
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