WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:03.299 The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated 00:00:03.299 --> 00:00:06.080 stations present Orson Welles and the Mercury 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.099 Theater on the air in The War of the Worlds by 00:00:09.099 --> 00:00:33.469 H .G. Wells. Ladies and gentlemen, the director 00:00:33.469 --> 00:00:36.250 of the Mercury Theater and star of these broadcasts, 00:00:36.310 --> 00:00:39.429 Orson Welles. We know now that in the early years 00:00:39.429 --> 00:00:43.729 of the 20th century, this world was being watched 00:00:43.729 --> 00:00:48.490 closely by intelligences greater than man's, 00:00:48.570 --> 00:00:52.509 and yet as mortal as his own. We know now that 00:00:52.509 --> 00:00:55.090 as human beings vivid themselves about their 00:00:55.090 --> 00:00:58.929 various concerns, they were scrutinized and studied. 00:00:59.789 --> 00:01:02.869 Perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope 00:01:02.869 --> 00:01:06.209 might scrutinize the transient creatures that 00:01:06.209 --> 00:01:10.790 swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite 00:01:10.790 --> 00:01:13.510 complacence, people went to and fro over the 00:01:13.510 --> 00:01:16.709 earth about their little affairs, serene in the 00:01:16.709 --> 00:01:19.390 assurance of their dominion over this small, 00:01:19.730 --> 00:01:23.030 spinning fragment of solar driftwood, which by 00:01:23.030 --> 00:01:26.569 chance or design, man has inherited out of the 00:01:26.569 --> 00:01:31.469 dark mystery of time and space. yet across an 00:01:31.469 --> 00:01:35.450 immense, ethereal gulf. Minds that are to our 00:01:35.450 --> 00:01:39.409 minds, as ours are to the beasts in the jungle. 00:01:41.150 --> 00:01:45.989 Intellects, vast, cool and unsympathetic, regarded 00:01:45.989 --> 00:01:49.670 this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and 00:01:49.670 --> 00:01:53.609 surely drew their plans against us. In the 39th 00:01:53.609 --> 00:01:56.569 year of the 20th century came the great disillusionment. 00:01:58.090 --> 00:02:02.400 Near the end of October, Business was better. 00:02:03.060 --> 00:02:06.340 The war scare was over. More men were back at 00:02:06.340 --> 00:02:11.099 work. Sales were picking up. On this particular 00:02:11.099 --> 00:02:14.939 evening, October 30th, the Crosley service estimated 00:02:14.939 --> 00:02:19.360 that 32 million people were listening in on radios. 00:02:20.740 --> 00:02:23.300 In the next 24 hours, not much change in temperature. 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:26.159 A slight atmospheric disturbance of undetermined 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:28.770 origin is reported over Nova Scotia. causing 00:02:28.770 --> 00:02:31.129 a low -pressure area to move down rather rapidly 00:02:31.129 --> 00:02:33.750 over the northeastern states, bringing a forecast 00:02:33.750 --> 00:02:36.610 of rain accompanied by winds of light gale force. 00:02:36.830 --> 00:02:40.389 Maximum temperature 66, minimum 48. This weather 00:02:40.389 --> 00:02:42.050 report comes to you from the Government Weather 00:02:42.050 --> 00:02:44.949 Bureau. We take you now to the Merdian Room in 00:02:44.949 --> 00:02:47.530 the Hotel Park Plaza in downtown New York, where 00:02:47.530 --> 00:02:49.330 you will be entertained by the music of Raymond 00:02:49.330 --> 00:03:08.770 Raquelow and his orchestra. Good evening, ladies 00:03:08.770 --> 00:03:10.789 and gentlemen. From the Meridian Room in the 00:03:10.789 --> 00:03:12.849 Park Plaza Hotel in New York City, we bring you 00:03:12.849 --> 00:03:14.810 the music of Raymond Raquello and his orchestra. 00:03:15.310 --> 00:03:17.210 With a touch of the Spanish, Raymond Raquello 00:03:17.210 --> 00:03:38.939 leads off with La Campesita. Ladies and gentlemen, 00:03:39.139 --> 00:03:41.039 we interrupt our program of dance music to bring 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:42.919 you a special bulletin from the Intercontinental 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:45.639 Radio News. At 20 minutes before eight central 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:47.840 time, Professor Farrell of the Mount Jennings 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:50.680 Observatory, Chicago, Illinois, reports observing 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:53.560 several explosions of incandescent gas occurring 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:56.280 at regular intervals on the planet Mars. The 00:03:56.280 --> 00:03:58.539 spectroscope indicates the gas to be hydrogen 00:03:58.539 --> 00:04:01.020 and moving toward the Earth with enormous velocity. 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:03.719 Professor Pearson of the Observatory at Princeton 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:06.400 confirms Farrell's observation and describes 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:08.830 the phenomenon as, quote, like a jet of blue 00:04:08.830 --> 00:04:12.009 flame shot from a gun, unquote. We now return 00:04:12.009 --> 00:04:14.430 you to the music of Ramon Raquello playing for 00:04:14.430 --> 00:04:16.670 you in the Meridian Room of the Park Plaza Hotel, 00:04:16.829 --> 00:04:46.500 situated in downtown New York. A tune that never 00:04:46.500 --> 00:04:49.500 loses favor, the ever popular Stardust. Raymond 00:04:49.500 --> 00:05:13.959 Rakello and his orchestra. Ladies and gentlemen, 00:05:14.019 --> 00:05:15.839 following on the news given in our bulletin a 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:18.319 moment ago, the government meteorological bureau 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:20.459 has requested the large observatories of the 00:05:20.459 --> 00:05:22.920 country to keep an astronomical watch on any 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:25.040 further disturbances occurring on the planet 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:27.819 Mars. Due to the unusual nature of this occurrence, 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:30.339 we have arranged an interview with a noted astronomer, 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:32.660 Professor Pearson, who will give us his views 00:05:32.660 --> 00:05:34.980 on this event. In a few moments, we will take 00:05:34.980 --> 00:05:36.839 you to the Princeton Observatory at Princeton, 00:05:36.860 --> 00:05:40.139 New Jersey. We return you until then to the music 00:05:40.139 --> 00:06:05.870 of Ramon Raquelou and his orchestra. We are ready 00:06:05.870 --> 00:06:07.910 now to take you to the Princeton Observatory 00:06:07.910 --> 00:06:10.629 at Princeton, where Carl Phillips, our commentator, 00:06:10.689 --> 00:06:12.850 will interview Professor Richard Pearson, famous 00:06:12.850 --> 00:06:15.649 astronomer. We take you now to Princeton, New 00:06:15.649 --> 00:06:20.810 Jersey. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This 00:06:20.810 --> 00:06:22.730 is Carl Phillips speaking to you from the Observatory 00:06:22.730 --> 00:06:25.949 at Princeton. I'm standing in a large semicircular 00:06:25.949 --> 00:06:28.629 room, pitch black except for an oblong split 00:06:28.629 --> 00:06:31.209 in the ceiling. Through this opening, I can see 00:06:31.209 --> 00:06:33.730 a sprinkling of stars that cast a kind of frosty 00:06:33.730 --> 00:06:35.470 glow over the intricate mechanism of the huge 00:06:35.470 --> 00:06:39.029 telescope. The ticking sound you hear is the 00:06:39.029 --> 00:06:41.850 vibration of the clockwork. Professor Pearson 00:06:41.850 --> 00:06:44.290 stands directly above me on a small platform, 00:06:44.769 --> 00:06:47.649 peering through the giant lens. I ask you to 00:06:47.649 --> 00:06:49.730 be patient, ladies and gentlemen, during any 00:06:49.730 --> 00:06:52.449 delay that may arise during our interview. Besides 00:06:52.449 --> 00:06:54.550 the ceaseless watch of the heavens, Professor 00:06:54.550 --> 00:06:57.209 Pearson may be interrupted by telephone or other 00:06:57.209 --> 00:07:00.259 communications. During this period he is in constant 00:07:00.259 --> 00:07:02.800 touch with the astronomical centers of the world. 00:07:02.819 --> 00:07:06.199 Professor, may I begin our questions? Any time, 00:07:06.259 --> 00:07:08.839 Mr. Phillips. Professor, would you please tell 00:07:08.839 --> 00:07:11.660 our radio audience exactly what you see as you 00:07:11.660 --> 00:07:13.379 observe the planet Mars through your telescope? 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:15.819 Nothing unusual at the moment, Mr. Phillips. 00:07:17.100 --> 00:07:20.100 A red disk swimming in a blue sea. Transverse 00:07:20.100 --> 00:07:23.399 stripes across the disk. Quite distinct now because 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:25.439 Mars has to be at the point nearest to the Earth 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.850 in opposition, as we call it. In your opinion, 00:07:29.449 --> 00:07:32.910 what do these transverse stripes signify? Not 00:07:32.910 --> 00:07:35.910 canals, I can assure you, Mr. Phillips. Although 00:07:35.910 --> 00:07:38.350 that's the popular conjecture of those who imagine 00:07:38.350 --> 00:07:41.769 Mars to be inhabited. From a scientific viewpoint, 00:07:42.009 --> 00:07:43.670 the stripes are merely the result of atmospheric 00:07:43.670 --> 00:07:46.410 conditions peculiar to the planet. Then you're 00:07:46.410 --> 00:07:48.790 quite convinced, as a scientist, that living 00:07:48.790 --> 00:07:51.209 intelligence as we know it does not exist on 00:07:51.209 --> 00:07:54.149 Mars? I'd say the chances against it are a thousand 00:07:54.149 --> 00:07:57.290 to one. And yet... How do you account for these 00:07:57.290 --> 00:07:59.170 gas eruptions occurring on the surface of the 00:07:59.170 --> 00:08:02.550 planet at regular intervals? Phillips, I cannot 00:08:02.550 --> 00:08:05.350 account for it. By the way, Professor, for the 00:08:05.350 --> 00:08:08.389 benefit of our listeners, how far is Mars from 00:08:08.389 --> 00:08:11.870 the Earth? Approximately 40 million miles. Well, 00:08:11.870 --> 00:08:15.089 that seems a safe enough distance. Just a moment, 00:08:15.209 --> 00:08:16.750 ladies and gentlemen. Someone has just handed 00:08:16.750 --> 00:08:19.730 Professor Pearson a message. While he reads it, 00:08:19.889 --> 00:08:22.389 let me remind you that we are speaking to you 00:08:22.389 --> 00:08:24.069 from the Observatory in Princeton, New Jersey. 00:08:24.329 --> 00:08:26.329 where we are interviewing the world -famous astronomer 00:08:26.329 --> 00:08:29.850 Professor Pearson. One moment, please. Professor 00:08:29.850 --> 00:08:31.569 Pearson has passed me a message which he has 00:08:31.569 --> 00:08:34.129 just received. Professor, may I read the message 00:08:34.129 --> 00:08:35.870 to the listening audience? Certainly, Mr. Brooks. 00:08:36.110 --> 00:08:37.830 Ladies and gentlemen, I shall read you a wire 00:08:37.830 --> 00:08:39.929 addressed to Professor Pearson from Dr. Gray 00:08:39.929 --> 00:08:43.190 of the Natural History Museum, New York. Quote. 00:08:43.909 --> 00:08:47.169 9 .15 p .m. Eastern Standard Time. Seismograph 00:08:47.169 --> 00:08:50.350 registered shock of almost earthquake intensity 00:08:50.350 --> 00:08:53.129 occurring within a radius of 20 miles of Princeton. 00:08:53.450 --> 00:08:56.629 Please investigate. Signed Lloyd Gray, Chief 00:08:56.629 --> 00:08:59.750 of Astronomical Division." Unquote. Professor 00:08:59.750 --> 00:09:01.889 Pearson, could this occurrence possibly have 00:09:01.889 --> 00:09:03.590 something to do with the disturbances observed 00:09:03.590 --> 00:09:06.129 on the planet Mars? Hardly, Mr. Phillips. This 00:09:06.129 --> 00:09:08.590 is probably a meteorite of unusual size, and 00:09:08.590 --> 00:09:10.590 its arrival at this particular time is merely 00:09:10.590 --> 00:09:14.070 a coincidence. However, we shall conduct a search 00:09:14.070 --> 00:09:16.190 as soon as daylight permits. Thank you, Professor. 00:09:16.470 --> 00:09:18.129 Ladies and gentlemen, for the past ten minutes, 00:09:18.470 --> 00:09:20.070 we've been speaking to you from the observatory 00:09:20.070 --> 00:09:22.320 at Princeton. bringing you a special interview 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:25.220 with Professor Pearson, noted astronomer. This 00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:27.779 is Carl Phillips speaking. We are returning you 00:09:27.779 --> 00:09:41.980 now to our New York studio. Ladies and gentlemen, 00:09:42.039 --> 00:09:44.100 here is the latest bulletin from the Intercontinental 00:09:44.100 --> 00:09:47.019 Radio News. Toronto, Canada. Professor Morris 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:49.379 of Macmillan University reports observing a total 00:09:49.379 --> 00:09:51.559 of three explosions on the planet Mars between 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:55.240 the hours of 7 45 p .m. And 9 20 p .m. Eastern 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:58.539 Standard Time this confirms earlier reports received 00:09:58.539 --> 00:10:01.779 from American observatories Now near home comes 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:04.480 a special bulletin from Trenton, New Jersey It 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:06.960 is reported that at 8 50 p .m. A huge flaming 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:09.960 object believed to be a meteorite fell on a farm 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:12.100 in the neighborhood of Grovers Mill, New Jersey 00:10:12.100 --> 00:10:14.929 22 miles from Trenton The flash in the sky was 00:10:14.929 --> 00:10:17.169 visible within a radius of several hundred miles, 00:10:17.509 --> 00:10:19.350 and the noise of the impact was heard as far 00:10:19.350 --> 00:10:22.110 north as Elizabeth. We have dispatched a special 00:10:22.110 --> 00:10:24.409 mobile unit to the scene, and we'll have our 00:10:24.409 --> 00:10:26.669 commentator, Carl Phillips, give you a word picture 00:10:26.669 --> 00:10:28.450 of the scene as soon as he can reach there from 00:10:28.450 --> 00:10:31.149 Princeton. In the meantime, we take you to the 00:10:31.149 --> 00:10:33.690 Hotel Martinette in Brooklyn, where Bobby Millett 00:10:33.690 --> 00:10:36.129 and his orchestra are offering a program of dance 00:10:36.129 --> 00:11:08.059 music. We take you now to Grovers Mill, New Jersey. 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:16.059 Ladies and gentlemen, this is Carl Phillips again, 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:18.559 out at the Wilmeth farm, Grovers Mill, New Jersey. 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:21.320 Mr. Pearson and myself made the 11 miles from 00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:24.000 Princeton in 10 minutes. Well, I hardly know 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:26.019 where to begin, so I'll paint for you a word 00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:27.919 picture of a strange scene before my eyes, like 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:30.600 something out of a modern Arabian night. Well, 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:33.000 I just got here. I haven't had a chance to... 00:11:33.049 --> 00:11:38.009 Look around, Jed. I guess that's it. Yes, I guess 00:11:38.009 --> 00:11:40.990 that's the thing directly in front of me. Half 00:11:40.990 --> 00:11:44.389 buried in a vast pit. Must have stuck with terrific 00:11:44.389 --> 00:11:46.809 force. The ground is covered with splinters of 00:11:46.809 --> 00:11:49.190 a tree. It must have struck on its way down. 00:11:49.629 --> 00:11:52.210 But I can see the object itself doesn't look 00:11:52.210 --> 00:11:54.750 very much like a meteor. At least not the meteor 00:11:54.750 --> 00:11:57.889 as I've seen. It looks more like a huge cylinder. 00:11:58.350 --> 00:12:01.289 Has a diameter of, um... What would you say, 00:12:01.370 --> 00:12:03.960 Professor Pearson? What would you say, what's 00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:06.419 the diameter of this? About 30 yards. About 30 00:12:06.419 --> 00:12:08.860 yards. The metal on the sheath is, well, I've 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:10.879 never seen anything like it. The color is sort 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:13.919 of yellowish -white. It's curious. Spectators 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:15.779 now are pressing close to the object in spite 00:12:15.779 --> 00:12:17.460 of the efforts of the police to keep them back. 00:12:17.740 --> 00:12:19.019 They're getting in front of my line of vision. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.919 Would you mind standing one side, please? While 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:24.100 the police are pushing the crowd back. Here's 00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:26.360 Mr. Wilmott, owner of the farm here. He may have 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:28.970 some interesting facts to add. Mr. Wilmott. Would 00:12:28.970 --> 00:12:31.070 you please tell the radio audience as much as 00:12:31.070 --> 00:12:34.070 you remember of this rather unusual visitor that 00:12:34.070 --> 00:12:36.690 dropped in your backyard? Step closer, please. 00:12:36.909 --> 00:12:40.129 Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mr. Wilman. Well, 00:12:40.129 --> 00:12:41.850 I was listening to the radio... Closer and louder, 00:12:42.070 --> 00:12:44.409 please. Pardon me? Louder, please, closer. Yes. 00:12:45.830 --> 00:12:48.509 I was listening to the radio and kind of drowsy. 00:12:48.730 --> 00:12:51.750 A professor fellow was talking about Mars, so 00:12:51.750 --> 00:12:53.950 I was half chosen and half... Yes, yes, Mr. Wilman. 00:12:54.029 --> 00:12:56.169 And then what happened? Well, as I was saying, 00:12:56.210 --> 00:12:58.629 I was listening to the radio... Kind of halfway. 00:12:58.789 --> 00:13:01.090 Yes, Mr. Wilmot. And then you saw something. 00:13:01.690 --> 00:13:04.250 Not first off. I heard something. And what did 00:13:04.250 --> 00:13:09.710 you hear? A hissing sound, like this. Kind of 00:13:09.710 --> 00:13:11.789 like a Fourth of July rocket. Yes, then what? 00:13:11.990 --> 00:13:14.149 I turned my head out the window and would have 00:13:14.149 --> 00:13:16.909 sworn I was asleep and dreaming. Yes. I seen 00:13:16.909 --> 00:13:19.929 a kind of greenish streak and then zingo. Something 00:13:19.929 --> 00:13:22.210 smacked the ground. Knocked me clear out of my 00:13:22.210 --> 00:13:24.730 chair. Well, were you frightened, Mr. Wilmot? 00:13:24.970 --> 00:13:28.190 Well, I ain't quite sure. I reckon I was kind 00:13:28.190 --> 00:13:30.350 of riled. Well, thank you, Mr. Wilmot. Thank 00:13:30.350 --> 00:13:31.330 you very much. You want me to tell them tomorrow? 00:13:31.330 --> 00:13:32.789 No, that's quite all right. That's plenty. Ladies 00:13:32.789 --> 00:13:34.970 and gentlemen, you've just heard Mr. Wilmot, 00:13:35.049 --> 00:13:37.330 owner of the farm where this thing has fallen. 00:13:37.690 --> 00:13:40.690 I wish I could convey the atmosphere, the background 00:13:40.690 --> 00:13:44.110 of this fantastic scene. Hundreds of cars are 00:13:44.110 --> 00:13:45.789 parked in the field and back of us and the police 00:13:45.789 --> 00:13:47.990 are trying to rope off the roadway leading into 00:13:47.990 --> 00:13:50.710 the farm, but it's no use. They're breaking right 00:13:50.710 --> 00:13:53.470 through. Cars, headlights throw an enormous spotlight 00:13:53.470 --> 00:13:55.940 on the pit where the object's half buried. Now, 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:58.320 some of the more daring soldiers now are venturing 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:01.000 near the edge. The silhouette stand out against 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:03.480 the metal chains. One man wants to touch the 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:04.720 thing. He's having an argument with the policeman. 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:08.840 Now, the policeman wins. Now, ladies and gentlemen, 00:14:08.899 --> 00:14:10.460 there's something I haven't mentioned in all 00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:12.879 this excitement, but it's becoming more distinct. 00:14:13.460 --> 00:14:15.500 Perhaps you've caught it already on your radio. 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:21.960 Listen, please. Do you hear it? It's a curious 00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:24.379 humming sound that seems to come from inside 00:14:24.379 --> 00:14:28.269 the object. I'll move the microphone nearer. 00:14:28.789 --> 00:14:34.929 Here. Now, we're not more than 25 feet away. 00:14:35.409 --> 00:14:39.210 Can you hear it now? Professor Pearson? Yes, 00:14:39.210 --> 00:14:41.789 Mr... Can you tell us the meaning of that scraping 00:14:41.789 --> 00:14:45.110 noise inside the thing? Possibly the unequal 00:14:45.110 --> 00:14:47.450 cooling of its surface. I say, do you still think 00:14:47.450 --> 00:14:50.350 it's a meteor, Professor? I don't know what to 00:14:50.350 --> 00:14:54.610 think. The metal casing is definitely extraterrestrial. 00:14:55.210 --> 00:14:57.909 Not found on this earth. Friction with the earth's 00:14:57.909 --> 00:14:59.970 atmosphere usually tears holes in a meteorite. 00:15:00.009 --> 00:15:03.289 This thing is smooth, and you can see a cylindrical 00:15:03.289 --> 00:15:05.710 shape. Something's happening. Ladies and gentlemen, 00:15:05.789 --> 00:15:09.309 this is terrific. This end of the thing is beginning 00:15:09.309 --> 00:15:12.549 to flake off. The top is beginning to rotate 00:15:12.549 --> 00:15:14.490 like a screw, and this thing must be hollow. 00:15:15.769 --> 00:15:27.570 Keep back there! Keep those idiots back! Ladies 00:15:27.570 --> 00:15:30.889 and gentlemen, this is the most terrifying thing 00:15:30.889 --> 00:15:36.309 I've ever witnessed. Wait a minute. Someone calling 00:15:36.309 --> 00:15:40.009 someone or something, I can see, turning out 00:15:40.009 --> 00:15:43.370 of that black hole through luminous disks. The 00:15:43.370 --> 00:15:46.409 eyes, it might be a face, it might be all of 00:15:46.409 --> 00:15:49.029 the heavens, something wriggling out of the shadow 00:15:49.029 --> 00:15:51.850 like a gray snake. Now it's another one and another 00:15:51.850 --> 00:15:54.320 one and another one. They look like tentacles 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:57.460 to me. I can see the thing's body. Now it's large. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:00.299 It's as large as a bear. It's glistening like 00:16:00.299 --> 00:16:03.659 wet leather, but that face... Ladies and gentlemen, 00:16:03.779 --> 00:16:05.340 it's indescribable, but I can hardly force myself 00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:07.460 to keep looking at it. It's so awful. The eyes 00:16:07.460 --> 00:16:09.620 are black and they gleam like a serpent. The 00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:12.500 mouth is that kind of V -shape. It's alive. It's 00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:14.600 dripping from its rimless lips. It seems to... 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:17.159 those quivered pulsates and the monster or whatever 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:19.340 it is can hardly move. It seems weighed down 00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:22.200 by possibly gravity or something. The thing's... 00:16:22.699 --> 00:16:25.120 Rising up now, and the crowd falls back. It seems 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:27.419 plenty, the most extraordinary experience, ladies 00:16:27.419 --> 00:16:30.179 and gentlemen. I can't find words. Well, pull 00:16:30.179 --> 00:16:32.059 this microphone with me as I talk. I'll have 00:16:32.059 --> 00:16:34.039 to stop the description until I can take a new 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:35.179 position. Hold on, will you, please? I'll be 00:16:35.179 --> 00:16:49.789 right back in a minute. We are bringing you an 00:16:49.789 --> 00:16:51.710 eyewitness account of what's happening on the 00:16:51.710 --> 00:17:06.990 Wilmeth farm, Grovers Mill, New Jersey. We now 00:17:06.990 --> 00:17:09.690 return you to Carl Phillips at Grovers Mill. 00:17:13.670 --> 00:17:15.970 Ladies and gentlemen, Maryon. Ladies and gentlemen. 00:17:16.439 --> 00:17:18.279 Ladies and gentlemen, here I am, back of a stone 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:20.500 wall that adjoins Mr. Wilma's garden. From here, 00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:23.200 I get a sweep of the whole scene. I'll give you 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:25.140 every detail as long as I can talk and as long 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:27.859 as I can see. More state police have arrived. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:29.740 They're drawing up a cordon in front of the pit. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:33.579 About 30 of them. No need to push the crowd back 00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:36.000 now. They're willing to keep their distance. 00:17:36.099 --> 00:17:38.700 The captain's conferring with someone. I can't 00:17:38.700 --> 00:17:41.279 quite see who. Ah, yes, I believe it's Professor 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:43.680 Pearson. Yes, it is. Now they've parted, and 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:46.369 the professor moves around one side. Studying 00:17:46.369 --> 00:17:48.230 the object while the captain and two policemen 00:17:48.230 --> 00:17:50.569 advance with something in their hands. I can 00:17:50.569 --> 00:17:53.309 see it now. It's a white hexagon tied to a pole. 00:17:53.809 --> 00:17:57.009 A flag of truce. Those preachers know what that 00:17:57.009 --> 00:18:00.569 means, what anything means. Wait a minute, something's 00:18:00.569 --> 00:18:03.890 happening. Humped shape is rising out of the 00:18:03.890 --> 00:18:06.990 pit. I can make out a small beam of light against 00:18:06.990 --> 00:18:12.170 a mirror. What's that? There's a jet of flames 00:18:12.170 --> 00:18:13.730 springing from the mirror that leaps right at 00:18:13.730 --> 00:18:34.069 the advancing men. Ladies and gentlemen due to 00:18:34.069 --> 00:18:36.210 circumstances beyond our control we are unable 00:18:36.210 --> 00:18:38.470 to continue the broadcast from Grover's mill 00:18:38.470 --> 00:18:40.950 Evidently, there's some difficulty with our field 00:18:40.950 --> 00:18:43.950 transmission. However We will return to that 00:18:43.950 --> 00:18:46.390 point at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, 00:18:46.569 --> 00:18:49.049 we have a late bulletin from San Diego, California. 00:18:49.509 --> 00:18:51.730 Professor Endelkofer, speaking at a dinner of 00:18:51.730 --> 00:18:54.670 the California Astronomical Society, expressed 00:18:54.670 --> 00:18:58.049 the opinion that the explosions on Mars are undoubtedly 00:18:58.049 --> 00:19:00.470 nothing more than severe volcanic disturbances 00:19:00.470 --> 00:19:03.910 on the surface of the planet. We continue now 00:19:03.910 --> 00:19:17.660 with our piano interlude. Ladies and gentlemen, 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:19.519 I've just been handed a message that came in 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:22.059 from Grover's Mill by telephone. Just one moment, 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:26.480 please. At least 40 people, including six state 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:29.980 troopers, lie dead in a field east of the village 00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:32.940 of Grover's Mill, their bodies burned and distorted 00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:36.880 beyond all possible recognition. The next voice 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.200 you hear will be that of Brigadier General Montgomery 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:42.640 Smith, commander of the state militia at Trenton, 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:48.539 New Jersey. I have been requested by the governor 00:19:48.539 --> 00:19:51.380 of New Jersey to place the counties of Mercer 00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:56.420 and Middlesex as far west as Princeton and east 00:19:56.420 --> 00:20:00.400 to Jamesburg under martial law. No one will be 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:03.380 permitted to enter this area except by special 00:20:03.380 --> 00:20:05.940 pass issued by state or military authorities. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:09.279 Four companies of state militia are proceeding 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:13.680 from Trenton to Grover's Mill. and will aid in 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:16.720 the evacuation of homes within the range of military 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:21.299 operations. Thank you. You have just been listening 00:20:21.299 --> 00:20:23.799 to General Montgomery Smith, commanding the state 00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:26.160 militia at Trenton. In the meantime, further 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:28.160 details of the catastrophe at Grover's Mill are 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.980 coming in. The strange creatures, after unleashing 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:33.160 their deadly assault, crawled back in their pit 00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:35.160 and made no attempt to prevent the efforts of 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:37.519 the firemen to recover the bodies and extinguish 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:40.319 the fire. The combined fire departments of Mercer 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:42.359 County are fighting the flames which menace the 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:45.440 entire countryside. We have been unable to establish 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.539 any contact with our mobile unit at Grover's 00:20:47.539 --> 00:20:49.920 Mill, but we hope to be able to return you there 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:52.220 at the earliest possible moment. In the meantime, 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:58.980 we take you to... Just one moment, please. Ladies 00:20:58.980 --> 00:21:01.119 and gentlemen, I have just been informed that 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:02.940 we have finally established communication with 00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:05.509 an eyewitness of the tragedy. Professor Pearson 00:21:05.509 --> 00:21:07.950 has been located at a farmhouse near Grover's 00:21:07.950 --> 00:21:10.869 Mill where he has established an emergency observation 00:21:10.869 --> 00:21:14.150 post. As a scientist, he will give you his explanation 00:21:14.150 --> 00:21:16.609 of the calamity. The next voice you hear will 00:21:16.609 --> 00:21:19.029 be that of Professor Pearson brought to you by 00:21:19.029 --> 00:21:26.910 direct wire. Professor Pearson. Of the creatures 00:21:26.910 --> 00:21:30.750 in the rocket cylinder at Grover's Mill, I can 00:21:30.750 --> 00:21:33.460 give you no... authoritative information, either 00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:36.640 as to their nature, their origin, or their purposes 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:40.200 here on Earth. Of their destructive instrument, 00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:42.420 I might venture some conjectural explanation. 00:21:44.460 --> 00:21:46.839 For want of a better term, I shall refer to the 00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:50.180 mysterious weapon as a heat ray. It's all too 00:21:50.180 --> 00:21:52.460 evident that these creatures have scientific 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:56.410 knowledge far in advance of our own. It's my 00:21:56.410 --> 00:21:58.849 guess that in some way they are able to generate 00:21:58.849 --> 00:22:01.450 an intense heat in a chamber of practically absolute 00:22:01.450 --> 00:22:04.690 non -conductivity. This intense heat they project 00:22:04.690 --> 00:22:07.069 in a parallel beam against any object they choose 00:22:07.069 --> 00:22:10.049 by means of a polished parabolic mirror of unknown 00:22:10.049 --> 00:22:13.390 composition, much as the mirror of a lighthouse 00:22:13.390 --> 00:22:18.250 projects a beam of light. That is my conjecture 00:22:18.250 --> 00:22:23.750 of the origin of the heat ray. Thank you, Professor 00:22:23.750 --> 00:22:26.569 Pearson. Ladies and gentlemen, here is a bulletin 00:22:26.569 --> 00:22:29.130 from Trenton. It is a brief statement informing 00:22:29.130 --> 00:22:31.650 us that the charred body of Carl Phillips has 00:22:31.650 --> 00:22:34.730 been identified in a Trenton hospital. Now here's 00:22:34.730 --> 00:22:37.910 another bulletin from Washington, D .C. The Office 00:22:37.910 --> 00:22:40.470 of the Director of the National Red Cross reports 00:22:40.470 --> 00:22:42.809 ten units of Red Cross emergency workers have 00:22:42.809 --> 00:22:44.529 been assigned to the headquarters of the state 00:22:44.529 --> 00:22:46.970 militia, stationed outside of Grovers Mill, New 00:22:46.970 --> 00:22:50.049 Jersey. Here's a bulletin from State Police Princeton 00:22:50.049 --> 00:22:53.089 Junction. The fires at Grovers Mill and vicinity 00:22:53.089 --> 00:22:56.140 are now under control. Scouts report all quiet 00:22:56.140 --> 00:22:58.519 in the pit and there is no sign of life appearing 00:22:58.519 --> 00:23:01.460 from the mouth of the cylinder Now ladies and 00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:03.359 gentlemen, we have a special statement from mr. 00:23:03.539 --> 00:23:06.700 Harry McDonald vice president in charge of operations 00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:09.480 We have received a request from the state militia 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:12.319 of Trenton to place at their disposal our entire 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:15.640 broadcasting facilities In view of the gravity 00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:18.079 of the situation and believing that radio has 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:20.619 a responsibility to serve in the public interest 00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:23.950 at all times We are turning over our facilities 00:23:23.950 --> 00:23:28.450 to the State Militia at Trenton. We take you 00:23:28.450 --> 00:23:31.130 now to the field headquarters of the State Militia 00:23:31.130 --> 00:23:36.589 near Grovers Mill, New Jersey. This is Captain 00:23:36.589 --> 00:23:38.630 Lansing of the Signal Corps attached to the State 00:23:38.630 --> 00:23:41.309 Militia, now engaged in military operations in 00:23:41.309 --> 00:23:44.589 the vicinity of Grovers Mill. Situation arising 00:23:44.589 --> 00:23:47.069 from the reported presence of certain individuals 00:23:47.069 --> 00:23:49.309 of unidentified nature is now under complete 00:23:49.309 --> 00:23:53.119 control. The cylindrical object which lies in 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:56.039 a pit directly below our position, surrounded 00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:58.539 on all sides by eight battalions of infantry. 00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:01.599 Without heavy field pieces, but adequately armed 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:05.339 with rifles and machine guns. All cause for alarm, 00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:08.759 if such cause ever existed, is now entirely unjustified. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:11.660 Things, whatever they are, do not even venture 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:14.640 to poke their heads above the pit. I can see 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:16.900 their hiding place plainly in the glare of the 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:20.009 searchlights here. With all their reported resources, 00:24:20.289 --> 00:24:22.269 these creatures can scarcely stand up against 00:24:22.269 --> 00:24:25.470 heavy machine gun fire. Anyway, it's an interesting 00:24:25.470 --> 00:24:29.069 outing for the troops. I can make out their cocky 00:24:29.069 --> 00:24:31.490 uniforms, crossing back and forth in front of 00:24:31.490 --> 00:24:35.049 the lights. Looks almost like a real war. There 00:24:35.049 --> 00:24:37.250 appears to be some slight smoke in the woods 00:24:37.250 --> 00:24:39.349 bordering the Millstone River. Probably fire 00:24:39.349 --> 00:24:43.690 started by campers. Well, we ought to see some 00:24:43.690 --> 00:24:46.289 action soon. One of the companies is deploying 00:24:46.289 --> 00:24:49.059 on the left flank. A quick thrust and it'll all 00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:52.059 be over. Wait a minute. I see something on top 00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:55.519 of the cylinder. No, it's nothing but a shadow. 00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:57.440 Now the troops are on the edge of the Wilmouth 00:24:57.440 --> 00:25:00.319 farm. 7 ,000 armed men closing in on an old metal 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:02.660 tube. A tub, rather. Well, wait. That wasn't 00:25:02.660 --> 00:25:05.279 a shadow. It's something moving. Solid metal. 00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:07.420 Kind of a shield -like affair rising up out of 00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:11.759 the cylinder. It's going higher and higher. It's 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:14.460 standing on legs. Actually rearing up on a sort 00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:17.119 of metal framework. Now it's reaching above the 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:19.240 trees and the searchlights are on it. Hold on. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:26.839 Ladies and gentlemen, I have a grave announcement 00:25:26.839 --> 00:25:30.240 to make. Incredible as it may seem, both the 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:32.319 observations of science and the evidence of our 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:35.380 eyes lead to the inescapable assumption that 00:25:35.380 --> 00:25:37.500 those strange beings who landed in the Jersey 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:40.839 farmlands tonight are the vanguard of an invading 00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:45.700 army from the planet Mars. The battle which took 00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:48.339 place tonight at Grover Mills has ended in one 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:50.220 of the most startling defeats ever suffered by 00:25:50.220 --> 00:25:53.660 an army in modern times. 7 ,000 men armed with 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:56.319 rifles and machine guns pitted against a single 00:25:56.319 --> 00:26:00.019 fighting machine of the invaders from Mars. 120 00:26:00.019 --> 00:26:03.000 known survivors. The rest strewn over the battle 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:05.920 area from Grover's Mill to Plainsboro, crushed 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:07.680 and trampled to death under the metal feet of 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:10.700 the monster, or burned to cinders by its heat 00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:14.019 ray. The monster is now in control of the middle 00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:16.039 section of New Jersey and has effectively cut 00:26:16.039 --> 00:26:18.819 the state through its center. Communication lines 00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:21.000 are down from Pennsylvania to the Atlantic Ocean. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:23.859 Railroad tracks are torn and service from New 00:26:23.859 --> 00:26:26.640 York to Philadelphia discontinued except routing 00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:29.440 some of the trains through Allerton and Phoenixville. 00:26:30.420 --> 00:26:32.319 Highways to the north, south and west are clogged 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:35.460 with frantic human traffic. Police and army reserves 00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:38.920 are unable to control the mad flight. By morning 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:40.740 the fugitives will have swelled Philadelphia, 00:26:40.839 --> 00:26:43.519 Camden and Trenton. It is estimated to twice 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:47.140 their normal population. Martial law prevails 00:26:47.140 --> 00:26:48.819 throughout New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. 00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:52.660 At this time, we take you to Washington for a 00:26:52.660 --> 00:26:54.519 special broadcast on the national emergency. 00:26:55.779 --> 00:27:01.319 The Secretary of the Interior. Citizens of the 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:05.539 nation, I shall not try to conceal the gravity 00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:07.940 of the situation that confronts the country. 00:27:08.589 --> 00:27:12.190 Nor the concern of your government in protecting 00:27:12.190 --> 00:27:16.109 the lives and property of its people However, 00:27:16.130 --> 00:27:21.309 I wish to impress upon you Private citizens and 00:27:21.309 --> 00:27:25.369 public officials all of you the urgent need of 00:27:25.369 --> 00:27:30.670 calm and resourceful action Fortunately this 00:27:30.670 --> 00:27:35.309 formidable enemy is still confined to a comparatively 00:27:35.309 --> 00:27:40.180 small area and we may place our faith in the 00:27:40.180 --> 00:27:44.359 military forces to keep them there. In the meantime, 00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:49.759 placing our faith in God, we must continue the 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:52.259 performance of our duties, each and every one 00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:56.519 of us, so that we may confront this destructive 00:27:56.519 --> 00:28:01.559 adversary with a nation united, courageous, and 00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:04.940 consecrated to the preservation of human supremacy 00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:10.630 on this earth. I thank you. You have just heard 00:28:10.630 --> 00:28:12.950 the Secretary of the Interior speaking from Washington. 00:28:13.910 --> 00:28:15.710 Bulletin's too numerous to read are piling up 00:28:15.710 --> 00:28:18.470 in the studio here. We're informed that the central 00:28:18.470 --> 00:28:20.750 portion of New Jersey is blacked out from radio 00:28:20.750 --> 00:28:22.630 communication due to the effect of the heat ray 00:28:22.630 --> 00:28:25.490 upon power lines and electrical equipment. Here 00:28:25.490 --> 00:28:27.789 is a special bullet in New York. Cables have 00:28:27.789 --> 00:28:30.329 been received from English, French, and German 00:28:30.329 --> 00:28:33.470 scientific bodies offering assistance. Astronomers 00:28:33.470 --> 00:28:35.970 report continued gas outbursts at regular intervals 00:28:35.970 --> 00:28:38.920 and... the planet Mars. The majority voice the 00:28:38.920 --> 00:28:40.839 opinion that the enemy will be reinforced by 00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:43.799 additional rocket machines. There have been several 00:28:43.799 --> 00:28:45.759 attempts made to locate Professor Pearson of 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:48.099 Princeton who has observed Martians at close 00:28:48.099 --> 00:28:51.039 range. It is feared he was lost in the recent 00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:54.900 battle. Langham Field, Virginia. Scouting planes 00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:57.420 report three Martian machines visible above treetops 00:28:57.420 --> 00:28:59.539 moving north toward Somerville with population 00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:01.880 fleeing ahead of them. The heat ray is not in 00:29:01.880 --> 00:29:04.259 use although advancing at express train speed. 00:29:04.410 --> 00:29:07.089 Invaders picked their way carefully. They seemed 00:29:07.089 --> 00:29:09.049 to be making a conscious effort to avoid destruction 00:29:09.049 --> 00:29:11.410 of cities and countryside. However, they stopped 00:29:11.410 --> 00:29:13.269 to uproot power lines, bridges, and railroad 00:29:13.269 --> 00:29:15.609 tracks. Their apparent objective is to crush 00:29:15.609 --> 00:29:19.170 resistance, paralyze communication, and disorganize 00:29:19.170 --> 00:29:21.950 human society. Here is a bulletin from Basking 00:29:21.950 --> 00:29:24.650 Ridge, New Jersey. Coon hunters have stumbled 00:29:24.650 --> 00:29:27.269 on a second cylinder similar to the first embedded 00:29:27.269 --> 00:29:29.549 in the Great Swamp 20 miles south of Morristown. 00:29:30.670 --> 00:29:32.690 Army field pieces are proceeding from Newark 00:29:32.690 --> 00:29:34.750 to blow up the second invading unit before the 00:29:34.750 --> 00:29:36.789 cylinder can be opened in the fighting machine 00:29:36.789 --> 00:29:39.210 rig They are taking up a position in the foothills 00:29:39.210 --> 00:29:42.410 of watching mountains another fear another another 00:29:42.410 --> 00:29:44.869 Bolton from Langham Field, Virginia Scouting 00:29:44.869 --> 00:29:47.089 planes report enemy machines now three a number 00:29:47.089 --> 00:29:49.289 Increasing speed northward kicking over houses 00:29:49.289 --> 00:29:51.609 and trees in their evident haste to form a conjunction 00:29:51.609 --> 00:29:54.490 with their allies south of Mars town Machines 00:29:54.490 --> 00:29:56.910 also sighted by telephone operate east of Middlesex 00:29:56.910 --> 00:29:59.450 within 10 miles of Plainfield Here's a bulletin 00:29:59.450 --> 00:30:01.829 from Winston Field, Long Island. A fleet of Army 00:30:01.829 --> 00:30:03.710 bombers carrying heavy explosive flying north 00:30:03.710 --> 00:30:06.390 in pursuit of enemy. Scouting planes act as guides. 00:30:06.910 --> 00:30:09.609 They keep the speeding enemy in sight. Just a 00:30:09.609 --> 00:30:12.150 moment, please, ladies and gentlemen. We've run 00:30:12.150 --> 00:30:14.809 special wires to the artillery line and adjacent 00:30:14.809 --> 00:30:16.849 villages to give you direct reports on the zone 00:30:16.849 --> 00:30:19.450 of the advancing enemy. First, we take you to 00:30:19.450 --> 00:30:22.490 the battery of the 22nd Field Artillery, located 00:30:22.490 --> 00:30:29.599 in the watching mountains. Range. 32 meters. 00:30:30.339 --> 00:30:34.660 32 meters. Rejection 39 degrees. 39 degrees. 00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:43.359 Fire! 140 yards to the right, sir. Ship range 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:49.420 31 meters. 31 meters. Rejection 37 degrees. 37 00:30:49.420 --> 00:31:00.000 degrees. Fire! Just a tripod of one of them. 00:31:00.819 --> 00:31:03.900 Let's stop. The others are trying to repair it. 00:31:03.940 --> 00:31:07.480 Crick, get the range. Shift 50 -30 meters. 30 00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:12.099 meters. Projection 27 degrees. 27 degrees. Fire! 00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:21.400 Can't see the shell land, sir. Letting off a 00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:26.119 smoke. What is it? Black smoke, sir. Moving this 00:31:26.119 --> 00:31:31.339 way. Land close to the ground. Moving fast. Put 00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:38.279 on gas masks. Get ready to fire. Shift to 24 00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:43.819 meters. 24 meters. Projection 24 degrees. 24 00:31:43.819 --> 00:31:54.839 degrees. Fire! They're 10 feet, sir. Smoke's 00:31:54.839 --> 00:32:02.799 coming nearer. Get the reins! 23 meters. 23 meters. 00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:31.369 43 meters. 32. 22. Bombing plane V843 off Bayonne, 00:32:31.390 --> 00:32:33.410 New Jersey. Lieutenant Volt commanding eight 00:32:33.410 --> 00:32:35.789 bombers reporting to Commander Fairfax Langham 00:32:35.789 --> 00:32:39.869 Field. This is Volt reporting to Commander Fairfax 00:32:39.869 --> 00:32:44.109 Langham Field. Enemy tripod machines now in sight. 00:32:44.529 --> 00:32:46.789 Reinforced by three machines from the Morristown 00:32:46.789 --> 00:32:50.289 cylinder. Six altogether. One machine partially 00:32:50.289 --> 00:32:53.269 crippled. Believed hit by shell from army gun 00:32:53.269 --> 00:32:56.990 in Wachung Mountains. Guns now appear silent. 00:32:57.869 --> 00:33:00.650 A heavy black fog hanging close to the earth 00:33:00.650 --> 00:33:04.849 of extreme density, nature unknown. No sign of 00:33:04.849 --> 00:33:10.730 heat ray. Enemy now turns east, crossing Passaic 00:33:10.730 --> 00:33:13.730 River into the Jersey marshes. Another straddles 00:33:13.730 --> 00:33:17.390 the Pulaski Skyway. Evident objective is New 00:33:17.390 --> 00:33:22.289 York City. They're pushing down a high -tension 00:33:22.289 --> 00:33:27.319 power station. Machines are close together now 00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:30.019 and we're ready to attack. Plane circling, ready 00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:37.259 to strike. A thousand yards and we'll be over 00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:50.880 the first. Eight hundred yards. Six hundred. 00:34:05.960 --> 00:34:11.420 There they go. The giant arm raised. Green flash. 00:34:12.599 --> 00:34:15.940 They're spraying us with flame. 2 ,000 feet. 00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:19.219 Engines are giving out. No chance to release 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:22.159 bombs. Only one thing left. Drop on them, plane 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:31.920 and all. We're diving on the first one. Now the 00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:41.159 engine's gone. New Jersey, calling Langham Field. 00:34:41.800 --> 00:34:43.980 This is Bayonne, New Jersey, calling Langham 00:34:43.980 --> 00:34:46.619 Field. Come in, please. This is Langham Field. 00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:49.500 Go ahead. Eight Army bombers in engagement with 00:34:49.500 --> 00:34:53.119 enemy tripod machines over Jersey flats. Engines 00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:57.420 incapacitated by heat ray all crashed. One enemy 00:34:57.420 --> 00:35:00.739 machine destroyed. Enemy now discharging heavy 00:35:00.739 --> 00:35:06.860 black smoke in direction of... This is Newark, 00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:09.980 New Jersey. This is Newark, New Jersey. Warning! 00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:12.760 Poisonous black smoke pouring in from Jersey 00:35:12.760 --> 00:35:16.820 marshes. Breach at South Street. Gas masks useless. 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:21.079 Urge population to move into open spaces. Automobiles 00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:26.840 use routes 7, 23, 24. Avoid congested areas. 00:35:27.739 --> 00:35:37.220 Smoke now spreading over Raymond Boulevard. Calling 00:35:37.220 --> 00:35:41.980 CQ, 2X2L. Calling CQ, 2X2L. Calling 8X3R. Come 00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:46.519 in, please. This is 8X3R coming back at 2X2L. 00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:53.219 Eyes reception. Eyes reception. K, please. Where 00:35:53.219 --> 00:36:12.150 are you, 8X3R? What's the matter? Broadcasting 00:36:12.150 --> 00:36:15.730 Building. I'm speaking from the roof of Broadcasting 00:36:15.730 --> 00:36:20.550 Building, New York City. The bells you hear are 00:36:20.550 --> 00:36:23.030 ringing to warn the people to evacuate the city 00:36:23.030 --> 00:36:27.829 as the Martians approach. Estimated in the last 00:36:27.829 --> 00:36:30.469 two hours, three million people have moved out 00:36:30.469 --> 00:36:35.489 along the roads to the north. Hutchison River 00:36:35.489 --> 00:36:40.440 Parkway still kept open for motor traffic. Avoid 00:36:40.440 --> 00:36:45.420 bridges to Long Island, hopelessly jammed. All 00:36:45.420 --> 00:36:49.280 communication with Jersey Shore closed ten minutes 00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:56.340 ago. No more defenses. Our army is wiped out. 00:36:57.219 --> 00:37:03.559 Artillery, Air Force, everything wiped out. This 00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:08.820 may be the last broadcast. We'll stay here to 00:37:08.820 --> 00:37:13.139 the end. People are holding service here below 00:37:13.139 --> 00:37:18.940 us in the cathedral. Now I look down the harbor, 00:37:20.380 --> 00:37:24.159 all manner of boats, overloaded with fleeing 00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:29.679 population pulling out from docks. Streets are 00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:33.380 all jammed, noise and crowds like New Year's 00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:38.199 Eve in city. Wait a minute, the... The enemy 00:37:38.199 --> 00:37:42.360 is now in sight above the palisades. Five, five 00:37:42.360 --> 00:37:48.539 great machines. First one is crossing the river. 00:37:48.539 --> 00:37:52.179 I can see it from here, waiting, waiting the 00:37:52.179 --> 00:37:56.780 Hudson like a man, waiting through a brook. A 00:37:56.780 --> 00:38:01.139 bulletin has handed me. Martian cylinders are 00:38:01.139 --> 00:38:04.860 falling all over the country. One outside of 00:38:04.860 --> 00:38:09.960 Buffalo, one in Chicago. St. Louis seemed to 00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:14.659 be timed in space. Now the first machine reaches 00:38:14.659 --> 00:38:19.599 the shore. He stands watching, looking over the 00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:24.219 city. The steel cowlish head is even with the 00:38:24.219 --> 00:38:30.780 skyscrapers. He waits for the others. They rise 00:38:30.780 --> 00:38:33.059 like a line of new towers on the city's west 00:38:33.059 --> 00:38:37.110 side. Now they're lifting their metal hands. 00:38:38.610 --> 00:38:43.590 This is the end now. Smoke comes out, black smoke 00:38:43.590 --> 00:38:47.329 drifting over the city. People in the streets 00:38:47.329 --> 00:38:50.369 see it now. They're running toward the East River, 00:38:50.650 --> 00:38:55.510 thousands of them. Dropping in like rats. Now 00:38:55.510 --> 00:38:57.969 the smoke's spreading faster. It's reached Times 00:38:57.969 --> 00:39:01.329 Square. People are trying to run away from it, 00:39:01.329 --> 00:39:04.389 but it's no use. They... They're falling like 00:39:04.389 --> 00:39:13.769 flies. Now the smoke's crossing 6th Avenue. 5th 00:39:13.769 --> 00:40:25.630 Avenue. 100 yards away. It's 50 feet. You are 00:40:25.630 --> 00:40:28.289 listening to a CBS presentation of Orson Welles 00:40:28.289 --> 00:40:30.889 and the Mercury Theater on the Air in an original 00:40:30.889 --> 00:40:34.090 dramatization of The War of the Worlds by H .G. 00:40:34.250 --> 00:40:36.769 Wells. The performance will continue after a 00:40:36.769 --> 00:40:39.750 brief intermission. This is the Columbia Broadcasting 00:40:39.750 --> 00:40:44.650 System. The War of the Worlds by H .G. Wells, 00:40:45.050 --> 00:40:47.130 starring Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater 00:40:47.130 --> 00:41:13.949 on the Air. As I set down these notes on paper, 00:41:15.150 --> 00:41:17.489 I'm obsessed by the thought that I may be the 00:41:17.489 --> 00:41:21.929 last living man on earth. I've been hiding in 00:41:21.929 --> 00:41:25.309 this empty house near Grover's Mill, a small 00:41:25.309 --> 00:41:27.610 island of daylight cut off by the black smoke 00:41:27.610 --> 00:41:30.949 from the rest of the world. All that happened 00:41:30.949 --> 00:41:33.650 before the arrival of these monstrous creatures 00:41:33.650 --> 00:41:36.050 in the world now seems part of another life. 00:41:37.530 --> 00:41:39.789 A life that has no continuity with the present. 00:41:41.410 --> 00:41:44.710 Fertile existence of the lonely derelict who 00:41:44.710 --> 00:41:48.269 Pencils these words on the back of some astronomical 00:41:48.269 --> 00:41:52.409 notes bearing the signature of Richard Pearson 00:41:52.409 --> 00:41:57.650 Look down at my blackened hand Try to connect 00:41:57.650 --> 00:41:59.389 them with a professor who lives at Princeton 00:41:59.389 --> 00:42:02.510 and who on the night of October 20th Glimpse 00:42:02.510 --> 00:42:04.690 through his telescope an orange splash of light 00:42:04.690 --> 00:42:11.309 on a distant planet My wife My colleagues, my 00:42:11.309 --> 00:42:19.829 students, my books, my observatory, my... my 00:42:19.829 --> 00:42:28.150 world. Where are they? Did they ever exist? Am 00:42:28.150 --> 00:42:34.250 I Richard Pearson? What day is it? Do days exist 00:42:34.250 --> 00:42:38.309 without calendars? This time pass when there 00:42:38.309 --> 00:42:44.489 no human hands left to wind the clocks. Writing 00:42:44.489 --> 00:42:46.989 down my daily life, I tell myself I shall preserve 00:42:46.989 --> 00:42:49.389 human history between the dark covers of this 00:42:49.389 --> 00:42:51.590 little book that was meant to record the movements 00:42:51.590 --> 00:42:55.530 of the stars. But to write I must live and to 00:42:55.530 --> 00:42:59.429 live I must eat. Find moldy bread in the kitchen 00:42:59.429 --> 00:43:04.670 and an orange not too spoiled to swallow. Keep 00:43:04.670 --> 00:43:08.849 watch at the window. Time to time I catch sight 00:43:08.849 --> 00:43:14.289 of a Martian above the black smoke. The smoke 00:43:14.289 --> 00:43:17.389 still holds the house in its black coil, but 00:43:17.389 --> 00:43:20.469 at length there's a hissing sound, and suddenly 00:43:20.469 --> 00:43:24.889 I see a Martian mounted on his machine, spraying 00:43:24.889 --> 00:43:27.429 the air with a jet of steam as if to dissipate 00:43:27.429 --> 00:43:30.710 the smoke. I watch in a corner as his huge metal 00:43:30.710 --> 00:43:34.849 legs nearly brush against the house. Sausted 00:43:34.849 --> 00:43:43.739 by terror, I fall asleep. Morning. Sunstreams 00:43:43.739 --> 00:43:47.320 in the window. Black cloud of gas is lifted, 00:43:47.519 --> 00:43:49.800 and the scorched meadows to the north look as 00:43:49.800 --> 00:43:51.780 though a black snowstorm had passed over them. 00:43:53.199 --> 00:43:55.440 I venture from the house. I make my way to a 00:43:55.440 --> 00:43:58.039 road, no traffic. Here in their wrecked car, 00:43:58.159 --> 00:44:01.619 baggage overturned, a blackened skeleton. Push 00:44:01.619 --> 00:44:05.019 on north. For some reason, I feel safer trailing 00:44:05.019 --> 00:44:08.780 these monsters than running away from them. And 00:44:08.780 --> 00:44:13.710 I keep a careful watch. I've seen the Martians 00:44:13.710 --> 00:44:18.409 feed. Should one of their machines appear over 00:44:18.409 --> 00:44:21.110 the top of trees, I'm ready to fling myself flat 00:44:21.110 --> 00:44:26.190 on the earth. Come to a chestnut tree, October. 00:44:27.909 --> 00:44:31.969 Chestnuts are ripe. They're all my pockets. I 00:44:31.969 --> 00:44:34.829 must keep alive. Two days I wander in a vague 00:44:34.829 --> 00:44:37.070 northerly direction through a desolate world. 00:44:38.070 --> 00:44:42.050 Finally, I notice a living creature. A small 00:44:42.050 --> 00:44:45.710 red squirrel in a beech tree. I stare at him 00:44:45.710 --> 00:44:51.469 and wonder. He stares back at me. I believe at 00:44:51.469 --> 00:44:53.690 that moment the animal and I shared the same 00:44:53.690 --> 00:44:57.989 emotion. The joy of finding another living being. 00:44:59.750 --> 00:45:02.929 Push on north, I find dead cows in a brackish 00:45:02.929 --> 00:45:04.949 field and beyond the charred ruins of a dairy 00:45:04.949 --> 00:45:08.409 in a silo. Main standing guard over the wasteland 00:45:08.409 --> 00:45:14.570 like a lighthouse. deserted by the sea. I stride 00:45:14.570 --> 00:45:17.869 the silo, perch as a weathercock, the arrow points 00:45:17.869 --> 00:45:26.510 north. North. Next day, I come to a city, a city 00:45:26.510 --> 00:45:29.030 vaguely familiar in its contours, yet its building 00:45:29.030 --> 00:45:32.429 strangely dwarfed and leveled off, as if a giant 00:45:32.429 --> 00:45:35.269 had sliced off its highest towers with a capricious 00:45:35.269 --> 00:45:39.760 sweep of his hand. Reached the outskirts. I found 00:45:39.760 --> 00:45:45.219 Newark. Newark, undemolished, but humbled by 00:45:45.219 --> 00:45:49.800 some whim of the advancing Martians. Presently, 00:45:49.880 --> 00:45:52.039 with an odd feeling of being watched, I caught 00:45:52.039 --> 00:45:54.139 sight of something crouching in a doorway. I 00:45:54.139 --> 00:45:57.920 made a step towards it. It rose up and became 00:45:57.920 --> 00:46:03.699 a man. A man armed with a large knife. Stop! 00:46:07.590 --> 00:46:14.849 I come from... from many places. A long time 00:46:14.849 --> 00:46:19.650 ago, from Princeton. Princeton, huh? That's near 00:46:19.650 --> 00:46:28.369 Grover's Mill. Yes. Grover's Mill. There's no 00:46:28.369 --> 00:46:31.010 food here. This is my country. All this end of 00:46:31.010 --> 00:46:32.730 town down the river. There's only food for one. 00:46:34.530 --> 00:46:39.940 Which way are you going? I don't know. I guess 00:46:39.940 --> 00:46:44.159 I'm looking... for people. Hey, what was that? 00:46:45.960 --> 00:46:49.719 Did we hear something just then? No. Only a bird. 00:46:53.360 --> 00:46:57.380 A live bird. Yeah. You get to know that birds 00:46:57.380 --> 00:47:00.980 have shadows these days. Say, we're in the open 00:47:00.980 --> 00:47:03.820 here. Let's crawl in this doorway here and talk. 00:47:05.500 --> 00:47:10.019 Have you seen any Martians? No. They're going 00:47:10.019 --> 00:47:13.539 over to New York. At night, the sky is alive 00:47:13.539 --> 00:47:15.760 with their lights, just as if people were still 00:47:15.760 --> 00:47:19.239 living in it. By daylight, you can't see them. 00:47:21.599 --> 00:47:23.880 Five days ago, a couple of them carried something 00:47:23.880 --> 00:47:27.940 big across the flats from the airport. I think 00:47:27.940 --> 00:47:31.579 they're learning how to fly. Fly? Yeah, fly. 00:47:34.829 --> 00:47:39.869 Then it's all over with humanity. Stranger, there's 00:47:39.869 --> 00:47:44.869 still you and I. Two of us left. Yeah. They got 00:47:44.869 --> 00:47:47.750 themselves in solid. They wrecked the greatest 00:47:47.750 --> 00:47:50.670 country in the world. Those green stars, they're 00:47:50.670 --> 00:47:52.889 probably falling somewhere every night. They've 00:47:52.889 --> 00:47:55.949 only lost one machine. There isn't anything to 00:47:55.949 --> 00:47:59.510 do. We're done. We're licked. Where were you? 00:47:59.510 --> 00:48:01.469 You're in a uniform. Yeah, what's left of it? 00:48:01.510 --> 00:48:04.110 I was in the militia. National Guard. That's 00:48:04.110 --> 00:48:07.420 good. There wasn't any war. Any more than there's 00:48:07.420 --> 00:48:10.739 war between men and ants. Yes, but we're eatable 00:48:10.739 --> 00:48:14.800 ants. I found that out. What'll they do to us? 00:48:15.059 --> 00:48:17.980 I've thought it all out. Right now, we're caught 00:48:17.980 --> 00:48:20.800 as we're wanted. A Martian only has to go a few 00:48:20.800 --> 00:48:23.480 miles to get a crowd on the run. But they won't 00:48:23.480 --> 00:48:25.320 keep on doing that. They'll begin catching us 00:48:25.320 --> 00:48:27.320 systematically. Keeping the best and storing 00:48:27.320 --> 00:48:30.340 us in cages and things. They haven't begun on 00:48:30.340 --> 00:48:34.260 us yet. Not begun? Not begun. All that's happened 00:48:34.260 --> 00:48:36.159 so far is because we don't have sense enough 00:48:36.159 --> 00:48:39.059 to keep quiet. Bothering them with guns and such 00:48:39.059 --> 00:48:40.840 stuff and losing our heads and rushing off in 00:48:40.840 --> 00:48:44.960 crowds. Now, instead of our rushing around blind, 00:48:45.019 --> 00:48:47.099 we gotta fix ourselves up. Fix ourselves up according 00:48:47.099 --> 00:48:49.920 to the way things are now. Cities, nations, civilization, 00:48:50.179 --> 00:48:53.400 progress. Yes, but if that's so, what is there 00:48:53.400 --> 00:48:55.760 to live for? Well, there won't be any more concerts 00:48:55.760 --> 00:48:57.780 for a million years or so and no nice little 00:48:57.780 --> 00:49:00.760 dinners at restaurants. If it's amusement you're 00:49:00.760 --> 00:49:03.659 after, I guess the game's up. What is there left? 00:49:03.800 --> 00:49:08.079 Life, that's what. I wanna live. Yeah, and so 00:49:08.079 --> 00:49:12.420 do you. We're not gonna be exterminated. And 00:49:12.420 --> 00:49:15.480 I don't mean to be caught either. Tamed and fattened 00:49:15.480 --> 00:49:21.199 and bred like an ox. What are you gonna do? I'm 00:49:21.199 --> 00:49:26.119 going on. Right under their feet. I got a plan. 00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:30.440 We men as men, we're finished. We don't know 00:49:30.440 --> 00:49:32.750 enough. We've got to learn plenty before we've 00:49:32.750 --> 00:49:35.170 got a chance. We've got to live and keep free 00:49:35.170 --> 00:49:38.690 what we learn, see? I've thought it all out, 00:49:38.730 --> 00:49:42.150 see? Well, tell me the rest. Well, it isn't all 00:49:42.150 --> 00:49:44.369 of us that are made for wild beasts. That's what 00:49:44.369 --> 00:49:49.409 it got to be. That's why I watched you. I watched 00:49:49.409 --> 00:49:51.849 you. All those little office workers that used 00:49:51.849 --> 00:49:54.289 to live in these houses. They'd be no good. They 00:49:54.289 --> 00:49:57.650 haven't any stuff in them. They used to run. 00:49:57.760 --> 00:49:59.739 Run off to work. I've seen hundreds of them running 00:49:59.739 --> 00:50:01.500 to catch their commuters train in the morning, 00:50:01.760 --> 00:50:03.659 afraid they'd get canned if they didn't. Running 00:50:03.659 --> 00:50:05.800 back at night, afraid they wouldn't be in time 00:50:05.800 --> 00:50:08.940 for dinner. Lives insured and a little invested 00:50:08.940 --> 00:50:13.139 in case of accidents. And on Sundays, worried 00:50:13.139 --> 00:50:17.300 about the hereafter. The Martians, they'll be 00:50:17.300 --> 00:50:20.420 a godsend for those guys. Nice roomy cages, good 00:50:20.420 --> 00:50:23.980 food, careful breeding, no worries. After a week 00:50:23.980 --> 00:50:26.860 or so of chasing around the fields on empty stomachs... 00:50:26.920 --> 00:50:29.659 They'll come and be glad to be caught. You've 00:50:29.659 --> 00:50:31.440 thought it all out, haven't you? Sure, you bet 00:50:31.440 --> 00:50:36.119 I have. That isn't all. These Martians are gonna 00:50:36.119 --> 00:50:39.099 make pets of some of them. Train them to do tricks. 00:50:39.940 --> 00:50:42.559 Who knows? Get sentimental over the pet boy who 00:50:42.559 --> 00:50:46.900 grew up and had to be killed. Yeah. And some, 00:50:46.900 --> 00:50:49.900 maybe. They'll train to hunt us. Oh, no, it's 00:50:49.900 --> 00:50:53.119 impossible. Yes, they will. There's men who do 00:50:53.119 --> 00:51:00.650 it gladly. after me, but... In the meantime, 00:51:03.090 --> 00:51:06.690 you and I and others like us. Where are we to 00:51:06.690 --> 00:51:09.269 live when the Martians own the earth? I got it 00:51:09.269 --> 00:51:13.289 all figured out. We'll live underground. I've 00:51:13.289 --> 00:51:15.710 been thinking about the sewers. Under New York, 00:51:15.849 --> 00:51:18.210 there are miles and miles of them. The main ones, 00:51:18.369 --> 00:51:20.210 they're big enough for anybody. Then there's 00:51:20.210 --> 00:51:23.030 cellars, vaults, underground storerooms, railway 00:51:23.030 --> 00:51:28.239 tunnels, subways. You begin to see, huh? We'll 00:51:28.239 --> 00:51:30.719 get a bunch of strong men together. No weaklings. 00:51:31.320 --> 00:51:36.059 That rubbish, out. As you meant me to go. Very 00:51:36.059 --> 00:51:40.099 right. With you a chance, didn't I? Won't quarrel 00:51:40.099 --> 00:51:44.900 about that. Go on. Well, we got to make safe 00:51:44.900 --> 00:51:48.039 places for us to stay in, see? Get all the books 00:51:48.039 --> 00:51:52.320 we can. Science books. That's where men like 00:51:52.320 --> 00:51:56.719 you come in, see? We raid the museums. Will even 00:51:56.719 --> 00:52:00.920 spy on the Martians. May not be so much we have 00:52:00.920 --> 00:52:07.099 to learn before. Just imagine this. Four or five 00:52:07.099 --> 00:52:09.059 of their own fighting machines suddenly start 00:52:09.059 --> 00:52:12.019 off. Heat rays right and left. Not a Martian 00:52:12.019 --> 00:52:15.219 in them. Not a Martian in them, see? But men. 00:52:15.800 --> 00:52:19.659 Men who've learned the way how. May even be in 00:52:19.659 --> 00:52:24.059 our time. Gee. Imagine having one of them lovely 00:52:24.059 --> 00:52:26.880 things with a heat ray wide and free. We'd turn 00:52:26.880 --> 00:52:30.099 it on Martians. We'd turn it on men. We'd bring 00:52:30.099 --> 00:52:33.420 everybody down on their knees. That's your plan. 00:52:34.119 --> 00:52:40.659 Yeah. You, me, a few more of us. We'd own the 00:52:40.659 --> 00:52:46.800 world. I see. Hey. Hey, what's the matter? Where 00:52:46.800 --> 00:52:52.679 are you going? Not to your world. Bye, stranger. 00:52:56.840 --> 00:52:58.980 After parting with the artillerymen, I came at 00:52:58.980 --> 00:53:01.559 last to the Holland Tunnel, entered that silent 00:53:01.559 --> 00:53:04.940 tube, anxious to know the fate of the great city 00:53:04.940 --> 00:53:07.559 on the other side of the Hudson. Cautiously, 00:53:07.579 --> 00:53:09.760 I came out of the tunnel and made my way up Canal 00:53:09.760 --> 00:53:13.300 Street. Reached 14th Street, and there again 00:53:13.300 --> 00:53:17.500 were black powder and several bodies and an evil 00:53:17.500 --> 00:53:20.159 ominous smell from the gratings of the cellars 00:53:20.159 --> 00:53:23.940 of some of the houses. Wandered up through the 00:53:23.940 --> 00:53:29.940 30s and 40s. Stood alone on Times Square. Caught 00:53:29.940 --> 00:53:32.380 sight of a lean dog running down 7th Avenue with 00:53:32.380 --> 00:53:35.059 a piece of dark brown meat in his jaws and a 00:53:35.059 --> 00:53:37.639 pack of starving mongrels at his heels. Made 00:53:37.639 --> 00:53:39.679 a wide circle around me as though he feared I 00:53:39.679 --> 00:53:43.599 might prove a fresh competitor. Walked up Broadway 00:53:43.599 --> 00:53:47.599 in the direction of that... that strange powder, 00:53:48.019 --> 00:53:51.449 that silent shop windows. displaying their mute 00:53:51.449 --> 00:53:55.809 wares to empty sidewalks. Past the Capitol Theater, 00:53:56.409 --> 00:54:00.949 silent, dark. Past a shooting gallery where a 00:54:00.949 --> 00:54:04.469 row of empty guns faced an arrested line of wooden 00:54:04.469 --> 00:54:08.690 ducks near Columbus Circle. I noticed models 00:54:08.690 --> 00:54:11.750 of 1939 motor cars in the showrooms facing empty 00:54:11.750 --> 00:54:14.949 streets. Over the top of the General Motors building, 00:54:15.090 --> 00:54:17.329 I watched a flock of black birds circling in 00:54:17.329 --> 00:54:22.170 the sky. Hurry it on. Suddenly I caught sight 00:54:22.170 --> 00:54:25.150 of the hood of a Martian machine, standing somewhere 00:54:25.150 --> 00:54:26.989 in Central Park, gleaming in the late afternoon 00:54:26.989 --> 00:54:31.730 sun. An insane idea. I rushed recklessly across 00:54:31.730 --> 00:54:34.289 Columbus Circle and into the park. I climbed 00:54:34.289 --> 00:54:37.389 a small hill above the pond at 60th Street, and 00:54:37.389 --> 00:54:39.429 from there I could see, standing in a silent 00:54:39.429 --> 00:54:43.829 row along the mall, 19 of those great metal titans, 00:54:44.010 --> 00:54:47.019 their cowls empty, their steel arms... hanging 00:54:47.019 --> 00:54:51.019 listlessly by their sides. I looked in vain for 00:54:51.019 --> 00:54:54.780 the monsters that inhabit those machines. Suddenly 00:54:54.780 --> 00:54:57.199 my eyes were attracted to the immense flock of 00:54:57.199 --> 00:54:59.659 black birds that hovered directly below me. They 00:54:59.659 --> 00:55:03.960 circled to the ground. And there before my eyes, 00:55:04.639 --> 00:55:08.900 stark and silent, lay the Martians with the hungry 00:55:08.900 --> 00:55:12.260 birds pecking and tearing brown shreds of flesh 00:55:12.260 --> 00:55:16.960 from their dead bodies. Later, when their bodies 00:55:16.960 --> 00:55:19.099 were examined in laboratories, it was found that 00:55:19.099 --> 00:55:23.099 they were killed by the putrefactive and diseased 00:55:23.099 --> 00:55:27.079 bacteria against which their systems were unprepared. 00:55:28.280 --> 00:55:32.340 Plain, after all, man's defenses had failed by 00:55:32.340 --> 00:55:35.760 the humblest thing that God, as wisdom, has put 00:55:35.760 --> 00:55:40.320 upon this earth. Before the cylinder fell, there 00:55:40.320 --> 00:55:43.760 was... A general persuasion that through all 00:55:43.760 --> 00:55:48.400 the deep of space, no life existed beyond the 00:55:48.400 --> 00:55:53.099 petty surface of our minute sphere. Now we see 00:55:53.099 --> 00:55:57.420 further. Dim and wonderful is the vision I've 00:55:57.420 --> 00:56:00.579 conjured up in my mind of life spreading slowly 00:56:00.579 --> 00:56:03.260 from this little seedbed of the solar system 00:56:03.260 --> 00:56:06.079 throughout the inanimate vastnesses of sidereal 00:56:06.079 --> 00:56:12.409 space. But a remote dream, maybe. Maybe that 00:56:12.409 --> 00:56:15.809 the destruction of the Martians is only a reprieve 00:56:15.809 --> 00:56:20.789 to them and not to us. The future ordained, perhaps. 00:56:23.230 --> 00:56:26.130 Strange it now seems to sit in my peaceful study, 00:56:26.750 --> 00:56:30.409 Princeton, writing down this last chapter of 00:56:30.409 --> 00:56:33.769 the record, begun at a deserted farm in Grovers 00:56:33.769 --> 00:56:38.969 Mill. Strange to watch children playing in the 00:56:38.969 --> 00:56:43.079 streets. Strange to see young people strolling 00:56:43.079 --> 00:56:46.300 on the green where the new spring grass heals 00:56:46.300 --> 00:56:51.219 the last black scars of a bruised earth. Strange 00:56:51.219 --> 00:56:55.000 to watch the sightseers enter the museum where 00:56:55.000 --> 00:56:57.460 the dissembled parts of a Martian machine are 00:56:57.460 --> 00:57:02.579 kept on public view. Strange when I recall a 00:57:02.579 --> 00:57:08.960 time when I first saw it. Bright and clean -cut, 00:57:09.679 --> 00:57:15.880 hard. and silent under the dawn of that last 00:57:15.880 --> 00:57:38.440 great day. This is Orson Welles, ladies and gentlemen. 00:57:39.639 --> 00:57:42.519 Out of character... to assure you that the war 00:57:42.519 --> 00:57:45.679 of the world has no further significance than 00:57:45.679 --> 00:57:48.239 as the holiday offering it was intended to be. 00:57:49.000 --> 00:57:51.219 The Mercury Theater's own radio version of dressing 00:57:51.219 --> 00:57:53.420 up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying 00:57:53.420 --> 00:57:56.639 boo. Starting now, we couldn't soap all your 00:57:56.639 --> 00:58:00.119 windows and steal all your garden gates by tomorrow 00:58:00.119 --> 00:58:03.679 night, so we did the best next thing. We annihilated 00:58:03.679 --> 00:58:06.639 the world before your very ears and utterly destroyed 00:58:06.639 --> 00:58:10.329 the CBS. You will be relieved, I hope, to learn 00:58:10.329 --> 00:58:13.610 that we didn't mean it and that both institutions 00:58:13.610 --> 00:58:17.349 are still open for business. So goodbye, everybody, 00:58:17.389 --> 00:58:19.150 and remember, please, for the next day or so, 00:58:19.269 --> 00:58:24.030 the terrible lesson you learn tonight. That grinning, 00:58:24.230 --> 00:58:27.090 glowing, globular invader of your living room 00:58:27.090 --> 00:58:29.269 is an inhabitant of the pumpkin patch, and if 00:58:29.269 --> 00:58:32.670 your doorbell rings and nobody's there, that 00:58:32.670 --> 00:58:41.079 was no Martian. It's Halloween. Tonight the Columbia 00:58:41.079 --> 00:58:43.559 Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations 00:58:43.559 --> 00:58:45.820 coast to coast has brought you The War of the 00:58:45.820 --> 00:58:48.940 World by H .G. Wells, the 17th in its weekly 00:58:48.940 --> 00:58:51.760 series of dramatic broadcasts featuring Orson 00:58:51.760 --> 00:58:54.559 Welles and the Mercury Theatre on the air. Next 00:58:54.559 --> 00:58:56.980 week we present a dramatization of three famous 00:58:56.980 --> 00:59:00.820 short stories. This is the Columbia Broadcasting 00:59:00.820 --> 00:59:24.340 System. Broadcasting system and its affiliated 00:59:24.340 --> 00:59:27.099 stations present Orson Welles and the Mercury 00:59:27.099 --> 00:59:27.940 Theater on the air