Eve Of The War

I found this posted upon <a href='http://www.waroftheworldsfilm.com' target='_blank'>http://www.waroftheworldsfilm.com</a> forum from one of the members. Maybe one of our U.S members could check it out for us to see if its true.<br /><br />'Just want over to my neighborhood “Blockbuster,� and they said the release date for Pendragon Pictures “War of the Worlds� is Tuesday, June 14-flag Day. The price is tentative to be $14.99.'<br /><br />H_C<br /><a href='http://www.waroftheworldsonline.com' target='_blank'>http://www.waroftheworldsonline.com</a>

No joy here in California, I'm afraid...<br /><br />For those outside the U.S. who probably haven't heard of it, Blockbuster Video is a large chain of video-rental establishments. As far as I know, they're nationwide.<br /><br />I went to a nearby Blockbuster Video and asked them if they had any information about films that were due to be released on video/DVD during the upcoming spring and summer. The fellow at my local store said that they used to get information about upcoming releases in the form of a pamphlet, but that they hadn't gotten those pamphlets for months. It also wasn't the sort of information that he had access to from the computers in the store, he claimed. The place wasn't terribly busy, so I didn't get the impression that he was just trying to move me along in order to clear out a crowd or anything like that. I asked him if he thought that the same situation exists at other Blockbuster outlets, and he said that as far as he knew, it does.<br /><br />I also checked at another large video-rental chain called Hollywood Video, with basically the same result. They didn't have access to information on upcoming releases, either. They did have a little promotional pamphlet that listed some upcoming titles, but it only went as far as late April.<br /><br />So, if the Pendragon film really is going to be released to national-sized rental chains here in the U.S., you can't tell by asking the clerks.<br /><br />Even if they had tapped on their keyboards and said "Oh yes, sir, it looks like 'H.G. Wells The War of the Worlds' from Pendragon Pictures is due out on June 14th", it wouldn't really have proven anything. I think, though, that it would have added a bit of credibility to Hines' claims, since it's (presumably) harder to set up a deal like that than to write a press release.<br /><br />I think I have the same take on this as most other folks on this board: I can't help hoping that somehow Hines is on the level, and that a good, watchable, faithful film of Wells' book comes out. It's such a great story, so vivid and evocative, that a faithful film version would be a credit to the filmmaking business. But, who knows... maybe it will happen, maybe not.<br /><br />Just as I'm curious as to whether or not Hines is for real, I'm dying to ask McTodd how he knows that Hines is NOT for real. Other than Hines' lack of a track record, and the lack of corroborating proof of his efforts - and those are not small matters, granted - I'd be very curious how it is that you know so much about this guy. Are you at liberty to discuss your evidence that he's allegedly an Ed Wood-style shyster? I'm not suggesting that you're wrong, not trying to be confrontational, just curious to see your data...

Perrotin, don't worry, I'm not taking your question as being confrontational. I base it on what I've seen on the net, his lack of a track record, the fact that for the last three years Pendragon's amateurish website hasn't changed, the slipshod appearance of his company (I mean, they don't even host their own trailers, you have to watch them on 'How Stuff Works' - what the heck is that when it's at home?), the almost complete lack of trace of Hines anywhere on the internet where you'd expect to find tons of information (other than WotW that is, and odd snippets related to his earlier, unreleased, efforts). I'm not provy to any more information than you, but face it, what there is is pathetic, and as you say, those aren't small matters. Another thing - someone on another board said that Hines makes adverts, but I've not found any references on the net to corroborate that, and frankly, if he was involved in advertising, you'd expect him to have some kind of PR savvy, and that is conspicuously lacking so far (the crap website, the insultingly transparent press releases etc.).<br /><br />Maybe I'm wrong - I'd love to be, because I would absolutely love a period adaptation of WotW (certainly far more than a modern 'retelling' such as Spielberg's - but that's another tale). But so far, this guy is shaping up as an amateurish hack. I've looked at what I can see about this guy, and he doesn't look or sound right. Consequently, because I would like so much a faithful adaptation which is what this guy has been promising, I'm all the more angry at what I perceive to be the unlikelihood of a decent film emerging.

We have blockbuster here in Australia too, it aint bad :rolleyes:

<!--QuoteBegin-Perrotin+Mar 27 2005, 12:26 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Perrotin @ Mar 27 2005, 12:26 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->No joy here in California, I'm afraid...<br /><br />For those outside the U.S. who probably haven't heard of it, Blockbuster Video is a large chain of video-rental establishments. As far as I know, they're nationwide.<br /><br />[right][snapback]2463[/snapback][/right]<br />[/quote]<br />I'm afraid Blockbuster infultrated our British shores many years ago and as a result most of our small time video shops closed down.<br /><br />As for H. G. Wells War of the Worlds, directed by Hines, it obviously exists and is independant. However if he had a fully shot film, following the origional story, but the effects were still being developed or just poor, then why not put a trailer out that shows us the characters going through one of the emotional and interesting human ellements of the picture. Why not show us Ogilvey and the Journalist at the pit discussing what is inside. Followed by a shot of Cannons moving into position, a bit of panic and the Artillaryman discribing the massacre at Horsel Commen, when at the Journalists house?<br /><br />He could hold back on the Martian side of things and show us a bit of decent acting from the cast. <br /><br />If you fit all the peices together it seems he has some awful special effects, (Big Ben) and a SH*T actors and shots.<br /><br />If it comes out then we shall watch it and it will have a certain interest, in the same way a student film would, or that Austrailian one, but it won't be the H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds you dreamed of. <br /><br />Lets hope the BBC do a series of it some time soon.<br /><br />Luckily for us fans of the book, Jeff Wayne is going to deliver something magical.<br />And Parramount will deliver a stunning peice of Sci Fi that has a nod to the book of old. <br /><br />Hines must read what is posted here or elsewhere, but he doesn't seem to do anything about it!!! <_<