Invasion from Mars: Or How Orson Welles Panicked a Nation

Synopsis

On 30 October 1938, the Orson Welles Mercury Theatre group enacted a version, by Howard Koch, of H.G. Wells, novel ‘War of the Worlds’. It was transmitted live at 8pm standard time throughout the USA on the CBS radio network. Millions heard it and many panicked, believing that Martians were invading New Jersey. Using reconstruction and interviews with American radio listeners, sets out to analyse how it was that such a profound reaction was caused. Archive radio broadcasts as Hitler marched through Europe in 1938, together with science fiction serials such as Flash Gordon’s ‘Trip to Mars’, help illustrate how the American people had been subtly prepared to accept the notion of alien invaders. As one interviewee says ‘Some people mixed up the Martians with the Germans.'

Series

Science, Technology and Everyday Life 1870-1950, Course A282

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 25 min.

Year of production

1988

Availability

OUT OF DISTRIBUTION

Subjects

Media studies; Psychology; Technology

Keywords

history of technology; Hitler, Adolf; radio broadcasting; radio drama; Wells, H G

Credits

Producer

Neil Cameron

Cast

James Moore

Production Company

Name

BBC Open University Productions

Distributor

Name

Open University Worldwide

Web

http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 1908 274066

Address

Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Notes

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