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Title: Things to Come 1936 - HG WELLS
Source: [None]
URL Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atwfWEKz00U
Published: Apr 20, 2020
Author: H G Wells
Post Date: 2020-04-20 22:05:21 by Anthem
Keywords: None
Views: 822
Comments: 3

This is a Powerful, yet spooky and somewhat cheesy science fiction film made in 1936, produced by Alexander Korda based on the H. G. Wells classic book & brought to the silver screen as a vision of what warfare will bring mankind in the century to follow. That is to say the century that has now gone. The story shows the destructive nature of war and how is will catapult us back to a state of barbarism, warlords, and another Black Deathesque plague called the "Wandering Sickness." However, because MAN clings to science, MAN will rise above all this and create a new, modern society free of warfare. (again?) The film does have a lot of historical inaccuracies to its "dis"credit, but much of what is preaches is scarily plausible, and much of it has become prophetic. The theme that man can prevail and keep discovering/conquering new vistas is a laughable in hindsight. The film shows that progress and science are the things which advance us as a people. Personally I love the idea that the scientists and/or inventors had formed their own civilization, free of corruption and violence. I just wonder who does the cleaning up. The pace of the film is a little slow at times, but have watched it several times it is still very very compelling. The set designs are outstanding in the futuristic world of 2036(where they valiantly try to put a rocket in space to make a preliminary orbit around the moon). The acting is rather good considering the time it was made. (Having just come out of "talkies" and still having a tendency to chew the scenery and everything within a 5 mile radius.) Raymond Massey and Cedric Hardwicke giving great performances, but it is Ralph Richardson as a "Boss" who deserves the most praise for giving a powerful performance of a man with inherent human traits that just ruin progress. A thought provoking film and quite spooky in it's observation of human nature. Of course HG Wells was a genius indeed!

Category
Film & Animation
913 Comments

Giovanni Pincoletti 4 years ago (edited)

This movie is a classic, and is NOT cheesy as described above. The special effects were excellent considering the movie was made in 1936, long before CGI was even a thought. Compare these special effects with some of the sci-fi movies made in the 60s and they stand head and shoulders above the later movies which were cheesy.

Raymond Massey was a great actor whose basso delivery gave a seriousness and an importance to any character he ever played. This movie will stand up to the modern version of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds starring Tom Cruise considering the technology they had to work with in 1936. Remember, many of these scenes were carefully constructed models. Fast forward to the Japanese sci-fi movies of Godzilla and Mothra done in the late 50s, and Things to Come make them look like amateurish Kodak 8 films. This was an era when British films not only rivaled Hollywood, but in my opinion, surpassed them.

This movie is kind of a "New World Order" with a conscience and the real purpose to elevate and benefit mankind through technology. Today we have HAARP, nuclear weapons, and incessant spying through the use of technology, but it is the technology of Frankenstein and Dr. Strangelove combined.

Nikki Sokol 4 years ago

Use of solar energy, wrist watches that were telephones,-only a portion of some of the things that the movie shows in 1936. Many of these technologies have come to fruition. Cheesy science fiction? Not if you realize that the movie was really ahead of it's time.Not only in content but the use of special effects such as it was in the 30's.

Equality Matters 7 months ago

"The state is your mother and your father!" Wow, that sounds like dialogue from 2019.


Poster Comment:

This is H. G. Wells' one world government story made into a film. It is a good production for its day. Naturally the leaders of the world government are benevolent dictators.

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#1. To: Anthem, 4um (#0) (Edited)

(Edit) " I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... Like tears in rain... Time to die." Roy Batty

Seen it, several times now.

"TransAtlantic Tunnel" is a fun EweToob jaunt. Predicted the "Chunnel", flat screen TeeVees, corruption in gooburmunt, etc. Pre-WWII.

The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. - Dr. Eldon Tyrell

Godfrey Smith: Mike, I wouldn't worry. Prosperity is just around the corner.
Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner.
My Man Godfrey (1936)

Esso  posted on  2020-04-20   22:26:06 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: Anthem (#0)

Digital certificates to track you. To cut off your credit if you are a bad boy.

The Truth of 911 Shall Set You Free From The Lie

Horse  posted on  2020-04-20   22:53:07 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: Horse (#2)

Guess I'll have to eat fresh vegetables from the garden and cook venison, pork, and fish over my wood burning stove. May have to put together a salt cooler.


Freedom is a social skill.

Anthem  posted on  2020-04-21   9:21:39 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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