“Alien”, “Blade Runner”, “2001: A Space Odyssey”, “Predator”: It’s films like these whose titles are part of discussions about the most popular and iconic science fiction classics in film history. While there’s no denying their cult status and cinematic importance, some of the most influential sci-fi adventures were made years earlier. Films like “Battle of the Worlds” (1951) and “The Thing from Another World” (1953).
While Steven Spielberg’s 2005 ‘War of the Worlds’ is etched in the minds of contemporary cinema audiences and John Carpenter’s 1982 ‘The Thing From Another World’ is even hailed as one of the best remakes of all time, their originals are far less well known – Gaps in education that are particularly worth closing in the near future. Because both films will soon appear in the best versions they have ever been in. Clash of the Worlds will be available on 4K Blu-ray for the first time ever on November 17, 2022 – and also includes the film “Judgment Day” by “Clash of the Worlds” producer George Pal in the limited Collector’s Edition.
» “Battle of the Worlds” 4K Blu-ray on Amazon*
“The Thing From Another World” celebrates its Blu-ray premiere on February 3, 2023. This is the first time Christian Nyby’s Alien classic has appeared in high definition. Responsible for this is the distributor with the appropriate name Filmjuwelen, who already gave classics like “King Kong and the White Woman” and “Cat People” an HD makeover in 2022.
» “The Thing From Another World” Blu-ray on Amazon*
Those two home cinema premieres are therefore not only the perfect opportunity to catch up on two milestones in science fiction cinema. On top of that you get it in the best version ever – if you leave the cinema experience aside. However, we assume that the majority of our readers were unable to experience either “Battle of the Worlds” or “The Thing From Another World” on the big screen…
“Battle of the Worlds” is not only the first of numerous adaptations of HG Wells science fiction novel “The War of the Worlds”, but is also considered one of the great pioneers of the legendary alien invasion cinema of the 1950s.
The mild summer evening, on which the residents of a small Californian town find themselves at the mercy of an extraterrestrial threat, was not only awarded the Oscar for the best special effects in 1954, but also in included in the National Film Registry.
at “The thing from another world” many sci-fi horror connoisseurs probably think first of John Carpenter’s legendary remake from 1982. At the latest on Blu-ray, however, it’s worth taking a look at its role model. Because the original is also worthwhile, and in 1951 it recorded more than the prominent competition such as “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “Judgment Day“.
The story of a research team that encounters an extraterrestrial being in the arctic ice rightly ranks in numerous leaderboards. For the American Film Institute (AFI), “The Thing from Another World” is one of the most exciting films in American film history, and time even voted the black-and-white classic the best science fiction film of the 1950s.
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