The Great Martian War 1913 1917
7 /10 1 Votes
Genre Alternate HistoryScience Fiction First episode date December 8, 2013 Country Canada, United Kingdom | 6.8/10 IMDb Network History Duration Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date 8 December 2013 Writer Steve Maher (original concept), Stephen Sarossy Nominations Canadian Screen Award for Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Program or Series Similar movies The War of the Worlds (1953) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Great Martian War 1913–1917 is a 2013 made-for-television science fiction film docudrama, directed by Mike Slee, that unfolds in the style of an episode from the History TV Channel. The film is, as presented, an alternate history of World War I in which Europe and its allies, including America, fight Martian invaders instead of Germany and its allies. The film is based on the 1897 science fiction novel The War of the Worlds, by English author H. G. Wells, and includes both new and digitally altered film footage shot during the War to End All Wars to establish the scope of the interplanetary conflict. The films original UK broadcast in late 2013 was during the first year of the World War I centennial; the films US broadcast followed months later in 2014.
Contents
Documentary-drama recounting the Martian War of 1913 - 1917. Europe was on tenterhooks in the 2nd decade of the 20th century, everyone was expecting a Great War between the major European powers. But then, in 1913, something crashed into the forests of SW Germany. Troops were sent to investigate but were wiped out. Martian fighting machines began making their way across Western Europe and the countries of Europe combined forces to resist them. With aspects taken from "The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells and from WWI itself, this dramatisation presents a documentary style look at events as they unfolded and the effect they had of our world today. Lots of references to real events including the mass attacks and defeats as men were thrown against machines on the Western front, the Christmas truce and the Angel of Mons, America's isolationism and late entry into the conflict, the worldwide "Spanish" flu epidemic that killed more people than the war, and many other things.
Plot
Combining period archive materials with state-of-the-art special effects, The Great Martian War 1913–1917 features interviews with now aging war veterans while looking back at the entire sweep of the interplanetary conflict. The war begins in the depths of Germanys Black Forest, following a massive explosion and shock wave that is felt by the rest of Europe. The German army is sent to investigate and is wiped out. The German government then makes a panicked appeal for military assistance in fighting what turns out to be a powerful, non-human invading force from Mars.
As the conflict unfolds, the film showcases the devastation of Western Europe, where a rag-tag human alliance digs in against monstrous Martian fighting machines, unaware that deep flaws exist in their military leaderships central battle strategy. Across the Atlantic, the film shows the political battle for the White House as president Woodrow Wilson struggles to maintain U. S. neutrality, all the while sending aid to the beleaguered European alliance. From the skies over central London, where bi-planes battle a towering alien tripod, to the war’s catastrophic final act, the Allies, now standing on the brink of total defeat by the alien invaders, must decide if launching an untested and potentially devastating secret weapon is worth risking the lives of millions and causing a global pandemic.
Exploring the wars events are two modern historians with opposing views about the conflicts many controversies. They most especially disagree on an incendiary new discovery centered around the notorious and uncrackable "Martian Code", a vast century old cache of alien documents seized after the conclusion of the war. These documents now appear to contain the direst of warnings that the war is only paused and far from over.
Main cast
The film is narrated by Mark Strong.
Similar Movies
The War of the Worlds (1953). H G Wells The War of the Worlds (2005). War of the Worlds: Goliath (2012). War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave (2008). War of the Worlds (2005).
Reception
One film reviewer found the film gripping and "not only fascinating to watch, but very realistic right to the very end." Another reviewer commented that the film may be "best described as an interesting curiosity." According to a reviewer for Postmedia News, the film is "a novelty, but an inventive and surprisingly engaging novelty."
References
The Great Martian War 1913–1917 WikipediaThe Great Martian War 1913–1917 IMDb The Great Martian War 1913–1917 themoviedb.org