H.G. Wells' chilling novel of a Martian invasion of Earth becomes even more frightening in this 1952 film adaptation that's widely regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. An Oscar. winner for Best Special Effects, The War of the Worlds delivers eye-popping thrills, laser-hot action and unrelenting, edge-of-your-seat suspense. No one who has seen the film's depiction of the swan-shaped Martian machines-ticking and hissing menacingly as they cut their path of destruction-will ever forget their ominous impact!    Today's Science-Fiction extravaganzas all pay tribute to this pioneering classic from Producer George Pal (The War of the Worlds), which won an Oscar® for its spectacular special effects. An impending collision with a runaway star signals the destruction of earth. The government refuses to listen to scientists, but private industrialists finance the building of a spaceship, which will carry a limited number of people to another planet to begin a new civilization. As doomsday approaches, they race against time and the panic of those who will be left behind. The potential pulverizing impact of the collision, the massive tidal waves and devastating earthquakes and the final cosmic smashup make a chilling panorama of disaster. The balance between human and planetary drama is excellently maintained as the movie builds to its fascinating, unforgettable climax. The government refuses to listen to scientists, but private industrailist finance the building of a spaceship, which will carry a limited numer of people to another planet to begiin a new civilization. As doomsday approaches, they race against time and the panic of those who will be left behind. The potential pulverizing impact of the collision, the massive titdal waves and devastating earthquakes, and the final cosmic smashup make a chilling panorama of disaster. The balance between human and planetary drama is excellently maintained as the movie builds to its fascinating, unforgettable climax.