the war of the worlds

• h g wells'in klasik bilim kurgu romani. ayrica, orson welles'in radyo icin hazirladigi, marslilarin dunya'yi istilasini konu alan 1938 tarihli bilimkurgu oyunu . orson welles o kadar karizmatik ve inandirici konu$mu$ ki, amerikalilar harbi atmi$lar kendilerini sokaklara .
  
  bu oyunun tam versiyonunu napster'da gordum ancak baktim 56mb dosya, baktim 56k modem, dedim bo$ver .
  
  bir de bu war of the worlds'un dizisi cekilmi$ti 1990'li yillarda sanirim, trt2'de mi ne gosterilirdi . onu da severek izlerdik .
• dinleyen kim varsa hepsinin yüreğine indiran amerika da hayatı felç eden efsanevi bir radyo tiyatrosu denemesi olarak tarihe geçmiştir bu gerçekten de evet; internetten -1939 sürümü- yaklaşık 30 dakikalık orijinal versiyonunu da bulmak mümkün olan bu mizansen/ tornistan ohayo^* universitesinden bilmem hangi profesorle "marsılar ve uzayda hayat" konulu hayal ürünü bir röportajın yapılmasıyla başlar ve daha sonra normal yayın akışı gereği araya klasik müzik yayını girilir işte o anda adamımız (orson welles) x eyaletine akın akın uzaylıların inmekte olduğu haberini yayını keserek bildirir ve o an stüdyoda olan profesorden olayla ilgili bilgiler almaya başlar; orson welles gergin bir ses tonuyla usa nın dört bir yanından gelen ufo istilası haberlerini vere dursun çamurda oynaşan domuz sesi çıkarmakta olan bir grup uzaylı radyo stüdyosuna da gelirler ve olaylar hızla gelişir
  
  işbu yayının - son dakika haberleri- edasıyla verilmesinin hemen ardından olayı gerçek zanneden her yaştan amerikalılar çoluk çocuk dağlara kırlara kaçmaya başlamışlar; şehirleri taşraya bağlayan ana arterler kilitlenmiş, av tüfeğini alıp caddelere uzaylı vurmaya çıkan ihtiyarlar bir anda sokakları doldurmuştur
  
  ilginç olan nokta ise oron welles in "we are interrupting this program to bring you a special news" diyerek kestiği - sözde- normal yayın akışında o anda yine sözde bir klasik müzik programında chopin in bir piyano süitinin çalıyor olmasıdır ki tarihin (ya da hayatın) bir cilvesi olsa gerek bundan yaklaşık 3 yıl sonra japonlar durup dururken pearl harbour a bir baskın düzenleyip neredeyse bütün amerikan donanmasını yok ettiklerinde normal yayın akışında tesadüfen yine chopin in aynı piyano süiti çalıyor olacak ama bunu orson welles in yeni bir numarası zanneden ve sütten ağzı yanan amerikalıların çoğu uzun bir süre 2. dünya savaşına girdiklerine inanmak istemeyeceklerdir
  
  korcan karar ın "limitsiz palavra" temalı şok programını yaratırken kesinlikle bu welles mizanseninden ilham aldığını düşünüyorum
• bir radyo programi sirasinda, dinleyicilerini panikle evlerinden di$ariya cikarip galeyana gelmelerine neden olmu$ tarihin 2. radyo $akasina orson welles tarafindan pek guzelce alet edilmi$ bilim-kurgu yapitidir. bu orneklerin ilki ise 1926 yilinda ingiltere'de meydana gelmi$, radyo programinin orta yerinde spiker ozel bir haber bulteni icin yayini kesip, ingiltere'deki i$sizlerin ayaklanmasini, parlamenterleri yakalayip asmalarini, savoy otelini bombalamalarini, big ben'i yikmalarini an be an aktarmi$tir. her iki ornegin de, yaratmi$ oldugu etkiler -programlarin evvelinde bunlarin dramatizasyon olduklari bildirilmi$ oldugu halde- ertesi gunlerde de surmu$tur ve her iki ornek de 30'lu yillarda radyonun aslinda ne kadar guclu ve ayni anda riskli bir medya oldugunu -ne de olsa haberler gorsellerle desteklenmemekte, haberlerin zihinde olu$turulmasi yari yariya dinleyiciye ve onun yorumlamasina bagli kalmaktadir- ve toplumsal histeriyi tetiklemenin dogru efektler ve dogru propaganda yontemleriyle ne kadar kolay oldugunu gostermesi acisindan kusursuz birer ornektirler.
• amerikayi birbirine katan radyo versiyonunda esasinda 15 dakikada bir "huzurlarinizda orson welles ve mercury theater, war of the worlds'u sunacaklar" gibi bisey denmekte, ama o heyecan sirasinda farkedilmedi heralde.. onun disinda oldukca gercekci.. cok pis bi sekilde muzik yayinimiz var diyerek muzik calarak baslar, sonra parcanin ortasinda dan diye sok haberimiz var denir, bu bikac kere tekrar edilip dinleyici iyice isindirilir.. sonra da kafayi yer halk tabi, polis itfaiye vs. baya kasmis o gun sanirsam.. bu program da bir daha yayinlanmasin diye yasak bile getirmisler..
  film versiyonu ise orjinal hikayeden sapmis biraz, zamani icin basarili falan deniyor ama tavsiye isterseniz o filmi izlemeyin, oldugunu bile unutun hatta..
• 1978'de jeff wayne projesi olan albümün sözleri şöyledir:
  
  disc 1:
  1. the eve of the war
  2. horsell common and the heat ray
  3. the artilleryman and the fighting machine
  4. forever autumn
  5. thunder child
  
  disc 2:
  6. the red weed
  7. the spirit of man
  8. the red weed (part 2)
  9. brave new world
  10. dead london
  11. epilogue (part 1)
  12. epilogue (part 2) (nasa)
  
  the eve of the war
  
  journalist : no one would have believed, in the last years
  of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being
  watched from the timeless worlds of space.
  
  no one could have dreamed we were being scrutinized, as
  someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm
  and multiply in a drop of water. few men even considered
  the possibility of life on other planets and yet, across
  the gulf of space, minds immeasurably superior to ours
  regarded this earth with envious eyes,
  and slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us.
  
  at midnight, on the twelfth of august, a huge mass of
  luminous gas erupted from mars and sped towards earth.
  across two hundred million miles of void, invisibly hurtling
  towards us, came the first of the missiles that were to
  bring so much calamity to earth. as ı watched, there was
  another jet of gas. ıt was another missile, starting on its way.
  
  and that's how it was for the next ten nights.
  a flare, spurting out from mars - bright green,
  drawing a green mist behind it - a beautiful,
  but somehow disturbing sight.
  ogilvy,the astronomer, assured me we were in no danger.
  he was convinced there could be no living thing,
  on that remote, forbidding planet.
  
  'the chances of anything coming from mars are a million
  to one,' he said.
  'the chances of anything coming from mars are a million
  to one - but still they come!'
  
  journalist : then came the night the first missile
  approached earth. ıt was thought
  to be an ordinary falling star, but next day there was a
  huge crater in the middle of the
  common, and ogilvy came to examine what lay there: a
  cylinder, thirty yards across,
  glowing hot... and with faint sounds of movement.
  coming from within.
  
  suddenly the top began moving, rotating, unscrewing, and
  ogilvy feared there was a
  man inside, trying to escape. he rushed to the cylinder,
  but the intense heat stopped him
  before he could burn himself on the metal.
  
  'the chances of anything coming from mars are a million
  to one,' he said.
  'the chances of anything coming from mars are a million
  to one - but they still come!'
  'yes, the chances of anything coming from mars are a
  million to one,' he said.
  'the chances of anything coming from mars are a million
  to one - but they still come!'
  
  ıt seems totally incredible to me now,
  that everyone spent that evening
  as though it were just like any other.
  from the railway station came the sound
  of shunting trains, ringing and rumbling,
  softened almost into melody by the distance.
  ıt all seemed so safe and tranquil.
  
  horsell common and the heat ray
  
  horsell common and the heat ray
  
  journalist: next morning, a crowd gathered on the common, hypnotized by the unscrewing of the cylinder.
  two feet of shining screw projected when, suddenly, the lid fell off! two luminous disc-like eyes appeared
  above the rim. a huge, rounded bulk, larger than a bear, rose up slowly, glistening like wet leather. ıts lipless
  mouth quivered and slavered, and snake-like tentacles writhed as the clumsy body heaved and pulsated. a few
  young men crept closer to the pit. a tall funnel rose, then an invisible ray of heat leapt from man to man and
  there was a bright glare, as each was instantly turned to fire. every tree and bush became a mass of flames at
  the touch of this savage, unearthly heat ray. people clawed their way off the common, and ı ran too. ı felt ı
  was being toyed with, that when ı was on the very verge of safety, this mysterious death would leap after me
  and strike me down. at last ı reached maybury hill and in the dim coolness of my home ı wrote an account for
  my newspaper before ı sank into a restless, haunted sleep. ı awoke to alien sounds of hammering from the pit,
  and hurried to the railway station to buy the paper. around me, the daily routine of life - working, eating,
  sleeping - was continuing serenely as it had for countless years. on horsell common, the martians continued
  hammering and stirring, sleepless, indefatigable, at work upon the machines they were making. now and again
  a light, like the beam of a warship's searchlight, swept the common - and the heat ray was ready to follow.
  ın the afternoon, a company of soldiers came through and deployed along the edge of the common, to form a
  cordon. that evening, there was a violent crash and ı realized with horror that my home was now within range
  of the martian's heat ray. at dawn, a falling star with a trail of green mist landed with a flash like summer
  lightning. this was the second cylinder.
  
  horsell common and the heat ray back to youtube
  
  the artillery man and the fighting machine
  
  journalist: the hammering from the pit and the pounding of guns
  grew louder. my fear rose at the sound of someone creeping into the house.
  then ı saw it was a young artilleryman, weary, streaked with blood and dirt.
  artilleryman : anyone here?
  journalist : come in. here - drink this.
  artilleryman : thank you.
  journalist: what's happened?
  artilleryman : they wiped us out. hundreds dead - maybe thousands.
  journalist : the heat ray.
  artilleryman : the martians! they were inside the hoods of the machines they'd
  made - massive metal things on legs! giant machines that walked - they attacked us!
  they wiped us out!
  journalist: machines?
  artilleryman : fighting machines! picking up men and bashing 'em against trees.
  just hunks of metal, but they knew exactly what they were doing.
  journalist : mmm. there was another cylinder came last night.
  artilleryman : yes. it looked bound for london.
  journalist: london! carrie! ı hadn't dreamed there could be danger to carrie and
  her father, so many miles away. ı must go to london at once.
  artilleryman : and me. got to report to headquarters - if there's anything left of it.
  journalist : at byfleet we came upon an ınn, but it was deserted.
  artilleryman : ıs everybody dead?
  journalist : not everybody. look! six cannons with gunners standing by.
  artilleryman : ıt's bows and arrows against the lightning. they haven't seen the
  heat ray yet.
  journalist: we hurried along the road to weybridge. suddenly, there was a heavy
  explosion. the ground heaved, windows shattered and gusts of smoke erupted into the air.
  artilleryman : look! there they are! what did ı tell you?
  journalist : quickly, one after the other, four of the fighting machines appeared.
  monstrous tripods, higher than the tallest steeple, striding over the pine trees and
  smashing them. walking engines of glittering metal. each carried a huge funnel and ı
  realized with horror that ı'd seen this awful thing before. a fifth machine
  appeared on the far bank. ıt raised itself to full height, flourished the
  funnel high in the air - and the ghostly, terrible heat ray struck the town.
  journalist : as it struck, all five fighting machines exulted, emitting deafening howls
  which roared like thunder.
  
  martians : ulla! ulla!
  
  journalist: the six guns we had seen now fired simultaneously, decapitating
  a fighting machine. the martian inside the hood was slain, splashed to the four
  winds, and the body, nothing now but an intricate device of metal, went whirling
  to destruction. as the other monsters advanced, people ran away blindly, the
  artilleryman among them, but ı jumped into the water and hid until forced up to
  breathe. now the guns spoke again, but this time the heat ray sent them to oblivion.
  
  martians : ulla!
  
  journalist: with a white flash, the heat ray swept across the river. scalded, half-
  blinded and agonized, ı staggered through leaping, hissing water towards the shore. ı
  fell helplessly, in full sight of the martians, expecting nothing but death. the foot of
  a fighting machine came down close to my head, then lifted again, as the four martians
  carried away the debris of their fallen comrade... and ı realized that by a miracle ,
  ı had escaped.
  
  martians : ulla! ulla! ulla!
  
  forever autumn
  
  journalist: for three days ı fought my way along roads packed with
  refugees, the homeless, burdened with boxes and bundles containing their
  valuables. all that was of value to me was in london, but by the time ı
  reached their little red-brick house, carrie and her father were gone.
  
  forever autumn
  
  the summer sun is fading as the year grows old
  and darker days are drawing near
  the winter winds will be much colder
  now you're not here.
  
  ı watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky
  and one by one they disappear
  ı wish that ı was flying with them
  now you're not here.
  
  like the sun through the trees you came to love me
  like a leaf on a breeze you blew away
  
  through autumn's golden gown we used to kick our way
  you always loved this time of year
  those fallen leaves lie undisturbed now
  'cause you're not here
  'cause you're not here
  'cause you're not here
  
  journalist: fire suddenly leapt from house to house, the population panicked and
  ran - and ı was swept along with them, aimless and lost without carrie. finally, ı headed
  eastward for the ocean, and my only hope of survival - a boat out of england.
  
  like the sun through the trees you came to love me
  like a leaf on a breeze you blew away
  
  a gentle rain falls softly on my weary eyes
  as if to hide a lonely tear
  my life will be forever autumn
  'cause you're not here
  'cause you're not here
  'cause you're not here
  
  panic in the streets
  journalist : as ı hastened through covent garden, blackfriars and billingsgate,
  more and more people joined the painful exodus. sad, weary women, their children
  stumbling and streaked with tears, their men bitter and angry, the rich rubbing
  shoulders with beggars and outcasts. dogs snarled and whined, the horses' bits
  were covered with foam... and here and there were wounded soldiers, as helpless
  as the rest. we saw tripods wading up the thames, cutting through bridges as though
  they were paper - waterloo bridge, westminster bridge... one appeared above big ben.
  
  martians : ulla!
  
  journalist : never before in the history of the world had such a mass of
  human beings moved and suffered together. this was no disciplined march - it
  was a stampede - without order and without a goal, six million people unarmed
  and unprovisioned, driving headlong. ıt was the beginning of the rout of civilization,
  of the massacre of mankind. a vast crowd buffeted me towards the already packed
  steamer. ı looked up enviously at those safely on board - straight into the eyes
  of my beloved carrie! at sight of me she began to fight her way along the packed
  deck to the gangplank. at that very moment it was raised, and ı caught a last glimpse
  of her despairing face as the crowd swept me away from her.
  
  like the sun through the trees you came to love me
  like a leaf on a breeze you blew away.
  
  through autumn's golden gown we used to kick our way
  you always loved this time of year
  those fallen leaves lie undisturbed now
  'cause you're not here
  'cause you're not here
  'cause you're not here
  
  martians : ulla!
  
  thunder child
  
  thunder child
  
  journalist : the steamer began to move slowly away - but on the landward horizon
  appeared the silhouette of a fighting machine. another came, and another, striding
  over hills and trees, plunging far out to sea and blocking the exit of the steamer.
  between them lay the silent, grey ıronclad 'thunder child'. slowly it moved towards
  shore; then, with a deafening roar and whoosh of spray, it swung about and drove at
  full speed towards the waiting martians.
  
  people : there were ships of shapes and sizes
  scattered out along the bay
  and ı thought ı heard her calling
  as the steamer pulled away
  the ınvaders must have seen them
  as across the coast they filed
  standing firm between them
  there lay thunder child
  
  moving swiftly through the waters
  cannons blazing as she came
  brought a mighty metal war-lord
  crashing down in sheets of flame
  sensing victory was nearing
  thinking fortune must have smiled
  people started cheering
  
  'come on thunder child'
  'come on thunder child'
  
  journalist : the martians released their black smoke, but the ship
  sped on,cutting down one of the tripod figures. ınstantly, the others
  raised their heat rays and melted the thunder child's valiant heart.
  
  people : lashing ropes and smashing timbers
  flashing heat rays pierced the deck
  dashing hopes for our deliverance
  as we watched the sinking wreck
  with the smoke of battle clearing
  over graves in waves defiled
  slowly disappearing
  farewell thunder child!
  slowly disappearing
  farewell thunder child!
  farewell thunder child!
  farewell thunder child!
  
  journalist: when the smoke cleared, the little steamer had reached the
  misty horizon, and carrie was safe. but the thunder child had vanished
  taking with her man's last hope of victory. the leaden sky was lit by green
  flashes, cylinder following cylinder, and no one and nothing was left now to
  fight them. the earth belonged to the martians.
  
  martians : ulla!
  
  the red weed
  
  journalist : next day, the dawn was a brilliant, fiery red and ı wandered
  through the weird and lurid landscape of another planet; for the vegetation
  which gives mars its red appearance had taken root on earth. as man had succumbed
  to the martians, so our land now succumbed to the red weed. wherever there was a
  stream, the red weed clung and grew with frightening voraciousness, its claw-like
  fronds choking the movement of the water; and then it began to creep like a slimy
  red animal across the land, covering field and ditch and tree and hedgerow with
  living scarlet feelers, crawling! crawling!
  
  the spirit of man
  
  journalist : ı suddenly noticed the body of a parson,
  lying on the ground in a ruined churchyard. ı felt unable to leave him
  to the mercy of the red weed and decided to bury him decently.
  
  beth : nathaniel! nathaniel!
  journalist: the parson's eyes flickered open. he was alive!
  beth : nathaniel! ı saw the church burst into flame! are you all right?
  parson : don't touch me!
  beth : but it's me - beth. your wife.
  parson : no. you're one of them. a devil!
  beth : (to journalist) he's delirious!
  parson : lies! ı saw the devil's sign.
  beth : what are you saying?
  parson : the green flash in the sky. his demons were here all along
  in our hearts and souls - just waiting for a sign from him. and now
  they're destroying our world.
  beth : but they're not devils - they're martians.
  journalist: we must leave here.
  beth : look! a house still standing! come, nathaniel, quickly!
  journalist: we took shelter in a cottage and black smoke spread,
  hemming us in. then a fighting machine came across the fields,
  spraying jets of steam that turned the smoke into thick, black dust.
  martians : ulla!
  
  beth : dear god - help us!
  nathaniel : the voice of the devil is heard in our land!
  listen, do you hear them drawing near, in their search for the sinners?
  feeding on the power of our fear and the evil within us?
  ıncarnation of satan's creation of all that we dread
  when the demons arrive those alive will be better off dead
  beth : there must be something worth living for
  there must be something worth trying for
  even something worth dying for
  and if one man can stand tall
  there must be hope for us all
  somewhere, somewhere in the spirit of man
  nathaniel : once, there was a time when ı believed without hesitation
  that the power of love and truth could conquer all
  ın the name of salvation, tell me what kind of weapon is love when it comes to the fight?
  and just how much protection is truth against all satan's might?
  beth : there must be something worth living for
  there must be something worth trying for
  even some things worth dying for
  and if one man could stand tall
  there must be some hope for us all
  somewhere, somewhere in the spirit of man
  
  beth : people loved you, and trusted you, came to you for help...
  nathaniel : didn't ı warn them this would happen? be on your guard,
  ı said, for the evil one never rests... ı said exorcise the devil! but no,
  they wouldn't listen, the demons inside them grew and grew, until satan
  gave his signal and destroyed the world we knew!
  beth : no nathaniel, oh no nathaniel, no nathaniel, no,
  there must be more to life,
  there has to be a way that we can restore to life
  the love we used to know
  (no,) nathaniel, no, there must be more to life,
  there has to be a way that we can restore to life
  the light that we have lost.
  (no,) nathaniel, no, there must be more to life,
  there has to be a way that we can restore to life the light that we have lost
  
  nathaniel : now darkness has descended on our land
  and all your prayers cannot save us
  like fools we've let the devil take command
  of the souls that god gave us
  to the altar of evil like lambs to the slaughter were led
  when the demons arrive the survivors will envy the dead!
  beth : there must be something worth living for
  nathaniel : no, there is nothing!
  beth : there must be something worth trying for
  nathaniel : ı don't believe it's so!
  beth : even something worth dying for
  ıf just one man could stand tall
  there would be some hope for us all,
  somewhere, somewhere in the spirit of man.
  
  nathaniel : forget about goodness and mercy, they're gone!
  
  didn't ı warn them? pray, ı said! destroy the devil, ı said! they wouldn't listen!
  ı could have saved the world! but now it's too late... too late!
  
  beth : no nathaniel, oh no nathaniel, no nathaniel, no,
  there must be more to life,
  there has to be a way, that we can restore to life the love we used to know
  (no,) nathaniel, no, there must be more to life,
  there has to be a way that we can restore to life the light that we have lost...
  
  nathaniel : dear god! a cylinder's landed on the house, and we are underneath it, in the pit!
  journalist : the martians spent the night making a new machine. ıt was a squat, metallic spider
  with huge, articulated claws, but it, too, had a hood in which a martian sat.
  ı watched it pursuing some people across a field. ıt caught them nimbly and tossed
  them into a great metal basket upon its back.
  nathaniel : beth, she's dead.
  journalist : then, on the ninth day, we saw the martians
  eating. ınside the hood of their new machine they were drawing the fresh, living blood of men
  and women and injecting it into their own veins.
  nathaniel : aaah! ıt's a sign! ı've been given a sign! they must be cast out,
  and ı have been chosen to do it! ı must confront them now!
  journalist : no, parson, no!
  nathaniel : those machines are just demons in another form. ı shall destroy them with my prayers,
  ı shall burn them with my holy cross. ı shall...
  journalist : the curious eye of a martian appeared at the window slit, and a menacing claw explored
  the room. ı dragged the parson down to the coal cellar. ı heard the martian fumbling at the latch. ın the
  darkness ı could see the claw touching things, walls, coal, wood. and then, it touched my boot. ı almost
  shouted. for a time it was still, and then, with a click, it gripped something: the parson! with slow, deliberate
  movements, his unconscious body was dragged away, and there was nothing ı could do to prevent it.
  
  the red weed (part two)
  
  ı crept to the blocked window slit and peered through the creeper. the martians, and all their machinery, had gone!
  trembling, ı dug my way out and clambered to the top of the mound: not a martian in sight! the day seemed dazzling
  bright after my imprisonment and the sky a glowing blue. red weed covered every scrap of ground but a gentle breeze
  kept it swaying, and oh, the sweetness of the air. again, ı was on my way to london through towns and villages that were
  blackened ruins, totally silent, desolated, deserted. man's empire had passed away, taken swiftly and without error by these
  creatures who were composed entirely of brain. unhampered by the complex systems which make up man, they made and
  used different bodies according to their needs. they never tired, never slept, and never suffered, having long since eliminated
  from their planet the bacteria which cause all fevers and other morbidities.
  
  artilleryman : halt! who goes there?
  journalist : er, a friend...
  artilleryman : be on your way, this is my territory!
  journalist : your territory? what do you mean?
  artilleryman : wait a minute... it's you! the man from maybury hill!
  journalist : good heavens, the artilleryman. ı thought you'd surely burned.
  artilleryman : ı thought you'd surely drowned.
  journalist : have you seen any martians?
  artilleryman : everywhere. we're done for all right.
  journalist : we can't just give up.
  artilleryman : `course we can't. ıt's now that we've got to start fighting.
  not against them, cause we can't win. now, we've got to fight for survival.
  ı reckon we can make it. ı've got a plan.
  
  brave new world
  
  artilleryman: we're gonna build a whole new world for ourselves.
  look,they clap eyes on us and we're dead, right? so we gotta make
  a new life where they'll never find us. you know where? underground.
  you should seeit down there - hundreds of miles of drains - sweet and
  clean now after the rain, dark, quiet, safe. we can build houses and
  everything, start again from scratch. and what's so bad about living
  underground eh? ıt's not been sogreat living up here, if you want my opinion.
  
  take a look around you at the world we've come to know
  does it seem to be much more than a crazy circus show
  but maybe from the madness something beautiful will grow
  ın a brave new world. with just a handful of men
  we'll start - we'll start all over again - all over again
  all over again - all over again
  
  we'll build shops and hospitals and barracks right under their noses,
  right under their feet! everything we need - banks, prisons and schools...
  we'll send scouting parties to collect books and stuff, and men like you'll
  teach the kids. not poems and rubbish, science, so we can get everything working.
  we'll build villages and towns and... and... we'll play each other at cricket!
  listen, maybe one day we'll capture a fighting machine, eh? learn how to make 'em
  ourselves and then wallop! our turn to do some wiping out! whoosh with our heat ray
  whoosh! and them running and dying, beaten at their own game. man on top again!
  
  now our domination of the earth is fading fast
  and out of the confusion the chance has come at last
  to build a better future from the ashes of the past
  ın a brave new world
  with just a handful of men
  we'll start all over again
  
  look - man is born in freedom but he soon becomes a slave
  ın cages of convention from the cradle to the grave
  the weak fall by the wayside but the strong will be saved
  ın a brave new world
  with just a handful of men
  we'll start all over again
  
  ı'm not trying to tell you what to be
  oh no, oh no, not me
  but if mankind is to survive
  the people left alive
  they're gonna have to build this world anew
  and it's going to have to start with me and you
  
  yes!
  
  ı'm not trying to tell you what to be
  oh no, oh no, not me
  but if mankind is to survive
  the people left alive
  they're gonna have to build this world anew
  yes and we will have to be the chosen few
  just think of all the poverty, the hatred and the lies
  and imagine the destruction of all that you despise
  slowly from the ashes the phoenix will arise
  ın a brave new world
  with just a handful of men
  we'll start all over again
  
  take a look around you at the world you've loved so well
  and bid the ageing empire of man a last farewell
  ıt may not sound like heaven but at least it isn't hell
  ıt's a brave new world
  with just a handful of men
  we'll start - we'll start all over again
  all over again - all over again
  all over again.
  
  ı've got a plan! can't you just see it? civilization starting all
  over again, a second chance. we'll even build a railway, and tunnel
  to the coast, go there for our holidays. nothing can stop men like
  us. ı've made a start already. come on down here and have a look.
  
  journalist: ın the cellar was a tunnel scarcely ten yards long, that had
  taken him a week to dig. ı could have dug that much in a day, and ı suddenly
  had my first inkling of the gulf between his dreams and his powers.
  
  artilleryman: ıt's doing the workin' and the thinkin' that wears
  a feller out. ı'm ready for a bit of a rest. how about a drink eh?
  nothing but champagne, now ı'm the boss.
  
  journalist: we drank and then he insisted upon playing cards. with our
  species on the edge of extermination, with no prospect but a horrible death,
  we actually played games. later, he talked more of his plan, but ı saw flames
  flashing in the deep blue night. red weed glowing, tripod figures moving distantly,
  and ı put down my champagne glass. ı felt a traitor to my kind and ı knew ı must
  leave this strange dreamer.
  
  artilleryman: take a look around you at the world we've come to know
  does it seem to be much more than a crazy circus show. maybe from the
  madness something beautiful will grow...
  
  dead london
  
  the birds
  journalist: there were a dozen dead bodies in the euston road, their outlines
  softened by the black dust. all was still, houses locked and empty, shops closed,
  but looters had helped themselves to wine and food, and outside a jewellers, some
  gold chains and a watch were scattered on the pavement.
  
  martians : ulla!
  
  journalist : ı stopped, staring towards the sound. ıt seemed as if that mighty
  desert of houses had found a voice for its fear and solitude.
  
  martians : ulla!
  
  journalist: the desolating cry worked upon my mind. the wailing took possession
  of me. ı was intensely weary, footsore, hungry and thirsty. why was ı wandering alone
  in this city of the dead? why was ı alive, when london was lying in state in its black
  shroud? ı felt intolerably lonely, drifting from street to empty street, drawn inexorably
  towards that cry.
  
  martians : ulla!
  
  journalist: ı saw, over the trees on primrose hill, the fighting machine from which
  the howling came. ı crossed regents canal. there stood a second machine, upright, but
  as still as the first.
  
  martians : ulla! ulla!
  
  journalist: abruptly, the sound ceased. suddenly, the desolation, the solitude,
  became unendurable. while that voice sounded, london had still seemed alive. now
  suddenly, there was a change, the passing of something - and all that remained
  was this gaunt quiet. ı looked up and saw a third machine ıt was erect and motionless,
  like the others. an insane resolve possessed me, ı would give my life to the martians,
  here and now ı marched recklessly towards the titan and saw that a multitude of black
  birds was circling and clustering about the hood. ı began running along the road.
  ı felt no fear, only a wild, trembling exultation, as ı ran up the hill towards, the
  motionless monster. out of the hood hung red shreds, at which the hungry birds now
  pecked and tore. ı scrambled up to the crest of primrose hill, and the martian's camp
  was below me. a mighty space it was, and scattered about it, in their overturned machines,
  were the martians - dead... slain, after all man's devices had failed, by the humblest
  things upon the earth, bacteria. minute, invisible, bacteria! directly the ınvaders arrived
  and drank and fed, our microscopic allies attacked them. from that moment - they were doomed!
  
  journalist: the torment was ended. the people scattered over the country, desperate,
  leaderless, starved... the thousands who had fled by sea including the one most dear to me,
  all would return. the pulse of life, growing stronger and stronger, would beat again. as life
  returns to normal, the question of another attack from mars causes universal concern. ıs our
  planet safe, or is this time of peace merely a reprieve? ıt may be that, across the immensity
  of space, they have learned their lessons and even now await their opportunity. perhaps the
  future belongs not to us - but to the martians?
  
  epilogue
  
  pasadeda control : ıt's looking good. ıt's going good. we're getting great
  pictures here at nasa control, pasadena. the landing-craft touched down on mars
  28 kilometers from the aim-point. we're looking at a remarkable landscape, littered
  with different kinds of rocks - red, purple.... how 'bout that, bermuda?
  
  bermuda control : fantastic! look at the dune-field.
  
  pasadeda control : hey, wait. ı'm getting a no-go signal. now ı'm losing one
  of the craft. hey, bermuda, you getting it?
  
  bermuda control : no, ı lost contact. there's a lot of dust blowing up there.
  
  pasadeda control : now ı've lost the second craft. we got problems.
  
  bermuda control : all contact lost, pasadena. maybe the antenna's...
  
  pasadeda control : what's that flare? see it? a green flare, coming from mars,
  kind of a green mist behind it. ıt's getting closer. you see it, bermuda? come in,
  bermuda! houston, come in! what's going on?
  tracking station 43, canberra, come in canberra! tracking station 63,
  can you hear me, madrid? can anybody hear me? come in, come in...
• uzaydan gelenin illaki bir tehlike olacagina dair yaygin korkunun ortaya cikmasinda en etkili olan kitap. (bu korku et filmi cevrilene kadar somurulmustur)
  
  micromegasa benzer sekilde canlilarin birbirlerine olan goreli bakis acisi kitabin her yerinde belli edilir. dunyanin her yerini ele gecirdigi icin en ustun olduklarini dusunen insanlar, dunyaya gelen rama bicimli mermileri^* onemsemezler, icinden cikacak yaratikların yuksek yercekimiyle basa cikamayacaklari gerekcesiyle olayi kucumserler. ta ki marslilar en gercekci lazer kurgularindan biri olan isi isini ile ortami dagatmaya baslayana kadar. artik marslilar karsisinda insanlar, cocugun cani istedigi gibi dagittigi yuvadaki karincalara benzerler.
  
  marslilarin altinda yasami kabullenip bu sekilde orgutlenme calismalari yapan ve dakikasinda tum olayi evrimsel gecmisi ve gelecegiyle irdeleyip bin yil sonrasinin anatomisini anlatan, kuracagi yer alti devletiyle marsli teknolojisini ogrenip, marsli aracina binip dunyayi kurtaran adam unvanina kavusmak isteyen ve bunlari yaparken gereksizlerin kiyimi adli soykirimi oneren asker ve h g wellsin din adamlarindan ne kadar nefret ettigini gostermek icin surekli sacmalayan, panik atak bir rahip gibi ilginc karakterleri barindirir.
• hollywood'un aklına estiğinde politik propaganda yapabilmek için kullandığı h g wells romanı. romana veya orson wells tarafından efsane haline gelen radyo programına bir şey demiyeceğim ama film versiyonları içinde bulunulan politik duruma göre insanların ortak bir düşmana karşı olan korku duygusunu hedef almaktadır bence.
  
  yönetmenliğini byron haskın'in yaptığı 1953 versiyonu soğuk savaş dönemine ve komünizm tehlikesine denk gelmektedir. insanlığa düşman uzaylılar, seyircinin bilinçaltında ortak düşman komünistlerle bağdaşlaştırılmaya çalıştırılmıştır. bu filmdeki dinsel temalarda komünizm tehlikesine karşı halkın dini duygularını perçinlemek için yoğunca kullanılmıştır. gerçi dönemi için oldukça pahalı bir yapımdır ve bilim kurgu sinemasının klasiklerinden biridir (her ne kadar mantık hataları, teknik eksiklikleri şu an daha çok göze batsa da film tarihindeki yerinden dolayı saygı duyduğum bir filmdir.)
  
  2005 versiyonu da içinde bulunduğumuz politik durumdaki ortak düşman "terör" ve "teröristler" çağrışımlarıyla oynamaktadır kanımca. (bu filme yorum yapamayacağım çünkü filmin prodüktörü paula wagner, cruise/wagner productions'dan tom cruise'in partneridir ve bu ikilinin prodüksiyonunu yaptıkları, tom cruise'in rol aldığı çoğu blockbuster filmden gina gelmiştir bana ^*. üstüne üstlük klasik spielberg tarzı aile ağırlıklı, din ve ahlak dersi içeren özellikler de eklenince benim için işkence haline gelen bir film olmuştur. özel efektlerin muhteşemliğiymiş vs. falan pek umrumda da değildir açıkçası).
• dünyanın en ic bayici kitabi. ama bir takinti olarak bitirmek zorundayım.
  konusunu veriyorum : marslilar geldi ebemizi sikti.
  
  bu kadar bayici kitaba bu kadar yüzeysel yorum.
• yaşadığımız hayat okuduğumuz ve izlediğimiz şeylere bakış açımızı da etkiliyor. mesela h.g. wells'in yazdığı bu kitabı ben ilk defa steven spielberg'ün filmini izledikten sonra okumuştum. o zaman dünya bu kadar distopik bir noktada olmadığı için kitap bana güzel gelmişti. hatta 1800'lerin sonunda yaşanan bir uzaylı istilasını anlattığı için doctor who tadı bile almıştım.
  
  bu nedenle hızlı okunan bu kitaba geri dönmeye karar verdim. ancak zaman değişiyor tabi. bu nedenle ikinci okuma sırasında kitabın çok farklı noktalarını keşfettim. mesela hikayeye başladığımda ana karakterin her şeyi çözen bir kahraman yerine sıradan bir insan olması ve uzaydan gelen dehşete karşı oradan oraya sürüklenmesi çok hoşuma gitti. çünkü bu ortalama bilim kurgulara göre farklı bir bakış açısı sunuyordu.
  
  kitapta ilerledikçe de ya, evet, hakikaten böyle olur diye düşündüm ve olayların hayli gerçekçi ele alındığını fark ettim. tabi ki bir uzaylı istilası yaşamadım daha önce ama son yıllara bakarsak başımıza gelmeyen bir uzaylı istilası kaldı diyebiliriz. bu nedenle kitabın bu değerli yönü üzerine konuşalım istedim. çünkü kitap, covid gibi örneklerle gördüğümüz global krizlerde yaşananları muazzam bir doğruluk ile tahmin etmiş. şimdi örnekler ile bu durumun detaylarına göz atalım.
  
  1) başlangıçtaki aldırmazlık: genele hitap eden bilimkurgular aynı zamanda aksiyon filmleri oldukları için olay örgüsü hızlı bir şekilde başlar. atıyorum dünyaya bir cisim düştüğünde içindeki uzaylılar hemen harekete geçer. bkz. bu kitabın spielberg yapımı filmi. bu da deneme yanılmayla bulunan ve uygulamaya geçilen bir sinema pratiğidir. ancak deneyimlerimiz bize gösterdi ki işler gerçek hayatta bu şekilde ilerlemiyor. mesela covid ilk ortaya çıktığında insanlar bunu çok ciddiye almadı. birçok ülke karantina koşullarını uygulamadı ve bu da pandeminin hızlı bir şekilde yayılmasına neden oldu. şimdi anlatım tekniği olarak bakarsak gerçek hayat ile yazılan kitaplarda ya da çekilen filmlerde bir uyumsuzluk olduğunu fark edebiliyoruz. the war of the worlds’ün güzelliği de burada yatıyor. bu kitapta ilk silindirler dünyaya düştüğünde insanlar günlük hayatlarına kaldığı yerden devam ediyor. hatta ana karakter eve gidip akşam yemeği falan yiyor. bu belki garip gelebilir, çünkü evinden 3-4 kilometre öteye mars’tan fırlatıldığı kesin olan bir araç indikten sonra hiçbir şey olmamış gibi davranmak çok normal bir davranış değil. yine de burada kitabı eleştiremeyiz çünkü gerçek hayat bize gösterdi ki insanların hareket tarzı bilimkurgu filmlerindeki gibi değil bu kitapta anlatılana benziyor daha çok. bu da h.g. wells’in ne kadar doğru tahminler yaptığını gösteriyor.
  
  2) basın ve haberlerin yayılması: bu kitabın 14. bölümü olan in london’da haberlerin nasıl yayıldığı ve basının bu tür felaketlerde nasıl rol oynadığı ele alınıyor. kitap her ne kadar bilimkurgu türü içinde yer alsa da bu bölüm sosyoloji alanında incelenecek kadar değerli tahminler yapıyor. biz ana karakterimiz sayesinde olayın ilk anlarına da şahit olduk. ancak londra’da yaşayan halk bunları görmemişti. bu nedenle karşılaştırma yaparak gazetelerin yaydığı haberlerin ne kadar abartılı olduğunu anlayabiliyoruz. bu bölümü üzerine konuşmaya değer kılan ise insanların bu haberlere verdikleri tepkiler. ilk bakışta burada bir ayrım varmış gibi görünüyor çünkü o dönemde muhabirler aldıkları haberleri telgraf ile merkeze gönderiyordu. burada gecikmeden dolayı bir hata oluşmuş gibi algılanabilir ve internet sayesinde haberlere daha hızlı ve doğru şekilde ulaştığımızı düşünebiliriz. bu hız da haberlerin daha etkili olduğu yanılgısına düşürebilir bizi. ancak pandeminin ilk zamanlarını hatırlayın, o dönemde de dünyanın çeşitli yerlerinden haberler gelse de insanların tepkileri tıpkı bu kitaptaki gibiydi. her kafadan bir ses çıkıyordu ve o kadar fazla yorum vardı ki neye inanacağımızı tam olarak bilemiyorduk. bu noktada h.g. wells’i tebrik etmek lazım. çünkü haberlerin yayılma şekli kadar bunların toplum üzerindeki psikolojik etkisini muazzam bir doğruluk ile tespit etmiş.
  
  3) panik havası: bir insan tek başına mantıklı kararlar verebilir ancak gerçek hayatın bize gösterdiği üzere iş topluma geldiği zaman bu kadar düzgün sonuçlar beklemek çok anlamlı değil. çünkü kitapta kimse daha öncesinde uzaylı istilası diye bir şeyle karşılaşmadı. bu nedenle tripodlar londra’ya yaklaştığında müthiş bir panik havası yaşanıyor. ülkeyi terk eden var, tren garlarına doluşanlar var. bu atmosferi maalesef biz de gördük. mesela pandemi yayılmaya başladığında insanlar tuvalet kağıtlarını bitirmiş, süper marketlerde izdiham oluşmuştu. bunu yapan insanlar herhangi bir filmde bunları görse ya olur mu öyle şey diye düşünür belki ama işler ciddiye bindikten sonra o panik havasını engellemek de biraz zor sanırım.
  
  4) kehanetler: bilinmez bir durum olmasının en kötü özelliklerinden biri bu durumdan faydalanmak isteyen tiplerin ortaya çıkmasıdır. çünkü kafası karışan insanlar kendilerine yol gösterecek birilerini arar. toplumun bu durumunu suistimal etmek isteyenler de uçuk kaçık fikirlerini kesin bir dille aktararak kanaat önderi haline gelir. bu alanda bir şey söylerken, “tarihte pandemiler şu şekilde yaşanmış, aşılar da ortalama şu kadar zamanda geliştiriliyor” gibi gerçeklerden hareketle söyleyeceğiniz şeyler çok karşılık bulmaz. çünkü ekstrem durumlarda insanlar ekstrem yanıtlar arar. mesela biontec aşısı mrna teknolojisini kullanıyor demek yerine biontech aşısına chip koymuşlar hepimizi yapay zeka kontrol edecek gibi fikirler ortaya atmanız sesinizin daha çok duyulmasına neden olacaktır. kitap, kehanet alanında toplumsal noktaya ulaşmıyor, çünkü bunları ana karakterin izole olduğu zamanlarda duyuyoruz ancak londra’daki lağımlara yerleşme planı yapan asker ve papaz yardımcısı ile ne kadar garip tahminlerin yapılabileceğini bize gösteriyor.
  
  5) düzenin bozulması: ben h.g. wells’in aslında bu konuyu bilerek eklediğini düşünmüyorum. çünkü ana karakterin yalnız kaldığı, şehrin boş sokaklarında gezdiği ve terk edilmiş evine geri döndüğü kısımlar muhtemelen bir atmosfer çalışmasıydı. ancak dediğim gibi kitap tahmin yapmak konusunda o kadar başarılı ki çaba harcanmayan bölümlerinde bile gerçek hayatla uyuştuğu noktalar oluyor. biz de pandemi sürecinde kalabalık sokakların bomboş kaldığını gördük, ayrıca üçüncü maddede bahsettiğimiz gibi genel bir panik havasıyla birlikte yazarın bu bölümlerde bahsettiği umutsuzluğu da pek çoğumuz yaşadık.
  
  sonuç olarak eğer bu kitabın sadece kapağına bakarsanız basit bir uzaylı istilası romanı gibi görünebilir. hikayenin yazıldığı tarihte henüz bilim çok gelişmediği için o tür teknik alanları da zayıf olduğunu düşünebilirsiniz. ancak yüzeysel kısmı atlayıp hikayenin yapısını incelediğinizde insanların global krizler karşısında verdiği tepkilerin büyük bir ustalıkla tarif edildiğini fark edebiliyorsunuz. ha isterdim ki bunlar hiç yaşanmasın ben de bu kitabı tekrar bilimkurgu olarak okuyayım ama dünya şuan farklı bir noktada. kısıtlı imkanlar ile kendimizi korumaya çalışmaktan başka bir şey gelmiyor elimizden. umarım çözüm hızlı bir şekilde gelir de biz de ana karakterimiz gibi normal hayatımıza döneriz tekrar.
• wells'in yaşadığı dönem, 1897, düşünüldüğünde mükemmel bir hayal gücü ile yazılmış. kitap.
  
  tripodlar, lazer ışınları, kimyasal silahlar, uçaklar, bizden daha farklı evrimleşmiş dünya dışı canlılar vs. kitabın vurucu cümlesi şu; “bu bir savaş değil. hiçbir zaman savaş olmadı; insanlarla karıncalar arasındaki bir savaştan daha fazlası değil bu." yazarın kitabı yazmaktaki amacının verilen bu mesaj olduğunu düşünüyorum. evrimde öne geçen canlıların diğer canlıları artık önemsiz görmeye başlaması ve bunun getirdiği mesnetsiz ego duygusu ile körleşmeleri. 100 yıl sonra bile hala bu ego ile doğayı acımasızca katlettiğimiz gerçeği. kendimizi evrenin efendisi olarak görmemiz ve bu şekilde hareket ediyoruz oluşumuz.
  
  öte yandan hikaye biraz sorunlu, bazı boşluklar var. . hikayenin sonunu yazarın tembelliği olarak görüyorum. zeka yönünden aşırı evrimleşmiş bir ırkın, tamamen zekadan yoksun bir biçimde ölmeleri bana doğru gelmedi. bu da biraz insan egosuna dayanan bir sonuç. "hah gördün mü aptal uzaylılar en basit şeyden öldüler" dermiş gibi. ama öğrendiğim kadarıyla bakterilerin yaşamdaki rolü o dönemde yeni yeni keşfedilen bir konuymuş, dolayısıyla yazarın buradan vurması belki normal görülebilir.