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| Fig. 1: 'War of the Worlds' (2005) Poster Art [Cropped] |
1.
The
Ordinary World
Ray Ferrier, divorced father of two children, Rachel and
Robbie. Dock worker. Lives alone in Bayonne, New Jersey. Ex wife drops off
their children, on her way to Boston with her boyfriend.
2.
Call
to Adventure
The freak storm - lightning strikes the same place multiple
times in quick succession. Investigation of the hole caused, rise of the first alien Tripod from within, leading to death of many people via the Tripod’s heat ray – they are turned
into dust. Ray escapes, returns home – orders children to pack supplies, telling
them they have to go.
3.
Refusal
of the Call
All cars have stopped working, Ray finds one that works thanks to a replacement part, he steals it
and escapes to Mary Anne’s empty house to hide with his kids, takes shelter in the basement.
4.
Crossing
the Threshold
Damage to Mary’s house via Boeing 747 plane crash, Ray and
children forced out of hiding. Discovery that Tripods are rising from beneath
the ground in major cities worldwide - via news footage. Aliens entered Tripods
via the lightning.
5.
Tests
Car taken by a mob that posed a threat to Ray’s children,
especially 10-year-old Rachel.
Failed escape attempt by Ferry, which is sunk by Tripods,
Ray and children manage to survive.
Robbie wants to leave the group and fight the aliens with
the army, the Tripods have some kid of force field, preventing human weapons
fire from touching them – Ray’s struggle to let him go; in their final tense
moments Ray literally grabs his leg as Robbie clambers up a hill towards the
army, finally gives in and lets him go, in order to protect Rachel.
Ray and Rachel offered shelter by Harlan Ogilvy who looses
his mind after watching a Tripod harvest human blood; forcing Ray to have to kill
him to stop his crazed shouting which would have led to them being discovered
by the aliens. Ogilvy counts as both an Ally
but in his madness, unintentionally becomes an Enemy.
A Tripod catches Rachel, after finding a belt of grenades
Ray allows himself to be abducted with his daughter, they are then dropped in a
pod shaped cage hanging on the Tripod’s body. Ray is nearly sucked inside the Tripod to be harvested but is saved by the other prisoners who pull him back,
this ordeal pulls the pin of one of the grenades inside the tripod, setting
them all off within its body, which releases the cages and destroys the tripod. This is also The Ordeal, Death and Rebirth.
Allies
Robbie, Rachel, sane Harlan, Mary Ann, the Military, bacteria.
Enemies
The Martians, the Martian/Alien Tripods, crazy Harlan.
6.
Approach
While taking refuge with Ogilvy, ray is forced to destroy a Tripod probe with an axe. After Ogilvy is murdered, Rachel is caught sleeping
by a second probe causing her to run outside – these events lead to Rachel’s
capture, and as a result to Ray’s Ordeal.
7.
The
Ordeal, Death and Rebirth
Ray is nearly harvested, but escapes from the Tripod cage
via grenade explosion. [See Tests,
paragraph 5]
8.
The
Reward
Arrival of Ray and Rachel in Boston; the dying Martian red
weed is seen to be eaten by crows – indicating the aliens failure to terraform Earth. A Tripod’s force field/shield has gone down, indicated by
birds being able to make contact with it – allowing the military’s weapons to make
impact and destroy it. Another Tripod approaches, but is seen to collapse on
its own, smashing into a building in the process. Via narration the aliens are
revealed to have not been immune to Earth’s bacteria, bringing about their
death and thus the survival of humanity.
9.
Return
with the Elixir
Ray and Rachel reach the home of Mary Ann’s parents in
Boston, and are re-united with Mary Ann and Robbie – the elixir is the safety
of Ray and Rachel, as well as the discovery of Mary Ann and Robbie’s survival.
In broader terms the Elixir is the survival of humanity.
10.
The Resurrection
The audience is led to believe that when Robbie leaves to help the military, he is going to die. His unlikely survival and presence at his grandparents’ home may be considered a form of resurrection.
Illustrations List
Fig 1. 'War of the Worlds' Poster Art (2005) [Poster - Cropped] At: http://spielbergfanclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/War-of-the-worlds-British-quad-movie-poster.jpg (Accessed on 28.09.14)
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