Posts tagged ‘H. G. Wells’
ELMO’S INVENTION, CHAPTER 14
ELMO’S INVENTION
CHAPTER 14
THE FUTURE OF ELMO’S TIME MACHINE, CONTINUED
Kingsley continued.
“Then there are political races. Knowledge of the winner, prior to an election, would be devastating. It would result in a self-fulfilling prophecy. Why vote if the winner is known?
“The insurance industry would collapse. Insurers of property and life could look to the future and see which policies would cost them money, and how soon. Of course, all life insurance policies would eventually result in a claim but how soon would determine if it was worth issuing a policy.
“These are just a few of the instances where your machine could determine the present by knowing the future.
“Then there is the bigger picture. In science fiction, whenever someone travels into the past they make sure not to change a single thing. Step on a beetle and you could come back to a different world. But you see, even when you are traveling into the future you are trespassing on someone’s past.
“A traveler into the future could return with viruses and bacteria unknown to the world and cause world-wide epidemics. Or coming from the past could reintroduce diseases long eradicated, for which there is now no defense.
“I’ve been thinking about H.G. Wells book The Time Machine. Of course it was fiction, but the future looked dismal for mankind. When the time traveler traveled into the distant future the planet was inhabited by giant crabs. I know this is only fiction, but do we really want to know what the distant future holds?
“Elmo, I’m afraid the society of the world, as we know it, would not survive the impact your machine would produce. The change in the fabric of society would also be devastating and disruptive in the lives of you and Mildred. Devastating to all the world.”
Kingsley’s opinions carried a great deal of weight with Elmo. He sat in silence and then said, “All that work for nothing. I’m a failure.”
“No, you’re not. It’s just that your efforts could produce knowledge the world would be unable to handle. I know it isn’t much, but I’m proud of what you accomplished. Perhaps there will be a time when your time machine will serve a useful purpose, under strict control, but I’m afraid that time is not now.
“The final choice is yours, Elmo. I can only give you my advice and opinion.”
Kingsley then stood up, put his hand on Elmo’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze, and walked upstairs. He saw Mildred in the kitchen. “I think Elmo needs to be alone for a while, but he also needs you.” Kingsley left and Mildred knew the discussion did not go well.
She waited and then walked down the cellar stairs. Elmo was wheeling his time machine to a corner of the cellar and covering it with a tarp. It now stood next to his transport chambers. Whenever he looked at those chambers a slight smile would wrinkle his face wondering at the location of the wandering teacup. Mildred walked up to her husband and gave him a hug and a lingering kiss.
He said, “Well, Mil, we won’t make our fortune off my time machine after all.”
Mildred responded, “I don’t need a fortune. All I need is you. It’s getting late. Let’s go to bed.”
They walked up the stairs and put out the cellar lights. In the darkened corner stood the time machine which someday might serve a purpose, but not now.
Elmo vowed to Mildred that he was done creating or even thinking about another invention. Never again would he waste his time on another useless project. But ‘never’ ended in 1995 with speculation of the existence of wormholes. The now retired Elmo could not get wormholes out of his mind. Think about how they could be used for space travel. He thought wormholes, dreamed wormholes. With pad and pencil in hand he began jotting down ideas and drawing sketches of an invention he, of course, would never produce. What would be the harm in dreaming?
THE END
This concludes my postings of Elmo’s Invention. I hope you enjoyed the novella and getting to know Elmo.
Soon I will begin sharing another novella featuring Elmo, Elmo’s Sojourn. In Elmo’s Invention you learned of Elmo’s interest in time travel. In Elmo’s Sojourn you will learn of Elmo’s interest in space travel.
Elmo’s Sojourn has quite a publishing history. Soon I will tell you about that history and give you some information about Elmo’s Sojourn.
WORKS BASED ON THE NOVEL
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
As I have mentioned in previous posts my interest in alien life, apparently looking at the vast amount of material generated by interest in H. G. Wells’ novel, The War of the Worlds, I am not alone.
Here is a partial list of efforts based on the novel.
Theatrical (movies) 3
Direct to video 7
Television productions 8
Radio productions 17
The first being the famous radio adaptation by Orson Wells.
Music productions 7
Comic books 12
There are also ten other various types of efforts related to the novel
Here is a link for a more detailed list.
List of works based on The War of the Worlds – Wikipedia
In a future post I will discuss the discovery of the possibility of alien life in our solar system.
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
COMPARING THE 2005 MOVIE TO THE NOVEL
CONTINUED
With all my misgivings about the 2005 movie concerning the invasion from Mars, of the two movies, 1953 and 2005, the 2005 version most closely follows H. G. Wells’ novel.
Once the machines emerge from underground an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) disables all electronic devices. The machines also do this in the 1953 movie. I don’t think Wells knew anything about the effect of an EMP.
The machines are tripods which are the type of machine also in the novel.
Both movies differ from the book because the machines are protected by a shield whereas the machines in the novel can be destroyed. Also, in the movies the invasion encompasses the entire world, in the movie only England is involved.
In the 2005 movie and the novel the machines cultivate a red vine which engulfs the entire area. The vines are grown using human blood which the Martians also use for nourishment. In the novel autopsies are performed on Martians and it is discovered that they lack a digestive system.
And finally, in both movies and the novel the Martians meet their demise through disease caused by bacteria to which they have no resistance. Wells speculated that there are no diseases caused by bacteria on Mars.
Here is a link to a discussion of the 2005 movie.
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
COMPARING THE 2005 MOVIE TO THE NOVEL
Although the 2005 movie version of The War of the Worlds most closely resembles the novel, I have major problems as to how the invasion begins.
As I mentioned in my discussion of the 1953 movie the major stars, Gene Barry and Ann Robinson, appear at the end of the 2005 movie as the children’s grandparents.
The invasion begins with strange lightning bolts strike. Where do these lightning bolts come from? Never explained. Later, in the movie tapes made of those lightning bolts reveal that they contain the Martians.
Their machines are buried beneath the surface of the Earth. In the same encounter with the news team with knowledge of the lightning, it is speculated that they could have been buried for a million years. No matter how advanced a society is, underground for a million years – you turn the key, and they start up, no problem. I have a problem with that. Also, what about technological changes during those million years. Why use machines that are a million years old when the Martians could have brought along newer models. And couldn’t ground penetrating radar detect the machines buried underground?
I pose these questions because I write science fiction and sometimes I do not fully explain details for fear of slowing down the story, but there is a limit. Some details must be given for the story to make sense.
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
COMPARING THE 1953 MOVIE TO THE NOVEL
Of the movies two movies made using
the novel as a guide in 1953 and 2005, my favorite is the movie made in 1953.
Yet that is the movie, of the two, which least resembles the book.
The premise of the movie is an
alien invasion from Mars. This nails down where the invasion originates, of
course, the title serves the same purpose. I say this premise follows the novel
for an alien invasion could come from any planet or any solar system.
One nice touch in the 2005 movie
was to include Gene Barry who plays Dr. Clayton Forrester and Ann Robinson who
plays Sylvia van Buren in the 1953 movie as the grandparents at the end of the
2005 movie.
To begin with, the Martians arrive at
what, at first, appears to be a meteorite. After a short period of time men
guarding the object detect a unscrewing at the top of the object and a device
appearing which destroys the men. What is never explained is how the Martian
machines make their exit with only the small aperture revealed.
In the published description of the
movie, it is said that heat rays are used to cause destruction. But if memory
serves, there were two types of rays. One was a heat ray which caused most of
the destruction and set fires. But initially a ray was used causing men and
vehicles to disappear and is described as a ray which destroys the energy which
joins molecules. Hence, the ray causes whatever it hits to fall apart.
Another difference between the book
to both movies is that the entire planet is under attack. In the novel only
England is involved, the home of H. G. Wells.
In the 1953 movie the machines
arrive already constructed whereas in the novel, upon arrival of the cylinders,
the machines must be firs constructed. Also, the machines in the movie do not
appear as described in the book. The machines in the novel walk on three
extended legs whereas the machines in the movie appear to hover with the theory
that they are manipulating gravity. The machines in the movie are protected by
a force-field. In the novel they can be destroyed.
In both movies and the novel there
is a scene where the characters are hiding in a farmhouse. In the 1953 movie
the characters escape with a rag soaked with Martian blood. In the novel and
the 2005 movie what occurs in the farmhouse is similar with the final result
being the death of a character.
The blood collected and analyzed
reveals that the Martians are anemic and have a poorly developed immune system
which leads to their demise. This failure for the Martians to survive is true
in both movies and the book.
Here is a link to the published version of the 1953 movie.
The War
of the Worlds (1953 film) – Wikipedia
DETAILS OF THE MARTIAN INVASION FOUND IN THE NOVEL THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
CONTINUED
Once the machines emerge from the crater they use a heat ray and black smoke, poison gas, to destroy the humans encounter.
During the invasion the main character seeks shelter in a partially destroyed house with a curate. The curate’s fear increases, and he talks louder and louder, is discovered by the Martians and abducted.
One interesting fact is that the machines are tripods and travel using three long extended legs. Upon examination of the Martian machinery and vehicles it becomes apparent that the Martians have no knowledge of the wheel.
They communicate through telepathy. And in appearance, resemble something out of a Lovecraft story.
During the invasion Martians drink the blood of humans they capture for nourishment. Upon the demise of the Martians autopsies are performed and it is discovered that the Martian lack a digestive system, hence the need to drink human blood. During the invasion massive amounts of red vines are produced and plague the area. Nourishment to create the vines and color is also attributed to the use of human blood.
Of further note is that the Martian vehicles can be destroyed.
The Martians eventually succumb to diseases caused by the bacteria found on Earth. It is speculated that there are no disease-causing bacteria on Mars.
Finally, it is thought that if the Martians launch another invasion of Earth it will occur in a less developed country. But this time humanity will be ready.
DETAILS OF THE MARTIAN INVASION FOUND IN THE NOVEL
The novel begins with the primary character, while using a telescope at an observatory, notices flashes occurring on the surface of Mars. I use the term primary character because his name is never revealed. Also mentioned are the makings having been observed on the surface of the planet.
Eventually, what are thought to be meteorites begin landing in England and only in England which is where the invasion takes place. These are cylinders from Mars. Upon landing the cylinders form deep craters. Activity from the result of flashes and the formation of clouds of mysterious gases are observed issuing from the crater for quite some time. This is because the Martins are using more rudimentary lifeforms and advanced machinery in the construction of their vehicles due to the trouble the Martians have functioning in the greater gravity of Earth as compared to the gravity of Mars
Once the nature of the activity in the crater is realized, the man ponders what is driving the purpose of the Martians in their journey. At one point he also wonders if the Martians have a god and compares the invasion to a European country invading a ‘savage’ culture.
It is revealed that the Martians, through necessity, have increased their intelligence, increased their powers and hardened their hearts.
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVEL BY H. G. WELLS
I have read the novel, The War of the Worlds, written by H. G. Wells in 1898 three times now.
The first time because of my interest in science fiction and my addiction to flying saucers. The second time was for a science fiction book club to which I belonged. The third time was after seeing the 1953 and 2005 movie based on the novel, I noticed stark differences between details of the Martians and their invasion between the novel and the movies.
What follows are discussions of the novel and then how the two movies handle what is found in the novel.
Before I begin, I want to mention that The War of the Worlds is usually referred to as a novel, but on occasion, referred to as a novella. Not knowing the word count, I do not know which classification is more correct. Also, the word count for a novel and novella at times overlap, and at times change.
WAR OF THE WORLDS: AN INTRODUCTION
WAR OF THE WORLDS
A REVIEW OF THE NOVEL AND RELATED MOVIES
This is an introduction to my next series of posts.
During my teenage years I was fascinated by Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). I accumulated a small paperback library on the subject. Was a subscriber to Saucer News (that topic will be covered in a future post).
With my interest in UFOs, I was drawn to the novel by H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds, published in 1898. And have been entertained, many times by the 1953 movie starring Gene Barry and the 2005 movie starring Tom Cruise.
In subsequent posts I will explore invasion ‘fact’ of the Martian invasion outlined in the book and how closely the two movies follow those ‘facts’.
I hope you find these posts interesting.
At the conclusion of my War of the Worlds discussions I will explore the current quest to discover alien life. And how it may exist closer than expected.
WHAT WAS THE MARTIANS’ MISTAKE? THE ANSWER
The mistake the Martians made was that they did not wear spacesuits, and this led to their demise. Of course, if they had worn spacesuits you would not have seen how hideous they were in the movies.
A picture of the Martians was not a concern in Wells’ book. Although he does provide a detailed description of the Martians and, to me, they would have appeared more frightening than they did in the movie.
The reason the Martians did not wear spacesuits was because bacteria did not exist on Mars. They had no concept of disease caused by bacteria.
There you have it. The reason the Martians lost the war.
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