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War of the Worlds Broadcast

EVD's picture
Submitted by EVD on Tue, 10/19/2010 - 5:59pm

When I started reading a little bit about the reaction to the War of the Worlds broadcast (I haven't watched F for Fake yet) I was REALLY surprised by the alleged hysteria over the broadcast. Apparently The Radio Project which is a social research project on the effects of mass media on society found that of the approx. 6 million people who heard the broadcast about 25% of them thought it was real and that most of the people who panicked in response to the broadcast thought it meant that there was an invasion by the Germans. Anyway...this might be brought up in the documentary but I look forward to seeing the depiction of these reactions in the film.

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SuperMarioGirl's picture

If it were me, I would have been scared sh*tless

Submitted by SuperMarioGirl on Wed, 10/20/2010 - 5:25am.

Obviously I know that we haven't had a crazy alien invasion and war between Mars, and I know that Welles' production was merely a production. However, when I was listening, I somehow missed any mentioning of it being a production. I listened in amazement at the best April Fools' joke ever (okay I know it's not for April Fools, but still). I imagined people listening in terror, on the edge of their seats, gnawing off their fingernails, and crying while holding those they love, just waiting to be next. I didn't hear them say that it was a production by Orson Welles and theatre company until almost the very end. Well, according to Anne, they said it in the beginning too, but it sure was sneaky how they slipped it in there! I definitely would have been one of those terrified, gullible 25%. Really, it's genius. Very well done, very convincing. Scary!

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