Heat ray?

[syrtismajor]

Anyone else notice that the same 'heat ray' effect was used in both the teaser and tv-spot. There is a fuzzy white flash followed by the object disintegrating (with the trees in the trailer and the bridge in the tv spot). If you look carefully you'll see a very brief white flash just before each point of the bridge that breaks up.
I've got the impression here that the heat ray (or whatever the Martians will use in this film) will actually be invisible apart from a flash where the 'ray' hits.
It could actually still be a heat ray as a sudden flash of REALLY intense heat would cause concrete to explode and flammable things to explosively burn.
Any thoughts?

[SudsoneUK]

syrtismajor said:

Anyone else notice that the same 'heat ray' effect was used in both the teaser and tv-spot. There is a fuzzy white flash followed by the object disintegrating (with the trees in the trailer and the bridge in the tv spot). If you look carefully you'll see a very brief white flash just before each point of the bridge that breaks up.
I've got the impression here that the heat ray (or whatever the Martians will use in this film) will actually be invisible apart from a flash where the 'ray' hits.
It could actually still be a heat ray as a sudden flash of REALLY intense heat would cause concrete to explode and flammable things to explosively burn.
Any thoughts?

I'd definitetly go along with that... some people do seem to think that the TV Spot shows a cylinder crashing into the bridge? But you can't see it, and we already know that Wells wrote of an invisible heat ray... so it is more than likely the heat ray that we see in the TV Spot... If you look at the Iron girders on the bridge actually melt and curl back as the heat ray rakes across it.

[theheatray]

I think the cylinder idea came from the reports from the extras and the Paramount press release about the trailer all saying a 'spaceship' was going to land on the bridge, but I think its obvious the extras were told this to get the right reaction of shock and awe, the running away part is easy.

I think it is the heat ray, but maybe the first cylinder is already down and open and Cruise has seen it open on the other side of the bridge (tell us what you saw) and knows the horrors that are in the Pitt, then the martains/aliens fire the heatray for the first time (wobbly mirror and all) smashing the bridge from the pitt, its also why nobody seems in a hurry to run away, the aliens/martians arnt common knowledge yet. At this point the EMP may have been used when the cylinder opens.

Just my random insane thoughts.

[quaderni]

Did you notice on the superbowl trailer the guy ('get out the car') has all of this touristy-camera stuff on him. The traffic must be held up with people coming in to watch the cylinder open up - but Dakota somehow already knows what's coming ('tell me what you saw').

Pet plot theory: against Dad Cruise's stern admonition, she creeps out to another cylinder to watch the 'Martians' (who knows now), and watches the crowd get fried. The advance word give Dad Cruise the head's up to requisition the minivan.

My god, I actually spent time mulling this over in my head. Time to get back to work....

[theheatray]

The "get out of the car" guy is Manny, a pal of Rays, I think.

[Gnorn]

How come all cars are broken down, but the mini van still is running?

-Gnorn

[theheatray]

Is it because its an older van without the complicated electronic ignition system that would be affected by an emp?

Or could it be a magic key?

[Gnorn]

Maybe it's just a bit of Hollywood contradiction.

-Gnorn

[theheatray]

im sure an amazing Koepp plot devise will be at hand to explain that and many other mysteries possibly including how they got Cruise to look taller that Dakota

[Cylinder]

Gnorn said:

How come all cars are broken down, but the mini van still is running?

-Gnorn

Its because its like Fred Flintstones car, it goes along by your feet sticking out through the floor.

[Gnorn]

LOL :-)

-Gnorn

[quaderni]

theheatray said:

im sure an amazing Koepp plot devise will be at hand to explain that and many other mysteries possibly including how they got Cruise to look taller that Dakota

I about spit my coffee all over the computer screen laughing about that one.

Cheers,
Quaderni

[malfunkshun]

theheatray said:

Is it because its an older van without the complicated electronic ignition system that would be affected by an emp?

Or could it be a magic key?

i heard somewhere that the new mustang was gonna be Toms car in this movie, and that the emp was gonna knock out its computer functions, so it would basically be dead. but then he hops in his vintage GT, which doesn't rely on computers, and hauls arse around the countyside in that

[theheatray]

I've been reading about the pictures that had the "mustang under the plane" what the hell is that all about Someone said it was the cellar scene from the book?

[I own a cylinder]

Wow. Screw the martains (which they have) The important thing is the mustang dies and Tom has to get a vintage. boo hoo. (sarcasm)

[Topaz]

malfunkshun said:

i heard somewhere that the new mustang was gonna be Toms car in this movie, and that the emp was gonna knock out its computer functions, so it would basically be dead. but then he hops in his vintage GT, which doesn't rely on computers, and hauls arse around the countyside in that

If that's true, then it's another example of filmmaking at its' "finest."

A really strong EMP pulse would fry the ignition circuits in an old car, too.

[themotile]

theheatray said:

I've been reading about the pictures that had the "mustang under the plane" what the hell is that all about Someone said it was the cellar scene from the book?

There were some pictures leaked of the martian baskets and on a smashed house under a crashed jumbo jet, underwhich you can see Rays modern mustang, an EMP wouldnt knock ot older cars as they have point ignition systems but aparently Ray has his modern mustang in his garage maybe with the battery disconnected so he escapes in that but it breaks down by the house under the plane, he finds himself trapped under the house watching the martians feed out side, all this might be crap but its what I have gleamed from the facts seen to date.

[theheatray]

the said:

There were some pictures leaked of the martian baskets and on a smashed house under a crashed jumbo jet, underwhich you can see Rays modern mustang, an EMP wouldnt knock ot older cars as they have point ignition systems but aparently Ray has his modern mustang in his garage maybe with the battery disconnected so he escapes in that but it breaks down by the house under the plane, he finds himself trapped under the house watching the martians feed out side, all this might be crap but its what I have gleamed from the facts seen to date.

Thanks for that

[paco417]

the way i see it looking at the bridge collapse, it's not a cylinder hitting it but multiple hits from a Heat ray.
that's what it looks like to me!

[theheatray]

paco417 said:

the way i see it looking at the bridge collapse, it's not a cylinder hitting it but multiple hits from a Heat ray.
that's what it looks like to me!

Yeah my theory is that theres a martian pitt the other side of that bridge, the first one to open in fact and the heat ray is the "wobbly mirror" scene from the book, Cruise has seen it open and knows that the aliens are bad guys.