On the positive side, those same hues have never looked better. The green tone used to portray the second death ray pouring from the alien attack is beautiful, all be it in a deadly manner. Flesh tones and detail are high, while grain and specks on the print have been cleared. A few shots also seem out of focus, likely because of the special effects style of the day and print degradation. (****)

Likewise, the new 2.0 surround audio will draw some ire from long time fans. The added sound effects, used to achieve slight work for the surround channels and bass, hamper the original mono recording (also a choice). Quite obviously, this 2.0 addition offers depth and fullness to the film's audio, but also makes it known this wasn't done back in 1953. Dialogue exchanges are clean in both. It's a personal choice. (****)

Since the original DVD failed to offer any extras, it's a nice change to see a solid stack of features. Two commentary tracks run over the film. Actors Barry and Robinson supply the first, though Barry says little. It's dominated by Robinson, and she supplies a few nice anecdotes about her bloopers on the set. The second is with Joe Dante (who gave us Gremlins amongst others), Bob Burns, and author Bill Warren. This is an active, informative track as they point out famous character actors in small roles and discuss their first viewings of the film.

The Sky is Falling is the obligatory making of piece running just under a half hour, bringing back the actors for their experiences and how the film came about after numerous false starts. Archival interviews are provided where available for those involved that have passed. There's also a rare clip of Ray Harryhausen animation, which he passed around trying to find a studio to finance the picture before it was taken over by other people.

H.G. Wells: The Father of Science Fiction is a 10-minute piece on the famous author. Its ties to the film are barely note worthy, but this is a nice look at the author from those who have studied his admirable work. A necessary piece follows, the original Orson Wells recording that sent the country into a panic. Rather disappointingly, there's no fast forwarding or pausing available. The disc is over when you view the trailer. (****)

One of the more interesting aspects of the film is how it seems that aspects were slowly pieced together as it was shot. The idea of the ships having tri-pods is evident in the first full reveal of the machines, and then dropped in almost all subsequent scenes. Gene Barry's character makes mention of them too, and it's never spoke of again.