H.G. Wells was not simply a talented writer who knew how to tell an entertaining story; he was a visionary who used mythical concepts to tap the primal core of his enthralled readers. It is not surprising, then, that his work has had such an enormous impact on filmmakers. The frequent adaptations of his timeless stories, in whole or in part, show the extent to which screenwriters, producers, and directors have turned to him to find premises for their productions. Author Thomas Renzi examines the major films adapted from H.G. Wells's most popular science fiction novels, among them The Invisible Man, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and The War of the Worlds. Renzi considers a Wells story for its plot and themes and then compares it with the film or films adapted from it, gauging the degree to which each film has captured the author's intent. First published in 1992, this revised edition has been updated to include discussions of recent films, either direct adaptations such as The Time Machine (2002), or those that have borrowed liberally from the great author's canon, such as The Hollow Man (2000).
By comparing Wells's original stories with the films adapted from them, Renzi provides a unique approach to the already extensive studies of this extraordinary author.