War of the Worlds - The Tripod

War of the Worlds

A lightning storm starts over New Jersey, lightning bolts are hurled from the sky. As the storm subsides and all electronics stop working, a hole is discovered in the middle of the road. The ground begins to quake, the gawkers scramble, buildings split, cars tremble, windows shatter, and a church ruptures. There's a distinct lack of music; emphasizing the sound effects creates a more suspenseful atmosphere. A vehicle is thrown from the now giant hole. An enormous tripod comes flying out, crashing down on a car the protagonist is hiding behind. Then a gigantic machine rises from the Earth. People run in fear, the dramatic music starts playing as the tripod robot stands up.

Then silence while the robot remains motionless. The robot sounds a frightening horn, two arms appear, and a charging sound effect initiates. Suspenseful music starts again. Lasers shoot from the arms and vaporize all who are unfortunate enough to cross its path. It's an intense few minutes that demonstrates man's dependence on technology and the vulnerability of life itself. We are but ants to these Goliath alien vehicles, ironically, what ends up destroying the superior lifeforms are the microscopic ones we never see.