When Orson Welles Met HG Wells, plus Hark, a Vagrant!

[espanolbot]

I think that this is real anyway.

And the difference between Wells' and Jules Verne's approaches to science fiction.


I think that I read in one account that Verne got annoyed when he read Wells' version of a lunar exploration story, which involved a gravity-repelling paste that allowed people to float to the Moon. This was in contrast with Verne's own space exploration story that involved firing a capsule at the moon with a giant cannon, and involved a lot of maths to see if it could work or not.

Comments

[neuhallidae]

I sent the Wells and Verne one to one of my high school english teachers, because she was the only teacher I ever had who was cool enough to teach a "History of Science Fiction" elective course.

[zemo]

I always liked Verne better. He just makes whole worlds up that even work.

[minervasolo.livejournal.com]

I'm mixed on the two - Verne was a plagiariser (one of those writers who researched thoroughly, and then just copied his research straight into the books) and a lot of his writing is very clunky as a result. Wells writes beautifully, but sacrifices some of the science to do so. His sociological stuff is really worth reading, though it's got a lot of Edwardian stodge to it. As the comic says, he was all about the social metaphors!

[lonewolf23k]

Dear lord, can you imagine what a Wells/Verne collaboration would've looked like?

[lea_hazel]

Touching the face of God?

[darklorelei]

The one of Verne fanboying Poe is an enduring favorite.

http://harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=213

[sandoz_iscariot]

BROS

[roibenrye]

Yeah, that's my fav. :)

[unicornicopia]

The expression in that last panel gets me every time.

[kingrockwell]

<3

[bees_beads]

I love that one so much...the picture of Poe and Verne in the balloon is amazing.

[stig]

Just like Tolkien, having spent months planning out the ecosystem and culture of Middle Earth, despised the Chronicles of Narnia because Lewis just made it up as he went along and based most of it on the Bible.

[lamashtar]

I wonder what he thought of Lewis' outer space stuff.

[espanolbot]

Didn't one of Lewis' books imply that Middle Earth and Narnia occupied the same Multiverse? Which I guess could be possible, what with the Wood Between the Worlds and all.

[lamashtar]

Never heard that! It's been years since I read the Narnia books though. I could never resist reading the whole series, but The Last Battle always ended up making me depressed.

[bradhanon]

That bit in the recording where Welles says "Mr. Wells is doing the most gracious possible thing, he's allowing me to get in what in America we call a plug..."

That bit puts the biggest grin on my face, and I'm not entirely sure I can explain why.

[icon_uk]

I admire the honesty. Reminds me of Bette Davis appearing on a UK chat show (The terminally avuncular "Wogan") and she basically tells him to stop waffling and get on with it as she has a book to promote.

[icon_uk]

What a fun interview, I'd never heard it before, so thanks for that!