Spielberg invades Bayonne

Domestic bliss in War of the Worlds

These shots in the opening sequence of the domestic scenes show visually the conflicts between characters even without a word being said.

This shows Steven Spielberg's continued mastery over the most subtle scenes and how he uses image to show conflict.

Ray arrives to find his scolding ex-wife (two shot)

His ex-wife has an ally against him. (triple)

This begins a brilliant moving change of visual relationships: a two-shot depicting rivals for Maryann here

As Ray moves across screen we get a two-shot of him and his exwife with her very peeved

Ray's sweep across the screen leaves a two-shot of exwife and her new husband

This relationship is reinforced by reversing for a three-shot

Then reinforced again with the two-shot

Then once more by this three shot

Using the telephone pole as symbol of division, we see father and son

Which man will serve as son's father? This two-shot asks

Introducing the birth images, we see the daughter being born from the van -- this single shot shows how important this character will become to the meaning of the movie

War of the Worlds images page

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