The 1st ever aerial warfare movie to be released took place in December 1909 when "The Aerial Destroyer," otherwise known as "The Aerial Torpedo" or "The Battle of the Clouds," or in the U.S. "The Battle in the Clouds" was initially seen by English filmgoers. United Kingdom's director Walter R. Booth, who specialized in special effects, produced this invasion film, which derived from a popular literature genre in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Booth's film drew inspiration from H.G. Wells' recent story, "The War In The Air (1908)".
Booth's effects are sure to illicit a laugh from today's sophisticated audience. This fantasy shows balloon airships (dirigibles) invading an unnamed country, bombing armored vehicles and city buildings. The suffering country sends war planes to shoot down these airships. Made in 1909, such rudimentary planes reflect the rudimentary understanding of how aerial vehicles looked like. There is a drama within the war confines of "The Aerial Destroyer" with a couple of unmarried lovers who have been rejected to enter matrimony by the woman's father. Booth was ahead of his time inserting what has become standard in wartime movies by containing a love interest inside violent films in an effort to attract the female audience.
What makes Booth's film so prophetic is that in seven years Germany would fly dirigibles over the English channel to bomb London during World War One. Howard Hughes' 1930 film, "Hell's Angels," would be more graphically believable than Hughes' early effort here.
Booth's effects are sure to illicit a laugh from today's sophisticated audience. This fantasy shows balloon airships (dirigibles) invading an unnamed country, bombing armored vehicles and city buildings. The suffering country sends war planes to shoot down these airships. Made in 1909, such rudimentary planes reflect the rudimentary understanding of how aerial vehicles looked like. There is a drama within the war confines of "The Aerial Destroyer" with a couple of unmarried lovers who have been rejected to enter matrimony by the woman's father. Booth was ahead of his time inserting what has become standard in wartime movies by containing a love interest inside violent films in an effort to attract the female audience.
What makes Booth's film so prophetic is that in seven years Germany would fly dirigibles over the English channel to bomb London during World War One. Howard Hughes' 1930 film, "Hell's Angels," would be more graphically believable than Hughes' early effort here.