Two of the most popular
science fiction movies over the course of the last five decades are "The War of the Worlds", circa
1953, and the 1996 blockbuster, "Independence Day". The writer explains that, although almost fifty years separates the two films, anyone who has seen both films becomes quite aware of the effect "The War of the Worlds" had on the creation of "Independence Day". This paper provides an overview of both movies and then discusses how the predecessor affected the latter.