Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds by HG Wells still stands as one of the best loved science fiction stories ever written.

Adapted for stage and screen on numerous occasions, this story of technologically advanced invaders coming to the Earth to wage war has fascinated audiences ever since it was first published in 1898.

But perhaps one of the oddest adaptations of the novel is Jeff Wayne's musical version, released in 1978. A bizarre fusion of progressive rock, disco, theatre, and spectacle, despite initial scepticism of the project, it went on to be a massive success, with a stage version that continues to this day.

With an all-star cast including Richard Burton, David Essex, Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott, and Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, this is an epic blockbuster with themes that are just as pertinent now as they were in the 19th century.