In the new episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a Spielberg summer blockbuster and a bit of a hit out of nowhere.

War Of The Worlds wasn't even greenlit until eleven months before its release - and filming wouldn't start for three more months after that. 

The Mask had more time on its side, and by the time it came to its release, it turned out it had the world's biggest new movie star in its ensemble. Not bad, for a film originally envisaged as a horror trilogy.

Stories of both are told in this episode.

Find Simon on Twitter at @simonbrew, and the podcast can be found at @filmstoriespod.

Support our work at www.patreon.com/simonbrew.

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