Genres

Visitors Review

electric_postcard 2013-06-17 09:06:01

It wasn't all that bad.

Ok, I'll admit, it didn't have oscar winning special effects. But atleastthis "update" to the 1960's Time Machine existed in 1978 and now the morerecent remake of Time Machine. The movie script was fairly decent, andthespecial effects were somewhat realistic. I think if you give the 1978remake a chance, that it comes across fairly nice on a whole. The endingwas good in that at least they brought closure to the character in meetingback up with Weena in the future. This believe it or not is a very rarefilm. You don't see it on DVD or VHS anywhere and they don't replay itonTV or cable that I've seen at all, which is a real shame. I lucked outandtaped it years ago on VHS. I always enjoy looking at it from time totime.Sure, I know the quality of the effects aren't great, but hey, it's nicetocheck out every now and then.

LisaLisa85 2013-06-16 04:04:30

OK - here we go again...

I had to post a comment about this adaptation of The Time Machine afterreading the very harsh review by "Anonymous" from Sacramento.This 1978 version was never intended as a remake to the 1960 version;in the 1960 film, MGM took a lot of liberties with the original bookmaterial, and in fact this version is a much more faithful adaptationof the book, and much closer to HG Wells' vision.Whereas the 1960 version had a number of "key events" included thatwere not actually in the book at all, and also several key issuesomitted, this version largely stays true to the book in all aspects.While John Beck is not as confident or assured (or even as "arrogant")in his role as Rod Taylor, his more laid-back performance is far morereminiscent of the Time Traveller from the book than Taylor's. A coupleof other famous faces (including the John A. Doucette, Priscilla Barnesand even Whit Bissell, who also starred in the 1960 version, are allpleasant enough in their supporting roles.The effects are not brilliant, but then this was a cheap budgetproduction made in the Star Wars era, so in comparison there was no waythe effects were ever going to match up with productions from the likesof MGM or 20th Century Fox for that time! In short, while nothingspecial, and not as entertaining as the 1960 version, this 1978adaptation is not absolutely disastrous either.When it comes to accurately depicting HG Wells' original book, the 1960"Time Machine" film is the weaker version, not this one

Philly Phan 2013-06-15 17:41:46

Better than the Book

I give this movie a B because it had good graphics for a 30 year old movie. Much better than the book. Let me give a suggestion dont read the book. Watch the movie and the 2002 time machine is totally different from the book if u read it and liked it. horrible acting except for the guy. Watch it and see if u like it, it wont be a waste of time like Jaws 4

2013-06-12 03:23:28

would love to see this on dvd

This is the version I recall watching as a kid. Wish it was on dvd I'd buy it in a minute easily the best one

anonymous 2013-06-11 10:30:22

The worst remake ever made.

The 1960 film is so wonderful. Why would they remake it so badly?The effects aren't perfect in the original Film, but they are a hundredtimes worse in the TV movie.The actors are annoying.The costumes on the Morlocks are amazingly just as bad as the worst sci-fiflicks of the 50's.Sorry if you like this movie. I just think it's awful.

David 2013-06-10 08:03:48

good

considering it is 20 plus years old, it is a very interesting story and subject, the theory is quite fantastic

domnogin 2013-06-09 15:13:47

Only Saw First Half, Not Bad

A power outage kept me from seeing more than half of this on ABC(American Broadcasting Network). I remember the hero being burned,presumably as a witch though that punishment was reserved for heretics.Sure, it didn't stick to the original novel, which I have read in twodifferent forms; so what. I kept hoping it would be shown again. Maybesomeone has uploaded the video.I made the mistake of asking ABC for help in finding theireight-episode series PROBE (1988) starring Parker Stevenson (previouslyof THE HARDY BOYS) and Ashley Crow (currently of HEROES). Theydisavowed any knowledge of its existence; the show was a victim of awriters' strike. I never bothered to ask about this movie.

2013-06-08 12:43:48

Great Retelling of the Timeless Wells Classic

This review is from: The Time Machine (1978 - TV) (VHS Tape) I remember renting this movie over 25 years ago. It wasn't as exciting as the Rod Taylor/George Pal 1960s version, but it grows on you. I would love to see it on DVD or Blue Ray! John Beck is a great time traveler, and Andrew Duggan is a good modern villian. The evils of any type of nuclear war have to be continually held before the eyes of the world in order to show all people that it is something that must not happen at all costs.It is a nice feature of remakes that they put in actors that appeared in earlier versions. Whit Bissell appears in this version as Alan Young appeared in the 2002 version--both Bissel and Young were in the 1960 George Pal movie.John Beck is likable, and you really enjoy being with him on his journey. Fellow movie buffs, have Schick Sunn reissue this as a DVD/Blue Ray!

Theo Robertson 2013-06-07 21:49:22

Perhaps The Worst Film Adaptation Of Any Book Ever

Apparently this is based on HG Wells The Time Machine but one can'thelp wondering if the producers read another book with the same title ?Perhaps some of the commentators here also read that book because assomeone who did read Wells original novel I can state without anyembarrassment and reservation that the first half of this TVM hasabsolutely nothing in common with the book except for a vague premiseof having someone building a time machine The story takes place in a contemporary setting where a Sovietsatellite falls out of orbit and threatens Los Angles and scientistNeil Perry saves the day but coming to the conclusion that becausethere's too many people in the control room their body heat isinterfering with the missile sent up to destroy the satellite . Doesthis make sense ? The lack of credibility is exaggerated by castingJohn Beck as Perry since he looks like a 70s porn star , think of JohnHolmes with a sensible haircut and you've got the idea Some military type then takes Perry side and asks him what he's donewith the $20 million dollars he's received from the government and youcan't blame him because if you' look like a porn star and flirt with asecretary old enough to be your grandmother you might have theinstinctive fear that it's been blown on cocaine . Thankfully PornoPerry has invested it all in to a time machine which he's just triedout I might have to re-read the book but I'm pretty certain that in theoriginal novel the protagonist didn't get tied to the stake by 17thcentury puritans and almost burned alive . The puritans wereconsiderate enough to have Perry sit in his machine while the flamestake hold so he's able to literally use his head to escape . I hadthought for a moment Porno Perry might have used another part of hisanatomy to use his controls but this is an American TVM so no offenceis allowed - except offending anyone who has read the book It's not Perry's day however because he soon finds himself caught up inthe California gold rush , imprisoned and escapes town while there's agunfight between good guys and bad guys . It's at this point you thinkthe only bad guys in the world are the people who produced thisaberration of literature claiming it's based upon a novel by the mostinfluential writer of the 20th Century . We're now half way through theTVM and there's not been one single scene that has been taken directlyfrom the book Thankfully Perry now travels in to the future where he gets involvedwith the Eloi and Molochs thereby showing at long last showing at longlast why this travesty might owe anything to HG Wells and in keepingwith the rest of the TVM it's bland and uninvolving replacing Darwiniansubtext with pacifist agitprop Some people may claim the 1960 and 2002 movie versions did change Wellstext to a large degree but this was justified . Both films were highlyentertaining and the 1960 version especially had lots of charm alongwith Rod Taylor's time traveler being disgusted as to what mankind hadbecome , he was still recognizably a Wellsian character . Here howeverwe're watching a very cheap and charmless production with not very goodactors slumming it in a script devoid of any intellect . Wells musthave been turning in his grave and this is possibly the worst filmadaptation of any book brought to screen