Time Machine - Excellent movie!

Subject: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 08:46 PM

I just saw The Time Machine, and it's really a good film, IMO. It takes the old H.G.Wells story (which is a great one) and adds some fresh new ideas to the plot which actually improve on the original story. They had the good sense to start it in the Victorian era (but in New York City)...rather than doing it in modern times, and this makes for some visually wonderful scenes. In fact, there are beautiful and very imaginative scenes throughout this movie.

The movie also benefits from the fact that its main protagonist is not your typical Hollywood hunk/poster boy, but a man who comes across as real, complex, and entirely human...a thinking man.

The Morlocks are more formidable than in the original story, and quite reminiscent of other monsters seen in recent films (like Lord of the Rings), but that does not detract from the film.

The time machine itself is a marvelous looking contraption...Victorian in appearance, yet convincing as a high-tech device at the same time.

Damn good movie, in my opinion.

You could do this story 2 ways....either a faithful rendition of the original in all respects, which could be very good...or a new take like this one, which is also very good. I enjoyed it thoroughly, which was a real pleasure after seeing quite a few other movies lately which made me feel I'd wasted my money and my time.

- LH

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 12:04 PM

Having heard a plot synopsis of this film -- wife dies, wants to go back to save her life (see every SF film ever practically, ho hum) I fail to see how this kind of "new ideas" would be remotely an improvement on the original novel, which no one reads anymore. Very deep novel, saturated in possible political futures, the end of civilization, the universe, and so on. It may be an improvement on the George Pal film, which wouldn't be hard. Haven't seen the film. Just being defensive about making changes to older books without trying to take the original seriously first. The original would make a stunning film, given what we can do now.....

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: sophocleese
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 12:14 PM

Well it might be interesting to see if its stil in Orillia next week...

We did go see Gosford Park last week. Such a delight to watch a movie with intelligent acting all the way through. Just like the delight of listening to musicians of such skill and excellence that playing difficult pieces seems as natural as breathing.

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 12:06 AM

Hi Peter T. - Yes, it's a considerable improvement on the George Pal film. In fact, let me underline that.

I agree that a truly faithful adaptation of the original story could be absolutely marvelous if done today...I will always remember the Classics Comicbook treatment of it, which had some very neat drawings...great mobs of nasty little morlocks swarming around at night, and very cool architecture.

The new film, however, was no disappointment at all to me. It's one of the best science fiction movies I've ever seen, and is not exactly typical Hollywood fare, I wouldn't say...in a number of respects. What a surprise to actually see a good science fiction film!

I'm glad to see this thread was not totally ignored after all...

- LH

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 01:45 PM

Theres NOTHING BETTER once you've seen THE BEST!

ROD TAYLOR in the ORIGINAL TIME MACHINE

or

ROBERT MITCHUM in CAPE FEAR

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 01:50 PM

Yeah, Cape Fear was a pretty neat show.

- LH

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 04:58 PM

Not to get off the subject, but what was the film with Mitchum where he played a traveling preacher who was also a serial killer? He had "love" tattooed on one set of knuckles and "hate" on the other. Excellent film. Mitchum was always one of my favorites.

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: DougR
Date: 12 Mar 02 - 03:04 PM

"The Night of the Hunter." A truly great film, I think, LEJ.

DougR

Subject: RE: Time Machine - Excellent movie!
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 12 Mar 02 - 03:44 PM

I just saw "Time Machine" this weekend, and while it's been eons since I saw the Rod Taylor version, I rather liked this one better. The only thing I didn't get - WARNING, SPOILER COMING - was how he set the machine to destroy, by time, the bad guys, and yet still keep the eloi around ??? So what was the deal with the crushed watch. Anyone ?