TIME AFTER TIME (1979) is on a relative short list of movies that I 'purely enjoy'. The 70s is arguably the best decade in the history of cinema, at least in terms of high-quality classics. It probably wouldn't crack my top 10 "best films of the 70s", but a short list of entertaining personal faves from this decade include this movie. I've seen it countless times and I always get a kick out of it's sheer entertainment value. The movie immediately draws you in with it's bombastic score over the opening credits sequence that sets the tone that the viewer is in for a wild ride!
Starting in 1890s London, Jack the Ripper is on the loose and has claimed his most recent victim, a courtesan in an alleyway (a chilling scene), then cut to the home of H.G. Wells (brilliant performance by star Malcolm McDowell), who is hosting a dinner party with several friends. One of them, Dr. John Lesley Stevenson (excellent work by David Warner) arrives late. Wells shows the gentlemen his latest invention, a time machine that he is hesitant to use, but later he finds out that one of his guests MUST use it as his friend Stevenson turns out to be Jack the Ripper! The local police are clueless, but Wells, armed with his knowledge, decides to follow Stevenson wherever he travelled.
Followed by this is an amazing time travel sequence that rivals the one in 2001:A Space Odyssey. This film was made in 1979 and the effects beat out many that came out in the decades AFTER it. Watching it makes me feel like I'm in Wells' place! Wells ends up on present-day San Francisco and the search for The Ripper begins! The early fish-out-of-water scenes of the Victorian Wells in the middle of modern-day USA are entertaining, with several funny and insightful scenes, including encounters with a pawn shop owner and an experience at McDonald's!
Wells eventually meets a bank employee named Amy (a refreshing Mary Steenburgen) who immediately takes a liking to him and he finds is a major key to helping him capture Stevenson. Wells finds him pretty early in a local hotel and this leads to an invigorating chase sequence, in which Stevenson escapes. Wells continues to need Amy's help and they find themselves falling in love.
This film moves at a brisk pace, but still finds time to catch it's breath and provide character insight and a thought-provoking message about the negative correlation between technological advancement and morality. The gentlemanly and moralistic Wells finds himself extremely out of place in a modern world where not all of his predictions of the future came true!
I know everyone is high on his work in A Clockwork Orange, but I frankly think Time After Time is McDowell's best film performance. An unconventional leading man, he totally carries this film as the protagonist and makes the journey palpable to the viewer! Warner essays his role as a serial killer with a chilling menace that is frightening. While I like Steenburgen in this, I do feel like her performance isn't quite the level of those of McDowell and Warner, but I find her very refreshing and likable in this role. Not a conventional beauty, I think her kind of "plain Jane" quality suits this movie. She's appealing enough that it is believable that Wells would fall for her.
Director Nicholas Meyer fashioned an eye-popping, fast-paced, provocative sci-fi adventure film with this movie and directed it with a lot of style. A very entertaining movie from the 70s!
Starting in 1890s London, Jack the Ripper is on the loose and has claimed his most recent victim, a courtesan in an alleyway (a chilling scene), then cut to the home of H.G. Wells (brilliant performance by star Malcolm McDowell), who is hosting a dinner party with several friends. One of them, Dr. John Lesley Stevenson (excellent work by David Warner) arrives late. Wells shows the gentlemen his latest invention, a time machine that he is hesitant to use, but later he finds out that one of his guests MUST use it as his friend Stevenson turns out to be Jack the Ripper! The local police are clueless, but Wells, armed with his knowledge, decides to follow Stevenson wherever he travelled.
Followed by this is an amazing time travel sequence that rivals the one in 2001:A Space Odyssey. This film was made in 1979 and the effects beat out many that came out in the decades AFTER it. Watching it makes me feel like I'm in Wells' place! Wells ends up on present-day San Francisco and the search for The Ripper begins! The early fish-out-of-water scenes of the Victorian Wells in the middle of modern-day USA are entertaining, with several funny and insightful scenes, including encounters with a pawn shop owner and an experience at McDonald's!
Wells eventually meets a bank employee named Amy (a refreshing Mary Steenburgen) who immediately takes a liking to him and he finds is a major key to helping him capture Stevenson. Wells finds him pretty early in a local hotel and this leads to an invigorating chase sequence, in which Stevenson escapes. Wells continues to need Amy's help and they find themselves falling in love.
This film moves at a brisk pace, but still finds time to catch it's breath and provide character insight and a thought-provoking message about the negative correlation between technological advancement and morality. The gentlemanly and moralistic Wells finds himself extremely out of place in a modern world where not all of his predictions of the future came true!
I know everyone is high on his work in A Clockwork Orange, but I frankly think Time After Time is McDowell's best film performance. An unconventional leading man, he totally carries this film as the protagonist and makes the journey palpable to the viewer! Warner essays his role as a serial killer with a chilling menace that is frightening. While I like Steenburgen in this, I do feel like her performance isn't quite the level of those of McDowell and Warner, but I find her very refreshing and likable in this role. Not a conventional beauty, I think her kind of "plain Jane" quality suits this movie. She's appealing enough that it is believable that Wells would fall for her.
Director Nicholas Meyer fashioned an eye-popping, fast-paced, provocative sci-fi adventure film with this movie and directed it with a lot of style. A very entertaining movie from the 70s!