From one 1970's H.G. Wells
"adaptation" to another... in 1978, NBC aired a TV movie based on Wells' novel,
The Time Machine. It was framed as a
Classics Illustrated special for the whole family. It starred
John Beck (
Rollerball) as a mustachioed computer scientist in a leisure suit named Neil Perry, whose misadventures in time nearly get him burned at the stake (along with his clunky, "computerized" time machine) by Puritans and engaging in Old West gunfights, before finally putting his invention in gear and visiting the far future, where he inevitably finds the novels' Eloi and Morlocks. Add in an early vignette about a Soviet spy satellite crashing uncontrollably to Earth, and the suggestion that the TV movie deviates from Wells' novel is... a bit of an understatement.
Prsiscilla Barnes (of
Three's Company) portrayed the Eloi maiden, Weena, and familiar character actor
Whit Bissell, who had had a supporting role in the 1960 feature version, co-starred in the 1978 TV film.
I remember watching this movie when it aired in November of '78 (and that's when I clipped this ad out of
TV Guide, too), but I don't remember much about it. In preparing this post, I discovered that the entire movie is on YouTube, but honestly, even
I'm reluctant to revisit it...
I remember it. Wish I didn't.
ReplyDeletei dont remember ever haveing watched this, i might give it a look over on youtube, i do remember time after time that other wells movie from around the same year
ReplyDeleteI actually liked this when I was a kid. Liked the "wedge" shape of the Time Machine (futurey!). If you pretend it's just a time travel movie rather than THE Time Machine, you'll like it. (I liked it much more than that recent movie adaptation in theaters, in fact.)
ReplyDeleteIt was what it was. I don't expect my childhood films to hold up to my adult mind for the most part. I did remember as a kid making a cardboard version of that time machine using a light bright for that computer screen portion. So for that alone I think you for giving me back a good memory.
ReplyDeleteI liked this one back in the day as well and was hoping you would cover it.
ReplyDeleteI think though this is certainly one of those that is better in memory than in the rewatching. But I bet I look it up on YouTube later today all the same.
I missed it first first time around, but since I'm a fan of cheese I watched it last year and thoroughly enjoyed it for, as Tekmagi says, what it was. The character actors were fun to see as well, including one of my favorites - Parley Baer (radio's Chester on Gunsmoke, the mayor on the Andy Griffith Show).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this one didn't work for me. Which is too bad because I remember looking forward to it. Chris- I would still recommend you see it on youtube. It is a good example of the 70's made for TV SF.
ReplyDeleteSaw this in the 7th grade just after watching the original time machine.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was cool!
Holy cow! I forgot about this! I totally watched this when I was 10!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this when it was originally broadcast. The only thing I can recall from it is that the Morlocks were bald, had glowing eyes, and carried short, light saber type things.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I thought the "future" of the time machine was rather prophetic considering our current population's interest in history, current events, and what oblivious attitudes most people seem to have.
DeleteYes, it's not a good movie and I knew it even back then. But the softening effects of nostalgia do allow me to rewatch this today without too much discomfort. In fact, I'd rather watch this than most of the "original" tripe that SyFy airs.
ReplyDeleteHow about an entry on the much better Irwin Allen TV movie, Time Travelers from 1976?
Funny you should mention Time Travelers. I recently got my hands on the second volume of the Time Tunnel DVDs, and was thrilled to find that the Time Travelers TV movie, which I remember watching at my grandmother's house when it originally aired, was included in the set as a bonus feature.
ReplyDeleteI intend to re-watch it and review it here eventually, I just haven't gotten to it yet.
I was thrilled to see and record Time Travelers around the turn of the millennium when SciFi used to show good stuff and happier still when it came to DVD. Some thoughtful SF there, better than almost anything else done in the Space1970 era. Didn't need laser guns or space battles with winged spaceships. Also good was the 1964 Ib Melchior theatrical film of the same name, but that's a different era from this blog.
DeleteAs for that DVD, the latter day Time Tunnel pilot wasn't too bad, either. But again, not part of the Space1970 era.
Wow, i definitely was not looking at the sky when this one passed. Thanks for publicising its existence. I will certainly go look for it on Youtube, whatever it turns out to be, it's now part of the history of time travel in fiction (as opposed to... Never mind). Also, on the historic aspect, is it me or is this the only instance of a time traveller with a mustache ?
ReplyDeleteI caught the tail end of this back in the '80s but I've never seen the whole thing. Most everything I've ever heard about it has been extremely negative, but I'm sure it's better than Laserblast! :)
ReplyDeleteI saw this when it first aired. It seems like I liked it well enough, but even at that tender age, I preferred the George Pal version. About the only detail I really remember is that the time machine had a twinkly effect similar to the Star Trek transporter when it was in operation.
ReplyDeleteI caught about an hour of this on TV when it first aired. I remember the Morlocks were coming to get the Eloi and... WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE TO GO TO GRANDMA'S RIGHT NOW?! A couple of years later when we got a VCR, they had this movie for rent, but only available in Beta! I finally saw the whole thing on YouTube. It's not very good, but I'm glad I had the chance to finally see how it worked out.
ReplyDelete