The Time Machine (1960)

After scoring popular hits with When Worlds Collide and The War of the Worlds, special-effects pioneer George Pal returned to the visionary fiction of H.G. Wells to produce and direct this science-fiction classic from 1960. Wells's imaginative tale of time travel was published in 1895 and the movie is set in approximately the same period with Rod Taylor as a scientist whose magnificent time machine allows him to leap backward and forward in the annals of history. His adventures take him far into the future, where a meek and ineffectual race known as the Eloi have been forced to hide from the brutally monstrous Morlocks. As Taylor tests his daring invention, Oscar-winning special effects show us what the scientist sees: a cavalcade of sights and sounds as he races through time at varying speeds, from lava flows of ancient earth to the rise and fall of a towering future metropolis.

The movie's charm lies in its Victorian setting and the awe and wonder that carries over from Wells's classic story. The pioneering spirit of the movie is still enthralling, but it gets a bit silly when Taylor turns into a stock hero, rescuing a beautiful blonde Eloi (Yvette Mimieux) and battling with the chubby green Morlocks whose light-bulb eyes blink out when they die. Although it's quaint when compared to the special-effects marvels of the digital age, the movie's still highly entertaining and filled with a timeless sense of wonder. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com essential video

What a classic!

Just re-watched this movie this weekend and forgot how good it was. Alan Young plays Taylor's best friend and there are great behind-the-scenes stories for this movie in Young's book MISTER ED AND ME (I believe that is the title) also available on Amazon.com. If you love Morlocks, beautiful women, Oscar winning special effects and clever plots, this movie is for you. September 24, 2008

"Before its Time"

I first viewed this film when I was 11 years old and I must confess that seeing this movie impacted my whole life. I still have drawings I did in grade school of glass-domed futuristic houses with large double entrance doors. The time machine itself, is so humorous, but it is what they would have had in the 1800s for such a contraption. I was entranced by the Eloi and their lack of emotion and having to do nothing but eat fruit all day. My infantile mind thought that would be a GOOD life. I consider this a much better movie than its "twin" Journey to the Center of the Earth, but they were both great and thought-provoking, especially to pre-teenagers. The scenes and special effects are phenomenal. It is because of this movie that I probably eventually decided to write a time-travel novel of my own. Rod Taylor was not my favorite actor, but he did a very good job in this movie. September 12, 2008

El yay

Super fast delivery! Love this movie. my only pet peeve is that the dvd was loose in the case due to rough handling while in shipment...but no scratches no worries! August 26, 2008

ome on reviewer # 200!

This movie is, what (?), creepin'
up on 50-years old. The Time Ma-
chine is in better condition than
the surviving actors/filmcrew....
Based on the age of creation, how
can anyone YOUNGER than the movie
understand the wonders of watching
this film-- for the first time--
on the giant screen as a ten-year-
old? There's very LITTLE rocket sci-
ence IN the film... just sweat and
time-lapse magic that is just what
a younger reviewer'd call Cheesy.
When this film turns 50, I'll turn
60... the old guy has seen BETTER
movies, but there's plenty WORSE
than this. Shame on the 10% of the
raters-- of THIS film-- that gave
it ONE[*?] or TWO[**?] STARS! June 28, 2008

Worth it for a laugh

Like any old campy sci fi movie its good for a laugh just to see crappy sets and terrible Morlocks. I dont think anybody takes this movie serious, well i hope not anyways. The same people who like this movie are the same ones who say the remake is terrible. June 25, 2008

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