The Time Machine [DVD] [1960]

The plot follows Wells' late Victorian novel fairly well. Scientist George invents a time machine, and after making the proclamation to several of his nay-saying friends, including a test with a miniature time machine, takes off on a few journeys. The early journeys are just to test, and we see a few fascinating effects here. But the greater story lies in George's hope for the future, so he sets himself to go nearly a million years in to the future - the year 802701.

Trivia buffs will recognise the date on the machine as October 12, the same date Columbus discovered the new world. George embarks into this new world, finding the human race has evolved into a split species - the above-ground Eloi, and the below-ground Morlochs. The Eloi are carefree airheads for the most part - that is, until the Morlochs threaten, and then they become the hunted. The Morlochs are presented as base creatures, following only their appetites, and afraid to remain above for too long.

The effects of the time machine itself and the transition scenes are quite good for the time - I recall as a child watching this film on television and being mesmerised by the passage of time, the scenery changes through George's window as the time streamed by, and the contrast between the Victorian household set and the future world.

The more recent remake did homage to this classic film by incorporating a few of the same ideas - the scene changes through the windows, for example. Also, Alan Young (who played Filby in the 1960 film) appeared in the more recent film, the only actor to appear in both.

George has a tough decision to make - his time machine is stolen by the Morlochs; does he risk his life to get it back? And does he opt to stay in the future or go back to his own time if he recovers it?

Only time will tell.

The film is rather quaint to watch nowadays and it's faintly nostalgic. The stop motion effects are still quite impressive, even now. Some even look more realistic than today's CGI effects because they don't look so digital and cold. They look more real. It also manages to suggest (like the book) that the time traveller George and his point of view of what is important to a society isn't necessarily what is best. It supports the basic ideas of the book but it still makes some minor changes. Weena is suddenly a blonde beauty and doesn't die halfway through. The happy ending of George going to be reunited with Weena is totally different from the book too. In the book the time traveller just disappears and is never seen again. None of these changes detract from the basic idea too much because the essence is still there.

The extras arn't worth bothering with. There's a very dull documentary that discusses the special effects and cast for only 10 minutes and then waffles on about the time machine itself for nearly an hour. It describes in excrusiating detail how it was lost and then found in a junk shop and restored and then lost again and so on. It's dull beyond belief. There's a mini scene of George meeting his friend again many years later which is frankly quite embarrassing to see. And then there's the trailer which is well worth seeing if only to see how marketing of films has changed over the years. The original trailer is so over the top and naive it made me laugh out loud. It's cute.

Still a great classic sci fi film from the past. All the actors perform well. The star who plays George puts a huge amount of effort in - just watch his battle with the Morlocks. A great film I can highly recommend.