Psychotronic Cinemavision: Time After Time

Time After Time is a clever sci-fi thriller that imagines what would happen if the real-life author H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) had actually built a working time machine. In Victorian London, Wells invites his friends to see his invention, only to discover that one of them is actually Jack the Ripper (David Warner). When the police close in, Jack uses Wells’ time machine to escape to 1979 San Francisco, but without the key that H.G. holds placed in the control console, the time machine returns to its starting time and place.  Horrified, that he has, “…brought a monster into Utopia.”, Wells pursues him to the future, determined to stop him once and for all. In the modern world, Wells is bewildered and disappointed that the world did not learn from its mistakes and has not become the perfect society he believed humans were possible of but quickly finds an ally in Amy Robbins (Mary Steenburgen), a bank employee who helps him navigate the strange new century as they race to stop Jack’s murderous spree.  Amy and H.G. fall in love and when her life is put in danger, Wells decides to do what ever he must, including committing violence which he abhors, to stop Jack from continuing his murder spree and harming the woman he has fallen in love with.

Time After Time was released on September 28, 1979, and was widely praised for its inventive premise, witty script, and engaging performances. Critics especially noted the chemistry between McDowell and Steenburgen, who would later marry in real life. Roger Ebert called it “one of the most charming, ingenious fantasies of the year.” The New York Times praised it as “an imaginative, lighthearted chase film with real wit and warmth.” Variety highlighted its appeal, saying it was “a delightful, richly entertaining movie that combines thrills, romance and humor.” It was the first film directed by Nicholas Meyer, who also wrote the script which is based on a premise from Karl Alexander’s novel of the same name, which was not even finished at the time he wrote the script.  Based on the commentary from the DVD release, Meyer was given 55 pages of Karl’s manuscript to critique, and he liked the premise so much he immediately optioned the story so he could write the screenplay.  The film remains a cult favorite among fans of clever time-travel stories.

This is one of my favorite “time travel” movies maybe because it is more of a romance and thriller than really about time travel.  In fact, it does very little to explain the science behind the Time Machine or how H.G. would know how to build one and instead focus’ on the great chemistry between the cast.  David Warner has long been one of my favorite actors, with his wonderfully unique voice and superb delivery, everything he was in, from The Omen to Tron, is enriched by his performance.  Similarly, I am also a fan of Malcom McDowell, probably best known for his starring role in A Clockwork Orange but also played the “big bad” in Star Trek: Generations.  He is a prolific actor who adds a bit of respectability even to the lowest budget films.  Together the two made a wonderful pair sparing against each other in a real-life chess match.  Throw in Mary Steenburgen whose energy and chemistry brings a bit of light and humor to the story.  All three actors have lengthy careers spanning decades with numerous award nominations and wins, including marry winning a Saturn award for Best Actress in Time After Time (she would also win the best supporting actress Oscar and Golden Globe for her role in Melvin and Howard in 1980).

The films music is wonderfully incorporated enhancing the audience’s emotional response when appropriate and It was one of the last films scored by veteran composer Miklós Rózsa, who received the 1979 Saturn Award for Best Music.  The special effects are very cheesy and do not hold up to today’s standards, but that just gives it additional charm.  The production was filmed throughout San Francisco, and it is fun for me having lived in the SF Bay Area most of my life to see places I have been depicted in a favorite film.  In 2010, the movie was reimagined as a stage musical and in 2017 a television series was adapted from the movie, but did not last long, running for only one season.  Overall, this is a great story, great acting and fun to watch. It is also one of my husband’s favorite films, so we watch it together from “time to time”, pun intended.