 | The film opens with four friends gathered at the home of their friend, George. Tempers are short as it looks as if George has decided to stand his friends up. The four men are invited into the dining room by George's housekeeper and are about to dine when George suddenly bursts into the room, startling his guests with his dirty and disheveled appearance. George also has an amazing story to share with his friends, regarding his whereabouts of the past five days. It seems George has been on a journey..... |
George's amazing story begins with the last evening the five friends had spent together at his house, the final evening of the year, 1899. George had called his friends together to unveil his invention....a sort of time machine. He patiently explained to his friends that there is a fourth dimension, a dimension in which a traveller can visit different days, months, years or centuries. Three of his friends scoff at the notion of time travel, but his best friend, Filby feels in his heart that George knows of what he speaks, but it still frightens him to think his friend would chance his life on such an experiment. Once Filby leaves, George moves to his laboratory where the time machine sits. George decides to climb aboard and begin his journey.
This film does a wonderful job of pulling the viewer into the story. It's easy to find oneself caught up in the excitement, wonder and terror of George's journey through time. The special effects for this film are nothing short of amazing and will leave the viewer in awe, even in today's world of CGI effects.
Rod Taylor, Yvetter Mimieux and Alan Young lead the cast, but it's the direction of George Pal and the acting of Rod Taylor that bring the film together. George Pal had a hand in another classic sci-fi film, 1954's, The War of the Worlds, but this film is the diamond in the rough as far as Pal's accomplishments.
Fans of this film have something to stand up and cheer about as Warner Brothers have taken this fiilm, given it a polished look and newly remastered soundtrack and put the entire package on DVD! I can't say enough good about this DVD. The transfer is wonderful, the picture quality impeccable, the colors are vibrant and solid and the soundtrack has been remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, so the audio has never sounded better. With the release of the DVD you also enjoy a behind-the-scenes documentary; Time Machine: The Journey Back, hosted by Rod Taylor and featuring Alan Young, Whit Bissell and others involved in the production of this film.
If you have enjoyed this film in the past or if you've never had the pleasure of seeing this film, by all means, take the time to sit and enjoy a true classic in sci-fi/fantasy filmmaking. |
