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"The Time Machine," based on the landmark
H.G. Wells novel, tells the tale of an inventor, George, in Victorian
1890's England, who travels through time, by using a time machine
that he invented and put together. He bravely embarks on a wild,
far reaching adventure into the future, where he discovers that
mankind has evolved into two races. One race, the Eli, is made
up of young, very good looking, very gentle, trusting, ignorant
people who have forgotten how to think for themselves, because
all their needs are taken care of by the second race of monster-like
people, the Morlocks, who periodically harvest them for food.
He finds himself getting involved with these sheep-like
people, with one in particular, a young woman called Weena. After
meeting the people, he then discovers that he has another problem
When the scientist had left his time machine momentarily to explore
this strange, new future world, the Morlocks had taken his time
machine inside their fortress. Then, because he cares for what
is left of the human race, George tries to help them become free
from the creatures, to learn to take care of themselves.
When a mysterious horn goes off, Weena and others
docily go inside the Morlock's fortress cave. To free Weena and
others, and to get his machine back, so he could go back to his
own time at some point, he must take his life in his hands and
go inside the fortress cave as well.
A favorite scene takes place in an ancient building
in the future, which he comes across as he explores this new future
world. He discovers how these people sunk to such a state of sheephood.
Time traveler George is thrilled to find books in this ancient
library of sorts. When he picks up one, it crumbles to dust. In
his anger the traveler sweeps his arms across a shelf of books:
they all disintegrate into dust. The scene accurately symbolizes
the sad state of human knowledge in the far future.
This classic science fiction adventure yarn, adapted
from H.G. Wells novella by David Duncan, was directed by the multi-talented,
Hungarian born George Pal, who besides being a director, was also
a pioneer in the field of creating animation. Before WW2, Pal
was head of the cartoon department, at UFA Studios, Berlin. After
coming to America to escape Hitler, he created Puppetoons, and
received a special academy award for his work in 1943. Around
'48-'49, he expanded his interest in the animation field when
he became involved with features that combined live action with
special photo and sound effects, in such imaginative films as
"Seven Faces of Dr. Low," "Tom Thumb," "The
War of the Worlds," "The Wonderful World of the Brothers
Grimm," and "Atlantis, the Lost Continent." So,
not only did he direct these films, he also was involved with
their special effects.
In "The Time Machine," the audience
is treated to the realistic physical changes that happen around
the time machine, in the work room of George's house, and the
neighborhood that can be seen from the large window in the workroom.
The visual effects and animation were quite dazzling for 1960!
Under the leadership of director Pal, Wah Chang and Gene Warren
did the special photographic effects, and Don and David Salin,
George and David Pal, Jim Danforth and Tim Barr all worked on
the animation. These realistic live action sequences with convincing
special photo and visual effects, for which the film won an Academy
Award.
A favorite sequence of scenes showing these innovative
special effects can be seen when George travels forward in time,
and we see history flow past his workshop window to the outside
through seasonal changes, the chaniging mannequin in the window
in the shop across from his workshop window, WW1, WW2, the bombing
of London, etc, and other calamities, until he finally arrives
far into the future.
Rod Taylor was perfectly cast as the Victorian
time traveler, scientist George, on an adventure in the future.
With his rugged looks, and cultured voice, he becomes an elegant,
believable representative of the cultured British world of a hundred
years ago.
Yvette Mimieux is beautiful and does a good job
as Weena, a damsel in distress, who George falls for.Yvette went
on to make a string of movies, of varying quality and success.
She turned to producing in addition to acting. Besides being involved
in the film business, she was trained as an anthropologist and
became successful in business.
Taylor and Mimieux's scenes together are pretty
good. They meet each other, when Taylor jumps into the water to
save her from drowning when she fell in. All of her kind, the
Eli, just sat and watched her as she struggled in the water, not
concerned at all. As their relationship develops, the audience
wonders what this brave inventor is going to do concerning Weena,
if he survives the battle with the Morlocks, and decides that
it's time for him to travel back to his own time period.
Alan Young offers great support as a friend of
Taylor's from the past. Young is best known for starring in the
classic TV series "Mr. Ed." Around the late 1970's,
Alan found that his voice was in demand and he got a lot of work
in various cartoon features.
This film is rated G. The monster people, the
Morlocks, may be a little scary for young children. Otherwise
it is a great family film with a good moral message about the
importance of education, knowing the truth, being self-reliant
and standing up for what is right.
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