The Time Machine (1960)

1960 • 102 minutes

About this movie

In this adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic novel, a scientist in 1880s Victorian England builds a vehicle to transport him through time. He first travels to 1917 and the horror of World War I. Next, he sets his destination for 1940 and the start of World War II. From there he travels to a future London when he barely escapes nuclear holocaust. Finally, he sets his destination for the year 802,701 C.E., when he meets an innocent race of people living in an idyllic land ... but this future may be the most dangerous of all his journeys in The Time Machine.

Ratings and reviews

While it can't be denied how influential "The Time Machine" has been to future sci-fi books/film, this version of the story (while a classic) is going to probably be lacking for modern audience's taste. The pace of the story is very slow (made worse that it runs almost 2 hours), not much happens until the last 40 minutes and even this uptick is sporadic. A large destruction scene looks silly and the future "monster" costumes and their lair look cheesy. Not recommended unless you LOVE sci-fi.

.. pretty much any good young actor of the time could have played the role. Steve McQueen; Sean Connery; William Shatner. Kirk Douglas Anthony Quinn. Maybe even Charles Bronson. The movie setting and plot's originality is what grabs people. Time Travel and humanity's fate on Earth.

One of the best early Sci-Fi movies ever made during that time. Not to be compared with some of the modern day, technology ridden, limitless budget movies we've grown accustomed to.