qomqurk I remember seeing this movie a couple times in 1979. Thought it was pretty cool. But I was living in San Francisco at the time (hopefully that's not a spoiler...), and quite honestly, re-watching it lately, the San Francisco of 1979 is really what shines in the movie to me. In one sense that's probably an unanticipated but real time travel element in this movie, at least for me. The streets, the people, the clubs all look slightly familiar, though I don't remember that many pretty blonde girls working at Mickey-D's.Nevertheless, that's really not why I decided I needed to review this movie. Mainly, re-watching the movie brought a terrible question to mind, and asking that question also may be something of a spoiler... Mainly, the question is, if you have a time machine, why in the world would you need to be in a hurry? I mean if you were going to be late for an appointment, and I mean late, like that appointment was supposed to have taken place a week ago, or maybe last year, couldn't you just hop in your time machine whenever you want, whenever you're ready for the appointment, and arrive on time? I mean the only hindrance would be death, in which case the appointment wouldn't be that important, or maybe the people at the appointment might think you're older than you're supposed to be, but really... time machine means no hurry. Unfortunately asking that question sort of makes Time After Time a little stupid. But then time travel is always full of holes. I think they're called time holes.I'm pretty sure in 1979, that 'no hurry' question never popped into my head. I was dazzled by the idea, and the performances of Malcolm and Mary and David, and also N. Meyer, and San Francisco, and thought it was a very good movie. Jiminy Crickets, almost 40 years in the future, the performances still dazzle, but for some reason I can't help asking, instead of jumping ahead a century, why didn't HG just go back a day. Things would've been much simpler, but then, of course, there'd be no movie.

maria nieves Great acting, loved the setting and direction, costumes, music, and plot. I felt the film was risky to make, and the quality succeeded. Sometimes it feels like Dr. Who or a comic book.The suspense and tension is thick. Jack the Ripper is one scary villain. H.G. Wells is a great memorable hero.That said, the first act is a bit of a chore to get through. The Jack murder scenes take a while, too. So the movie feel like 3 hours. Also, I could not imagine recommending Time After Time to young people.The social commentaries were deep and it was awesome for a socialist like Wells to confront the not-so-Utopian future of 1979.

ReelLover Time After Time was one of those films I saw in my youth (I was 13 in 1979) and it left an indelible impression on me. More of a romance than sci-fi, the viewers suspension of disbelief needs to be fluid here as we watch Meyer take liberties with history and turn our beloved writer into a time hopping romeo out to save the world from the evils of Jack the Ripper. However the deeper entertainments here are the chemistry between Steenburgen and McDowell, who were married after filming completed. So in a sense we are watching a romance in real life unfold similarly like in the film, and all the more better with a lush Rosza score behind it, which really is the best thing about the film. Why this movie is not on Blu-ray completely baffles me but it doesn't exactly stand out in terms of photography. The effects are simple and well placed, external shots are functional and appealing but not epic, but an HD remix is desperately needed here as the SD version is the only available through Amazon. Sometimes studios do this because HD can sometimes make the movie look worse, and if there is no budget to clean it up, keeping it in Low-Fi sometimes is best. However Time After Time deserves a view if you like on screen romance mixed with compelling situations reminiscent of the Hitchcock school of Love meets danger.

NateWatchesCoolMovies Imagine, for a moment, that H.G. Wells was actually able to build a functioning prototype of the time machine which he wrote about. Now imagine that Jack The Ripper, upon being discovered while visiting at Well's home, took full advantage of said time machine in the basement and escaped to the future, forcing Wells to venture forward in time to apprehend him before many more of his heinous crimes are committed. It's such a fantastic concept for a story, and what makes it even better is how well they do it. Obviously special effects were limited at the time, and they don't focus too heavily on action or intrigue, but rather play it for philosophical effect, as well as a touching romantic angle. Malcolm McDowell is usually ferocious villains in feverish, over the top roles, but this one allows him to explore his kinder, gentler side, those blue eyes hanging up the glare for an honest, loving gaze. He's whisked away by his machine and arrives in 1979 San Francisco, equally charmed and shocked by the progression of civilization in some amusing opening scenes of him wandering the city and taking in the sights. His former colleague (edgy veteran David Warner is acid perfection) Stevenson, who is the Ripper, couldn't be more ecstatic at being set free in the chaotic 70's. In a wickedly written sequence, he taunts Wells by flipping through television channels all showing violent events, sneering that he's finally home, and an amateur compared to the level of depravity that has infiltrated people's lives. Makes you shudder and think in equal measures. Wells eventually meets a beautiful bank teller (Mary Steenburgen) and falls in love, thickening the plot nicely and providing old Jack the Ripper with a nice bit of leverage. McDowell and Steenburgen met for the first time and fell in love on this film, later going on to get married. This provides their scenes that burning chemistry that lights up the screen with an authenticity that you can only get when the camera captures real love forming with perfect serendipity. It helps that the script is mature, unconventional and very well realized, treating both characters, as well as the entire arc of the film, with the care and genuine inspiration needed to win over an audience. It's also very ahead of its time; Steenburgen, although ending up the damsel in distress, is a fierce independent spirit, not just getting swept off her feet in stale Hollywood fashion, but falling for Wells through dialogue, conflict and real emotion, something which romantic films rarely get right. When the two are on screen together, pure magic emanates. And the film as a whole takes us on a rollicking adventure that takes time to think and feel in between the swash and buckle. This is one I can watch Time After Time and always love.