A PEEK AT TIME AFTER TIME (1 Viewer)

[haineshisway]

Let me count the ways I love this movie. The script is absolutely wonderful. It was Nicholas Meyer’s first film as director and it shows – he’s awkward, frequently has no clue what to do with a shot or where to put the camera, the effects are cheesy as can be, and yet I don’t care – I love it from start to finish. And one of the main reasons is that he gives us characters to love and to hate, but even the villain here has real depth. The leading players are all fantastic – some of the supporting players are not but again I don’t care.
The transfer on the Warner Archive Blu-ray is better than the DVD but it’s not going to win any awards, I’m afraid. It’s downright blurry at times, too soft, and lacking in detail. It’s not the production photography, which was very good and NOT soft. Still, the movie’s the thing and I’m really happy to have it.

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[Robert Harris]

Definitely, a fun and thought-provoking film.

 

[JPCinema]

I noticed the blurryness myself...almost out of focus. Weird.

 

[haineshisway]

I noticed the blurryness myself...almost out of focus. Weird.

Whew, I was hoping I wasn't the only one It's just a weird transfer - I'm happy to have it and the color is certainly fine. But the detail is just - lacking.

 

[GlennF]

It's interesting that the master they use on TCM HD has the same "out of focus/blurry" thing happening -particularly around the edges of the picture.

 

[John Sparks]

...and why I decided to stick with my upscaled SD!

 

[TonyD]

I watched it on TCM the other day and didn't notice the fuzzy edges or whatever it was that was fuzzy.

Was a fan of this when I was younger but now it doesn't hold up for me.
Watched it and after I just felt nothing.
I love time travel stories but too many questions now that I didn't notice before.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Watched this today for the first time for many years. The blu-ray presentation is OK but the film was not as good as I remembered. The two male leads were unconvincing time travellers although Mary Steenburgen was wonderful as always.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I have the DVD, which looks fine, but I was looking at screencaps [let the pillorying begin....]. and what I see there is what looks like it could be one of three things: vignetting at the edges [which I assume it is not], that the IP used for the release was curling up on the sides [which should have been caught at the scanning phase], or an improperly made IP with the focus issues baked in. I'm leaning towards #3. Even the estimable WB is not infallible.

 

[bigshot]

It was a little fuzzy in theaters too. I think they were trying to hide actors' wrinkles or something.

 

[Douglas R]

The film has great memories for me because I saw during my first visit to New York in October 1979 and the audience clearly loved it. I don't remember it looking at all "fuzzy".

 

[Tino]

Yeah. I saw it multiple times in the theaters during its original run and it definitely wasn’t “fuzzy”.

 

[haineshisway]

It wasn't fuzzy in theaters at all - there were some filters used on some close-ups but that's it - what's at play in this transfer is simply out of focus, not fuzzy.

 

[Rick Thompson]

I really enjoyed it. Time travel movies are not to be taken seriously -- Time Machine (which takes itself v-e-r-y seriously) to the contrary. This one is fun. The only time travel flix I enjoyed more are the original Back to the Future, Star Trek IV and Timeline. (And why isn't that on blu? Oops, I forgot -- it's Paramount!)

 

[Keith Cobby]

I have the Italian release of Timeline. Good transfer of an entertaining film.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I really enjoyed it. Time travel movies are not to be taken seriously -- Time Machine (which takes itself v-e-r-y seriously) to the contrary. This one is fun. The only time travel flix I enjoyed more are the original Back to the Future, Star Trek IV and Timeline. (And why isn't that on blu? Oops, I forgot -- it's Paramount!)

Another entertaining time travel film is Timestalkers (TV 1987)..

 

[Johnny Angell]

Let me count the ways I love this movie. The script is absolutely wonderful. It was Nicholas Meyer's first film as director and it shows - he's awkward, frequently has no clue what to do with a shot or where to put the camera, the effects are cheesy as can be, and yet I don't care - I love it from start to finish. And one of the main reasons is that he gives us characters to love and to hate, but even the villain here has real depth. The leading players are all fantastic - some of the supporting players are not but again I don't care.

The transfer on the Warner Archive Blu-ray is better than the DVD but it's not going to win any awards, I'm afraid. It's downright blurry at times, too soft, and lacking in detail. It's not the production photography, which was very good and NOT soft. Still, the movie's the thing and I'm really happy to have it.

I agree totally with your evaluation of the story and characters. Malcom McDowel, David Warner, and Mary Steenburgen are all very good. Hard to believe that Warner also played Bob Cratchet in my favorit Christmas Carol (the TV production with George C. Scott.) I liked that the disbelieving police were portrayed sympathetically.

I really enjoyed it. Time travel movies are not to be taken seriously -- Time Machine (which takes itself v-e-r-y seriously) to the contrary. This one is fun. The only time travel flix I enjoyed more are the original Back to the Future, Star Trek IV and Timeline. (And why isn't that on blu? Oops, I forgot -- it's Paramount!)

Time Machine is very effective. If it takes itself seriously, I don’t mind.

 

[Tino]

I thought Timeline the novel was awesome.

I thought Timeline the film was an epic disaster.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I thought Timeline the novel was awesome.

I thought Timeline the film was an epic disaster.

And i totally agree with you. Timeline would've made a great premium cable limited series.

 

[Tino]

And i totally agree with you. Timeline would've made a great premium cable limited series.

Yeah. The movie was terrible in every way as I recall. Seriously one of the worst I’ve ever seen.