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The Time Machine (2002)
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Krel
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But they did remake "Forbidden Planet" back in 92 or 94. It was very low budget, and they ran out of money and couldn't finish the SPFX.

A few years back they were selling costumes, photos and other items on eBay.

We even had a a thread on the remake on the old board. I thought it was remade here, but I can't find it.

It does bring up an interesting question. Is it a legitimate remake, if they were never able to complete it, or release it?

They have also tried to launch more F.P. remakes over the years, but fortunately they have all died on the vine like the "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" attempt back in the 90s.

David.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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I guess if a production isn't completed, it's just re-half-made. Very Happy

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tmlindsey
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 2002 Time Machine has a great soundtrack and a great-ish (over-done) time machine design, but I don't think the film itself is good.

Far too many deviations from the source (though I'd consider the book somewhat un-filmable if trying to do a slavishly devoted adaptation. There were also far too many executives inserting their "creativity" into this. Another example of film-making by committee with poor results.

I don't understand Guy Pierce's appeal as an actor and think he's terribly wooden in this.

The Morlocks looks ridiculous and the Uber Morlock is unnecessary.

I will say that the final film as far-and-away better than the original script, with Orlando Jones as a battle android and mechanical squirrels that vomit eyeballs for the Morlocks to use to spy on the Eloi with Rolling Eyes

For me, the Pal version is far superior.

I'd read that there was a sequel in the works for the 2002 version, but it obviously hasn't happened; which is too bad since they could have corrected course with a sequel and made something good.

Maybe.

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scotpens
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tmlindsey wrote:
The 2002 Time Machine has a great soundtrack and a great-ish (over-done) time machine design, but I don't think the film itself is good.

Far too many deviations from the source (though I'd consider the book somewhat un-filmable if trying to do a slavishly devoted adaptation. There were also far too many executives inserting their "creativity" into this. Another example of film-making by committee with poor results.

I don't understand Guy Pierce's appeal as an actor and think he's terribly wooden in this.

The Morlocks looks ridiculous and the Uber Morlock is unnecessary.

I agree on all points, but Samantha Mumba was gorgeous.

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tmlindsey
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scotpens wrote:
I agree on all points, but Samantha Mumba was gorgeous.

She absolutely was! I thought she did a fine job with the cage-lining script they provided. I thought everyone was good except Guy Pierce.

Had they done a sequel, they could have set it in England and done a better adaptation by having the nameless "time traveler" be one of the people Alexander was corresponding with. The different locale could explain the differences in the Eloi and Morlocks. Using the same time machine prop would have saved them serious $$ and even if it was direct-to-video (or streaming now), they'd certainly make some of their money back on it; rather like Universal did with their The Wolfman quasi-follow-up they squatted out following that film's dismal returns.

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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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I must respectfully disagree, sir. I think the remake stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the 1960 version (which changes the book in many ways as well), and the machine itself is the most beautiful science fiction prop in movie history.





Ah well . . . different strokes. Very Happy

The scenes (and the great music) of his future are pure cinematic gold.

I also love the incredible complexity of the machine; the four spinning glass concave disks which rotate in opposite directions, the brass fittings (brilliantly "steam punk"), the mechanical "temporal speedometer", the force field that formed around the machine, the retractable legs . . . on and on, a masterpiece of engineering.


_________ The Time Machine - Time travel scene


___________

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tmlindsey
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the machine in concept, but as Wah Chang said (I'm told) when he saw it 'too busy, too much to take in visually', which I completely agree with.

But I still have tons of photos of the prop someone sent me, just the same!

We'll just have to disagree on the film itself Laughing

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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Wow, it's the complexity of the machine and all the movements it makes that I love! It really looks like something capable of "breaking the time barrier".

With respect to Mr. Change, his statement that there is "too much to take in visually" is a bit like saying the Grand Canyon is too "grand", and he'd like it better if it were smaller and not so darn deep. Laughing

The reason our Forbidden Planet thread is 135 pages long is because the members of All Sci-Fi have studied every detail of the sets, the props, and the concepts the movie presents.

And we never want to stop finding new things!

But I respect your opinion of the 2002 Time Machine, so your right that we'll just honor the idea of "to each his own". Very Happy

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tmlindsey
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Toning down all of the high-polished "brass" components would go a long way to help the prop.
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2022 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Dear Lord, you must be kidding! Shocked

The brightly polished brass components demonstrate the loving care which Professor Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) lavished on his "labor of love" — in this case, quite literally, since this wondrous machine was specifically created to travel back in time and prevent the ruthless murder of his beloved fiance! Sad

Consider the look on his face during the marvelous scene when he first embarks on his quest into future, desperately hoping to find out why he can't succeed in preventing her death — even with a time machine!

When I first saw this movie, I disliked it intensely because I thought this aspect of the plot was ridiculous!

But later I understood the scene with Uber Morlock (Jeremy Irons), in which Jeremy explained the temporal cause-and-effect loop that is so important to this story. As I'm sure you know, it goes like this.

~ Alexander was devastated by the death of his fiance.

~ This devastation drove him to create the time machine.

~ He used the time machine to go back and prevent her murder.

~ However, she dies anyway when an automobile runs her down.

But why the hell did that happen? Sad

~ Because if the "younger Alexander" did NOT need to save his fiance, then the older Alexander would NOT be driven to created the time machine . . . and therefore he would NOT arrive to save her! Shocked

~ Therefore, the young lady had to die, because that was what drove the younger Alexander to invent the time machine. Therefore, his older self would not need to save his fiance, thus preventing his younger self from needing to create the time machine . . . which meant that his fiance would NOT be saved . . .

Does all this make sense?

If all that stuff above is confusing, I'll try to make it shorter.

No murder mean no time machine. No time machine means the girl dies — in some manner. Her death motivates Alexander to build the time machine to save her . . . which has to happen, because if she doesn't die, then he will NOT invent a time machine!

That is the beauty of this movie! It offers a true "time machine paradox" more intriguing than anything in the 1960 version. And it's also something the H.G. Wells book never did either.

So, any complaints about this movie "straying from the original novel" and being so different from the original movie should consider the fascinating NEW story elements it contributed.
Very Happy
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tmlindsey
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, I understood it, I just didn't think it was very good or compelling.

I found the paradox something that should have been obvious to Alexander.

I think the soundtrack, like the soundtrack for Van Helsing, help tremendously in making the film enjoyable.

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tmlindsey
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:
That is the beauty of this movie! It offers a true "time machine paradox" more intriguing than anything in the 1960 version. And it's also something the H.G. Wells book never did either.

So, any complaints about this movie "straying from the original novel" and being so different from the original movie should consider the fascinating NEW story elements it contributed.
Very Happy


Laughing
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tmlindsey wrote:
I found the paradox something that should have been obvious to Alexander.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I disliked the movie at first because I did NOT get the paradox! Shocked

I thought Alexander was stupid for making one attempt to save his fiance and then giving up.

That would seem to suggest he DID get the paradox — but then went off into the future to find out why he couldn't save her . . . so that means he DIDN'T get it. Confused

However, when I watched the movie a second time I realized what the Jeremy Irons morlock character was saying, and I promptly gave myself a dope slap.
Rolling Eyes
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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This movie ends in a remarkably satisfying manner, and it leaves the viewer wonderng what comes next for the main characters — Alexander Hartdegen, Mara, and Kalen (the brother of Mara).

Obviously the life of the Eloi is going to be much better now that those ugly, cannibalistic Morlocks are no longer going to be preying on them.

The Eloi proved that they were intelligent, industrious, brave, and resilient. They maintained a stable society — in spite of the fact that monsters were popping out of the ground periodically to snatch a few of them and turn them into dinner . . . Sad

But a sequel would present the events which occurred as the Eloi prospered with the help of Alexander Hartdegen, a man who believed that mankind could achieve great things.

Naturally this story would need some kind of conflict — a set-back or threat which the Eloi must deal with. But in view of the fact that the Eloi defeated the Morlocks (with Alexander's help) means they would meet this new challenge and succeed against it.

So, what would the challenge be?

Come on, guys! All Sci-Fi is supposed to be the place where intelligent people present new ideas. So . . . let's hear what new ideas you've got!

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Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sat Dec 24, 2022 9:54 am; edited 1 time in total
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Morbius
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2022 7:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seen both versions several times. Love time travel movies. Both versions to me are fantastic. Always a question to me, Fate or Chance and Circumstance?
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