THE TIME MACHINE | A Sudden Feeling of Wonder | The Critic Richard Thrill's film review

The Critic Richard Thrill on the sudden feeling of wonder he experienced when rewatching The Time Machine. The Time Machine, 1960, is George Pal’s technicolor retelling of H. G. Wells’ great 19th century novel about a scientist who leaves Victorian England via the 4th dimension for an England very different from his own. Rod Taylor is the dapper, gentleman scientist who finds the British Isles have become a savage paradise populated by the young and beautiful and stupid, but lurking beneath the surface is a hideous secret: the violent, hungry Morlocks, who demand sacrifice and darkness. This children’s fantasy maintains its imagination throughout, although one might notice how absolutely white the place is. There is also a love story with Yvette Mimieux. Highly recommended.
Little Dicky Thrill saw the Time Machine the year it was released, likely in the summer of 1960, with his father. Later, the rise of UHF channels in the Chicago area kept films like The Time Machine alive, playing them in the evenings in lieu of original programming that kept budgets down. Whether it was the whiskey or the pain of being kicked out of his house again, Thrill watched The Time Machine on channel 32 (WFLD), not channel 11 (WTTW).
Written, edited, narrated, and scored by Brian Hischier
Twitter: @BRHischier

[@Spindler2007]

I love this movie. Definitely the best time travel movie of all time. I love the characters, the story, the music and the adventure it entails. The academy award The Time Machine won for it's special effects was definitely well earned.
What I also love about this movie is that is has a great blend of action, sci-fi, drama, romance and horror. Speaking of horror, the Morlocks in this movie are terrifying. I can still remember having nightmares of them when I was a kid and now with me 35 years old, I still find them creepy with the way the look and the way they move plus their glowing eyes alone are enough to terrify anyone.
This is one of those movies that I'll never forget and I'll always treasure in my heart as one of my favourite childhood movies.

[@reviewlets5171]

I'm in complete agreement with you on all the above. The Morlocks are fantastic character design, and they're a rare instance of glowing eyes actually having the intended effect!

[@Spindler2007]

@@reviewlets5171 Indeed. I certainly like how the Morlocks are kept in shadow for the most part before we finally see them giving us some great suspense and leaving it to our imagination.
The music as well amplifies the danger of the Morlocks especially in the scene when George is heading back to the sphinx and that creepy piano motif plays showing us that this future is not all it seems and has a dark side to it.