H.G. Wells - Things to Come
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Movie Reviews of H.G. Wells - Things to Come
Movie Review: Buy the Image Entertainment DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
I just want to reiterate the comments below that this new Image Entertainment DVD release is by far the finest version of this sci-fi classic that I've ever seen. Though not perfect, it towers above the many public domain versions that have been floating around over the years. Though occasionally a bit pompous, this memorable film is justifiably notable for its striking production design--the futuristic portion may be the part everyone remembers but the design of the post-apocalyptic Everytown by William Cameron Menzies is just as impressive. "Things To Come" is a worthy addition to one's sci-fi DVD collection.Movie Review: Dated English Science Fiction
Summary: 4 Stars
This film to many viewers today will seem dated today.
Alexader Korda direction is a little stage like and
Menzies Special Effects are a somewhere between an erector set and a model rail road.
Yet the story requires multiple viewings.
It is a near perfect moral tail that still echos in todays news.
As to "COLORIZED VERSION" #79654
There is "NO" Ray Harryhausen running Commentary!
There is what amounts to two featurettes containing almost containing the same interview clips (sometimes taken with different camera angles).
Movie Review: Great Blacka nd white film
Summary: 4 Stars
For H.G.Wells fans this is a must get. Get film. You can watch this over and over and still not see all of it.Movie Review: Greatness and Annoying
Summary: 3 Stars
Let me preface this review by letting you know my frame of reference. I am reviewing Things to Come as a film, a historical visual doccument and a DVDThings To Come has excellent set design, they evoke images that still ring strong. It's depiction of civilization and near feudalism due to constant war and attrition of resources creates a dramatic contrast when the future's 'Everytown' goes from a metropois to a shelled city, to a home for tinhorn dictators.
The second section of the film, the rebuilding and absortion of civillization into the world of science and progress is fun to watch, the sets hold up well today, even the rounded look a airplanes and society.
I also need to preface this review by saying I liked looking at the film but at times gritted my teeth at the dialog. It was the 1930's so I can forgive some overacting and mugging as it was the tradition of it's time, but the endless preaching of science as the savior of mankind and the 'c' word, civillization gets old fast. Worse, the film and dialog seemingly contradict themselves. Science is the only hope for humanity yet it is pondered if things haven't progressed too far.
Think of the film as a bell curve. The action builds, meets it's climax halfway through the film and starts to lose steam. The future city looks great but there's very little that clues us in on society other than H.G. Well's rants about a science based socialist state compared to a dictatiorship.
If you like the politics you might enjoy the dialog. I could have accepted the themes if they would have been backed up by actions. It's a film, not the short story.
The transfer to DVD is poor. If this is the film to buy I can only shudder to think what a bad version is like. There are many segments where the picture literally sparkles unintentionally. The print quality may be acceptable in terms of saving what is left of it to archive but many of it's problems could have been fixed with no continuity changes. The sound is terrible as well, at times distorted but comprehendable. Again, this could have been fixed rather easily if someone warranted the restoration.
Perhaps because Things To Come is difficult for several reasons it is not deemed worth quality commercial treatment. As a result your stereo (if you use one) will sound like the worlds largest $0.50 speaker.
To sum:
Hisorical importance: 5
The film itself: 3
Transfer to DVD: 1
Get it if you want to see some fightenly close to reality scenes of war and destruction or the fine art deco tinged future. There's projections or holograms predicted, and not to far from our possible future, Metropolis influenced buildings that look like late 80's malls. :) Things to Come is visually pleasing as long as you can get past the film transfer. It is an enjoyable flick but probably aimed more for film buffs and scholars than a general audience.
Movie Review: H.G. Wells view of the future - circa 1936
Summary: 3 Stars
William Cameron Menzies' ambitious British sci-fi "Things to Come" is impressive when one considers its 1936 release. A skinny legged and sometimes toga clad Raymond Massey stars as both Oswald and John Cabal who are grandson and grandfather.
The movie commences on Christmas 1940. The world is on the threshhold of war. Hostilities begin and the war machines are mobilized. Massey plays an airforce pilot. Both sides are using chemical warfare, dumping lethal gas bombs on each other. The war drags on and leads to a deadly plaque known as 'wandering sickness" which decimates half the worlds population. After 30 years of continual warfare most of Europe has fallen into anarchies governed by local warlords.
Elsewhere a society of airmen known as Wings Over the World has evolved separately. They have perfected flight and created the gas of peace which they use to finally end the war.
The flick jumps to 2036 where a futuristic society has been created which is now experimenting in space travel. This society lead by Massey, now playing the grandson has its troubles as well. An unruly group lead by Cedric Hardwicke, sickened by mankind's too rapid progress threatens to destroy a "space gun", which will propel a rocket to the moon.
Viewing this flick almost 70 years after it's release was a revelation into the expansive mind of H.G. Wells. The movie, however is reminiscent of the ancient Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials in their authencity.