Time Machine, The (1960)

The Time Machine (1960), produced and directed by George Pal.

When imagining the very far future, just about anything goes. With the rise and fall of civilizations you can have any arrangement of culture and scene. See Doctor Who. Since reading Wells in my youth I have always imagined a pastoral future of scattered people living in the ruins. But: don't go out at night.

The Time Machine itself is a fine bit of Victorian SF paraphernalia. Its operation with the days blurring by is nicely shown. I'm less happy with the shop window fashion conceit, but I'm guessing it works well enough to elicit audience appreciation.

Surely the premise could have been developed a bit faster, leaving us more time for actual SF adventure. It's 26m until time travel begins, and 45m until we reach the far future (800,000 something AD, where the Eloi still speak halting English -- a movie convention Wells did not use in his book).

In this version the two races split because of a terrible war. That's contrary to the author's vision: it is a natural development of class distinctions, between those who labor and those who enjoy the resulting benefits.

Available on Blu-ray. Some good images, but many soft ones too.