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The Time Machine (1978)

 The Time Machine (1978)
type
TVTItem
 The Time Machine (1978)
label
The Time Machine (1978)
 The Time Machine (1978)
page
TheTimeMachine1978
 The Time Machine (1978)
comment
The Time Machine is a Made-for-TV Movie based on the H. G. Wells novel by the same name. It originally aired on NBC in 1978 as part of the Classics Illustrated series.This time, the story has been given a Setting Update. Rather than a Victorian gentleman, the Time Traveler is now an American scientist of the contemporary 1970s. His name is Dr. Neil Perry. The Government wants him to invent some wacky superweapons like a "laser death ray" and an "antimatter bomb." You know, for the Cold War. Instead, he builds a working Time Machine. Naturally, his superiors are aghast that he wasted their money building something that doesn't even kill commies. What is he, some kind of pinko idealist?Anyway, Neil tests out his invention with trips to Puritan times and The Wild West. He then heads for the future, hoping to prove that the weapons the government wants him to build will ultimately doom humanity. Lo and behold, it turns out World War III leads to the world of the Eloi and Morlocks, just like in the 1960 version. And as in the later 2002 version, the Eloi's passive complacency is eliminated for the most part, rendering them more heroic. Also, Weena now has a brother named Ariel. No surprise, it ends with Neil and the Eloi teaming up to defeat the Morlocks.
 The Time Machine (1978)
fetched
2024-02-23T17:45:45Z
 The Time Machine (1978)
parsed
2024-02-23T17:45:45Z
 The Time Machine (1978)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_17257125
type
The Wild West
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_17257125
comment
The Wild West: The second era that Neil visits. The film spends over ten minutes here, all of it inconsequential to the main plot.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_17257125
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_17257125
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_17257125
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_19097137
type
Forty-Niner
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_19097137
comment
Forty-Niner: Apparently, Neil's arrival in the Old West coincides with "the middle of the Gold Rush." His machine gives the year as 1871, which is actually some twenty years after the height of the Gold Rush.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_19097137
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_19097137
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_19097137
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_1d7d1b93
type
Remake Cameo
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_1d7d1b93
comment
Remake Cameo: This version features Whit Bissell, who was also in the 1960 version.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_1d7d1b93
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_1d7d1b93
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_1d7d1b93
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_23473ae7
type
Adaptation Expansion
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_23473ae7
comment
Adaptation Expansion: It's not until halfway through the film that it gets into the original story about the Time Traveler's voyage to the year 802701.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_23473ae7
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_23473ae7
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_23473ae7
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_2c161076
type
Changed My Jumper
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_2c161076
comment
Changed My Jumper: Neil's modern clothes cause him some problems on his trips to the past.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_2c161076
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_2c161076
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_2c161076
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_30763ed8
type
Eternal English
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_30763ed8
comment
Eternal English: As usual, the Eloi speak English.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_30763ed8
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_30763ed8
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_30763ed8
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_352def2a
type
Burn the Witch!
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_352def2a
comment
Burn the Witch!: The Puritans decide to burn Neil and his machine together. Would you believe that he escapes by traveling to a different year?
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_352def2a
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_352def2a
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_352def2a
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_461aad62
type
Mistaken for Thief
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_461aad62
comment
Mistaken for Thief: Immediately happens to Neil after he arrives in the Old West.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_461aad62
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 The Time Machine (1978) / int_461aad62
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_461aad62
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56515a39
type
Artistic License – History
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56515a39
comment
Artistic License – History: Neil is convicted of witchcraft at the Salem witch trials on April 10, 1692 and is sentenced to burn at the stake. In reality, none of the 19 people convicted of witchcraft in Salem received this sentence; they were all hanged. Giles Corey was crushed to death for refusing to enter a plea.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56515a39
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56515a39
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_56515a39
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56698261
type
Our Time Travel Is Different
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56698261
comment
Our Time Travel Is Different: Starts off as Videocassette Time Travel, but then converts to Wormhole Time Travel for some reason.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56698261
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_56698261
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_56698261
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6454966e
type
World War III
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6454966e
comment
World War III: Occurred in the early 21st century, starting in 2004.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6454966e
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6454966e
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_6454966e
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6b723294
type
Techno Babble
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6b723294
comment
Techno Babble: How does the Time Machine work? "In principle, it utilizes an electromagnetic force field to molecularly reconstruct the spacetime continuum." In other words, it's basically magic.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6b723294
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_6b723294
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_6b723294
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_71748a39
type
Named by the Adaptation
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_71748a39
comment
Named by the Adaptation: This time, the Time Traveler is named Dr. Neil Perry. Also, a male Eloi (Weena's brother) is named Ariel. In the novel, Weena was the only Eloi to be given a name.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_71748a39
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_71748a39
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_71748a39
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7aeb0635
type
Arms Dealer
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7aeb0635
comment
Arms Dealer: Neil works for a tech company that primarily builds weapons for the U.S. government.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7aeb0635
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7aeb0635
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_7aeb0635
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7d49d74a
type
Cultural Translation
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7d49d74a
comment
Cultural Translation: The setting is moved from Victorian England to 1970s America.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7d49d74a
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_7d49d74a
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_7d49d74a
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_836a968e
type
Plunger Detonator
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_836a968e
comment
Plunger Detonator: In the Old West segment, the miners use one of these to blow up the mine where Neil hid the Time Machine. Fortunately, the machine is undamaged, but he has to dig through some rubble to get to it.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_836a968e
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_836a968e
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_836a968e
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_8966382e
type
Bank Robbery
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_8966382e
comment
Bank Robbery: One of these is committed in the Old West town. By coincidence, it provides a distraction that allows Neil to escape.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_8966382e
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_8966382e
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_8966382e
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_af4d6174
type
Setting Update
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_af4d6174
comment
Setting Update: Unlike the 1960 and 2002 films, which kept the original period, this version updates the Time Traveler's era to the Present Day, i.e. The '70s. As a result, the Time Machine has a decided Space Age design rather than the usual Steampunk design.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_af4d6174
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_af4d6174
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_af4d6174
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_b3eecaae
type
Colony Drop
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_b3eecaae
comment
Colony Drop: The film kicks off with a nuclear-armed Soviet satellite falling out of orbit and heading for Los Angeles. Neil manages to save the day, providing his Establishing Character Moment.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_b3eecaae
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_b3eecaae
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_b3eecaae
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_c66f2bb5
type
Witch Hunt
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_c66f2bb5
comment
Witch Hunt: Neil's first trip takes him to New England in 1692. Guess what he's accused of being.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_c66f2bb5
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_c66f2bb5
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_c66f2bb5
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d40e1a9f
type
Break Out the Museum Piece
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d40e1a9f
comment
Break Out the Museum Piece: Neil and the Eloi use the weapons from a museum to defeat the Morlocks.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d40e1a9f
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d40e1a9f
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_d40e1a9f
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d68c925d
type
Creator Provincialism
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d68c925d
comment
Creator Provincialism: Neil ends up in two different historical eras, and both are periods from American history. And, as noted below, it's not the case that he doesn't travel in space.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d68c925d
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d68c925d
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_d68c925d
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d732b623
type
Time and Relative Dimensions in Space
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d732b623
comment
Time and Relative Dimensions in Space: Neil visits Puritan New England and the Old West. There is no explanation for why he ended up in two different geographic locations.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d732b623
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_d732b623
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1.0
 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_d732b623
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_ea24a918
type
Lost in Imitation
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_ea24a918
comment
Lost in Imitation: This film clearly took a lot of inspiration from the 1960 film. It uses the same nuclear Back Story for the Eloi and Morlocks, leading to the same anti-war message. In turn, some elements introduced in this 1978 version recur in the 2002 version, such as the Eloi being less passive and Weena/Mara having a brother.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_ea24a918
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 The Time Machine (1978) / int_ea24a918
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 The Time Machine (1978)
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The Time Machine (1978) / int_ea24a918
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_f32d85ab
type
20 Minutes into the Future
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_f32d85ab
comment
20 Minutes into the Future: Neil stops off in the year 2025, discovering that it's a post-nuclear wasteland.
 The Time Machine (1978) / int_f32d85ab
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The Time Machine (1978)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Time Machine (1978)
hasFeature
Time Travel Tales / int_f013070c
 The Time Machine (1978)
hasFeature
Vehicle Title / int_f013070c