Time After Time

A delightful science-fiction-fantasy-romance-mystery (all rolled into one), Nicholas Meyer's popular 1979 feature stars Malcolm McDowell as genius inventor and writer H. G. Wells, whose unveiling of his new time machine to scoffing friends in 1893 is interrupted when one of those acquaintances, surgeon John Lesley Stevenson (David Warner)--about to be revealed as Jack the Ripper--hitches a ride on Wells's latest invention and flees to modern day San Francisco. While the Ripper embarks on a new killing spree, Wells and his new "friend" Amy Robbins (Mary Steenburgen, whom McDowell would marry in real life) follow in hot pursuit (cameo alert: look for a young Corey Feldman when Wells lands in S.F.). Thanks to the clever direction by Meyer, the amiable chemistry between McDowell and Steenburgen, and the subtly evil performance by Warner, this is a grand entertainment that holds up well. Looking very sharp, and featuring a solid Dolby Digital stereo soundtrack, the disc also includes a decent commentary track with Meyer and McDowell, and a text essay, "It's About Time," chronicling the history of time travel in the movies. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[Blu-ray Review—Dec. 13, 2016—Warner, 112 min., PG, Blu-ray: $21.99—Making its Blu-ray debut, 1979's Time After Time sports a great transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary with director Nicholas Meyer and star Malcolm McDowell, and trailers. Bottom line: this much-beloved romantic sci-fi adventure film sparkles on Blu-ray.]