Don't read this if you don't want to know the ending punch line of the film. You shouldn't read public reviews if you are touchy about spoilers. This review endeavors to answer a few questions about the movie details & ending. All of the following details were included in the dialogue, so this is not conjecture.
This movie requires close attention to the dialogue to catch the explanations & back stories. You can't play on the internet, text or have noise distractions during the movie without missing subtle details.
Although it has bland scenery and a slow pace, I found the ending quite haunting. It has one of the most unusual endings I've ever seen.
Some reviewers seem to be confused by the ending. Apparently, a few didn't catch on. There was no "lack of food" or "cannibalism" theme in this movie as a few stated. It was a lack of "FUEL" for their vehicles (which had been modified to use "people" for fuel).
If you remember the earlier dialogue, the time travelers described finding groups of mentally challenged, deaf and otherwise handicapped survivors in the future who mostly lived wild, grubbing for potatoes, roots and anything else they could find. They were simple-minded and childlike but friendly. In fact, the group had brought along one of these simple-minded girls they found during their trek.
These future simple-minded survivors were the sources of fuel being used by the elite future humans who tucked them inside the modified trunk (boot) of their car which converted them into fuel. Hence the scream when the car started. The child expressed concerned about what would they use for fuel when they ran out of the simpleminded or if they would then use each other (the elite) for fuel. The parents assured their child that since they had "just put one in, it would be quite a while until they would need another." (referring to the person they had just placed into the vehicle fuel compartment located in the trunk.)
Other areas of confusion in reviews were:
How far in the future: It was stated as 56 years (from 1973 when it was filmed or 2029). However, at the end, Karen adjusted the machine date settings prior to escaping her pursuers. When she emerged the last time, Arthur's body had completely decomposed; campsite gone; flagpole broken & the metal drink containers seriously eroded. Probably around the year 2100 at the end.
Government knowledge: They repeatedly mentioned the government was not informed of the time differential achieved by their project and only knew about the point to point material transference (without time travel.) However, having witnessed Karen's transference, they would have investigated further.
Removal of pants: They could not have any metal or heavy clothing on during transfer. Pants contain zippers, buttons, snaps, etc. No metal dental work. All metal items were stored in the material transfer compartment. Thin shirts and underwear were OK to wear during transfer. No nudity or revealing scenes.
No older time travelers: Over the age of 20, suffered from bleeding kidneys and died a few days later. This was the fate of Louis.
The screwdriver: When Karen escaped her pursuers, she had taken the screwdriver into the future with her (as a tool & weapon). It was in her possession when the family found her. The child looking at the screwdriver expressed concerns whether the girl was actually one of the simple-minded used for fuel.
Reproduction: The group learned that they were all sterile from the time transfer and informed Karen she could not be pregnant. In disbelief, she returned to the transfer point to inform Arthur of her perceived pregnancy by him.
Train: Ronald told Karen it was full of body bags presumably from the coastal region.
Apocalypse: When Isa drove Karen to see the lava beds, Isa mentioned they had traveled to other Idaho towns and found them abandoned. Also, no radio signals or air traffic and the project building torn down in the future.
Lava field: The lava field existed in both timelines but a physical displacement of 11 miles into the lava fields between timelines. Only the location varied. Karen's sister drove her to see the lava field in the present just before they gave the hitchhikers a ride. (the only hippies or hippie talk. Less than 1 minute of film.)
Ecology: No reference during the movie. There was only a vague mention of a calamity which decimated the population. Nuclear was a possible theory. The only real reference to shortages was the final scene where humans became the source of fuel for vehicles.
Deteriorating mentality: One reviewer suggested possible contaminants caused the simpleminded future inhabitants & may have afflicted Leslie & Karen. Leslie was also panicked at being trapped when she flipped. A lava bed is no place to find sustenance when supplies ran out. Karen also spent time in a clinic where she was raped. Plus her concussion and no food or water. Multiple time transfers could also be a factor.
Trapped: Many reviewers referenced the group trapped in the future. Yet, they were planning to stay in the future from the onset to escape the apocalypse. They were stocking & planning to bring more people. They rushed back in to escape as the Feds were shutting them down. They were escaping a holocaust & planning to restore the future. They did not know about their sterility until the very end. Leslie was the only one who changed her mind.
Regarding bad DVD copies: You can obtain a very clean DVD copy of this movie in one of those 100 sci-fi classic DVD movie packs on Amazon for very cheap. Be sure to check the list of movies on the movie pack to ensure you chose the correct set. There are several similar movie pack collections.
This movie requires close attention to the dialogue to catch the explanations & back stories. You can't play on the internet, text or have noise distractions during the movie without missing subtle details.
Although it has bland scenery and a slow pace, I found the ending quite haunting. It has one of the most unusual endings I've ever seen.
Some reviewers seem to be confused by the ending. Apparently, a few didn't catch on. There was no "lack of food" or "cannibalism" theme in this movie as a few stated. It was a lack of "FUEL" for their vehicles (which had been modified to use "people" for fuel).
If you remember the earlier dialogue, the time travelers described finding groups of mentally challenged, deaf and otherwise handicapped survivors in the future who mostly lived wild, grubbing for potatoes, roots and anything else they could find. They were simple-minded and childlike but friendly. In fact, the group had brought along one of these simple-minded girls they found during their trek.
These future simple-minded survivors were the sources of fuel being used by the elite future humans who tucked them inside the modified trunk (boot) of their car which converted them into fuel. Hence the scream when the car started. The child expressed concerned about what would they use for fuel when they ran out of the simpleminded or if they would then use each other (the elite) for fuel. The parents assured their child that since they had "just put one in, it would be quite a while until they would need another." (referring to the person they had just placed into the vehicle fuel compartment located in the trunk.)
Other areas of confusion in reviews were:
How far in the future: It was stated as 56 years (from 1973 when it was filmed or 2029). However, at the end, Karen adjusted the machine date settings prior to escaping her pursuers. When she emerged the last time, Arthur's body had completely decomposed; campsite gone; flagpole broken & the metal drink containers seriously eroded. Probably around the year 2100 at the end.
Government knowledge: They repeatedly mentioned the government was not informed of the time differential achieved by their project and only knew about the point to point material transference (without time travel.) However, having witnessed Karen's transference, they would have investigated further.
Removal of pants: They could not have any metal or heavy clothing on during transfer. Pants contain zippers, buttons, snaps, etc. No metal dental work. All metal items were stored in the material transfer compartment. Thin shirts and underwear were OK to wear during transfer. No nudity or revealing scenes.
No older time travelers: Over the age of 20, suffered from bleeding kidneys and died a few days later. This was the fate of Louis.
The screwdriver: When Karen escaped her pursuers, she had taken the screwdriver into the future with her (as a tool & weapon). It was in her possession when the family found her. The child looking at the screwdriver expressed concerns whether the girl was actually one of the simple-minded used for fuel.
Reproduction: The group learned that they were all sterile from the time transfer and informed Karen she could not be pregnant. In disbelief, she returned to the transfer point to inform Arthur of her perceived pregnancy by him.
Train: Ronald told Karen it was full of body bags presumably from the coastal region.
Apocalypse: When Isa drove Karen to see the lava beds, Isa mentioned they had traveled to other Idaho towns and found them abandoned. Also, no radio signals or air traffic and the project building torn down in the future.
Lava field: The lava field existed in both timelines but a physical displacement of 11 miles into the lava fields between timelines. Only the location varied. Karen's sister drove her to see the lava field in the present just before they gave the hitchhikers a ride. (the only hippies or hippie talk. Less than 1 minute of film.)
Ecology: No reference during the movie. There was only a vague mention of a calamity which decimated the population. Nuclear was a possible theory. The only real reference to shortages was the final scene where humans became the source of fuel for vehicles.
Deteriorating mentality: One reviewer suggested possible contaminants caused the simpleminded future inhabitants & may have afflicted Leslie & Karen. Leslie was also panicked at being trapped when she flipped. A lava bed is no place to find sustenance when supplies ran out. Karen also spent time in a clinic where she was raped. Plus her concussion and no food or water. Multiple time transfers could also be a factor.
Trapped: Many reviewers referenced the group trapped in the future. Yet, they were planning to stay in the future from the onset to escape the apocalypse. They were stocking & planning to bring more people. They rushed back in to escape as the Feds were shutting them down. They were escaping a holocaust & planning to restore the future. They did not know about their sterility until the very end. Leslie was the only one who changed her mind.
Regarding bad DVD copies: You can obtain a very clean DVD copy of this movie in one of those 100 sci-fi classic DVD movie packs on Amazon for very cheap. Be sure to check the list of movies on the movie pack to ensure you chose the correct set. There are several similar movie pack collections.