I have known about this film since I was a kid and had picture books from horror and sci-fi films. I never seemed to catch it on the late late show growing up. For those who don't know what that is...back in the stone age before media files and flashdrives, movies were shown on TV with commercials, the only way to see them unless you went to art houses showing old films. Moving on.... so I decided to final track down and watch this film and hopefully get one of those "hey-what-a-great-film-experience" experiences. I have lived long enough to know "that" doesn't always pan out on the shiny side. This film, taken from a novel by a great author of fantasy, H.G. Wells, is a verrrrrrrry pretentious film that hammers home it's themes with the delicate touch of a wreaking ball. Menzies is a famous and expert art director but none too subtle as a director.
The art direction is pretty cool and a superb example of what people in the 1930's saw as "the future look". Massey, while being a fellow Canadian, is a pretty stiff and pretentious actor and comes off as a tin God talking down to everyone with lofty dialogue. He fared far better playing James Deans father in East of Eden.
The plot seems to thud along like the Empire's AT-AT walkers on Hoth. Nothing could have been done about the acting or dialogue after production wrapped but it could have had another round in the editing department. While still a classic because of its stunning look, only hard-core sci-fi fans will not nod off through this one.
Review of Things to Come
