Yes, these are real reviews- but all is not as it seems, as will be explained later. Timesweep is a classic example of a movie whose reach tries to exceed its grasp- and for the most part, fails to achieve the majority of its lofty goals. What obviously started out as an homage to the low budget sci-fi and gore films of the 70's and 80's has instead become a parody of all the bad horror movies inflicted on the public during that era. While the overall conceit is a sound one, a lack of experience and budget in all areas prevents a satisfactory execution of the story. In its theatrical release format the movie presents itself as a puzzling mixture; however in a video format, the smaller screen evokes a much different feel- more along the lines of something found on `Mystery Science Theatre 3000'. While not the worst thing out there (see any of the cheesy 'world premiere' stuff on the sci-fi channel), its appeal is squarely aimed towards those tortured film aficionados who relish blood, boobs and bad movies. While the actual movie fails to deliver on many levels, the publicity surrounding its creation was intense. Many local and national publications did feature stories on its difficult journey to the screen, including a slightly tongue-in-cheek parody by the Kansas City Star, giving it a somewhat mocking '4 star' review. On a more serious note, the movie was the first shot on a brand new Kodak film stock designed for low-budget projects. The New York Times gave it a huge front page write-up in the technology section, complete with illustrations from the film, and raved about how the 'spaceships looked better than the ones from the films of the 1950s.' And what about that Des Moines Register review about the movie being 'one of a kind?' Well, the reviewer thought that it was the worst film of the year. (Fortunately, another movie came along later that she claimed was even worse- wrestling that somewhat deserved title away) Upcoming re-release in US on DVD should prove entertaining, including the films trailers, behind the scenes items, publicity materials, and a full multi-language format. Director/producer Diefenderfer and co-writer Thonen teamed up again in the same positions 13 years later during the creation of the first High Definition Video series for PBS. The lessons learned on Timesweep seemed to have served them well, and the 5 hour PBS series has won numerous accolades, including being recognized as the 'Series of the Year' from NETA, the national PBS affiliates group. The shows were even nominated for a number of Emmy awards, including best writing, and eventually won an Emmy for `Best Direction in a Series'.
