The Wizard of Speed and Time

I saw this first years ago, when I was kid, around the time it came out. My dad loved it, and we had it on tape. It was then lost in the streams of time and I totally forgot about it. About a year ago, my sister and her husband, while i was over visiting, pulled a video out of their shelf and asked if I'd ever seen this. It was "The Wizard of Speed and Time", and I said that it looked familiar. From about 10 seconds in, I remembered this movie competely, and was filled with merriment in the way people get when you see something again that you loved as a kid, and is still as good.

Jittlov wrote, directed, produced, audited, gripped, funded, cranked, cameraed, composed, googled, flamboozed, and starred in this almost one-man show. He's extremely talented, in all respects. The movie is extremely cleverly written, well acted, well directed, and amusing to the point of extremes. Very clever shots are taken to many different facets of hollywood, as Mike tries to complete a movie he's making. The ending is witty, the romance is credible, and this movie is just plain fun. It even has good music! Definately high on my list of all time goodies. I did get a bit sick of it after watching it about 30 times or so, but very few movies keep my attention that long. A warning though, you really have to be a certain kind of person to enjoy this movie. Most people I tried to get to watch it didn't enjoy it. Let's face it, Mike is a nerd, getting all the chicks, and stands up for nerds everywhere. You kinda have to be a nerd to enjoy this movie. And I am a nerd. 9/10

The truth is, eye came across this movie in a video store and thought it looked like the most stupid thing ever. Im 17 & interested in film-making & so like to watch total low-budget crap and laugh at how poor some low budget movies are!

But not this. The wizard of speed & time is literally more than a movie. I feel like Mike J is a movie & magic pioneer in the industry showing that Creativity and magic are still very much alive:)

The film is just so magical & feel-good. There are odd sequences cut & pasted together & look so different. There are 3 unicorn references (I love unicorns) and the fact Mike J basically MADE THIS MOVIE HIMSELF is a testament to how much passion he put into this project. The Prince of the movie industry! The sequence with Mike going to all the unions is a clever & witty dig at the ugly crapiness of hollywood. This movie is a reminder of all the guys & girls sitting in their rooms making the most magical stories,pictures & music that only they will hear. I just wish that Mike J had been sucessful and given us more movies like this. Well, at least the movie lives on.....

Peace Nyrone (uk)

I first met Mr. Jittlov when this film was in script form, after Regis Philbin, hosting a more local talk show, implored on the air, after showing one of his amazing short films, for someone to give a man this talented more work. I also first saw "The Wizard of Speed and Time" in its original short film form. Both that and the feature film are unique works of entertainment that pre-date the imagery and style of Tim Burton's first feature, "Pee Wee's Big Adventure." Like Mr. Burton, Mike was an animator at Disney whose work went beyond their normal ranges of thinking. I am honored to have known such an amazing talent and grateful that this film exists and will live forever. Any work that acknowledges the only Oscar winning score by one of my favorite film composers, Bernard Herrmann, deserves additional praise beyond its own magnificent merits. It is a film that should be required viewing for all independent film makers who still possess that child-like wonder needed to truly appreciate the magic of motion pictures.

Welcome to the church of Cinematology....

The story of one man's impossible dream: to create with the aid of Hollywood a feature length motion picture with a real story, with real people and special effects that mean something.

CAN it be done?

Mike Jittlov is employed by two producers to work an a special effects extravaganza for their network. Of course they make a bet whether he can do it all in time, cue: the sleaze trying to sabotage Jittlov at every turn.

Okay, babe.

It may not sound too original but the film's quirky sense of humour, staggering attention to detail, several thousand jokes and inspirational messages and cast of characters you actually CARE about set it apart from other formulaic hokey comedies.

What a way to make a living.

And as if that wasn't enough the film features some of the most amazing stop-frame work seen since Harryhausen (except less jerky and unnatural), all building towards the film's climax - Jittlov's finished piece the "Wizard Run".

Nothing can stop the creative spirit.

What more can I say? Be amazed, be happy and (you've guessed it) may all your good dream and fine wishes come true!

I finally managed to track this down at a cult-film video store, and it was worth all the effort. Do whatever you have to do to see this one! It vaguely reminded me of the low-budget inventiveness of Weird Al's "UHF," only multiplied 1000 times, and the "let's make a movie while the executives are out to lunch" zaniness of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure."

There's a lot more to this movie (or movie-within-a-movie, or is it a movie-within-a-movie-within-a-movie?) than might appear. Subliminal messages, Hollywood major-studio politics, art vs. commerce, a startling new use for a chrome bust of Mickey Mouse, fantasy vs. reality, the horrors of dealing with unionized labor, some plugs for the Church of the Sub-genius, lots of deftly-employed stock footage, and the most terrifying "pizza with everything" you'll ever see. And there's even an intentionally-horrible musical number about the creation of the universe, which is thankfully interrupted by a ridiculous Presidential announcement.

You'll also get a fascinating look at the art of low-budget special effects production. Some of the visual treats Jittlov comes up with are astonishing, even in the post-CGI era, and particularly since he shows you how a lot of it is done.

There are some profound insights and a lot of laughs. I nearly fell on the floor laughing during the scene with the police helicopters, and why is one of the thugs Canadian? (why not?) How in the world did Jittlov film the suitcase/car chase at the end? Look for Philip Michael Thomas in a rare post-Miami Vice role. And make sure you stick around for all of the credits!

Mike Jittlov may not think of himself as a "real" actor, but he's got a lot of charm and he comes off as a genuinely likeable guy. And it was nice of him to cast his friends and family as themselves.

It might be too weird for some viewers, but if you're game, "The Wizard of Speed and Time" will put a smile on your face like few other films.