This television remake of The Time Machine has a very cute bit of casting in it: Whit Bissell played one of Rod Taylor's dinner guests back in the 1960 original, and nearly twenty years later, he also plays one of the men who listens to the time traveling tale. Besides that, this version isn't very cute.
For starters, this isn't a period piece. John Beck plays a modern scientist in 1978, working on a time machine in his spare time. When he finally explains his invention to his colleagues, Whit, Andrew Duggan and Jack Kruschen, he tells tales of his journeys back in time while testing the machine. He gets chased during a witch hunt, accused of a bank robbery in the Wild West, and finally decides to go into the future. He can't have the same adventures as Rod Taylor did because he's not starting from 1900.
The production values aren't that great, the screenplay isn't that great, and if you love the story, you'll probably end up turning it off. The 1970s were notorious for producing cheesy tv movies, and this one isn't an exception.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. When he uses the time machine, the camera blurs a little and has some flashing lights, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
