From: "Strong, Lee" <StrongL at MTMC.ARMY.MIL>
To: "WSFAList (E-mail)" <WSFAList at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] The Time Machine (2002)
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 13:00:14 -0500
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

	Well, I see 2 threads here:  the movie, and the concept of time
travel.  I'll save the concept for later.  Concerning the movie, I
respectfully agree with Keith in part and disagree in part.  As stated in my
review for The WSFA Journal, I ultimately judged the movie worth watching.
	The Moonfall disaster was just bad science intended to justify the
evolution of Eloi and Morlocks.  Keith's comments are well taken.  I would
prefer to justify the genetic divergence by reference to 21st Century
genetic engineering.  H.G. Wells thought that "ordinary" evolution would
accomplish the changes.
	The Time Traveler's failure to realize that he had changed the past
was a definite weak point intended to justify his moving far into the
future.  Exploring alternate timetracks was a very good idea, but, as Keith
said, our boy blundered in deciding on the basis of one attempt that he
could not alter the past significantly.  Once alternate time tracks are
introduced, we really have a separate concept from Wells' original and I
would like to see a separate movie explore this concept more fully.
	I respectfully disagree with a number of Keith's other comments for
various reasons.  Future time travelers might not make themselves obvious
for a number of reasons, including not wanting to disrupt their own past.
The Eloi did not speak English except for one specialist and the
Uber-Morlock learned English telepathically from the Time Traveler.  Having
them do so was a "cheat" for the audience to simplify the story.  Otherwise
we have to stop the story while the Traveler learns Eloi.  Anyone notice
that Luke Skywalker, Commander Adama, Princess Antillia and the Klingon High
Council et alia speak good English even if some of their written languages
are non-English?  The computer personality was resident on a substantial
"photonic" dervice that was shown as having survived the disasters.  The
sheets of glass were merely focuses.  Both Vox and the Eloi were shown as
having at least some curiosity, and the Vox-Eloi friendship was shown as
having formed under unusual circumstances.  Regarding the activity cycle of
the Morlocks, in this version, they're not nocturnal.  Simple.  Regarding
the ability of the Morlocks to burglarize the Eloi village, the Eloi
defensive techniques are ineffective against Morlock spies.  Again, simple.
	"Cheat" is a real moviemaking term for devices that do violate
strict logic but that are used to help the audience understand and enjoy the
story better than strict logic would allow.  They're much more common than
most people realize.
	And, yes, there is a law that time travel laboratories must be
established adjacent to dress shops.  I will explain why in a future chat.

Lee/3/Right