Plot: What’s it about?
Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) is a young writer and this night will prove to be very special for him. In addition to this being opening night for his first play, he will also meet someone who will change his life forever. This person is a very old woman, who hands him an antique watch and bids him to return with her somewhere. He is confused, but he simply cannot stop thinking about the incident and so he begins to research who she is. He soon learns that her name is Elise (Jane Seymour) and she was a popular stage performer in the early 1900s. His thoughts don’t end with this information either, as he can’t seem to push the woman out of his thoughts in the least. Although the odds are against him, he decides to use self hypnosis to venture into the past, where he can meet this woman and learn more about her. His plan works in the end, as he is able to meet her and soon enough, the two have fallen in love. But can this love overcome the odds and even if it can, will Richard be able to remain in this time, even though he doesn’t belong there?
I had not seen this movie since I was very young, so I was curious as to well it would hold up. I remember back then it seemed overly sappy to me, but perhaps some age on my part would change my perspective on the film. In the end, I still think this is an overly sappy love story and though I won’t revisit the film in the near future, I can see why so many folks love this film. Somewhere In Time is an old fashioned love story in all respects and though it seems dull and too predictable to me, this is why so many people have fallen in love with the movie. I do like the costumes, locations, basic premise, and the work here of Jane Seymour, but the whole thing never comes together to well for me. I think the time travel to find love idea is cool, but this seems so overly dramatic and old fashioned, it leaves me bored stiff. If you need a good romantic movie and you don’t like more risque, brisk films, then perhaps Somewhere In Time is just what you need. Universal has included some cool supplements on this disc, but the visual transfer (non anamorphic) leaves a lot to be desired. I think this flick is a rental at best, but if you love the movie, this is as good as it gets.
I guess I just didn’t like Superman enough or something, as the collective work of Christopher Reeve is very weak to me. I admit he was a good choice to take on the role of Clark Kent, but aside from that role, I have seen very little from him that has impressed me. This role proves to be no exception as Reeve gives his usual decent enough turn, but in truth any college drama major could muster this level of performance. This role needs to be filled with passion, but Reeve seems to be off in space half of the time and the films suffers because of this casting mistake. Some roles can be played with this decent level of acting, but I don’t think this was one of them. If you want to peruse more of his work, check out Superman, Village of the Damned, The Remains of the Day, Gray Lady Down, and Deathtrap. On the other end of the spectrum here is Jane Seymour (Oh Heavenly Dog!, Live and Let Die), who is warm and enticing as the love interest. Had Reeve been able to keep up with her work, perhaps this film would have turned out much better. The cast also includes William H. Macy (Fargo), Teresa Wright (The Rainmaker), and Christopher Plummer (The Insider).
Video: How does it look?
Somewhere In Time is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is a pretty weak transfer overall, with a very soft image and many instances of compression problems. I am unsure why Universal didn’t give this film a new transfer, but this is a glaring error on their behalf. The colors seem on the faded side, though no problems surface with the flesh tones, while contrast is rather solid and reveals a nice level of detail. In the end, this is a below average transfer that should have been eons better, for shame Universal.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is better than the video, but I suppose that isn’t saying much. The original mono track is used and while somewhat limited, it offers a clear & distinct audio experience. The musical score is wonderful and sounds good here, but I would have liked a full surround sound remix, to allow for true dynamic range. The dialogue is good too, no real problems with crispness or volume overall. I did hear some harshness and hiss at times, but these were minor issues. The disc also has a French mono track and subtitles in English & Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is where the disc earns its keep, with a nice selection of bonus goodies to explore. You’ll find production notes, the film’s trailer, some production photos, and talent files, but there are also a few other extras to discuss. A brief featurette about the film’s official fanclub is included, which makes for an interesting look, but the real draw lies within the disc’s documentary and audio commentary options. An hour long documentary has been packed onto this disc, which fans of the movie will not want to miss, I assure you. This is an in depth look at how the film was made and is loaded with interviews, clips from the film, and behind the scenes footage. If only all documentaries were of this level, we’d be a lot happier. The final supplement is an audio commentary with director Jeannot Szwarc, which entails many behind the scenes comments, though a few too many silent spaces can be heard for my tastes. This is a nice selection of extras, but when the film doesn’t look good, do extras even matter?
