Time After Time (1979)
Imagine! A scientific genius named H.G. Wells stalks a criminal genius named Jack the Ripper across time itself, in the most ingenious thriller of our time…
Time After Time is a 1979 American Metrocolor science fiction film directed by screenwriter Nicholas Meyer and starring Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, and Mary Steenburgen. Filmed in Panavision, it was the directing debut of Meyer, whose screenplay is based on the premise from Karl Alexander‘s novel Time After Time (which was unfinished at the time) and a story by Alexander and Steve Hayes. The film presents a story in which British author H. G. Wells uses his time machine to pursue Jack the Ripper into the 20th century.
Why It Matters
Time After Time turns time travel into a clash of expectations. Wells arrives believing the future will be more civilised, while Jack the Ripper discovers a world whose violence allows him to feel disturbingly at home.
Worldbuilding Inspiration
- A historical figure confronting a future very different from the one imagined.
- A time machine becoming evidence in a criminal pursuit.
- A villain who adapts to the new era faster than the hero.
Related Screen Archive
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