The Yesterday Machine

I was honored to play Dectective Laskey in this Yesterday Machine movie. Tim Holt was a true professional to put up with a bunch of local Dallas actors and even thou this is a typically Bad Science Fiction movie-- for the time, it is OK to watch. The reason I am writing this today is I just found my VHS copy of the movie and made a DVD of it for my own restoration and to have something to play for my Grandkids. Actually, the quality of the DVD turned out pretty good even thou the VHS is quite old. I had a recording studio in Dallas, Texas at the time of the shooting of this movie and most of the interior scenes were done in the back rooms of my studio---sets built for the dungeons, and the time machine locations, etc. All of the music was recorded at my Studio with the Nick Nicklas band doing the playing. All in All-----it is a really good example of a Bad Sci-fi 1960's movie and worth the watch----if you can find a copy. I'm glad I have one and now a DVD that will last for a few more years.

This film has to be seen to be believed. A post-war Nazi physicist who is exploring the concept of time travel to bring back Adolph Hitler, sets up his laboratory in a farmhouse in Texas!!! What happened to hiding out in South America with the rest of the gang? To add insult to injury, he manages to kidnap a majorette(!) the day before the big game. This really ticks off the local police, led by an aging Tim Holt whose star was sinking fast. Also involved in the investigation is a reporter and a nightclub singer (??!!!). They must take on the band of evil henchmen, which consists of 2 or 3 heel clicking guys and a slave girl from somewhere in the past. And if you can believe it, it goes downhill from there.

The reason to even consider watching this horror, is for the joy of seeing Jack Herman as the unapologetic Nazi. This is a man who at one time worked in the Yiddish Theater, a proving ground for such stars as Paul Muni and Edward G. Robinson. His performance can be summed up in one word......ludicrous. Flailing arms, rolling eyes, clenching fists....unbelievable!! I am not familiar with Mr. Herman but I have to believe that he did not use this type of emoting in the Yiddish Theater. This was near the end of his life and possibly he was failing in health. Whatever the reason, it is the type of performance that hasn't been witnessed since. It is for this alone that I recommend this film for the bad movie buff. You will love it!!!!

If "Goofy" had a scale from 1-10, this would be about a 8.5.

It's a Scienece Fiction, or roughly Science Fiction, bit about a time machine invented by a Nazi.

It starts off okay, and when you watch how it begins, you will get a big thrill, because you will recognize a later classic for using much of what you see here. If you see it, you'll instantly know the name of the satire that uses much of the early part of this movie.

There are a few things to like. The girl with the legs at the start vanishes for a while, but then you get to see her again.

We have the "reporter and cop friend" cliché, which is sometimes not too bad, depending on how much "atmosphere" you get. This movie does give a pretty good amount of atmosphere for the few special effects it has.

Most of the early sixties and late fifties science fiction has good atmosphere, and a camaraderie among local folk. We get that here. What we don't get are good lines. These movies aren't usually this "corny". And the acting usually isn't this poor, either. I am usually not that particular with "acting", but these actors cross the line. They are truly just reading lines. Ironically, the best acting comes from the hot babes. The men are the dweebs here.

The atmosphere would usually let me forgive the corny writing and acting, but the second half just had too many "horrible" scenes. The worst one is where a girl helps the heroine escape, and the heroine just stands and watches while the girl who helps her is strangled to death. No explanation can cover this. Then there is the Hitler's scientist, whose lines are the most "expository" you will ever see on celluloid.

Not the worst, by far, but it leaves you with a feeling that even for a low budget horror, it should have been much better.

Twenty years after the end of WW2, a former Nazi scientist plans to alter the outcome of the war by sending super-weapons that he has perfected back in time to 1945. Don't get your hopes up - neither WW2 nor super weapons appear in this dull, low budget sci-fi thriller. Despite starring Tim Holt (best known for the classic 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' (1948)), the highlight of this film is the opening baton twirling by Linda Jenkins (which more than makes up for her voice and acting ability). The film has little to recommend it beyond an interesting premise: the script, acting and direction are amateurish, the production values are dismal, the music/sound is terrible (notably the silly musical cues such as the snare drum during the lengthy 'debate' about whether Der Führer was a genius or a madman) and the pacing is leaden (especially the pseudo-physics lesson that wastes a sizable portion of the 85 minute running time). The only interesting character is the unrepentant übermensh villian Prof. Ernst Von Hauser, Jack Herman's over-the-top, ranting Nazi-mad-scientist (complete vith a 'Hogan's Heroes'-style German accent and a compulsive desire to explain things). There are some nice cinematographic touches, such as the reflections of neon signs on the car hood and of the time machine's lights in Von Hauser's glasses and the images of poor Margie (the aforementioned Jenkins) strapped in a chair, surrounded by pillars of flashing lights, and back-dropped by a large swastika flag are surprisingly effective. Despite these minor pluses, 'The Yesterday Machine' is unwatchable by anyone not an aficionado of 'time travel' movies.

Jim Crandall or Callie (James Britton) gets shot with a mini-ball. Majorette, Margie De Mar (Linda Jenkins) disappears. Reporter Jim Crandall (James Britton) and inept nightclub singer Sandy De Mar (Ann Pellegrino), who happens to be the sister of Margie, searches for the missing Margie near an old Dallas farmhouse and ends up in the lab of mad scientist Professor Ernest Von Hauser (Jack Herman.) Will they ever be seen again or will the mad scientist, using his time machine, bring back his friend Schicklgruber from the past and restore the rightful order of history?

The acting is hokey; it is probably on purpose. The background music will grate on your nerves. Shot in black and white. The accents are east Texas so we know it was made in Dallas and not Ft. Worth.

The only redeeming portion of the film is the mad scientist who takes more time than usual to explain Einstein and does not overact the part. Is he wearing Tom Ford glasses?

We are left with these thoughts: "Yesterday should be left alone. Because today the world has enough problems just trying to be sure we'll have a tomorrow." - Police Lt. Partane (Tim Holt.)