Sci-Fi Classic Review: SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1980) 

Watching this movie was the most important event in my life. It has radically changed my life forever, for the best and the worst. It triggered very old and strong emotions, and helped me to start healing from a heartbreak. For sensitive hearts, it reminds us that love is the only import thing in life. All other things are superficial and will vanish sooner or later, but true love is eternal.

When it was first released, I kept going back to the neighborhood theater where it was playing and watched it 8 times in all. Since then, I have watched it periodically on VHS and then DVD.

Most emotional movie I have seen. I am already crying forty years now.

I was a 10 or 11 year old boy when mom and dad took our family to see SiT. I wasn't happy to be forced to see a "stupid love movie". Mom loves romance and or mystery. Dad just wanted to see Christopher Reeves aka Superman. However, even at that age I ended up totally engrossed in the movie. I was so into science fiction long before even Star Wars. One of my favorite concepts was time travel. I was often frustrated that technology and math wouldn't support it...yet. I paid very close attention to everything regarding this new way of time travel. I would later try to make it work for myself. Anytime Mom wanted dad to rent a VCR and SiT I would never complain and would watch it, hoping to find something I missed. Although I am now 50 years old I still watch it on occasion, though not so much for time travel, but because the story speaks to me on a different level.

This is my favourite movie ever! Even listening to the wonderful soundtrack makes me feel so emotional, I often start crying when I listen to it. It was my dream to visit Mackinac Island and The Grand Hotel and that dream came true back in 2016 when I visited with my mum (another fan) and my husband. I got so emotional just looking across the water to the island! I hope that I will be able to go again, but if not I have those wonderful memories. To think that an "unsuccessful" film has done so much!

Forty-one years on and I still consider this to be the best love story film ever.

The most underrated time travelling movies of all time. Even the score is so underrated. Took me a long time to watch this only last year I saw it for the first time and I have it saved on my USB stick. One of my favourite movies. The story is engaging,the chemistry between Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymor was beautiful,the score was so haunting and melancholic and of course I love how we get to see both 1979 and 1912.

I loved that you said that at the end, because it's true, "Never be ashamed of what you love."👏👏👏❤❤❤ And yes, this movie is a classic!

I saw this movie the week it came out and was so frustrated that no one else seemed interested in what I thought was the best film I'd ever seen. I'm so glad to see so many have discovered it in the meantime.

As a Michigander, you are killing me with your pronunciation of Mackinac and Huron. 😆 Fun fact: this movie plays non stop on a channel in the hotels on Mackinac Island, and that is where I first saw this film when I was a kid. It was a reintroduction to me of Christopher Reeve as I only knew him as Superman. I loved the music, and I'm so intrigued that the composer poured such emotion inspired from personal tragedy into the score. I hope you get a chance to visit Mackinac Island one day, it's a fun place for a long weekend vacation.

One of the best movies I have ever seen!

I agree with you that this story is the best Romance movies ever made. I remember it coming on cable TV in the early 80s as a teen and was blown away. It was my parents favorite movie the chemistry between Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour is pure magic. Not to mention the music and frankly everything.

Always loved this film. The casting was so right! Reeve was at the height of his incredible, masculine beauty - sexy as hell, without even trying. The setting was mesmerizing and is an actual other "character" in the film. Who wouldn't want to be there, in any era!? Surprisingly, I think it holds up, even today. There will always be an audience for romance, escapism, painterly settings. period costumes - and love, lost and found.

I can't believe I haven't seen this movie before, it's been four days since I've seen it five times already and I can't get enough of it.

as a manliest man i am, after watching it before for the 1st time. i couldn't sleep, this film here has took over mind so badly i actually felt the pain richard was going through, i guess u could say it affects u not only from a break up but also losing someone u love too soon, i am never a fan of romantice , i watched it because superman was in it, and boy jane seymour is so beautiful, who wouldn't wanna travel back in time to spend the rest of your life with her, this movie has was treated poorly by universal, now it has become a cult classic, timeless tale, now dear to my heart

Your father would not only agree, but would love this! ❤️❤️

I adore this film. It's a bit cheesy in places for sure, but it absolutely KILLS me every time I see it. I caught it on tv when I was very young and it haunted me for years. I was a huge Superman fan and this was my first time seeing Christopher Reeve playing another role. I try to watch it every couple of years and it never loses its power or impact.

One of my top 5 movies of all time. It has a wonderful blending of a sci-fi time travel theme with a beautiful love story. And there’s a bit of detective story in it too, as Richard tries to find out about the mysterious elderly woman who presented him with the watch. I love the first Terminator movie for the same reason I love this one. It’s the love story between Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor that made this movie great, though I appreciated the sci-fi story and the action scenes, too.

I know I mispronounced Mackinac Island; it's supposed to sound like "Mackinaw." I'd love to be able to add an annotation to the video correcting myself, but RU-vid loves taking away useful features like that. Anyway, sincerest apologies for my blunder. It has haunted me ever since I posted this video!

Very well done. Both the movie and your exploration.

The more of your reviews I see, the better I appreciate your perspective. My father and I vacationed near to the locations in the movie, and I still remember gazing at the incredible bridge connecting the state of Michigan. John Barry is also one of my favorite composers, and I recently watched "Raise the Titanic" after a long absence and was captivated by how his score truly adds to the film. Thanks again for your skill and consideration of this unique art form..

i love this movie... i mean i cry my lungs out everytime but i still love it bro, this channel should be bigger... you really can tell that you care about this

I love this movie, despite the movie’s premise is so preposterous, not only because of the time travel aspect, but that a woman can fall in love with a stalker like guy in 1-1/2 days, and hung around for him for a lifetime. This is why credit is due to the lead actor’s chemistry to be able to pull this off, and the incredible musical score. Ps- interesting how you’ve noted this movie is in cinema in hk for 18 months. My mother brought me to see this when it was released in theater and it was her favorite movie. (Of course I was only 6 years old then and didn’t appreciate it then 😁)

Ty for yr movie review of SIT. I remember watching it on vhs with my mom back in tbe 80s. We fell in love with the movie, every aspect of it. I have been to mackinaw island several times and visited the grand hotel. It is a truly magnificent setting for such a beautiful love story. I have also visited the hotel del coronado in san diego where the novel takes place. These 2 actors, their chemistry and the hauntingly beautiful music make this beloved movie a testament to true love wherever and whenever it is found...

This is the first time I have watched one of your videos and I LOVED IT!!

This film touches very deep chords in my heart. No other has the power to move me so much. And it is beautiful to truly believe that love can overcome and overcome everything, even time and death, and that two chosen souls will always end up finding each other.

On my 2nd round of college, I walked into an on-campus dorm and this movie was playing on the t.v. in the common area. The room was crowded with enthusiastic viewers. I stopped to watch and got hooked. I bought the VHS tape, when available, and consider it one of my favorites of all time. Also bought the CD of the film score which is absolutely brilliant!! Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve were perfect for their roles.

Richard Matheson is an amazing writer, because he writes beyond genre.

Wait Meg Ryan was in this film. And in 2001 she starred in a film similar to Somewhere in Time called Kate and Leopold .

Great review, an all time classic. If memory serves me correctly, years ago during a period of unemployment this film was one of those early afternoon 'fillers' on BBC2. I happened upon it when channel 'flicking' which was the only way to find something you wanted to watch back in the day. I just caught the opening titles which sounded interesting, then after the opening scene with infamous 'come back to me' line I was hooked. Thanks to Oliver Harpers Retrospective on the film which I watched i few years ago, my obsession with this film only increased, i've read Bid Time Return a few times and listen to the haunting but beautiful soundtrack on a regular basis...

This movie was fantastic to watch that I had to order the VHS Somewhere in Time, and I watched it so many times, especially hearing the music, it lift up your Spirit.

Greetings, sir. Thank you so much for the wonderful review. I've seen and listened to several over the past couple of days and yours is the best. I'm surprised you don't have more views and suscribers, but I guess you're relatively new in RU-vid. I created a podcast in Spanish (I'm from South America) about movies and "Somewhere in Time" is gonna be the stuff of the second episode. I was starting to think I would not get any more source material but I learnt a few things I did not know about the movie thanks to your work. You've just gained a new subscriber. Regards and stay safe.

Many thanks💐💐👏👏

After my first visit to Mackinac Island I rented the movie. I have a question though …. In the beginning of the film when the elderly lady gave Reeve his pocket watch and said “ Come back to me”, how did he know to go to Mackinac Island as he had no idea who she was or where she living?

I think that this film was very good. This one I saw on tape and it was quite a surprise, in a good way.! I remember thinking, how did I miss this one as I use to go to the movies a lot. Very seldom have I found a critic that likes a film that I thought was wonderful. Its definitely worth watching.

my mom got me Somewhere In Time for my birthday (favorite movie) and the dvd movie seemed almost shortened. the runtime matched but in a 90s tv broadcast I could've sworn there was more scenes of Robinson 'cause he knew who Richard was. I thought there was more to how the penny was planted. my mom remembers Richard going back several times & trying to explain to Elise but getting thrown home. I don't know, either way I love it!

Excellent film. Thought Jane Seymour was stunning.

I have probably seen the film " Somewhere In Time " over 40 times and never tire of it's timelessness. When the last grain of sand bids adieu from the hourglass, I'll watch neer more.

A year later, Seymour knocked our socks off as the evil Cathy in "East of Eden." I remember it so well, 43 years later, and I've read the book twice.

I had never even heard of this film until I saw a used VHS at a thrift store for 25 cents or something. I knew the actors, of course, & liked the synopsis so I took it home & watched it. There is no way I could have prepared myself for what I was about to experience. I had seen many romantic movies before this. Many of the best. Titanic. The Notebook. Casablanca. You've Got Mail. The list goes on. But they all paled in comparison to this masterpiece (Casablanca remains the perfect film but for romance nothing beats Somewhere In Time). The setting. The costumes. The writing. The music. The cinematography. All of it makes a perfect blend of what a romantic movie should be. The way Richard & Elise look at each other. That's not acting. That's real. I later found out that they really did fall in love while making the movie but other factors forced them apart but they remained close till Christopher's death. And the speech Elise gives on the stage? There has never been & will never be a more romantic piece of dialogue in any film ever. There simply cannot be. It just isn't possible.

I first was in drawn in to The Sonhere in Time by the sound track by John Barry. At that time I later saw on utube a vocal of the Some where in time I fell love with the haunting sound and words that touched my soul. I later found out that it was from the movie by the same. I got to see it on TV and I could not hold the tears back it touched me so. To this day I listen to the recording on utube on a daily basis at least 3 or more times a day and I often find myself humming it during the day. I guess I have become obsessed with the haunting sound of it and the movie.

One of my favorite movies of all time. I have watched it at least twenty times.

MacinAWW..Just sayin..

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE "SOMEWHERE IN TIME!!!" 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Great video.

Just watched it. Incredibly good. Probably best romantic movie ever.

Still love the masterpiece score by John Barry! It’s the very first song I learned to play on a piano when I was a kid.

Agree, most beautiful soundtrack I've listened to!

This movie hit me hard at 9 years old.... My brothers would make fun of me... But I was so caught up in it that my mom picked me up off the floor to calm me.. She had to tell me that Chis was indeed alive and not dead.... I was not having it as I was kicking and crying and hitting my mom... No other movie has made me react the way it did....

A sublime little film. There are a few like it that somehow go under the radar, but once discovered are just unforgettable gems. Great review once again.

Excellent update and overview. SIT rightly now stands as one of the movie greats. Bid Time Return is the elephant in the room, waiting to be made into the true version of the story. A much deeper and darker tone which I believe if the likes of Netflix picked up could make this version really work today. I highly recommend it to all fans of SIT. Fantastic read. The likes of Leonardo DeCaprio & Kate Winslet with Pierce Brosnan as Robinson. Alternatively Robert Pattison & Jennifer Lawrence with Benedict Cumberbatch as Robinson. It’s not only a love story and a time travel story but one of deceit and betrayal as Robinson is actually not the villain as he sensed that something was not quite right with Richard C. Great though that channels like this keep the conversation alive and bring in new generations discovering classic films such as these.

lovely movie :')

I was one of the lucky few to see this movie in the theater. I had a female roommate who loved Christopher Reeve and she dragged me and another female friend to Mackinaw Island during the filming of SIT. We had jobs and so went on the weekend so no filming was going on at that time. Anyway, when the movie came out she went and saw it with a friend and they both came back and told me it was a 4-hankie film and I should see it. I did, and absolutely LOVED IT1 I came out of the movie theater not crying but feeling exhilarated: Finally, a romance I could love. When it came out on VHS and then DVD I picked it up immediately although for most movies I wold wait for the price to come down. Even my husband enjoys it and even now, in 2024, I still love that movie. I read the book after seeing the movie and prefer the movie.

One of the best movies ever made.

Thank you for this! This was amazing!

Also RIP Christopher Plummer.

When it first came in to theaters I saw it 3 times. It’s been one of my favorite movies of all time!

This is one of my top ten favorite films of all time. Also one of the only films guaranteed to make me do the Ugly Cry.

Thank you so much for this insightful review, especially the detail about John Barry. I missed SIT at first release, but I collect soundtracks and when I found Barry's score on CD I was hooked, and had to see this movie. That led me to the INSITE website and my first DVD copy. Now I have it on Blu-ray. I love this movie, and for emotional impact I rate it more highly than 2 other movies with similarities in the SF genre - Starman; and the first Terminator movie. Yes, Terminator may seem an odd match, and mostly it is more heavy going. But it too has an underlying romantic subplot, and there is a hefty emotional kick to the reveal in the last minute - a photo, with similar significance to that in SIT. If you think about similarities between these two films, you might wonder if James Cameron was somehow channeling much of SIT which came out about the same time as T1.

I absolutely love this movie. One of the most beautiful love stories ever put to screen!😂😂

Thanks for such a great video

Amazing movie! I always loved this movie. Marco from Brazil.

1. Christopher Reeve did two movies where a character travels back in time. 2. My theory about the watch: the watch Else gives Richard in the opening scene is NOT the same watch that Richard gave her in the past! Else had a duplicate made. 3. Christopher Plummer later did another time travel film. He said in interviews that he did Somewhere in Time because he was always fascinated by time travel. 4. It's never shown exactly how Else manages to dump her creepy agent/manager/gold digger/pimp to be with Richard. Especially when we saw in earlier scenes how possessive the Plummer character was of her and was very serious about her going on tour. So how did she then manage to kick the guy out of her life in one night? Did the guy catch sight of a young Marylin Monroe that same night and realize he had a better deal? 5. How could Richard have died of missing her in just a week when Else was able to go on another sixty years without Richard? 6. During Richard's research of Else's life didn't he realize that he most likely would not end up married to her being that in ALL the books he read of her, there's not a single mention of her married to a Richard Collier nor any wedding albums or honeymoon photos nor any old age photos of them? So didn't that give him a clue that he wouldn't end up with her? Did he think that mabey they kept their marriage and honeymoon a secret and that he stayed in the shadows while his wife performed worldwide? Or did he think he could change the past somehow? Was one of his varsity teachers Dr. Hasslein? 7. It's very unlikely Richard could So easily find old hotel records in the attic being he'd most likely have to go through thirty books before he'd find the right one. 1. The attic probably would be locked off limit to guests (who's to say a squatter or two wouldn't start using the attic after all?!). 2. Just because a Richard Collier is listed as having stayed there doesn't mean it's him!

I would like to attend one of those SIT weekends at Macinac, but only if I could be assured that everyone there left their 21st century mannerisms and speech back home! Class and gentility only, please.

You might like this movie as well: The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan (1979) It is based on the book "Second Sight" (1978) by David L. Williams Yes, it's a TV movie with budget constraints. Still loving it.

love this movie, and the sound track. Also enjoyed your critique, well done!

I love this movie so much. I've heard some Titanic fans say that the love story of Jack and Rose was much more powerful than that of Elise and Richard, and I DISAGREE. I felt the story of Jack and Rose was forced, placed in a catastrophic event that we all know is coming, and seriously, the unintentionally hilarious over-the-top threat-line from the stereotypical villain waving a gun, immersed in frigid water up to his waist (if you don't remember him, he's the rich, though abusive dude, promised to Rose's hand, in marriage), who yells at them, "I hope you enjoy your time together!!!!!!" hahaha! LAME. And if you don't know, the final scene of Rose, after she has died, is of Jack waiting for her at the top of the famous Titanic ocean-liner's opulent staircase, as the music from TITANIC swells under the final film moment, was a near-steal from the final scene in SOMEWHERE IN TIME, of Elise and Richard, as Elise is waiting for Richard when he dies. Barry's famous score swells as Elise and Richard are together again, at last. With all the money Cameron had, and he spent 100x of the budget SOMEWHERE IN TIME had, Cameron still couldn't come up with a creative, fresh way to end TITANIC, but nearly ripping off from a far superior love story's film ending. Sad. Elise and Richard's love story doesn't feel forced, they didn't need a lot of spectacle and CGI, and everytime I see the film again, I cry like a baby at the final scene. The 3 love stories I love to binge-watch are SOMEWHERE IN TIME, then THE NOTEBOOK, and rounding it out with the romcom trifecta of BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY movies :-)

La-La Land Records produced the definitive release of Barry's score on CD. It's still available.

This is another of one of my all time favorite films. I fell in love with Jane Seymour watching this film too.

Simply magical!!

Fantastic movie

I've seen different romantic time travel movies and i've watch this so many times but I still order the Blueray disc version, my first viewing is on a betamax Tape!

Couldn't agree with you more🌹💕

Amazing facts about making this film! Thank you for sharing!

Wow I had NO idea this was all shot on Mackinac Island. I went there with my family right around the same year this was shot.

Very good period romance movie. The SF elements are just a plus.

I love Time Travel films. This is my very best Favorite because I can identify with it...

Great film. The final scenes are gut wrenching.

I saw Some were in time when It came out . I loved it and had it one VHS and now on DVD . It brings love back to a fun time and romance ...

Mac-in-aw island is the correct pronunciation. Like the video :-)

One of my two most fav movies. The other is AUSTENLAND.

Richard Matheson: "The reason why So.ewheres In Time has a big following? The main premise. Everybody at one time has fallen in love with someone they've seen in old photos or in a movie.

My all time favorite movie

Love the movie and so sad about what happened to Christopher reeve. Such a beautiful man

Yes. I love this beautiful film. Thank you. I love you.

God Bless u for doing this movie, I love this film it is my youth, this film is timeless..Thank so much for doing this movie..I am a fan🙂

I Love this Movie - I watched it 6 times so far ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Somwhere in Time was destined to be a cult classic in the same breathe as Casablanca.

I've seen the movie. I thought it was unique and a really good movie. Yes towards the end of the movie, it was a year jerker. I cried when he went back to the present time. I always wanted to know if that kind of time travel could really happen. I wouldn't mind going back in time to try to fix my wrongdoings.

I first saw somewhere In Time on HBO

This movie is a gem. This video is quite educational, as well. Teaching me of that lovely luddite island and the word DIAGETIC.

One of my favorite films. The stars of this movie...for me are John Barry's music and the Grand Hotel.

Love this movie

Great review btw. One question. If this movie was remade who would you consider for the roles of Richard and Elise?

No matter how many times I see this, I cry every time... I always root for things to work out somehow.. it's a treasure of a film and it's my favorite roles for Reeve and Seymour. Anyone have thoughts on if the book is better than the movie or vice versa? I haven't yet read the book.

... Classic love story movie. I like it better than "Romeo and Juliet." ...

The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan is a similar type movie.

What guy wouldn't fall in love Seymour at that age?

So there's a whole Somewhere In Time Community? Next you'll be telling me there's a whole Firefly community🙄

CD I was at macanac island years ago. It is awesome. If you ever get a chance please give it a try