Product Description

Somewhere in Time is the story of a young writer who sacrifices his life in the present to find happiness in the past, where true love awaits him. Young Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) is approached by an elderly woman who gives him an antique gold watch and who pleads with him to return in time with her. Years later, Richard Collier is overwhelmed by a photograph of a beautiful young woman (Jane Seymour). Another picture of this woman in her later years reveals to him that she is the same woman who had given him the gold watch. Collier then becomes obsessed with returning to 1912 and the beautiful young woman who awaits him there.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #767 in DVD
• Color: Color
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Released on: 2000-10-31
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 103 minutes

Features

• no scratches
• widescreen collector's edition

Amazon.com
It's silly, it's superficial, it's so desperately earnest about its tale of time-spanning love that you almost wish for a cheap flatulence gag just to break the solemn mood. But there's something so unabashedly gushy and entertaining about Somewhere in Time that you can't begrudge its enduring popularity. The film has become a staple of romantic-movie lovers since its release in 1980, and endless showings on cable TV have turned it into a dubious classic of sorts--a three-hanky weeper that anyone can enjoy as a guilty pleasure or a beloved favorite, with no apologies necessary.

In his first film after the star-making success of Superman, Christopher Reeve stars as a contemporary playwright who visits a posh hotel and sees the portrait of an actress (Jane Seymour) who had performed there in 1912. He becomes obsessed with this beautiful woman and learns all he can about her, and then discovers a method of hypnotically transporting himself backward in time to meet her. "Is it ... you?" she says upon seeing the lovestruck playwright, and it's clearly a mutual attraction. But even the slightest reminder of the playwright's modern time can jar him from his seemingly real existence in the past, so his wonderful love affair is constantly just a step from being stolen away.

Based on Richard Matheson's novel Bid Time Return, this flaky film may strain one's tolerance for plot holes and corny romance, but it's hard to deny its lasting appeal--and let's face it, guys, it'll make wives and girlfriends swoon if they're in a tearjerker mood. --Jeff Shannon

Additional Features
For devoted fans of Somewhere in Time, the exclusive documentary on this DVD will provide welcomed insight, background history, and poignant validation. The film was virtually saved from oblivion by a combination of cable TV exposure and grassroots fandom, and this engrossing documentary benefits from the participation of the film's principal cast and crew, all of whom remain as fond of this production as its legion of fans. Taped in 2000, the interviews are highlighted by the perspective of Christopher Reeve, whose fond recollections gain a certain profundity when combined with the physical impact of his paralyzing injury in 1995. But Reeve (who compares his near-death experience in the film with one he actually had after his injury) isn't the only one whose life had been touched by the magic of this film-that-wouldn't-die: from director Jeannot Szwarc to Jane Seymour and all others involved, Somewhere in Time was clearly a special experience, and their pride and pleasure are sweetly conveyed in this enjoyable hour-long tribute. Additionally, the DVD gives due credit to the fan club INSITE--the International Network of Somewhere in Time Enthusiasts--in a featurette exploring the club's history and membership. The INSITE's mailing and Web site addresses are also provided. --Jeff Shannon