Customer Reviews

The Wizard of Speed and Time [VHS]

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mike Jitlove is a Genius who managed to do more with imagination, a lot of stop motion animation, and hand creating each frame of special effects. He is light years ahead of his time with this classic movie about Making a movie. He shows the humorous/frustrating side of Hollywood and all the Guilds and Unions it takes to make a movie. I first saw this when taking Special Effects Make-up classes in Orlando. The teacher had a copy on Laser Disc. I would actually buy one of the old Laser Disc Players just to have a copy of this movie, that is how good this movie is.

My father found a copy of this film at a video store in Cleveland, of all places, years ago, and it quickly became my family's all-time favorite film. We rented it constantly, until I saw a copy one day in a pre-viewed pile for sale and grabbed it. I managed to find a second copy the same way, so (thank goodness!) I can have my own copy without depriving my parents of one.

I was thirteen when I first fell in love with the Wizard of Speed and Time. I'm 25 now, and I could still watch it over and over again. It's become a family classic - my brother and I have found ourselved sprinkling quotes into normal conversation - "it's the ultimate in low-tech," "my uncle's got friends in high places - he's got high friends everyplace!" and on and on. We've introduced many, many friends to it over the years. I've yet to show it to someone who hasn't loved it.

See it for the amazing animation. See it for the quirky characters. See it for the sight gags. See it for the songs. Most of all, see it in celebration of the magic that truly is possible. You won't be sorry.

P.S. Mike's a pretty amazing guy, too! My brother and I each have a signed film poster to show for it.

...the saddest are "It might have been."

Having encountered a tall fellow in a green jacket at 2AM or so at the World SF Convention in Boston in -- ummm -- 1980? -- and greeted him with "You're Mike Jittlov -- and i'm not!", I stood and talked with him for some time about Things.

I got a crick in my neck -- he don't look it on film, but he's tallenough that six foot tall me had to look up while talking -- and he told me some of his plans.

First, though, i asked him how the *%*^& he made the stop-motion animated frisbees in "Mouse Mania" spin as they cruised by (when i point out that effect to people who know/have done stop-motion, their jaws drop) and he told me.

And then he told me about the wonderful movie he had planned, spinning off from a segment of Disney's promo show for The Black Hole. (Which, incidentally, aside from the Barnstable twins, was the best part of the program -- oh, no -- i tell a lie -- Frank and Caroline Mouris [Frank Film] did a beauty of a cut-out animation sequence.)

It was going to be titled "The Wizard of Speed and Time", and it was going to be the story of a man who gained the ability to use 100% of his brain instead of the roughly 10% we allegedly use in our normal lives.

He would be superintelligent, nd superfast and generally superish, and the normal human authorities would feel threatened, and...

It sounded great. But it didn't happen -- instead we get this sad travesty.

Yes, it's funny. Yes, it recycles parts of some of Jittlov's previous work -- but, none of the shorts used are complete, and none have the proper original music cues.

Yes, he gets some revenge on a Large Hollywood Production Company which shall remain nameless but they did a teevee special (mostly pretty unspecial) about special effects that Jittlov worked on.

Yes, he lays some zingers on the Hollywood guild-and-union system.

Yes, there are some wonderful gags layered in here and there -- try freeze-framing the "Japanese Jumping Wall" segment as the Wizard scoots along the wall, and be sure to read all signs and placards and so on in the background.

But "the system" managed to grind down even such a wild talent as Jittlov's, and, not only it ain't what "might have been," but i understand Mike got such a screwing from the producers/releaseing company that, according to one report, he left film-making entirely...

Another good man done gone...

What started out as a three-minute student film has evolved into a feature length masterwork. This should be required viewing for film students to show what can be done with low budgets (and no computer effects!).

Mike Jittlov, a writer/director/actor/animator/editor/special effects technician/film-maker/voice-over artist/calligrapher/cult figure/iconoclast (Yes, but can he type?) plays himself in this cinematic tour-de-force (or should that be cul-de-sac?) as the struggling independent film-maker at odds with the Hollywood system. The scene involving Jittlov trying to file the proper paperwork to join the required Unions is a scream, and all too close to the truth.

Bootleg copies of this video (the SGE release, NOT StarMaker!) have been passed around like pieces of the True Cross, and the fandom following seems to grow each and every year. The hyperkinetically edited sequence near the end of the film will take your breath away. As for animation, this film uses stop-motion, cel, pixilation, and some of the quickest cuts in history.

The film is rated PG for slapstick violence and two very mild sexual jokes (that will probably sail right over your kids' heads), but is suitable for family fare.

Track it down, and watch it. You will not be disappointed!

Mike Jittlov takes his true life Hollywood struggles to outragous degrees in this satire of the industry. Highlighted by some delightful stop-motion peices, this cult classic is sure to bring a smile to the face of anyone farmiliar with the hollywood beurocracy. Even features cameos by Phillip Michal-Thomas, Woody Allen, and others.

Mike Jittlov has produced film that keeps you woundering where its going next. This "full length" movie is based on the original short that was shot in a garage. The precise attention to time laps is beyond compare. Cameras dance with tripods that are being attacked by a clapper board. The best part of the film is the sound track and the sync with the action. The heads of spot-lights spin in time with the music and the wizard walks on a wall with sound efx. This a work that looks like something Disney would do. But no, one (or mabey several) Jittlov, a green robe with stars, and a full load of original talent. To quote the transfer tech in the movie "far out man". And it is. Oh and one other thing, watch out for banna peels at mile marker 13.

What I love about this film:

1)It was made independently.
2)It's an inspiring story that's good for the whole family.
3)It has some nifty special FX that will leave you asking "How'd they do that!?!?" (There is NO CGI in this movie)
4) The FX are part of the story, not just "icing on the cake".

What I hate about this film:

1)The company who printed this release isn't paying Mike Jittlov a single cent
2) The Wizard got totally screwed in real life... the man who made the film didn't see a decent dollar for his work.
3) The "actor" who portrayed "Harvey" was the lamest ham I've ever seen.
4) Mike Jittlov isn't making movies anymore because of how bad he got screwed on this deal. This is a testamet to how blind hollywood is to real talent.

I got this movie and watched it over and oveagain. It got me hooked on making stop-motion animation. It has a great plot and shows some of the techniques used to make a live motion picture if you want to start.

"Before Superman, before Ranbo, before Pee-Wee Herman, there was The Wizard of Speed and Time! An eccentric genius who created a motion picture legend in his own garage... Based on the true-life adventures of the worlds most unknown filmmaker, and blown up out of all proportion, this is the classic story of the little guy Going up against the system, fighting corrupt and evil movie producers, overcoming unbelievable and ridiculous odds, all to win the heart of the girl he loves (and maybe the rest of her as well). Made on the same film stock as Roger Rabbit and Star Wars, filmed around the world in a special process that is technically unexplainable. Youll see electrifying special effects, laugh at mind-numbingly stupid jokes, and gasp in awe that [they] actually got big name stars to be in this! Youll see dancing, romancing, financing, fencing, crowd scenes, chase scenes, THIS is the motion picture with EVERYTHING! Its even got the kitchen sink! Its the kind of movie you would make, if you didnt have anything better to do. Five years in the making, five days in the theaters so see it while you can and tell your friends! Youve got to be off to see THE WIZARD!"

Mike Jittlov is one of the geniuses of the movie world who producers should flock to when they want special effects for their films. Forget ILM - this man is IT! The movie is great, wonderful, and a spot on kick in the nuts of the Hollywood system. Mike, if you're out there, make more movies, please - the world NEEDS you!!!