The Wizard of Speed and Time
A Hollywood filmmaker (Mike Jittlov) makes a short for an evil film studio. Unbeknownst to him, the producer has placed a bet of $25,000 that he won't come up with anything with a use. Luckily, our film creator gets the help of his friends.
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- Cast:
- Mike Jittlov , Philip Michael Thomas , Steve Brodie , Gary Schwartz , Arnetia Walker , Angelique Pettyjohn , Laurie Rose
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Reviews
Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.
True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
For a movie with a lot of silliness, this movie has soul. It's not Citizen Kane but that's not the intention. If you like Pee Wee's Big Adventure or UHF, you'll probably like this. The intent here is to entertain, nothing more...but also, nothing less. And it succeeds.The one word that best describes this film is "whimsical." There is, however, obvious frustration that underlies this film. You can tell that Jittlov is both a fan of watching movies as well as making them, and it's clear that he is fairly exasperated with the things that get in the way of movie-making.Here, he skewers the excesses of Hollywood, most of which film fans are at least passingly familiar with - unreasonable union regulations (and exclusivity), filming permits, shady film executives, and just getting someone to look at your work and give you a shot.From the start, we're on Jittlov's side. And this is why the movie works. Some of the jokes are corny, but again, they're kind of supposed to be. But there's a lot here that's genuinely funny too.Mostly though this is a visual treat. The film is packed with visuals - even the sets (Jittlov's room for example) are interesting to look at. From riding a suitcase through Los Angeles to running pretty much literally around the world at high speed, the uncynical love for "movie magic" shines through.And it would be wrong not to mention the presence of J.R. "BoB" Dobbs, the one true living slackmaster, stenciled on the side of a van. And this is appropriate because this is definitely a film about the film industry as an extension of The Conspiracy, stealing the slack away from the passionate, creative people who just want to make an honest film.Mike Jittlov - I know you must look at the comments here and I want you to know, I'm on your side. Thanks for making this movie. It was a lot of fun. Sorry about the suits. Sorry about the soul-sucking "Con." And I hope you get an opportunity to make something else for us soon! This movie is a pure-hearted anthem for every independent film maker or effects guy ever who just wanted to do it for the love of it. And it's a hoot. If you're looking for something light but entertaining and visually interesting, this would be a good pick.
This film is magic at its best pure and simple. As such it's not for everyone. People who don't like silliness or weirdness will probably find it dull or worse. But anyone who believes in magic, who wants to see wonders unfold before their eyes and who can be silly for the duration of the film will find it an absolute treat.The Wizard, Mike Jittlov, whisks us into his fantasy world almost immediately and it's a roller-coaster of cheesy but fun jokes and truly astounding and heart-felt FX that speak to the child in each of us.The sheer kinetic ENERGY of this thing makes you feel like you could fly (or run on air anyway)! Rumors are that Sam Raimi/Bruce Campbell actually asked Mike Jittlov to visit them to preview a little film they'd thrown together called "Evil Dead" because they wanted someone who they respected to give the thumbs up to their movie before it debuted! Dreamers rejoice in the chaotic joy that is "The Wizard of Speed and Time!"
'The Wizard of Speed and Time' is a wonderful film with a happy ending. The special effects, for the time and technique, are absolutely stunning. If you liked the animation in Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit series, you'll love this film made in 1989. The film shows that it is a low-budget labor of love, and although the fashions and beauty standards are dated, I can't wait for it to come out on DVD (hopefully with lots of behind-the-scenes information and trivia). The character development and plot is suitable for younger audiences, who may not get the in-jokes and broader theme, but will enjoy the visual animation and goofiness on its own merit. I find that this film is one I consistently watch every few years. It is incredibly hard to find a good copy, but well worth the effort.
Mike Jitlov sold his soul to devil for this film, the agent for the devil in this case was in this case Richard Kaye(the films producer) although this is yet to be confirmed. He now cares for his mum in the family home(featured in the film) on welfare, The Hollywood machine chewed this guy up and spat him out(maybe he should of stuck to math language?!). Well another talented human gets chucked on the pile, while Kevin Costner roams free to make movies as he pleases. Its a very very sad world....The film its self is a little self congratulatory, but Jitlov is such an extraordinary talent that this indulgence can be forgiven. The love scenes are handle with a tender naivety which was real, The Kiss shared between Mike and Paige Moore in the film was Mike's first ever kiss. The special effects were created by hand by Jitlov himself, and they are unique, no CGI here. They are not as flashy as say Lord of Rings ROTK but in a different way they are as impressive($300mil vs less than $500,000). Its got its weak points but you probably won't see to many films with this much love and devotion poured into them. If you haven't seen this wonderful piece of cinematic whimsy then go see it, its kinda cheesy 80's but if thats a bad thing for you, its definitely worth seeing thru that to see such a unique talent that you may never see again anywhere else on film, and to be cheered up despite your self. We love ya Mike, never stop believing.:) love, happiness and fine wishes KbJ