Celebrating a Movie the Critics Hated: The Bizarre Cult of "Somewhere in Time"

American Thinker ^ | 10/6/2013 | David Paulin

[SeekAndFind]

Message to high-brow movie critics and cultural elites: Stay away from the Grand Hotel on Michigan's Mackinac Island this weekend. No cynicism allowed! Not among the nearly 800 "time travelers" who arrived on Friday at the historic Grand Hotel -- the start of a three-day gathering during which they'll dress up in period garb and (in their minds) transport themselves back to 1912.

The fanciful journey has been an annual ritual for 23 years now, bringing together incurable romantics from all over the country, and even abroad. It's a celebration of the 1980 movie "Somewhere in Time"-- a bittersweet love story involving time travel and shot mostly in and around the majestic 126-year-old Grand Hotel.

The film's message: love is eternal.

Critics hated "Somewhere in Time." Vincent Canby wrote in The New York Times that the film had the year's highest "giggle content," and "does for time-travel what the Hindenburg did for dirigibles." Deriding the film's "romantic idealism," Roger Ebert asked in the Chicago Sun-Times whether it wasn't "a little futile to travel 68 years backward into time for a one-night stand."

Yet "Somewhere in Time" is now a beloved cult classic -- all of which underscores the amusing perception gap that often exists between ordinary movie audiences and cultural elites (and especially movie critics). But that's not news to Jo Addie, an antiques dealer in the Chicago area, who is president of the "Somewhere in Time" fan club and editor of its quarterly magazine. "You could hardly imagine a critic putting words to paper saying they truly love a movie like "Somewhere in Time," she wrote in an e-mail message. "It would have them losing their 'credibility' or their 'edge'. "Somewhere in Time" is not for the jaded or cynical."

[Vanbasten]

Yep, great movie! Great score. Great acting.

I’m not sure I’d do the whole dress up at the hotel thing, but nevertheless a great movie. lol

[atc23]

Me too. Loved it. Very traditional and sweet

[latina4dubya]

i both love and hate the paradox... at the same time :)

[mass55th]

Never knew the movie was based on a book (by Richard Matheson), until I stumbled across it on Amazon.

[lulu16]

I used the theme song in my wedding. Such a beautiful score.

[lulu16]

It is so passionate and stirring. The only thing is the original is not long enough for me. I wanted more variations on the theme.

[lulu16]

I love that film so much. I love the original Korean version “Il Mare” too. Beautiful and gentle.

[deoetdoctrinae]

HI Mesta! I was flipping channels earlier and there were Keanu and Sandra. I liked that one as well.

[lulu16]

I cried for hours the first time I saw this movie.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Who’s gonna bring the nitrous oxide ?

[lulu16]

One of my favorite sub-genre of romance movies are time travel romances. The Korean movie “Ditto.” It’s sweet and gentle and the lead male has incredible lips.

[lulu16]

I guess I know what my next book order is. Thank-you.

[King Moonracer]

A man loving a woman, anathema to homo movie reviewers.

[tanknetter]

Barry’s scoring of High Road to China was magnificent.

[Darksheare]

Hand a bunch of them 2013 pennies.
Listen to their screams.

[qam1]

80's movie bump

Xer Ping

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Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.  

[fieldmarshaldj]

I’ve always liked this movie. Richard Matheson, who contributed so much to “The Twilight Zone” was responsible for it. His book was initially set in San Diego at the Hotel del Coronado and the lead character was already dying of cancer. I liked the change to Mackinac Island, though. Christopher Plummer gave a magnificent performance in a supporting role, elevating the material.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

“Critics also hated Led Zeppelin, The Beatles etc...”

I don’t remember who, but I recall someone once said if you only bought records that got good reviews in Rolling Stone you would end up with the most obscure record collection in the world.

[Verginius Rufus]

I saw it in a movie theater when it first came out but had no idea that anyone remembered it, let alone that it had become a "cult classic."

My reaction when I saw it was that it was a movie-length version of a "Twilight Zone" episode.

The name Christopher Reeve rings a bell but I don't think I have seen any of his other movies.

[usconservative]

Wife and I honeymooned at the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island in September, 1986 and stayed in the room used in the film. (Plauque on the wall noting it was used in the film.)

The Grand Hotel is a complete throwback in time. I was 23, my bride 22 when we married. It was her wish to honeymoon at the grand, we simply got lucky getting the room used in the film.

Went back for our 15th wedding anniversary and stayed in the Governor's Suite in 2001. The hotel was as beautiful if not more so than we remembered. I don't think we fully appreciated its beauty during our honeymoon.