User Reviews

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 movie is a great, fun time. There's nothing serious about it, and there are no great characters or plot twists. What you get instead is an enjoyable "sit back and relax" kind of movie. "The Wizard of Speed and Time" is a monument to the lost art of stop-motion animation. The potential of this medium is fully exploited here, with some truly amazing special effects. It's also a very funny movie.

Some years ago, the USA cable network carried a late-night program called "Night Flight" which featured an assortment of entertainment, including rock videos and short films. Although I wasn't a regular viewer, I stumbled across "Night Flight" when it aired a live-action animated short called "The Wizard of Speed and Time." I was blown away by the film's ingenious use of stop-motion photography and other camera trickery as it told the story of a green-robed wizard who possesses the ability to run around the world in just a matter of minutes.

"The Wizard of Speed and Time," it turned out, began as a short subject made in 1979 by filmmaker Mike Jittlov. Some years after making the original film, Jittlov took his idea and expanded it into a low-budget feature, also called "The Wizard of Speed and Time," which tells the story of a young filmmaker named Mike Jittlov and his struggle to make a special-effects-laden short film for a TV special despite having few resources (i.e., money) while battling the Hollywood bureaucracy.

The five minutes or so of "Wizard" material in the feature are a triumph of shoestring ingenuity. We see a one-minute "work in progress" featuring marching tripods, dancing light stands and flying film cans as well as an infectiously catchy title tune (this was part of Jittlov's original short, with new music added). The film's climax is the finished product mentioned above (a remake and elaboration of the first part of the 1979 short - I think the remake is what I saw on USA). I marvel at Jittlov's ability to visualize in advance the dazzling images he's reaching for and his skill in achieving those images through frame-by-frame animation and undercranking. And notice how the camera refuses to stand still for the animations - other stop-motion films may seem rooted to the floor one set-up at a time, but Jittlov refuses to let his camera be tied down.

I just wish I could praise the rest of the movie as highly. It's friendly, it's likable, but when the Wizard isn't conjuring up his magic, the feature turns into what is, at best, only a mildly funny takeoff on Hollywood. I was hoping the ingenuity that Jittlov displayed in the Wizard sequences would also transform the surrounding story, which supposedly is based on his real-life experiences, but what we get is pretty thin stuff.

Jittlov's love of movie-making is much in evidence; there's at least one visual homage to the Walt Disney Company, and one of Disney's original "nine old men," animator Ward Kimball, makes a brief appearance as an examiner for the "Infernal Revenue Service." That's right, "infernal," and I'm afraid that's an indicator of the general level of verbal wit in "Wizard." We also get a studio head with a supposedly comic Jewish accent.

Still, Jittlov comes across as such an engagingly eccentric fellow - an animated character in his own right - that I wanted to believe in him and his house chock full of film-related gadgets and toys. Former Miss Virginia Paige Moore makes for a charming leading lady, both in the movie and the movie-within-the-movie. Philip Michael Thomas, the biggest name in the cast, plays a cop far removed from Miami. Fans of "Get Smart" may remember Angelique Pettyjohn, who was undercover agent Charlie Watkins in the 60s TV spy spoof; fans of the original "Star Trek" series will remember her from "The Gamesters of Triskelion."

What began as a three minute student film has become a cult classic that seems to snowball with the years. Mike Jittlov, film-maker/animator/writer/director/editor/co-producer/calligrapher/cult figure and iconoclast, created this cultural cul-de-sac as almost a love story to film-making. The sequence where he applies for various Union memberships to complete his film is probably too close to the truth, and the hyper-kinetically edited sequence near the end of the film is a wonder to behold.

Bootleg copies of the (now long out-of-print) SGE release have been passed around fandom like pieces of the true cross, and the popularity of the film, as well as it's creator, only grows stronger.

This film should be required viewing for all film students, as well as those who want to know how to make a film on a low budget (and how there are many sharks in the waters of Hollywood, which this film so clearly points out).

Hunt down this film (copies can be had in one form or another, check the related websites), watch it, and cherish it. You may end up wearing out the pause and slow-scan buttons on your VCR trying to figure out how he did these special effects without a computer!

So after watching the original short version from 1979, I finally watched this feature-length version on YouTube of Mike Jittlov's The Wizard of Speed and Time. The original was mainly speeded-up stop-motion which lasted 3 minutes. This version is nearly 90 minutes in length and not all scenes are stop-motion photography. Director Jittlov plays himself as he struggles to get a studio to take him seriously concerning his work. There are some amusing scenes and I might have laughed a few times though it's not the laugh fest I half expected. Maybe I would have to watch this again to really appreciate it. I'll say this about Jittlov, he's certainly unique...

Bizarre and obscure little film that charms you into watching it with gusto once a few minutes of it pass your eyes. It's an homage to struggling independent film makers everywhere, and filled with lots of subtle bits of humor and satire and quick-to-pass messages during the F/X. This film looks like it was made for about 40 bucks but don't let that keep you from watching it. What's more, evidently Mike Jittlov cast all his friends (a LOT of them) and his mom in the film as well, and it appears that each and every one of them are having the time of their lives doing this movie.

One of my favorite scenes is when Mike enters the office that Dora Belair (portrayed by Angelique Pettyjohn, sadly her last film appearance) works from, and there's a poster on the wall behind them of her Star Trek character "Shana" dressed in that aluminum foil bikini from the episode "The Gamesters Of Treskelian". It's a nice sci-fi touch... And nobody seems to notice.

Mike has a hard time trying to get his work recognized by anyone of substance (very much like real life) and it seems there's a crooked producer at every turn waiting to rip him off, and it isn't helped by his stigma about shaking hands... which is never really explained other than that he simply "...doesn't shake hands".

Throughout the film we see Mike working on film F/X in what appears to be his own garage and his own tools and props, and we get to see him actually producing the F/X that end up running in the short that he presents as his product, "The Wizard Of Speed And Time".

This is an astonishing little film that deserves much more recognition than it ever got, and it's a gem in the rough for being so matter-of-fact and innovative. It's also a must-have for any cult film or obscure cinema collector to include in their video collection. Of my all-time top 20 films, this would have to slip into the mix somewhere by its sheer tenacity and strength of will and innovation, if not for anything else. I really would have liked to have seen Mike Jittlov do something else similar to "Wizard..." but alas nothing ever came to be. I can watch this film over and over again, and with each viewing its atmosphere and flavor makes me feel like I'm 20 years back in time.

It's not for all tastes. Some people think it's absolutely wonderful, some people think it's amateurish nonsense. Some people simply won't get it at all. I got it. I liked it a lot, and the somewhat silly segments with the terribly cliche'd producer are forgivable if not perfectly allowable for the sake of comic relief, especially seeing as how that's the real producer of this film hamming it up on camera. If you *do* appreciate films like this, you'll feel refreshed after watching it and you'll feel like you'd like to meet Mike and maybe buy him a coke... just don't try to shake his hand.

Then go out and become an independent film maker yourself.

Bravo Mike, ya done good!

I saw this first years ago, when I was kid, around the time it came out. My dad loved it, and we had it on tape. It was then lost in the streams of time and I totally forgot about it. About a year ago, my sister and her husband, while i was over visiting, pulled a video out of their shelf and asked if I'd ever seen this. It was "The Wizard of Speed and Time", and I said that it looked familiar. From about 10 seconds in, I remembered this movie competely, and was filled with merriment in the way people get when you see something again that you loved as a kid, and is still as good.

Jittlov wrote, directed, produced, audited, gripped, funded, cranked, cameraed, composed, googled, flamboozed, and starred in this almost one-man show. He's extremely talented, in all respects. The movie is extremely cleverly written, well acted, well directed, and amusing to the point of extremes. Very clever shots are taken to many different facets of hollywood, as Mike tries to complete a movie he's making. The ending is witty, the romance is credible, and this movie is just plain fun. It even has good music! Definately high on my list of all time goodies. I did get a bit sick of it after watching it about 30 times or so, but very few movies keep my attention that long. A warning though, you really have to be a certain kind of person to enjoy this movie. Most people I tried to get to watch it didn't enjoy it. Let's face it, Mike is a nerd, getting all the chicks, and stands up for nerds everywhere. You kinda have to be a nerd to enjoy this movie. And I am a nerd. 9/10

With all the hoopla I'd heard about this movie before its release, I was expecting a lot more. Instead, I was treated to a pity party thrown by the guest of honor. I was told it was going to be an expanded version of the short of the same name, so I was expecting that. Instead, I got a movie on how tough it is to break into show business, and how the little guy always gets trod upon and ground into the dirt by the bigwigs. Please. I've seen that done 100 times before and 1,000 times better. There was little to engage me; it wasn't "The Wizard of Speed and Time", but "The Making of 'The Wizard of Speed and Time'."

I first saw this movie back in 1989 with some friends of mine, we were in the habit of going to the video store and TRYING to find a movie none of us had seen. One trip brought us this rare gem. We watched it and were thoroughly amused by this story of Mike Jittlov vs. Hollywood. The stop-motion effects were simply amazing, executed with skill that would make ILM green with envy. The story was funny in a poking-fun-at-Hollywood-and-ourselves kind of way. NOTE: Our rental copy included the movies own hilarious trailer, this trailer does not seem to be included in copies available today (5 YEARS in the making! 5 DAYS in the theaters! ect). Watch it, love it, share it with your friends.

I finally managed to track this down at a cult-film video store, and it was worth all the effort. Do whatever you have to do to see this one! It vaguely reminded me of the low-budget inventiveness of Weird Al's "UHF," only multiplied 1000 times, and the "let's make a movie while the executives are out to lunch" zaniness of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure."

There's a lot more to this movie (or movie-within-a-movie, or is it a movie-within-a-movie-within-a-movie?) than might appear. Subliminal messages, Hollywood major-studio politics, art vs. commerce, a startling new use for a chrome bust of Mickey Mouse, fantasy vs. reality, the horrors of dealing with unionized labor, some plugs for the Church of the Sub-genius, lots of deftly-employed stock footage, and the most terrifying "pizza with everything" you'll ever see. And there's even an intentionally-horrible musical number about the creation of the universe, which is thankfully interrupted by a ridiculous Presidential announcement.

You'll also get a fascinating look at the art of low-budget special effects production. Some of the visual treats Jittlov comes up with are astonishing, even in the post-CGI era, and particularly since he shows you how a lot of it is done.

There are some profound insights and a lot of laughs. I nearly fell on the floor laughing during the scene with the police helicopters, and why is one of the thugs Canadian? (why not?) How in the world did Jittlov film the suitcase/car chase at the end? Look for Philip Michael Thomas in a rare post-Miami Vice role. And make sure you stick around for all of the credits!

Mike Jittlov may not think of himself as a "real" actor, but he's got a lot of charm and he comes off as a genuinely likeable guy. And it was nice of him to cast his friends and family as themselves.

It might be too weird for some viewers, but if you're game, "The Wizard of Speed and Time" will put a smile on your face like few other films.

Jittlov has more talent in his little finger than about 3/4ths of the film directing "talent" of Hollywood combined. The three little film bits he did for Disney during the 1980s was the BEST thing that came out of the Disney studio for that entire decade (AND the decade before), but Disney otherwise rejected his pitches for a feature film entirely.

Jittlov's WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME feature film is a wonderful romp of a film, in spite of the fact that he was not allowed to finish the film's special effects and sound effects in many places. (As legend has it, the film's co-producer, Richard Kaye, allegedly made off with the film's completion money before the film was done.) Jittlov considers the film to be only about 75 % completed, which accounts for the less than stellar rating from some viewers who don't know of this behind-the-scenes back-story, and who just don't "get" what Jittlov was trying to do with this film.

It boggles the mind to think of how even MORE nifty the film would be is some financial angel would come along and give him the $ to complete it, creating a "director's cut" for release on DVD, with ALL his equally great short films available on the DVD, as well as other extras that Jittlov could add to the DVD also.

Alas, no one has been forthcoming, and Jittlov has suffered financially and emotionally for almost two decades. When will Hollywood learn to NOT destroy the creativity of such filmic geniuses as Jittlov, Orson Welles, Buster Keaton, etc., etc., etc., etc. Join with me: Pound on the sand on the beach and shout, "Damn them all to hell !" for not RUSHING to Jittlov's aid.

Jittlov can do with 5 million dollars what other filmmakers do with 50 million, and with all the poorly conceived, ineptly produced drek coming out on DVD and on TV, the world NEEDS filmmaker's with the talent, vision(s), and attitude of Jittlov more desperately now than it ever did.

And on top of all that, he treats his fans like gold. Returning phone calls (I believe he's still in the L.A. phone book.) and answering e-mails. Even his web sites are more magnificent than most also. (Google can find them for you.) Gawd ! Is there NO justice???? Are ALL the studios in Hollywood so consistently and perpetually STUPID that they don't recognize his OBVIOUS talent? Has the world gone MAD ??? SOMEBODY with money, CALL HIM !!!!!!

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!"

This film is an effective, touching work that is mostly autobiographical, yet exaggerated to provide laughs and insight on the difficulties of show business. Yes, it's one of those "little guy vs. big business tyrant" films, but it's also very different, because in this case, it's about a special-effects/animation geek, a character which, if it has ever been portrayed in film, would still be nothing close to this because the man playing the part is a real special-effects designer, animator and editor. Usually, this genre of film is reserved for struggling actors or writers. This is about the man behind the scenes, a person who, unlike a director or actor, even more so than a writer, is rarely, if ever, on the set of an actual film. In watching this film, you are constantly reminded that the man responsible for it (Mike Jittlov) is someone who truly enjoys what he does and that he's not in it for the money. It's based on and around actual shorts he made, called "demo reels" that a special-effects designer/animator/editor/writer such as he would take to various film studios to showcase his talents, including the classic "The Wizard of Speed and Time," how difficult it is to make them, and how much harder still it is to get someone to see it. Jittlov did basically everything in the film: he starred in it, did his own stunts, wrote it, directed it, edited it, did all the special effects and animation, wrote the title song, financed it and a host of other jobs. This is someone who knows what he's doing and knows how to do it well. I can't say enough wonderful things about this film, so I'll stop now. Though it may be a bit difficult to find this film, if you do, you should take the opportunity. You'll see the genius of a man who deeply loves his craft and does not take it lightly.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and rate this thing a 5 -- I could only get through about 15 minutes. The soundtrack is easily the worst I have ever heard. For some reason I want to say it is a cross between Yani and Gallagher, which doesn't make sense, but does describe it perfectly. And I mean in a bad way, because that could potentially be good.

I've never heard another soundtrack that remotely approaches this level of objectionability. There are some people who have a special talent for making things so bad that they are good, but then there is another level below that of things that are so bad that they are really incredibly bad with no possible good at all, and that is the level that the soundtrack to this film is at. I'd rather listen to a four year old screaming and banging on pots for three hours while his sick little sister is puking in the background and crying and the mother is threatening to "beat their asses" than to listen to one more minute of this.

I know what you are thinking, can it really that bad? I think my ears are bleeding. I never heard anything like that before, it hurt me. I'm pretty sure that listening to this music would be considered "torture" under the terms of the Geneva Convention -- it was one of the worst experiences of my life.

ONLY TONE DEAF PEOPLE COULD POSSIBLY ENJOY THIS FILM, AND TO THEM I SAY, "GOD BLESS YOU."

'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.

While this movie (and it's 10 min short film progenitor) was clearly made in earnest and the handmade special effects have merit, as a film it's narrative is flimsy and the overload of special effects from start to finish grows tiresome after the first 20 minutes. Put another way, this movie is simply a one trick pony that gets worn out far too soon.

The truth is, eye came across this movie in a video store and thought it looked like the most stupid thing ever. Im 17 & interested in film-making & so like to watch total low-budget crap and laugh at how poor some low budget movies are!

But not this. The wizard of speed & time is literally more than a movie. I feel like Mike J is a movie & magic pioneer in the industry showing that Creativity and magic are still very much alive:)

The film is just so magical & feel-good. There are odd sequences cut & pasted together & look so different. There are 3 unicorn references (I love unicorns) and the fact Mike J basically MADE THIS MOVIE HIMSELF is a testament to how much passion he put into this project. The Prince of the movie industry! The sequence with Mike going to all the unions is a clever & witty dig at the ugly crapiness of hollywood. This movie is a reminder of all the guys & girls sitting in their rooms making the most magical stories,pictures & music that only they will hear. I just wish that Mike J had been sucessful and given us more movies like this. Well, at least the movie lives on.....

Peace Nyrone (uk)

Great fun for adults and children alike. I wore out my video copy by pausing during the stop motion animations to find the hidden subliminal messages in most of them. No satanic messages, just feel-good thoughts.

I was first introduced to the "Wizard of Speed and Time" back in 1995. My friend Ben recommended it to me in school during lunch, plus he just happened to have it in his bag at the time. Well I had my doubts, as Ben's tastes wildly differ from my own. Well the first time I watched it, I dismissed it as completely bad. Though, later on in the day I found myself drawn back into watching it again. Now if it weren't for that second viewing, I may just have missed out on what I believe to be one of the greatest independent movies of out time. I have no idea what was lacking when I first watched it, but that second time, things leapt from the screen at me. Mike Jitlov's opus sticks in my mind as one of my most favorite and unique alternative titles.

A comment made by a friend and fellow film buff about this film prompted me to pick it up from the dusty corner of the video store. He had mentioned in a film analysis presentation that seeing this film made the advances in film special effects seem that much greater when comparing them to the amateurish qualities of the stop motion effects found in "Wizard". At the time I found that comment to be a bit disconcerting; after all, some of the greatest effects in film were created by stop motion. The original King Kong, the ominous AT-AT's in "The Empire Strikes Back", and the characters in "Nightmare Before Christmas" are just a few that come to mind.

After viewing this film this evening, I really feel that this man's presentation really did not do the effects of this film justice. Yes, I will admit that the story is somewhat lacking with its mixture of "a star is born in Hollywood" and "big, bad villain tries to squash the dreams of the ingenious protagonist". However the effects of the film were quite imaginative, very well executed, and obviously planned with a meticulousness that a brain surgeon would do well to posess.

On a side note, I enjoyed the fact that the marquee in the film showed "The Evil Dead" as one of its festival screenings. The Evil Dead trilogy films are some of my favorites.

In short, this was a very enjoyable and refreshing movie BECAUSE of its low-fi special effects. Stop motion is an artform which must never die. I also clicked on the amazon.com link to order the film, and at $4.99 is a super steal. If you are interested in seeing the film, but your local video store doesn't have it, go ahead and just order it. You'll be glad you did.

This movie was obviously inspired by the use of LSD. How else would someone come up with this concept. One of the corniest movies ever, but still enjoyable at times. BTW, who would want to make a special about stop-motion animation anyway? It's totally ridiculous, but still kind of fun.

I'd have to say that this is easily my favorite movie of all time. it's a terrific parody of the inner workings of Hollywood, and it's backed up my absolutely amazing animation and special effects by Mr. Jittlov, who also does a wonderful job as the main character (himself), and the police dog. The producer does a good job acting as the producer (as he should!).

Summary: See it! you'll like it! i promise.

Many films have polarizing effects on the film audience. This is one of them. On the surface the plot is very simple: good man vs. evil system. As the plot takes shape the audience realizes that they are watching a movie that is jam-packed with terrific special effects and a wonderful combination of subtle and audacious humor (with its own off-the-wall style). Some people will tire easily of these, while others will wonder where this gem has been hiding.

This film contains much social commentary on Hollywood's film industry presented in a humorous manner. Despite the non-stop humor the audience can grasp the emotions flowing through Mike as he angrily contends with a horribly, self-loving producer; enthusiastically and sacrificingly seeks to create a film that will amaze and delight people; and sensitively tries to win the love of a young aspiring actress.

Those who enjoy the eye-candy will constantly wonder how Mike did all of those special effects, while those who know this answer will be amazed at his patience.

Overall the film is wonderfully cohesive. The small effects shorts serve as windows into Mike's imagination. The eye-candy shown during the story charms the mind instead of bewildering it (as psychedelic eye-candy often does). The off-the-wall humor and giddy music shows us how Mike's experiences in filmmaking are fun, wonderful adventures. The film shows Mike's internal struggles without appearing ridiculous. If you want to watch something different and good, watch this.