heathenstormLooking back to some cult 80s kino…
Partly autobiographical, sometimes farce, The Wizard of Speed and Time follows emerald-clad director, writer, and stop-motion effects wiz Mike Jittlov’s attempts to break into Hollywood in the 1970s.
It was different era of effects where everything was analogue. Film was shot by hand and tape reels spliced together, with effects themselves painted on the original frames. The process is explained and demonstrated clearly, with the film an instruction guide for others to create as much as a showcase of Jittlov’s skill. The effects themselves, although clearly unreal, still hold up today.
This raw creativity is contrasted with the bureaucracy and betrayals of Hollywood culture, with the cynicism of the system present in even the opening song. One scene that always comes to mind juxtaposes Hollywood’s budget-busting use of the ‘latest’ digital technology with shots of Jittlov joyfully working in his garage.
Although playing to the schmaltzy, overly sentimental style of 1980s movies, (with a few blasts of humour that probably wouldn’t be accepted today), the film has a sincere heart. More than anything, it shows how individual determination and ingenuity can manifest movie magic – with the right kind of support.
It inspired me to dream beyond merely consuming cinema, and to find my own path towards creating it.
I don’t know if it ever formally made it to the streaming services, but an upscaled version of the Laserdisc edition is available to watch in good old 4:3 on YouTube:
https://heathenstorm.com/2026/03/12/the-wizard-of-speed-and-time-1988/ #1980s #cinema #cult #filmmaking #mikejittlov #specialeffects #thewizardofspeedandtime
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