review of
Harry Harrison's The Technicolor Time Machine
- tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - April 16-19, 2020

This bk is copyrighted 1967, this edition is from 1981. I probably saw it sometime between those 2 dates & thought it was too trashy for my increasingly literate tastes. Now, 40 yrs later, I think it's thoroughly enjoyable, I'm glad I'm finally getting around to reading Harrison.

""This is my life's work," Hewett said, waving his hand roughly in the direction of the toilet.

""What kind of work is that?"

""He means the machines and apparatus, he's just not pointing very well." - p 9

Ha ha!

"My vremeatron—from vreme, the Serbo-Coratian for 'time,' in honor of my maternal grandmother, who was from Mali Lossinj—is a workable time machine."" - p 10

Tell me another one; ell me a; xx. Tell m; ther on. When were we?

""Background material," Barney told him. "We can rough out the main story lines now and you can fill in the details later. L.M. suggested a saga, and we can't go wrong with that. We open in the Orkney Islands around the year 1000 when there is plenty of trouble. You have Norse settlers and Viking raiders and things are really hotting up. Maybe you open with a Viking raid, the dragon ship gliding acorss the dark waters, you know."

""Like opening a Western with the bankrobbers silently riding into town?"

""That's the idea. The hero is the chief Viking, or maybe the head man ashore, you'll work that out. So there's some fighting, then some more of the same, so the hero decides to move his bunch to the new world, Vinland, which he has just heard about."

""Like the winning of the West?"

""Right. Then the voyage, the storm, the shipwreck, the landing, the first settlement, the battle with the Indians. Think big because we're going to have plenty of extras. End on a high note, looking into the sunset."" - p 44

You get the idea. Time machine invented, Hollywood uses it to make an historical saga in a less expensive way than usual to save a failing studio.

"You can't make a picture in a week!" - p 50

But, of course, you can, I do it all the time. Roger Corman probably did too & he was great at it. Here're some samples of mine:

492. a. "Double Embrace"
- a celebration of the in-person meeting of tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE & Libby Ramer from June 19 to June 26, 2017E.V.
- A Romantic Experimental Music Documentary Comedy
- 1700 X 1275
- 1:50:49
- on my onesownthoughts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/1GDXxp_g168
b. "An afternoon in Casa WHO UNIT?"
- the improvisation section excerpted from the above
- 1:04:01
- on the Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/AnAfternoonAtCasaWHOUNIT

274. "START" (tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE edit)
- made as a collaborative project by approximately the same group of people as 233. "Dead & Breakfast" & 260. "Discontinuous Universe"
- as w/ its predeccessors, this project began when Kelly Stiles (unfortunately w/o April Gilmore this time) came to visit Pittsburgh. Kelly & Morgan & tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE thought of a rough outline for a plot wch the whole Sylli G(roup) then fleshed out - often improvisationally while shooting & responding to our many locations.
- as w/ "Dead & Breakfast", the cast performed multiple roles:
Kelly Stiles: initial inspiration, camera, Gorgamesh, sock puppets, costuming, gameboard design, editing (not used in this version) etc..
tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE:initial inspiration, camera, MEGALO, Ogre, Butcher of a Satie piano practice, gameboard design, animation, editing, sock puppets, bathroom corpse in "Dead & Breakfast" psychic flashback, 'Teenage Boy' in "Discontinuous Universe" kitchen psychic flashback, latex mask collection, etc..
Morgan Cahn: initial inspiration, camera, Brexskelren Ethetal, WASP, Dag's audience at the Fortuary, Cliff Hanger hooded figure, costuming, gameboard design, sock puppets, house set design etc..
Matthu Stull: initial inspiration, camera, Professor, Prostheseus, Minotaur, music in the "Prostheseus in the Labyrinth" scene, sock puppets, etc..
Michael Loomis: initial inspiration, camera, Pope Dag Hammerskull, Cliff Hanger hooded figure, 'Teenage Boy' in "Discontinuous Universe" kitchen psychic flashback, etc..
Thanks to:
Teresa: camera, Seductress, Giant Owl, Ogre stunt double, sock puppets
Aairyn: camera, sock puppets
the Boat People: Evan, Babz, Patrick, Elli
the mischievous kids:
1st generation: Genly Ai, Ivan
2nd generation: Reyghan, FreeSoul
their parents:
Kalie & D2K - for Reyghan & Genly Ai permission
Alan & Nancy - for Ivan permission
Yvette - for FreeSoul permission
Craig - Guy running by w/ Left-Handed Monkey Wrench in The Alley
Heinz History Center
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History Invertebrate Zoology Lab:
Insect Cult Members: Walt, Vanessa, Dave, Tim
Robin: protector of the Giant Owl
2 kids in park: protectors of the Giant Owl
Michael's Parisian Friend: camera
Homer & Greenbean: Guinea Pig Oracle(s)
Sarah: Sphinx voice-over
Phipps Conservatory & the Chihuly sculptures
Cathedral of Learning Nationality Rooms
Allegheny Cemetary
Schenley Park
Paris
Pittsburgh
Excelsior Sound Effects CDs
"75 Spectacular Sound Effects" CD
François Rabbath: bass in 2 "Dead & Breakfast" psychic flashbacks of corpses
- mini-DV -> DVD/1/2" VHS cassette
- 1:16:19
- shot in september & october & edited in october & november of 2007
- on my onesownthoughts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/RkOyr6cFaz4
- on the Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/START_201810

OK, those took longer than a week once one includes post-production. There are some that took less time but I don't think you'd be as impressed by them (not that you'll be impressed by the above either necessarily).

Here's a link to a shorter one that only took a week, more or less exactly:

{240. "Dead & Breakfast"
- this was a collaboration between 8 people made over a 6 day period
- the initial concept & screenplay was from Kelly Stiles, Morgan Cahn, & Matthu Stull
- the acting & camera work was by all participants:
Kelly Stiles: Beaumont, the stuttering guest
Morgan Cahn: Mrs. Danby, the Bed & Breakfast operator
Matthu Stull: Lorno Katazian, the tv weatherman
Jim Lemon: Ringo, the ski bum guest
Sarah Stanek: George, the other ski bum guest
April Gilmore: Jo-Jo Pumpkin, a 'crazy' guest
Daniel Prince: Randy, Mrs. Danby's nephew
Party Teen on Couch #2: Mr. Horn, a neighbor
- the editing was mainly done by Kelly Stiles, Party Teen on Couch #2, & Sara Stanek
- w/ possible input from Matthu Stull & Daniel Prince
- as Party Teen on Couch #2, I also thought of the ending & a few other scenes
- mini-dv
- 37:18
- november '03
- this is enclosed in brackets because my participation was minor in contrast to that of Kelly, Morgan, & Matthu's}
- on my onesownthoughts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/TCGBnvAyYao
- on the Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/deadbreakfast

That was made before the mainstream release of the same name.

One last example of one that was made quickly that might not be of much interest to people but that serves my point here:

607. "Coal & tENT: tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE & Coal Hornet discuss IMPROVisation: 2019.11.24"
- 1:06:31
- 1080p
- on my onesownthoughts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/KX4QDzHpyJo
- on the Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/coaltent

Ok, enough of that.

"["]Charley Chang went back in time to a nice quiet spot where he worked very hard to produce this script. He stayed as long as he needed, then we brought him back to almost the same moment when he left. Hardly any time at all elapsed while he was away, so from your point of view it looks like it took just an hour to produce a complete script."" - p 74

There he goes, giving away my secret. That's how I've managed to make 615 movies, publish 1984 texts & 223 audio works. The downside is that I'm still only 16 to the outside world but I look like I'm 66.

Have you ever read an Icelandic Saga? It's kindof like reading Jim Thompson. The author, presumably, was studying the subject for writing this bk. One might say that passages like the following are parody.

"["] They also burned, in his own house, Audun the son of Smidkel at Bergen." He stopped and nodded his head sagely as though he felt he had communicated vital information.

""Well?" Barney asked, puzzled. "What does all that mean?"

"Ottar looked at him and frowned. "Smidkel married Thorodda, my sister."" - p 104

Of the Icelandic Sagas, I've only read Grettir's Saga so I'm far from an expert but Grettir's was completely psychopathically violent and the Vikings depicted herein in Harrison's bk aren't any different. Here's a sample from Grettir's Saga chosen just by flipping thru the bk for a few seconds:

"Grettir spoke this stanza:

"Some men have tongues
too long and too ready to speak;
that's how they earn
harsh revenge.
But few have done
more evil than you,
and now your life is forfeit,
your long journey is over.

"Thorbjorn answered, 'I think I am no closer to death, for all your babbling.'

"Gretir said, 'So far my predictions have never had to outlive their promise, and this one is not likely to, either, Defend yourself, if you want to; you will never have a better opportunity.'

"Then Grettir struck at Thorbjorn, who raised his hand with the intention of warding the sword off, but it caught his arm just above the wrist and then swept on at his neck, cutting his head off. The traders said that he was a dealer of heavy blows, as the king's retainers were supposed to be, but they thought it no loss that Thorbjorn had been killed, for he had been quarrelsome and spiteful."

- p 82, Grettir's Saga, University of Toronto Press

Harrison really does seem to have done research into the language, the sagas, & to whatever other history might've been available about the time & people. W/ that in mind, I'm inclined to believe that the following might be based in fact but, WHEW!, it seems harsh even for the Vikings.

""What does he have against becoming a Christian?"

""Olaf would submit him first to the ordeal of the snake. In this the mouthpiece of a lurhorn, the larger brass war horn, is forced down the throat of the victim, a poisonous snake is put in the bell of the horn, which is then sealed, and the horn is heated until the snake seeks escape down the pagan's throat."" - p 127

""Hananu Sousta handartokin,"* Ottar roared, and his men shouted back happily as they ran to swing the ship about for the last leg of her voyage."

[..]

"*"Come on! The last bit of work!"" - p 175

That was a taste of Old Norse. While you won't learn the whole language from reading this bk you might pick up enuf phrases to help you get thru traveling back in time to the era as a tourist.

As the movie shapes up the director has an inspiration about who would be good to create the soundtrack.

""Spiderman Spinneke woud love it."

""He might at that," Barney squinted as an idea hit him, then snapped his fingers. "That's what I was thinking about, the Spiderman. He plays all kinds of weirdo instruments in that beat joint the Fungus Grotto. I heard him once, backed up with a brass section and a drum."

"Val nodded. "I've been there. He's supposed to be the only jazz tuba player in captivity. It's the most terrible noise I ever heard."" - pp 200-201

NOW, given my own personal Low Classical & booed usic orientation & given my on-going fascination w/ instruments, that immediately perked my interest. As far as I can tell, "Spiderman Spinneke" is a completely fictitous character not modeled on anyone in particular, porbably modeled on experimental music of the recent past to the writing of this bk SO that makes me wonder who might've been obliquely an inspiration as of the copyrighting of the bk in 1967. Since the novel's 20th century location is Hollywood & environs I'll confine my guesses to the same.

Roger Bobo: tubaist for the LA Philharmonic, someone w/ a somewhat avant-garde solo repertoire

Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention: they wd've ben fairly early in their career but already notorious

Harry Partch: an instrument inventor

Lou Harrison: not exactly an instrument inventor but someone who used some home-made gamelan instruments

Dean Elliott and his Big Band: their "Zounds! What Sounds!" record combining big band music with sound effects came out in 1963

Of course, there are many more possibilities but these are the prominent ones that occur to me 'off the top of my head'. Speaking of 'off the top of my head':

"["]Do you know what a paradox is, Dallas?"

""The Spanish barber who shaves every guy in town who doesn't shave himself—so who shaves the barber?"" - p 217

The paradox referred to is the "Barber Paradox" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barber_paradox ). For a heretical (& somewhat silly) spin-off of that witness my "Haircut Paradox" ( https://youtu.be/pXMl1ZbMm9l ).

While I'm linking to my movies (gotta advertise them SOMEHOW) I might as well take advantage of this:

""Sure, Australia. They have these natives there, what they call Abos, and a witch doctor was spinning this stick around his head on the end of a piece of string so it made the noise."

""A bullroarer, of course. A lot of primitive tribes use them and they are supposed to have magical qualities.["]" - p 226

& a Maori friend of mine demonstrates one here: https://youtu.be/gPOFMfbtRmc?t=325 as part of my "Avicenna's Floating Maori" movie. The Maori name for the bullroarer is "Purerehua". Aren't you glad you asked?

""These are the Icelandic Sagas, in the original Old Norse in which they were written. Of course most of them were just verbal history for about two hundred years, before they were transcribed, but it is amazing how accurate they can be. If I might read you a bit from the 'Thorfinn Karlsefni Saga' and 'The Greenlanders Story.'" - p 247

I assume that those were things that the author used for research material. Intrigued, I just ordered The Sagas of Icelanders, the largest affordable collection of these sagas that I cd find online. Can't learn too much now can we?

All in all, this was an excellent read: fun AND satisfactory for the curious mind. Recommended. ( )

Farcical story involving people trying to take advantage of time travel. they do it poorly. I like Harrison but this one was just to silly, daft, goofy to keep my interest. ( )

Ah yes... time machines and Hollywood movies... its a match made in heaven! Is this book great? Nope. Stereotypical characters (dumb leading lady, attention deficit studio owner, distractable scientist, etc) but it is fun.

This is a book that isn't concerned with time paradoxes or women rights, or any rights for that matter. And, since its written in 1967, don't expect PC characters. The plot doesn't make a whole lot of sense (how do you expect a whole movie crew to keep quiet about time travel??) but thats okay - its a great book for what it is - campy time travel with a twist. ( )

Always looking for another time travel book to read. Pure curiosity lead to this one. However, the author writes in a folksy style that you have to get used to. Unfortunately, the book did not hold my attention so after about 40 pages, I opted to stop and return at some time in the future to start over again when I can better focus on it. I guess that I should have expected this based on the content of Harry Harrison's other books (i.e. The Stainless Steel Rat). ( )

This has to be one of the best time travel stories ever. The other reviews have laid out the plot quite well, so I won't repeat that. This book is just plain fun. It's a quick read, but you'll want to reread it again and again. It's that fun.