Somewhere in Time, a cult classic filmed in Michigan Part 2

This is Part 2 of this post Somewhere in Time Random Factoids:

• Automobiles are not allowed on Mackinac Island (where Somewhere in Time was filmed), but an exception was made for filming. However, use of any automobiles outside of filming was forbidden.
• The author of Bid Time Return, Richard Matheson, had a cameo in the film. He was the man Richard Collier bumped into as he left the bathroom after shaving.
• This was William H. Macy and George Wendt's (Norm on Cheers fame) film debut.
• Somewhere In Time received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Costume Design.
• Other than the brief shots of Richard Collier (Reeve) in Chicago, the entire film was shot on Mackinac Island.

Somewhere in Time Soundtrack:

The musical score for Somewhere in Time has also taken on a life of it's own due to the same word-of-mouth that has made the film a cult classic. The timeless music crafted by John Barry has received more praise than the film over the years. Ironically, were it not for his friendship with Jane Seymour he would never have been approached to score the film.

The movie Somewhere in Time is based upon the book, Bid Time Return, by Richard Matheson. With the success of the movie, the book has since been retitled as Somewhere in Time most likely to save on confusion and capitalize on the familiarity of the movie title. A bit of controversy surrounds Matheson's book. His premise for time travel has been said to have been borrowed from Time and Again (absolutely love that book) by Jack Finney. Finney used a similar method for time travel in his book where the main character was surrounded by authentic clothing and items from the time period he wished to travel to – exactly like Richard Collier's character in Bid Time Return and the movie.

Mistakes in the Movie via MovieMistakes.com:

• In scenes that take place in 1912 on the porch of the hotel you can sometimes see American flags in the background. The flags in the movie have 50 stars. The 50 star flag wasn't adopted until after 1959.
• When Richard discovers the old registration book in the hotel attic, he appears to find his signature on the left hand page. When, in 1912, he actually signs the register, he signs on the right hand page.
• In 1912, Richard Collier gives young Arthur his ball, and above their heads, you can see the 1980 fire sprinklers in the ceiling.
• The 1912 hotel has frosted light bulbs hanging from the ceiling in some scenes. Frosted bulbs weren't around until the 1940s.
• Near the end of the movie, C. Reeve is seated at a table on the lawn, and C. Plummer approaches, with the intent of encouraging C. Reeve to leave town. As they are talking, the camera goes back and forth between them. Whenever the camera is focused on C. Reeve, he is enjoying either a full meal or a cup of coffee.
• When Richard Collier first arrives in 1912, the woman getting dressed in the hotel room is humming "You Made Me Love You," a song not published until 1913. It was first recorded by Al Jolson in June of 1913. The lady in the hotel shouldn't have known it yet.

Somewhere in Time, a cult classic filmed in Michigan

This is Part One of a Two Part Post Long before Michigan started to become a destination for making movies a small budget film was shooting on Mackinac Island. The year was 1979 and fresh off the success of Superman, Christopher Reeve was on the island filming a romantic film with a time traveling twist, Somewhere in Time. This was the second motion picture filmed on Mackinac Island. The first was, This Time For Keeps in 1946.

Somewhere in Time debuted in theaters on October 3, 1980 and only ran for three weeks. The film was panned by critics and were it not for appearing on cable television – it might have faded away into nothing but a memory. Audiences were so taken with the film when it was shown on cable networks that they would call or write to the network requesting that it be run again.

While not an instant classic, it has gained popularity over the years and has gathered a rather extensive fan base. Fans are so devoted to this film they actually celebrate the film every October on Mackinac Island at the Grand Hotel where much of the movie was filmed. The Somewhere in Time Weekend for 2009 is October 16-18. The name of the Somewhere in Time fan club that sponsors the annual Somewhere in Time Weekend is INSITE – the International Network of Somewhere In Time Enthusiasts.

The special weekend includes a screening of the movie, meet cast and crew from the film, panel discussions, and walking tours of filming locations. For answers to any questions you might have about the weekend and all it entails visit the official INSITE website. To book your stay visit the Grand Hotel website.

It was just announced this September that a Broadway musical is in the works for Somewhere in Time. No timeline for when this might appear onstage, but you can keep up to date at SomewhereInTimeTheMusical.com.

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Plot Summary via imdb.com:

Young writer Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) is met on the opening night of his first play by an old lady who begs him to "Come back to me". Mystified, he tries to find out about her, and learns that she is a famous stage actress from the early 1900s, Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour). Becoming more and more obsessed with her, he manages, by self hypnosis, to travel back in time where he meets her. They fall in love, a matching that is not appreciated by her manager (Christopher Plummer). Can their love outlast the immense problems caused by their "time" difference? And can Richard remain in a time that is not his?

Somewhere in Time movie trailer: