The theme of time travel is perfect for filmmakers as the very process of editing allows you to manipulate the timeline of your story and characters, in the form of flashbacks or even flashforwards.
The Back to the Future trilogy, for example, weaves a story that takes us from 1985 to the 1950s, and even further back to the Wild West of 1885 and forwards to 2015.
In Timestalker director Alice Lowe reincarnates her main character Agnes from 1688 onwards to other time periods until she ends up in a dystopian 2117. Unlike most time travel films that use some form of science fiction device – like Dr Who’s TARDIS or McFly’s DeLorean – there is no explanation about the process of her reincarnation. It might have something to do with a strange pink heart-shaped object that indicates that she should follow her heart?
Agnes, played by Lowe, is a rather hapless character who in her various incarnations at first sight falls in love with a Marc Bolen-like character played by Aneurin Barnard, and this often results in tragic consequences for her. Through her travels Agnes also repeatedly encounters Scipio (Jacob Anderson), a character who describes himself as her shadow, and Meg (Tanya Reynolds) who is always there to help her. Her nemesis in her earliest incarnation is her vulgar and outrageous husband George (Nick Frost) who literally treats her like a dog. Yet, no one remembers their past existence, although Agnes does think she might have been Cleopatra.
From the very start it has a gory tragi-comic death scene that sets the tone for the rest of the film where a bloody death can quickly fell Agnes and send her on her next destination with fate.
Timestalker gets into its stride when in 1980 she tracks down the fame hungry love-of-her life who is now a world famous pop star. The period’s fashions and music are neatly evoked as Agnes is stalked by George who even now still wants to be her husband.
As the writer, director, co-producer and deadpan Agnes, Lowe plunges a lot of herself into this rollicking historical, romantic comedy, science fiction story that eventually leads to Agnes unexpectedly finding her true love.
It can be summed as being wild, weird and wonderful.
Timestalker is screening at Plymouth Arts Cinema until Thursday 31st October.
Reviewed by Nigel Watson
