TIMERIDER - THE ADVENTURE OF LYLE SWANN

US, 1984, 92 minutes, Colour.
Fred Ward, Belinda Bauer, Peter Coyote, Richard Masur, L.Q.Jones, Chris Mulkey, Ed Lauter/
Directed by William Dear.

Timerider - The Adventure of Lyle Swann is another time warp film. This kind of adventure in time became popular in the late '70s with such features as Time After Time and continued into the '80s with The Final Countdown, Somewhere in Timie, The Philadelphia Experiment, The Terminator. This is a film about a bikerider who is time-warped into the Wild West. The main action of the film is really that of the western, except that the hero has a motor-bike available. There is the usual arrangement of 19th century people confronted by 20th century technology as well as the 20th. century rider lost in the past.

Lyle Swann is played by Fred Ward (Uncommon Valor, Southern Comfort, The Right Stuff). There is an interesting supporting cast led by Peter Coyote (E.T.) with action character actors like Ed Lauter and L. Q. Jones.

The fil-m is rather like a television series pilot or episode. There is a rough and readiness style,as well as an emphasis on bluntness and even brutality. This gives the filin limited quality - enjoyable but a bit too rough-edged.

1. An entertaining actioner? The exploration of time travel? Possibilities? Improbabilities? The fascination of people of two centuries confronting each other?

2. Location work? The motor cycle race of the 20th. century? The 20th century final helicopter rescue in the desert? The motor bike in the 19th century? The atmosphere of the 19th Century West? Desert locations, decor? Music?

3. The focus on Lyle Swann as hero? The tough 20th century hero and his 19th century ancestry? The nature of the hero - good and bad, committed to causes? Romance? The travel in time? Comparisons between 19th and 20th centuries?

4. Lyle Swann as hero: as champion motor cycle racer, becoming involved in the time warp, the discovery of the body, pursued by Porter Reese, the gang pursuing him, the swim and the encounter with Claire? The clashes of the cyclist with the cowboys of the 19th century? His losing the cycle, his determination to regain it, the pursuit? The hiding in the church crypt? The encounter with Claire? The canyon hideout? The U.S. Marshals and Swann working with them? The use of the rescue flares, freeing Claire? The surviving lawman after the other had been shot? The gang chase? The intervention of the helicopter? Swann's discussions with Claire about his ancestor, the medallion? Swann's return to the 20th century?

5. Claire as 19th century heroine? The first encounter with Swann? The swimming? The church crypt? Her being taken, treatment by the gang? The rescue? The irony of her being Swann's grandmother?

6. Porter Reese and his gang, the pursuit, the typical western villains? The capturing of the 'fire machine'? The sheriffs and their vendettas? The shooting of the sheriff? Swann beating the cowboys of the West?

7. The sheriffs and their involvement? Typical characters of the 19th century West?

8. The Mexican village, its way of life, the reaction to Swann? Swann's reaction to the 19th century?

9. Conventional action material? The novelty of the blend of centuries? The time themes? Looking at the 19th century through 20th century eyes? Vice versa?