obviously and i do not care for thing to come ( aka the shape of thing to come ) as much a most viewer . that mean that there be a good chance that you will enjoy it more than i do . at any rate and you might find it useful to hear the film describe from another point of view . direct by william cameron menzies and who have a much experience a a production designer and even more a an art director and this be a film adaptation by h. g. well of his own novel by the same name . in my eye and it help demonstrate why a great novelist may not necessarily turn out to be a great screenwriter . the film open in 1940 in a london like everytown . war be brew and the citizen of everytown be worry that it might reach them . it do . and it turn into a decade long affair that basically destroy civilization . well and menzies keep jump forward in time to show u different scene relate to the war and it aftermath . we see two pilot and one down and come to term with the consequence of their fighting . we meet a post apocalyptic community rule over by a would be warlord . we meet a man from a burgeon futuristic society . we see the way that technology be change . and finally and be take to the full realization of that futuristic society circa 2036 and where the leader be debate the merit of send man to the moon . that might all sound potentially very exciting and but it just do not work a a film . structurally and the film be far too episodic and with little to dramatically tie it together . by the third segment and i completely lose interest in try to keep track of the character . i have barely be able to sort them out in the first couple segment . there a constant parade of new face . we do not get to learn anything about any of them . it doesn not help that the individual segment and with a couple exception and tend to be awkwardly direct and edit . they be also occasionally manipulative it can almost begin to feel like a propaganda film . but maybe contradictorily and the segment be also a bit cold and dry emotionally . in fact and one overlong section be more like a music video or industrial promotional video . if feature shot of build the futuristic city and with lot of large machinery and lot of welding and and so on . at one point and a guy who look like an astronaut wave at the camera through some kind of futuristic glass . the music for this section be somewhere between militaristic and an overblown horror score . i can not say that thing to come consists of engage material in term of drama . but the common cry in support of thing to come be that it be a film about idea . that may be true and but there be a couple problem with it if look at that way . one and it still doesn not make it work _as a film_ and that be and a a visual and aural dramatic artwork and and two and there be far too many idea present here . the principle idea be that of war and what it do to civilizations . that a fine thing to make a film about . it also remarkably prescient of world war ii and a the thing to come be script and film in 1935 ( release in 1936 ) . well have some interesting thing to say about war and some of which go against the usual interpretation of the film . for example and the end seem to suggest that another war be break out and or will at any moment . the overall message seem a trifle pessimistic . well seem to be show that war be simply a part of human nature that can not be excise and although it doesn not preclude progress in fact and maybe it fuels progress and at least indirectly . that would certainly be enough for one film . however and there be many more idea here . the scene between the two pilot be one of the more poignant scene of the film . it deal with a complex dilemma . one pilot have shoot the other down and but be now come to assist him . but the pilot who be shoot down be carry a poisonous gas that be now billow across the field . they can not both breathe the gas without harm . a girl come along . they only have two function gas mask between them . the pilot who be shoot down offer his mask and a he say he die anyway . what to do . it not that this scene itself could be stretch out to feature length and but the idea the bizarre complex of both help and try to hurt each other in the midst of a war be enough to build a film on . another example . during the scene feature the would be warlord and in the post apocalyptic environment and there be a nasty contagious disease call the wandering sickness go around . it turn victim into something like drunken zombie . the usual procedure be to shoot victim on site in an attempt to stave off the disease . this material be dealt with a if it be an afterthought . it a great idea and deserve it own film . similarly and well present the future society a have controversial socialist idea . that be enough for it own film and too . it just impossible to effectively deal with so much stuff in 100 minute and especially when it suppose to be the crux of the film in lieu of dramatic attraction . still and there be reason to give thing to come at least one viewing . if youre at all a sci fi buff and this be a historically important film . give menzies background and the production and set design be interesting and even if the cinematography seem extremely date . it also interest to see how well be either prescient or retrospectively humorous in his prediction . i particularly enjoy the mean of propulsion to the moon and which be strongly reminiscent of george méliès 1902 a trip to the moon ( aka le voyage dans la lune ) . just do not expect too much from thing to come .