MovieChat Forums > The Time Tunnel (1966) Discussion > Tunnel set construction

Tunnel set construction

posted 11 years ago by ilikemoovies
9 replies | jump to latest

The Time Tunnel was one of my favorite shows growing up, but I have always been curious about one thing. Was the tunnel made up of individual segments spaced apart, with a platform down the middle for the actors to walk on, or one continuous piece with rings of black and white. Does anyone know?

In some 3-D computer models online, it shows it's made of segments, but I don't know if it actually was built this way on the TV show. http://www.iann.net/timetunnel/computer_model/timetunnel7of8.htm

The model also shows the main tunnel being housed inside a second, larger tunnel, but I think this was only shown in one shot from the pilot when the complex was lit up for Doug and Sen. Clark's arrival. I don't remember seeing this in any other episode. http://www.iann.net/timetunnel/computer_model/timetunnel2of8.htm

[–] dtmuller 11 years ago

It was in segments, with a walkway down the middle. That's pretty clear in episode 2 "One Way to the Moon". (I hope I'm remembering the right episode.) There is a gun fight in the tunnel complex, involving a lot of ducking in and around the tunnel itself. It clearly shows the segments. I think there were also a couple of shots in other episodes that showed it.

But that view of it was so rare, I always thought of it as solid, with black and white rings. Thats definitely the impression you get from the normal view, looking straight into it.

Now, if you want to destroy the illusion that the tunnel was infinitely long, watch episode 21 "Idol of Death". As Castillano retrieves the mask from the tunnel, you can see his shadow on the back wall, showing that the "infinite" tunnel is mostly a very well-done perspective painting. My guess is that the ring structure was chosen to make it easier to see the perspective and harder to see the transition between the set and the painting.

[–] ilikemoovies 11 years ago

Just finished watching "One Way to the Moon" on Hulu, and you were right - definitely shows the segments close up.

As far as the walkway, it looked more like individual ramps that went from one segment to the next, rather than one long one. The weird thing is it isn't always visible...sometimes you see it for a few seconds (looking straight into the tunnel) and then it vanishes, like it was a special effect done in post. Maybe it depended on the lighting, too, just like some segments having a blue tint and some yellow. I'm sure they were all painted white and they used colored filters.

Btw, they used the same long shot in this episode that was used in the pilot, showing the main tunnel inside a larger tunnel. Probably a matt painting.

Also noticed that Doug tells the astronauts him and Tony are from the Time Tunnel complex, a top-secret government project - but never mentions the official name, Project Tic Toc. In addition to "One Way to the Moon", I wonder how many other episodes took place in the future.

Will have to watch "Idol of Death" when I get a chance to see that shadow on the back wall you mentioned.

[–] KobiyashiMauru 11 years ago

Episodes that were set in the future are Chase Through Time AD 1,000,000, The Kidnappers AD 8433, Town of Terror AD 1978.

[–] ewaf58 9 years ago

AD 1978 - goodness I wonder what it will look like

[–] darkness_surroundz 10 years ago

yes each section or "O" ring of the tunnel was a freestanding piece, connected only by the walkway. The outer, Electrical Torridal CERN-type ring is shown only a couple of times in the first 2 episodes as a matte painting…something to do with high energy physics-allen was ahead of his time in some ways

Also, the first 2 episodes they rented another sound stage behind theirs, and built the TIME TUNNEL out farther back; after that they just used a painting at the end of the one sound stage

Actually while it looked cool, the idea that it had to be infinite (where WAS the end of it?) is dated, as a STARGATE type machine was much more efficient

[–] sheenarocks 9 years ago

If I could travel in time I would LOVE to go back to when they shot this and see the whole actual set. It's really cool. This was one of my favorite shows and watching it now, while dated, it's still a pretty good show and an interesting perspective on history from the 1960s.

[–] ewaf58 9 years ago

Hmm then you could walk into one of their episodes and be a true man from the future. Don't forget to wear your silver suit though.

[–] binaryguy1101 9 years ago

Oh man, a weird thought just went through my head. All those 1960s shows depicted the future (us) walking around in those silver jumpsuits.

How disappointing it would have been for those 1960s earthlings if one of us actually went back and talked to them. Of course, we have the hand-held computer gadgets that they only dreamed about. Our cars are about to begin driving themselves (still a letdown though from the flying cars we were supposed to have by now)

How would a 1960s show that accurately depicted the future 50 years ahead - been received by a 1960s audience?

[–] ewaf58 9 years ago

Hmm interesting. I suppose the problem with the future is that it arrives so slowly that we get used to all the new gadgets and innovations. Of course sudden major breakthroughs can make it exciting though.

As far as the 60's audience seeing an accurately portrayed future for the first time - well they wouldn't of course know that it was going to come true - but I think they would be a little disappointed.

I think they'd find the International space station a bit weedy and the (now) lack of a space plane. No moonbase - no man on Mars - no fast spaceships that could visit nearby stars would also grate.

They'd love the Asimo robots and the Boston Dynamics 'dogs' plus human like robots but might complain that they should have advanced intelligence.

Also high on their likes would be self driving cars controlled by miniature computers and guided by sensors - plus the satellite navigation on a small TV screen.

The big plus would be our mobile phones although they'd would probably consider putting a TV studio - camera - incredibly powerful computer - navigation and communication device into one small package as unfeasible and in the realms of complete fantasy.

The Internet and home computing would be exciting for them although they might question the benefits of having all that information on tap given just reading through one library book a week might be the limit of most of their information 'absorption'

I remember a sci-fi show about a space detective made on 1987 - he used a little black cube which he called 'box'. This could retrieve any information he wanted. I remember thinking what an outlandish device it was. But of course we now have something far more powerful (although for most of us it can't access police databases to help us with our enquiries)