Time travel has been the plot twist in many books, movies and TV shows over the years. Here’s a non-exhaustive look at some. Many of the TV shows and movies are available on DVD.
1889
“A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court”
Mark Twain writes about a man who wakes up in King Arthur’s England. Adapted several times into TV and theatrical movies.
1895
“The Time Machine”
H.G. Wells brings time travel into the realm of the scientific. The 1960 movie version won rave reviews while the 2002 remake, starring Guy Pearce (above), didn’t rate so well.
1959-61; 1961-73
“Rocky & His Friends,” “The Bullwinkle Show”
The bespectacled scientist dog, Mr. Peabody, his boy Sherman and the WABAC machine (that’s “wayback”) visit historical figures in this cartoon.
1963
“Doctor Who”
The renegade Time Lord and his time-traveling TARDIS make their first appearance on British TV.
1968
“Planet of the Apes”
Astronauts are marooned on a future Earth that is ruled by “damned dirty” apes. The movie spawned four sequels, TV shows and cartoons–and an awful 2001 remake in which Mark Wahlberg’s astronaut and Helena Bonham Carter’s ape (left) are bananas for each other.
1970
“Time and Again”
Jack Finney’s novel, about a time-traveling man who meets a beautiful woman in the past, was reprinted in 1995.
1974
“Land of the Lost”
Dinosaurs and the Sleestacks stalk poor Will and Holly in this kids’ TV show.
1975
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
“With a bit of a mind flip …/You’re into a time slip …/And nothing can ever be the same/You’re spaced out on sensation. HAH!/Like you’re under sedation!/Let’s do the time warp again!”
1980
“Somewhere in Time”
Christopher Reeve (right) becomes obsessed with a photo of a woman from the early 1900s. With a little self-hypnosis, he meets her, and they fall in love. But can it really last?
1984
“The Terminator”
A cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, left) goes back in time to kill Sarah Connor, who in the future will play an important role in helping the human race against machines. The hit spawned two sequels–and the catchphrases “I’ll be back” and “Hasta la vista, baby.”
1985
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“Back to the Future”
The first of three hit movies follows Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox, right), who transports through time with the help of a mad scientist and his special DeLorean car.
1989
“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”
Keanu Reeves (center, below) begins his time-traveling career in this slacker classic about two high school students who meet historical figures in the past, such as Greek philosopher “So Crates.” They return in 1991’s “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.” Most excellent.
1994
“Timecop”
Jean-Claude Van Damme is a cop protecting a new time travel technology. No cop was able to stop time before Van Damme returned in 2003’s “Timecop: The Berlin Decision.”
1995
“12 Monkeys”
In this film, Bruce Willis plays a convict who’s sent back in time and tries to stop a virus that could wipe out humanity. Brad Pitt rolls his eyes and flails his arms.
1996
“Star Trek: First Contact”
The Enterprise, captained by Jean-Luc Picard (right), ends up in the 21st Century. In “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (1986), Capt. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to 20th Century Earth.
1999
“Timeline”
Michael Crichton’s novel follows archeologists who are sent to medieval France. The book inspired a computer game and a forgettable 2003 movie starring Paul Walker.
2000
“South Park”
In the episode “4th Grade,” the kids get help from two college kids to make Timmy’s (right) wheelchair a time machine in hopes of going back to the 3rd grade. In the 2004 episode, “Goobacks,” people from the future travel to South Park.
2002
“Austin Powers in Goldmember”
Austin Powers teams up with Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyonce, right) in 1975 to stop Dr. Evil and Goldmember from a plot involving a time machine. In 1999’s “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” Dr. Evil travels to 1969 and steals Powers’ mojo.
2006
“Click”
A busy husband uses a special remote to rewind and fast forward his reality. But what’s hard to believe is that Kate Beckinsale would be married to Adam Sandler (above).
“The Lake House”
Keanu Reeves (above) is back in another story about time travel. Sandra Bullock plays a woman who begins exchanging letters with the resident (Reeves) of a lake house she used to live in. The time travel twist: The pair discover that they are living … two years apart.