Journey to the Center of the Earth
by Henry Levin
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, James Mason, Pat Boone, Thayer DavidDirector: Henry Levin
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 129 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-03-04
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Movie Reviews of Journey to the Center of the Earth
Movie Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) Movie Review
Summary: 2 Stars
An adventurous science fiction film, 1959's Journey to the Center of the Earth is perhaps the most accurate adaptation of the outstanding Jules Verne novel of the same name. With Academy Award-nominated special effects, stunning sets, and monstrous prehistoric creatures, the film is smartly paced and essential viewing for fans of the story. Much of the dialogue attests to its age, and the many excuses to squeeze star Pat Boone's singing into the film might lessen its chance of appealing to newer audiences, but as a nostalgic Harryhausen-esque venture, it doesn't disappoint.
In 1880 Edinburgh, Sir Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason, who takes second billing) discovers a plumb bob buried in a piece of lava rock, with a written clue from an Icelandic scientist who believed that a world existed within Earth. He sends it away to an expert for closer examination, only to discover that that expert, Professor Goteborg, has scurried away to Snaeffels to begin a journey to reach the center of the earth on his own.
Intent on besting his competition, Lindenbrook embarks on his own mission of discovery, taking his good friend and student Alec McEwen (Pat Boone) along for the ride. Before their descent into a vast crater gateway even begins, murder and deception lashes out, revealing a traitorous competitor also vying for the discovery. Goteborg turns up dead, and his widow Carla (Arlene Dahl) demands to accompany the group. Joined by trustworthy muscleman Hans (Peter Ronson) and his pet duck Gertrude, the foursome set out to retrace a vanished scientist's steps to making history.
It's no musical, but Boone quickly starts things off with the love song "Red Red Rose" for his bride-to-be Jenny. There's evening singing to Lindenbrook as he is congratulated for his recent knighthood. And never is the opportunity missed for a quick song as the group descends the volcanic crater. Is any of this in the novel? Despite the capitalizing on singing talents, the film follows more closely to the source material than any other theatrical adaptation. Seemingly misplaced humor is also thrown in, as well as ample reserves of romance. But when the film finally gets to the world within the world, it's solid science fiction and adventure.
The sets are impressive and memorable (Carlsbad Caverns served as many of the backgrounds), with giant mushroom forests, an ocean of the underworld, and the crumbled lost city of Atlantis. More exciting still is the inclusion of monstrous lizards and prehistoric creatures. Rather than stop-motion, the special effects include adding prosthetics to real reptiles, and superimposing their humongous images over the wide shots of our tiny heroes.
There's always time for tea with this group, moments for breaking out into song, terribly annoying sound effects and booming music (especially when chased by reptilian horrors), unexplainable conveniences for survival, an Indiana Jones boulder chase, and the typical "woman falling on the ground during an escape." But Journey to the Center of the Earth is still entertaining fantasy in that it brings to life the ideas explored in the Jules Verne classic science fiction novel.
- Mike Massie
Summary of Journey to the Center of the Earth
James Mason plays Professor Oliver Lindenbrook, a scientist hoping to find the world's core in this 1959 adaptation of the Jules Verne novel. He leads his unusual party on an expedition to the center of the earth, by way of a volcano in Iceland. On the way, they encounter enormous mushrooms and giant prehistoric monsters. Produced by Michael Todd with then-spectacular special effects, the story was modernized to 1950s sensibilities. Mason gives this class, while Arlene Dahl and Diane Baker are the romantic interests. And Pat Boone is more palatable than you might expect as a secondary lead. You can watch this with your children and not be bored, and they will surely love it. --Rochelle O'GormanThe accent is on fun and fantasy in this film version of Jules Verne's classic thriller that stars James Mason, Pat Boone, and Arlene Dahl. With spectacular visuals as a backdrop, the story centers on an expedition led by Professor Lindenbrook (Mason) down into the earth's dark, threat-laden core. Members of the group include the professor's star student, Alec (Boone), and the widow (Dahl) of a colleague. Along the way lurk dangers such as kidnapping, death, sabotage by a rival explorer, and attacks by giant prehistoric reptiles. But they also encounter such magnificent wonders as a glistening cavern of quartz crystals, luminescent algae, a forest of giant mushrooms, and the lost city of Atlantis.
Remaining faithful to Verne's story, this is a sweeping adventure that offers enough thrills and entertainment to satisfy every explorer in the family.
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