Sci-Fi Classic Review: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959)

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

Yes, I know I mispronounced Edinburgh. Thank you.

[@jasontoddman7265]

Lol. You know your fanbase well. 😁

[@robertbermudez4526]

Review on the lost world 1960 and the fabulous journey to the center of the earth 1977 please and one million years bc 1966 by hammer studios please including the land that time forgot 1975 film

[@donalfoley2412]

Oops, sorry!

[@Young_Jim]

This film was one of my all time favourites growing up in the sixties in England (I’m now 62). It always seemed to be on the tv on a Sunday afteroon along with other classics such as Mysterious Island, The Lost World, Jason and the Argonauts etc etc. I lived for those movies that transported me to a far off reality before I faced the drudgery of school on Monday morning. I always seemed to love the beginning of the stories when the characters were starting out on their adventures but my interest wained when the end was near, I think I’ve always loved the journey more than the arrival. Thanks ‘Geek’ for featuring this classic.

[@Keefymonoped]

Have to say that i was going to post exactly the same comment, I too am 62 and I shared the very same experience when growing up. With only 3 television stations to choose from these films just couldn't be missed, because you never knew when you would get the chance to see them again. Apart from around Xmas of course, when they were all shown again and made kids holidays just magical. Happy days :)

[@Toboldlygo721]

also my favorite the original time machine with the dresses changing on the manikin through the years. As children our brains sucked up the wonder of it all 👦🏻🧠

[@allanhernandez2508]

They would show this on Family Classics on WGN here in Chicago. I never missed it everytime it was aired. It would be shown at least twice a year. I'm 51 and still love it!

[@Young_Jim]

@@allanhernandez2508- I know exactly how you feel

[@eddiebear60]

Loved this movie, and I never thought the special effects were cheesy. When you're 10 years old watching this movie, you are mesmerized by the adventure.

[@thesilentgametestr]

It's a family film from the 50s, it's bound to be cheesy

[@JohnWilliamNowak]

I've got to admit I flinch a bit when I think what those iguanas went through, which is one of the reasons I slide towards stop motion.

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

was age 7ish. my take " Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read HG Wells' Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6 of them. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level, and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is MOSTLY space opera, childish comicy fantasy, AND LOTS OF FALSE FANTASY OF FUTURE TECH POSSIBILITIES, now a CULT almost eclipsing theisms and other antireality, antihistory, antilogic cults etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE. "

[@charlesheck6812]

Stop motion was always the better choice between live action lizards and Harryhausen type work. However, this is a glaring exception to the rule. Not only do the iguanas dressed up like Dimetrodons look fantastic but they are the single best use of lizards in place of dinosaurs in the history of Cinema. Those shots are beautiful and very effective in a extremely well directed sequence. I loved this movie as a kid and recently viewed it still loving it.

[@stephenbastasch7893]

On the contrary, the "Dimetrodons" were very believable on the wide screen. I saw the film in its original theatrical release and the iguanas were fully effective - because they moved naturally, without the sometimes-queasy jerkiness of standard stop-motion animation. And they looked far more authentic than their lizard counterparts in Irwin Allen's remake of The Lost World and in the cheesy King Dinosaur. Otherwise, thanks for the great review of this wondrous film.

[@coyoteboy5601]

If we can overlook the fact that the dimetrodons in Journey are about 5 times larger than an actual dimetrodon. But I guess that's why we call it 'artistic license.'

[@IvorPresents]

Agree with you fully. my comment above is almost word for word.

[@allgood6760]

The movies they made back then are TIMELESS.. thank you👍🎥🇳🇿

[@dmk7700]

The Dimetrodon sequence was always one of my favorites.

[@allanhernandez2508]

I love when Atlantis is about to erupt and the giant chameleon lizard comes out!! Arlene Dahl's screaming was funny.

[@richosborne1971]

One of those classic sci-fi/fantasy films from the 50’s and 60’s that lacked a really well done review/retrospective on KZbin. You just fixed that.👍

[@georger64]

There‘s nothing I don‘t love about this film, maybe because I have special memories attached to viewing it. Nonetheless, great cast, gorgeous matte paintings, great composite shots, Pat Boone’s accent coming and going, and the totally nonsensical goose Gertrude. Just one of my favorites for decades now, I recorded it on our first VCR, bought it on all formats of home video.

[@MegaMesozoic]

How can you call a goose nonsensical?

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

The way the naitive said "GAIRRRTRUDE alone. Even Diane Baker was as good as in Mirage and The Prize. Pat Boone's Hearts in the Highlands still resonates...Mason's voice, Arlene Dahl a doll, matured...Even song Here's to the Prof of Geology. My comment, "was age 7ish. my take " Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read HG Wells' Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6 of them. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level, and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is MOSTLY space opera, childish comicy fantasy, AND LOTS OF FALSE FANTASY OF FUTURE TECH POSSIBILITIES, now a CULT almost eclipsing theisms and other antireality, antihistory, antilogic cults etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE. "

[@jdredd8152]

I'm almost 50 and I just watched this movie for the first time. I really liked it a lot and Diane Baker and Arlene Dahl were quite beautiful to look at whenever they were on screen. It was a good time all in all.

[@morlockmeat]

To me, this is definitely a classic. It's a beautiful movie. Growing up on the east coast, it was always on the 4:30 movie on ABC, split into two days for "Science Fiction Week". I wonder how much better The Time Machine might have been, had they gotten a similar budget as Journey. One of the actors George Pal originally wanted to play the time traveler was James Mason, so that could have been one of the changes with a bigger budget. But, I loved Mason in this film. That distinctive voice of his was marvelous. And Thayer David was a great villain. At the time I was watching Journey on the 4:30 movie, he was currently doing the show Dark Shadows and the Journey cartoons were running on Saturday mornings! And I, too, never forgave Thayer for what he did to poor Gertrude!

[@HailAnts]

I lived in the tri-state area and I too also watched it on their 4:30 Movie during the 70s. I loved how, because the movie wasn't really that long, you got to watch the 'middle' section on both days!

[@morlockmeat]

@@HailAnts - Yeah, wasn't that great! If a movie was longer than 90 minutes, it either got cut to shreds or broken into the next day. I'd come home from school and plant myself in front of the TV for Dark Shadows at 4:00 pm, then the 4:30 movie, if it was Sci-Fi Week. Didn't even have to change channels. 😁

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

Spot on. Wanted to know name Thayer David for 65 years. Here is my comment AND a reply. Danke. " was age 7ish. my take " Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read HG Wells' Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6 of them. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level, and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is MOSTLY space opera, childish comicy fantasy, AND LOTS OF FALSE FANTASY OF FUTURE TECH POSSIBILITIES, now a CULT almost eclipsing theisms and other antireality, antihistory, antilogic cults etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE. " and a REPLY WAS " How about Tom Baker as bearded magician in one Torrance Thatcher? as magician villain in another. I liked the Kongs and giant octopus...5 arms made, as seen in bridge vandalism scene...some stop motion now looks silly. Skeleton fight inspired later Mummy trilogy." AND " The way the native said "GAIRRRTRUDE alone. Even Diane Baker was as good as in Mirage and The Prize. Pat Boone's Hearts in the Highlands still resonates...Mason's voice, Arlene Dahl a doll, matured...Even song Here's to the Prof of Geology. "

[@kylecurry577]

I’ve enjoyed this movie for many decades. A lot of fun. The 50s was a great time for groundbreaking & entertaining sci-fi / horror. Excellent novel & different . 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@elizabethpalladino8301]

One of my favorite 1950s sci-fi films. I always love James Mason. I'm a big Verne fan and "Journey to the Center of the Earth" was one of my favorite books from the Verne repertoire. I used to have a recording of James Mason reading the book that had a still of him from the movie as the cover. I noticed right away the major differences between this move and the original book. I still loved it anyway. Thanks for the great video.

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

Indeed yes. I am floent in French, but only read translations in 60s...with many Wells, Asimov, Heinlein, much more...then Larry Niven, Vance... My comments/responses. " I was age 7ish, theater in Princeton NJ. My takes-aways " Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read HG Wells' Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6 of them. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level, and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is MOSTLY space opera, childish comicy fantasy, AND LOTS OF FALSE FANTASY OF FUTURE TECH POSSIBILITIES, now a CULT almost eclipsing theisms and other antireality, antihistory, antilogic cults etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE. " REPLIES " How about Tom Baker as bearded magician in one Torrance Thatcher? as magician villain in another. I liked the Kongs and giant octopus...5 arms made, as seen in bridge vandalism scene...some stop motion now looks silly. Skeleton fight inspired later Mummy trilogy. " >>> " The way the native said "GAIRRRTRUDE alone. Even Diane Baker was as good as in Mirage and The Prize. Pat Boone's Hearts in the Highlands still resonates...Mason's voice, Arlene Dahl a doll, matured...Even song Here's to the Prof of Geology. "

[@paulstan9828]

Loved this movie must have watched it a hundred times. Always enjoy hearing what went on behind the scenes.

[@wimvanderstraeten6521]

The hollow earth theme was also used by Edgar Rice Burroughs in his series of books about the underground world of Pellucidar, starting with At The Earth's Core (adapted as a movie in 1976). In esotericism there's also the underground kingdom of Agartha.

[@RabbitShirak]

Also used by Jeff Long's book Descent. Though pretty dark in tone.

[@epsteinisms1483]

I always got a kick out of the fact that Burroughs' Pellucidar series actually intersected with his Tarzan series! "Tarzan At The Earth's Core" is found in both series!

[@wimvanderstraeten6521]

@@epsteinisms1483 An early example of a shared universe.

[@SteveBrant55]

As mentioned by two other commenters, this film along with Mysterious Island and Jason and the Argonauts were staples of my childhood. I would also add Gulliver's Travels and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (which both starred Kerwin Mathews). I'm very happy you did this retrospect and hope you'll give these other films the same treatment. These were the films that helped me have "a sense of wonder" (as Cinefantastique Magazine used to say) during my childhood.

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

How about Tom Baker as bearded magician in one Torrance Thatcher? as magician villain in another. I liked the Kongs and giant octopus...5 arms made, as seen in bridge vandalism scene...some stop motion now looks silly. Skeleton fight inspired later Mummy trilogy. My comment, " was age 7ish. my take " Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read HG Wells' Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6 of them. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level, and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is MOSTLY space opera, childish comicy fantasy, AND LOTS OF FALSE FANTASY OF FUTURE TECH POSSIBILITIES, now a CULT almost eclipsing theisms and other antireality, antihistory, antilogic cults etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE. "

[@IvorPresents]

I was eleven when it came out, It was fine by me. I loved the Dinosaurs thought they worked better than the ones in. King Dinosaur. The Sail's looked natural. Seamless. Great score. great adventure and my parents liked it too. I read the book about the same time, I really liked the book, still a wonderful adventure tale.

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

was age 7ish. my takes-aways " Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read HG Wells' Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6 of them. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level, and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is MOSTLY space opera, childish comicy fantasy, AND LOTS OF FALSE FANTASY OF FUTURE TECH POSSIBILITIES, now a CULT almost eclipsing theisms and other antireality, antihistory, antilogic cults etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE. " REPLIES " How about Tom Baker as bearded magician in one Torrance Thatcher? as magician villain in another. I liked the Kongs and giant octopus...5 arms made, as seen in bridge vandalism scene...some stop motion now looks silly. Skeleton fight inspired later Mummy trilogy. " >>> " The way the native said "GAIRRRTRUDE alone. Even Diane Baker was as good as in Mirage and The Prize. Pat Boone's Hearts in the Highlands still resonates...Mason's voice, Arlene Dahl a doll, matured...Even song Here's to the Prof of Geology. "

[@robertthomson1587]

I love this film. I first saw it on TV one Saturday evening in the 1970s on "Bill Collins' Golden Years of Hollywood". Such a blast! I'd read the novel by Verne, so I knew that the film wasn't particularly faithful to it. But it was still a very entertaining adaptation. I was completely mesmerised by the ascent scene in the erupting volcano.

[@thrashpondopons8348]

My Grandmother used to have an ashtray remarkably similar to the basin they are shot out the volcano in at the end of the film! She used to go Basket Case on me when I used it to play Journey to the Center in her living room! (Good Times!) Saw the Mr. Fraser version years ago... Consider it to be a Prime Example of what I refer to as the '2nd Rate Video Game' style of Sci/Fi.

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

That’s incredible. I remember thinking it looked exactly like an ashtray!

[@allanhernandez2508]

Lol, that is so cool that you played and imagined JTTCOTE!!❤

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

wonderful about the memorable Atlantis temple altar ashtray and the grandmama. spot on on the fraser film, not his best. try walken film, even the tarzan parody. Here are some responses I wrote. " I was age 7ish, theater in Prineton NJ. My takes-aways " Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read HG Wells' Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6 of them. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level, and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is MOSTLY space opera, childish comicy fantasy, AND LOTS OF FALSE FANTASY OF FUTURE TECH POSSIBILITIES, now a CULT almost eclipsing theisms and other antireality, antihistory, antilogic cults etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE. " REPLIES " How about Tom Baker as bearded magician in one Torrance Thatcher? as magician villain in another. I liked the Kongs and giant octopus...5 arms made, as seen in bridge vandalism scene...some stop motion now looks silly. Skeleton fight inspired later Mummy trilogy. " >>> " The way the native said "GAIRRRTRUDE alone. Even Diane Baker was as good as in Mirage and The Prize. Pat Boone's Hearts in the Highlands still resonates...Mason's voice, Arlene Dahl a doll, matured...Even song Here's to the Prof of Geology. "

[@thrashpondopons8348]

@@JamesSimmons-d1t To the Prof... Hi, Yi, Yi, YI!!!

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

Age 72, I visited Carlsbad Caverns app age 6, read Time Machine paperback my parents had same 'school night' I saw movie, and was reading translations of Verne parents had, 5 or 6. After reading Clark's Against the Fall of Night in 7th grade prep school, with parents scientists, and skilled linguists, at national level and reading a huge collection of folk tales, mythologies, and classic fantasy, I became a literature and languages interdisciplinarian type. Science fiction is mostly space opera, childish comicy fantasy, etc. , but the best is important literature...allegory, future reality exploration, ethics parables... WELL DONE INFO DOCO. DANKE.

[@cameronjim2983]

Gertrude is best duck

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

I am still torn up about Gertrude. 😢

[@rsacchi100]

I saw this one when it was playing in the movies. Our family loved the movie. The man vs woman thing was appropriate for the film's turn of the century setting. An interesting line that came out of it was when James Mason's character said, I'm paraphrasing, "all this time you've been denying your a woman, now you fall back on it." James Mason usually played support roles. In this movie he was the star. It's close but I'd have to give it to HG Wells. Are your planning, or have you already done, "The First Men in the Moon"?

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

It's in the pipeline, for sure!

[@rsacchi100]

@@TheUnapologeticGeek Good to read that.

[@macklee6837]

🎼Here's to the Prof of Geology! 🎶

[@cateyes23145]

The line James Mason makes about porridge and how his mother told him to eat it because one day he would wish he had it one day. That line has stuck with me since I was a boy.

[@darrensmith6999]

Nice one (: This film was usually on in Britain during the summer holidays when i was a kid, always enjoyed it especially wanted one of those wind up lamps (:

[@TheClutchCanuck]

Such a fun film, and the score is very overlooked, some of Bernard Hermann’s best work. The scene of the dude singing while playing the piano and his voice completely shifting gets me every time. Like everyone back then had to sound like bing crosby. Love the research you put into this one!

[@coyoteboy5601]

We lost Hermann way too soon (he died at 64.) A trus master of the film score.

[@TheClutchCanuck]

Indeed, an extraordinary talent. His score for the twilight zone episode “Walking Distance” is musical perfection.

[@MegaMesozoic]

I have a CD (anyone remember those?) of the original soundtrack to this film, and it's magnificent yet really terrifying! One of Herrmann's best work!

[@robertbeck168]

Some of the Bernard Herrmann score was reused for the unaired pilot for Lost in Space.

[@Hewylewis]

I will say this, it makes a lot mre sense to disguise an iguana as a dimetrodon than it is to disguise one as a dinosaur, because Dimetrodon is pretty much a lizard with a large sail on its back.

[@henrykujawa4427]

Film-makers insist on continuing to make the same half-dozen Verne books over and over while ignoring the dozens of other books he wrote. I believe there may be around 20 different versions of "JOURNEY" so far. My personal favorite... is actually the 1977 Spanish film THE FABULOUS JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. Originally issued in America in drastically-butchered form under the title WHERE TIME BEGAN, it slowly became a favorite of mine despite watching a horrible TV print. When I got it in widescreen, uncut on a DVD, it instantly shot up in my esteem. Only last year, Severin Films did a brand-new 4K scan & restoration, which I can firmly attest is the single BIGGEST upgrade in quality I have ever witnessed in such a thing. Several previous discs were TOO DARK in places, but the Severin disc, you can see every detail, even in the darkest scenes. I give it my highest reccomendation. The film is played with a LOT of humor. While the book was serious, the film's humor accurately captures the style of humor Verne used in his 3 "Gun Club" books (FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, AROUND THE MOON and THE PURCHASE OF THE NORTH POLE). It still makes some changes, but a lengthy article I found online suggests it is actually the single MOST faithful to the novel ever done. I love it so much, I'm willing to overlook the fact that its dinosaurs look like HAND PUPPETS (heeheehee). It was made on a modest budget with a LOT of love and care by a lifelong fan of Verne. Check it out!

[@Malvito]

Another terrific video; I need to revisit this movie. (The first time being unsuccessful, as I got bored with what seemed to be a continuous succession of Crystal Rooms. But good things come to those who wait.) I have to think that part of the issue with making a decent movie adaptation of Verne, besides creating a narrative that will hold the audience, has to do with the fact that the best-known translations are, at best, questionable. My favorite book version of TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA is a copy with annotations by Walter James Miller. Partly because some of his annotations, in regard to previous translations, end up being something on the ranty side. Certainly in the case of H.G. Wells, there is less of a language barrier; the biggest potential barrier is his 1890s prose style, and that depends on the reader. (Though, like the Filmation version of JOURNEY TO THE CENTER, the movie version of WAR OF THE WORLDS feels like it was influenced less by the book and more by another media adaptation, in this case the Orson Welles radio broadcast.)

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

The translation issue would help explain why I’ve had a much harder time getting into Verne as opposed to Wells, as writers. I find Wells much easier to read, and maybe that’s because I’m reading it in his native tongue as opposed to the “questionable” translations of Verne.

[@Malvito]

@@TheUnapologeticGeek The co-translator of TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES, of which I have noted, Frederick Paul Walter, has a very good volume entitled AMAZING JOURNEYS, which includes JOURNEY TO THE CENTER, FROM EARTH TO THE MOON, CIRCLING THE MOON, and AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS. It is available in paperback and Kindle, and is a great read.

[@gmanley1]

I used to think that this adaptation was made by Disney, but nope, this was made by 20th Century Fox, but coincidentally, this adaptation is currently owned by Disney.

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

It’s the circle of life. Eventually, everything goes to Disney.

[@morgangallowglass8668]

Wonderful Vid about a movie I have loved since I was a child! Thank you!

[@NoMarketMedia]

It's hard to not love 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as a movie. It was pretty well done for a book adaptation of it's time, and really stands the test of time. Obviously War of the Worlds is also very well done, but I put the underwater adventure higher on the list! Also...very exited for something wonderful coming 😊

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

It’s a Sophie’s Choice for me, honestly. I asked a question I cannot answer myself!

[@richelliott9320]

I definitely remember the cartoon as a kid and incredible voyage cartoon

[@jonathanyanez761]

Bro. I have been looking for a channel like this.

[@larrydavis3645]

I want to thank you for liking my previous comments. My wife saw this film in the theater and during one of the last scenes she was afraid the lava would come up the aisles of the theater.

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

You’re welcome. You’re making great comments, and it’s the least I can do to show my appreciation. I remember as a kid I used to lay in a round sled and pretend I was in that final scene, being propelled up through the Earth.

[@drew0513]

This is the movie that, as a kid, got me into science fiction. Still love this movie; not so much the remakes (in fact, none of the remakes--didn't need them.)

[@shallendor]

This was such a great and fun film, always worth watching!

[@Sawlon]

Love this movie!

[@Toboldlygo721]

Love this movies as a child 🤗✨❤

[@RSEFX]

My big issue with this film is the obvious lack of humane treatment of the animal life. We literally see them being injured to create a dramatic effect. I thought the use of these reptiles actually more realistic than animation, if not as accurate as they could've been had animation been employed instead. But, then, they would've lost some realism in a different way due to the strobing. Still, I'd have preferred the latter if only to avoid injuring animals for a cheap effect. Hollywood still hadn't learned their lesson after the heavy criticism following that Hal Roach film from some 18-ish years earlier, ONE MILLION B.C. Overall a pretty enjoyable adventure film...and thank god Mason wound up replacing Clifton Webb who, no offense, could not remotely match the screen presence of that then recent incarnation of Nemo on screen. I can't imagine WHAT they were thinking re: Webb! One advantage of watching this at home on video is the ability to adjust the brightness way down on those stadium-lit cave interiors, which really bothered me when first saw this as a 10 year old (and a good way to bury some of the obviously-constructed cave formations. (Plus, can skip the shots of the iguanas being injured....I had a pet iguana, so those scenes are hard to watch, even now, and I certainly didn't like them as a child.) Thanks for the retrospect.

[@MegaMesozoic]

I read a review that none of the iguanas were injured - they used special photgraphic techniques to film those sequences. The iguanas just had to put up with the sails being glued on, although they got around very fast in spite of them! The tegu lizard at the end was covered with a cold mix of red-coloured oatmeal to represent lava, so for the time the animals were well treated.

[@KonElKent]

**Best James Mason Impression** We are now... 20,000 Leagues Under the Earth! Director:CUT!! Jim, that's not the movie... Sorry, I was just thinking about how much I enjoy the unusual flavor of Thunderbird wine... You should try it! Director: Jim... I thought we agreed you'd at least wait until noon. Yes... But I haven't slept in days... Now from the top: 20,000 Leagues with Thunderbird wine!

[@paulkenny105]

James mason has my favorite voice of any actor

[@steveweinstein3222]

I heard that they are making yet another remake, this one an all-female version, Valley of the Arlene Dahls.

[@theStranger666]

This has a special memory for me. I went to the cinema to see it with my cousin Shirley, and I think she found it to be boring as she started getting a bit fruity. I put her off... Until after the film had finished and we were home! 😁.

[@Demolitiondude]

This was my mystery movie. Saw a scene on the x files. Spent a good chunk of time trying to track it down.

[@CaminoAir]

Nobody told me Diane Baker was in this. One of my first movie crushes. Clifton Webb was a very talented actor, but surely he wouldn't have endured the filming at his age (born 1889), even if in good health. What happens to Gertrude off-screen? Just a friendly note: Edinburgh is phonetically Edinborough. And I'm already geeking out at the prospect of your next review......

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

The bad guy eats her.

[@kirkaplin234]

Always thought this was one of the better Verne adaptations. Verne's novels are heavier on the science than a fiction (there are whole sections that could be mistaken for textbooks) so it takes some clever film-making to construct an exciting, engaging film. 'Journey' is certainly that. …Consider it… 'Journey to the Center of the Earth, the Good Parts Version.'

[@cameronjim2983]

He ate the duck!! The bastard!!

[@JohnWilliamNowak]

Verne kind of invented science fiction as a genre by accident. He considered himself an author of exciting globe-trotting adventures, which he would research very closely to get the details right. 20,000 Leagues has a moment where Arronax tells his readers that Christmas is a very important family holiday in North America, explaining why the Canadian Ned Land gets despondent when trapped on the Nautilus in late December. While his story about a raft journey down the Amazon (it's actually about ciphers with multi-character keys) reads like a straight adventure, when he wrote about travelling underwater or to the Moon, he was sort of forced to write science fiction. He took the science part very seriously, which is why he launched his circumlunar moonshot from the same place the first real crewed circumlunar mission was launched from. In fact, he criticized Wells for inventing an antigravity metal for his moonshot. Later in his career he'd write stories which emphasized the science fiction side over the travel side. The novel this film's based on has next to no interpersonal conflict, so the female lead and villainous co-travelers are invented for the film.

[@thecountofmontecristo2796]

Oh hi James Mason

[@atomsmasha]

Where’s EDINBURG?

[@paulstan9828]

Like both authors film adaptations equally well.

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

Me too, honestly.

[@mikestojanovic5898]

This is the one and only movie that beats all other like movies.😀

[@fredloeper8579]

James Mason came from "North by Northwest." Arlene Dahl is the most beautiful woman above or below the Earth. Peter Ronson is a stud and willing to go 'down there' again. Pat Boone sings. Pat Boone prays. Pat Boone loses his pantaloons. And Gertrude quacks. What's not to love?

[@BeatsFromTheBong]

I miss when Disney made family friendly adventure movies that weren't trying to be comedies 24/7

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

Me too.

[@DuncanWEDD2019]

The 'urgh' in Edinburgh is pronounced as the 'uh' in 'huh', preceded by an 'r' sound (roughly "Edinburruh" - not Edinberg as in Titanic... and not Edinburrow either. The second 'u' sound is usually more subtle, and can even be silent, thus "Edinburrh". The 'G' is always, repeat, ALWAYS silent). James Mason and notably the newspaper seller early in the film get it right. A classic film, with some nice location shots of the Scottish capital, that has hardly changed in appearance over sixty years later, and will be instantly recognisable to international visitors who have seen this movie.

[@jacktorrance6404]

The movie was good, but the book has never been properly adapted in my opinion. When I first read the book, I couldn't put it down. I read the whole thing from beginning to end in one day.

[@donalfoley2412]

Thank you. Great stuff. By the way ‘Edinburgh’ is pronounced ’Edinboro’.

[@TheUnapologeticGeek]

Yeah, I figured that out about thirty seconds after publishing the video. 😂 Thanks for watching.

[@adamwilder2943]

I remember watching this movie, and thought it was a good movie for it's time...

[@Chuck66433]

Supremacy, good word choice. He was in the secret society.

[@ScaredofPixelsForever]

Justice for Gertrude!!!!!

[@festyfestiva]

I utterly love this movie… James Mason was an absolute titan on screen and the whole cast is superb… I love these old adventure movies and this, for me, is the best. I watch it often.

[@morgandude2]

Nemo is/was NOT a villain.

[@HICKSKE]

It would be nice to see a movie much more true to the original ie not changing the professor from German to Scottish, omitting the comic relief, etc.

[@davidsigler9690]

Great book, so-so movie.

[@unowen-nh9ov]

Depends when you see it, I grew up on it & can still watch it for the Verne flights of fancy, great cast (except for Pat Boone & his "musical interlude"), Herrmann score, literally colourful effects, feminist widow, hammy villain. Haven't seen any of the remakes & have no desire to.

[@spacegojiraxz-1715]

Really this movie is not exciting it was the most boring movie I've ever watched in my life holy crab nothing happens in this movie its just people walking and walking in caves for 2 god danm hours this is not fun or exiting it's boring.And if I'm gonna be honest I felt more bad for the Dinosaurs than the humans especially since lizards where actually killed in the movies filming and they died in cruel and brutal why's so yeah I hate this movie its nothing but people walking and peaceful reptiles being killed.The only thing I liked about the movie was the giant mushrooms affects but that dose Not save this movie if you want to watch an actually good movie that's 2 and a half hours watch 2001 a space oddessey and never watch 1959 Journey to the center of the earth.

[@nicholasbartonlaw341]

I disagree. A lot happens in this movie: There's an explosion in a lab revealing a mysterious object, the protagonists come upon a murder by poison, descend into an extinct volcano via an entrance that is illuminated by the rising sun, dodge a giant rolling rock that becomes dislodged, escape being kidnapped by an obsessed privileged madman, find a vast sunken ocean, fight dinosaurs (in self defense), become shipwrecked after being caught in a giant whirlpool, discover the lost city of Atlantis, discover one of their party has been killed (plucked) and eaten, reach the center of the Earth, escape being entrapment by using dynamite they find on a skeleton, and get shot out of a volcano riding lava a giant dish.

[@spacegojiraxz-1715]

While yes there are some scenes like that, they're brief and the rest is just people walking in caves for 2 hours and they don't even get to the center of the earth until there's about 20 minutes of the movie left and there's just so much filler like scene were 2 guys are trying to identify a noise only to find out it's from a duck which has non purpose in the the overall movie.Also there's barley any dinosaurs which is jarring considering how much of the marketing was based around them.I don't have a problem with people liking the that's perfectly fine people can like what they like but me personally, I really hate this movie.

[@ChicagoPadre]

Okay...I don't like to pick on you--TOO much or too often...but dear LORD, just in the first 5-ish minutes you got things wrong here! First and oh most DEFINITELY foremost...the typical "American" mispronouncing of "Edinburgh"!! GAA!! It is: 'Edan (not like the Garden of "Eden") "burrow". Not BURGH!! Get it RIGHT! You butchering of foreign words is often HORRIBLE! Second: NO, the actress Arlen Dahl (not "Doll") did NOT pass out for 30 minutes. She DID however go into a state of "dissociation" for around 10 minutes. You pass out for 30 minutes or more...you better get into the hospital!! I could list more...but why bother. I DO enjoy your reports for the most part! BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...pleeeeeeeeze, STOP with that ridiculous overdone, "announcer voice"! It's RIDICULOUS and unbelieeeeevable ANNOYING when watching a number of your vids!! WAAAAY over the top and from and era all but forgotten for that style of "intro"! However, keep up the good work. It's more often than not enjoyable!!