Journey to the Center of the Earth
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend The 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… Product details and pricing info |
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162 Customer Reviews Posted
- As great as I remember
- I purchased this movie because it is one of many I remember enjoying as I was growing up. Watching it again on DVD after a hiatus of many years I can safely say that it still holds my interest. I recommend this movie to anyone with the same nostalgia as me.
- 2007-01-09, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Big James Mason fan as a boy!
- It's been a long time since I've seen this old classic and I must say I'm amazed at the work that was done to restore this old film. The quality is great, even when viewed on my plasma screen TV! Even the behind the scenes features were very enjoyable.
I was a big James Mason fan as a boy. Talk about an accomplished actor! Along with Colleen Dewhurst and Seth Green, James Mason has a face that just draws you into him. This is the type of man, who if he sold you the moon and gave you a signed contract, you'd believe him, just by the integrity that shines from his face.
This movie is a simple story line about a few explorers who take on the impossible, as well as improbable journey to the center of the earth while following the pathway of a previous explorer, Arnie Sackhousen, and what they learn along the way. The set work and matt work are impecible for its time. The costumes, depicting the clothes of the time are lovely to see. Even the color chemistry developed for this film was exceptional for its day. This pretty well ranked up there with Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in terms of story chemistry and actor chemistry. Well, worth the price of admission.
There is no real violence to say of in this film. Most is simply character development and the unfolding of a mystery as the characters journey to the "center" of the earth to see what they might learn. I won't wreck the story for you, but if you like awesome underground scenes, like you see in the Sequoia Caverns, Giant real mushrooms and live dinosaurs; you'll enjoy this film. Also if you are not the scholastic type, this film is not for you; but if you are, you'll enjoy the story and the acting very much.
No complaints: The DVD cover and resolution are excellent. Will make a great addition to my home library! Thanks for making it available on Amazon! No complaints on the purchase price either. - 2007-01-04, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Wonderful Old Fashioned Entertainment
- It is heartening to add my review to so many others; for many years I thought I was the only person who admired this movie (it's hardly EVER on television). Part science fiction, part geology lecture, part mystery, and a little bit corny (Pat Boone sings!), the durable Jules Verne tale comes alive thanks to Henry Levin's brisk direction backed by his imaginative band of art directors and surprisingly good FX specialists. Most importantly though is the incomparable James Mason in the lead as the sage Professor Oliver Lindbrook, leader of the expedition to the center of the Earth. At a time when many aging leading men (Mason was 50 at the time he took this part), desperate for leading roles, sleepwalked through disdained science fiction parts, Mason threw himself into the role with an enthusiasm that seems to infect the rest of the players. David Thayer plays the antagonist Count Saknussem with equal measure. I saw it with my family at the magnificent Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles when I was nine years old. It was a day and a movie I will never forget.
- 2006-12-19, 1 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A fun old movie
- This is a great old movie, my sister and I saw it many times as kids. It's an underground adventure as three men, a woman and a duck travel to the center of the earth. They encounter enemies, a flood, a prehestoric monster and other obstacles. It had humor, a dash of romance (nothing daring though) and some action scenes but nothing too bloody or scary. It has a nice happy ending and is good, clean entertainment.
- 2006-11-19, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Journey on DVD
- "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" is a 1959 adaption of Jules Verne's sci-fi novel of the same name. It's been a favorite of mine from when I was a kid. It used to be on late on the TV, and I'd stay up to see how far into the night (and into the earth) I could get. I couldn't get to the end for quite a while, I kept falling asleep! It's great to see it really nicely restored and on DVD.
Professor Lindenbrook (James Mason) has just been given a gift by his associate Alec McEwen (Pat Boone), in celebration of his recent knighthood. It is an Icelandic rock, with something manmade lodged inside of it. Lindenbrook blows the rock up and discover its an object that once belonged to, and is insribed by the famous vulcanologist Saknussem, who disappeared some years ago. The inscription reveals the location of the entrance to a fissure in Iceland leading straight to the centre of the Earth. Lindenbrook decides to go to the fissure, taking Alec along for the ride. Their expedition is not the only one interested in the Icelandic fissure, and the pair of adventurers will have to deal with competition and sabotage, and that's not all. There are wonders deep within the Earth, caverns of crystal, ceilings of salt and giant mushroom forests, but there are also just as many dangers. Will the Lindenbrook expedition make it to the centre of the Earth, and if they do, what will they find there?
There's a cheeky sort of feel to this film. Though it's not a comedy, there's a fair bit of humour for an adventure story (the "morse code" scene with Gertrude the Duck, for instance). James Mason plays Professor Lindenbrook really well, and makes a good leader for the group. I love the dynamic between the characters, and the dialogue, the sets and the surprises the deeper they go into the Earth. Gets the imagination going, there could be all sorts of things in those unexplored caves in the background. Jules Verne was really onto something when he wrote the original novel.
Definitely worth seeing for fans of adventure and sci-fi. I'd also recommend checking out Rick Wakeman's "Journey To The Centre of the Earth" album, which is a piece of music based based around Verne's story (unrelated to the music in this film, though). - 2006-11-18, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
