Journey to the Center of the Earth

1959 "A fabulous world below the world"
7| 2h12m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 16 December 1959 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

An Edinburgh professor and assorted colleagues follow an explorer's trail down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the earth's center.

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Reviews

Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away
Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Leofwine_draca This is without a doubt one of the most lavish-looking B-movies ever made. Based on Jules Verne's classic tale, which has been filmed countless times, this is by far one of the best films made of his work. To modern audiences, it may seem a little overlong at two hours plus, and perhaps even boring in places (indeed, there is little action in the first hour - it's not until the sixty minute mark that they actually look like going somewhere), but to me these factors just make the film feel more and more like the epic it is.The film kicks off by introducing us to the two leads, played by James Mason and Pat Boone. Boone is shown as being in love with a serving girl, who comes off as completely stupid as the film progresses. As far as being an actor, Boone is fairly bland but a jolly enough chap - and amusing to watch him break into song at every available moment (during their descent into the caverns, Mason's Professor Lindenbrook mutters "let's have a tune, lads", and immediately the legendary crooner's vocal talents are echoing through the tunnels and probably frightening the troglodyte creatures living down there).James Mason, the film's only A-list actor, is professional and excellent in his commanding role as the party's leader. He plays a stuffy, old-fashioned professor, incredibly sexist in today's light, who doesn't take stick from anybody. Mason gives the right tongue in cheek touch to his performance to make it consistently entertaining. As far as leading ladies go, Arlene Dahl isn't bad either, and her strong personality makes a refreshing change from the usual submissive, bubble-headed blonde seen in films of this era. Peter Ronson is the fourth member of the group, and his role is seeming for comic relief value only - oh, and to provide a strongman (despite his toned physique, Boone comes off as a bit of a wimp).Thayer David is the only other main member of the cast, and he plays the film's unnecessary "baddie" who could quite easily be excised with little consequence - his presence is just to provide a few shocks and moments of excitement when he threatens our heroes with a gun. David is the spitting image of Patrick Wymark, but only has a one-dimensional role. Despite him tagging along with the group for half the time (not sure why - just a plot device I think), we never really get to know him or his personality as we do the others. His ultimate death is extremely obvious in coming, and perhaps the only reason for his existence was so somebody could die at the finale to make things a bit more dramatic.The underground world is handled nicely and kept realistic-looking (aside from one key factor, discussed later), unlike the later under-world exploits of AT THE EARTH'S CORE, complete with childish pink jungle and silly cardboard sets. The photography is crisp and clear and you really have to see the widescreen version for true impact - it really brings out the splendid sets, sometimes obviously studio-bound but still fine. The moment where Mason and David discover an underground ocean is truly spectacular, and believable too. You feel like you're there.The only thing that slightly lets this film down are the special effects. In particular, the film's monsters. The creatures here are portrayed in that old-fashioned technique of simply sticking a fin to a lizard and blowing it up to large size. Cheap, no doubt, but hardly creative. The monsters also pose little threat and sadly are given little screen time, which comes as a disappointment to a monster-fan like me. At least their appearance makes way for the film's single shocking moment, where one of them gets speared to death and the others immediately jump on the bloody corpse and proceed to cannibalise it.The film's ending may be a little far-fetched, with our heroes rocketing to the surface inside an erupting volcano, and contrived isn't the word for it - amazing how they just "happen" to find an instant escape route just as their journey comes to an end and they find the previous explorer's skeleton. But the bubbling rivers of lava and collapsing "lost city" are beautifully done and a treat to watch. As a feast for the eyes, you can't get much better than this, even if it is an old-fashioned and somewhat tame film by today's standards.
ma-cortes This is the classic adaptation (1959) by Henry Levin with great cast such as James Mason as Lindenbrook , Pat Boone , Diane Baker and Arlene Dahl as a wealthy widow . An Edinburgh (in fact , many of the people in the crowd scenes were students of Edinburgh University) professor (James Mason who replaced an ailing Clifton Webb) and assorted colleagues as his pupil (Pat Boone) , a woman looking for her husband who disappeared various years earlier during a voyage follow an explorer's trail down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the earth's center . Meanwhile , they are chased by a mysterious scout , the Count Saknussemm (Alexander Scourby started shooting at Carlsbad Caverns , but the producers were unhappy with him and he was replaced with Thayer David) who has usurped a map for his own greedy purposes . As the expedition to the center of the earth starts in a volcano located in Iceland . The professor and his compatriots descend into deep caverns filled with stalactites and stalagmites and encounter a tunnel system leading to the center . Along the way they find prehistoric beasts , a magnetic storm and the lost city of Atlantis . This superior adaptation is a colorful recounting of the Jules Verne adventure yarn . Lighthearted romp for kids and teenagers based upon the famous book . Dealing with the known story about an anthropologist scientific named Linderbrook , James Mason , and his student , Pat Boone , and a woman , Arlene Dahl , undergo a hazardous voyage to find clues of her husband who disappeared some years earlier . As the peculiar trio along with a Island explorer descend into deep caves and discover a way leading to the planet's center . The highlights of the movie are the numerous risks and dangers they have to deal with , such as endure torrential floods , prehistoric animals , terrifying earthquake , and discover the lost city of Atlantis as happens in the classic novel . Fox gave the green light to this big-budget CinemaScope production partially on the basis of the success of the recent Jules Verne adaptations , Walt Disney's 20.000 leagues under the sea (1954) and Michael Todd's Around the World in Eighty Days ; as with those earlier films , turned out to be big hits . There're rip-roaring action , spirit of adventure , derring-do , sense of wonder , thrills , and results to be quite entertaining . It's a big fun with great special effects , adequate set decoration and impressive art direction . Spotlights of the voyage include a roller-coaster trip , a terrifying odyssey in sailing, with appearance of prehistoric reptiles , and many others events . The "Dimetrodons" in the movie were played by a large type of lizard called a rhinoceros iguana , in real life was a type of Synapsid reptile . Acceptable cinematography full of color by Leo Tover , though there is an excessive use of matte-painting . Thrilling and breathtaking musical score by Bernard Herrmann in his peculiar and Hitchcockian style . The motion picture was well directed by Henry Levin , the heavy cost proved to be a good investment, resulting in a big hit at the box office . It was nominated for four Academy Awards including Art Direction , FX , and set decoration.Other versions about this known story based upon the Jules Verne's 1864 fantasy are the followings : Spanish version (1976) by Juan Piquer with Kenneth Moore , Jack Taylor , Frank Braña , Ivonne Sentis , Pep Munne , José María Caffarel , Emiliano Redondo . 1988 retelling titled Journey to the center by Rutsy Lemorande with Ian Mitchell-Smith , Paul Carafotes . TV version made its way to cable by George Miller with Treat Williams , Jeremy London , Tushka Bergen , and Bryan Brown and another inferior television picture (2008) by David Jones with Greg Evigan and Dedee Pfeiffer . In addition , Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008), (TV) , by T.J. Scott with Ricky Schroder , Peter Fonda , Victoria Pratt , Steven Grayhm . Furthermore , a cartoon movie : Journey to the Center of the Earth (1967) was based on this film version rather than the original novel by Jules Verne and features several characters that were created for the 1959 film . And of course , recent and successful take on filmed in 3D , produced and starred by Brendan Fraser with Anita Briem and Josh Hutcherson being followed by a sequel titled : Mysterious Island , with Josh Hutcherson and Michael Caine . Rating : Above average.
mhclarksr1 For an "Old Movie", "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1959) holds up pretty well. It takes Jules Verne's subject seriously enough to keep a good element of drama in the film, but has enough light moments to make it very "Family Friendly". To be honest though, some the visual effects are "dated", especially the encounter with the dinosaurs, but they are good enough to not take you out of the movie.The story is also very dated in its portrayal of women. Admittedly, this film was made in the fifties about Scotland in the 1880's, but it is very startling to see in the light of today and the prominence that women have on the world stage. Again, for the type of entertainment that it is, it does provide an interesting "time capsule" for the attitudes of the day toward women for those who were not around witness or too young to understand the evolution of women from the sixties to now.This is one of my favorite performances by James Mason. He treats the material with a degree of seriousness that makes his character very engaging and credible. His performance here is easily as good in his other work in another Jules Verne classic Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" as Captain Nemo of the Nautilus which he made in 1954.With today's frenetic film pace that can leave you exhausted by the time you exit the theater, this film builds slowly and deliberately. The pacing of this film is "slow" in comparison and there are times when the film "seems" to drag, but it is to good purpose to allow the viewer to digest the visual magnificence of the journey. This pacing also helps to immerse the viewer in the sense of exploring the wonders found by the characters in the film.The bottom line is that this version of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" is very much worth seeing. Odds are that if you have never seen the film before, you will want to watch it again. It makes a great center piece for a family afternoon or evening activity, or a fun film for those who appreciate when film was more interested in the craft of a story and visuals that you could see nowhere else versus constant breakneck action. For full disclosure, I am a huge fan of those "Fast Paced Action" films as well, but with that being said, I really like enough in this film to say that I actually enjoyed watching it, and plan to watch it again.
utgard14 Professor Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason) finds clues to suggest a famous explorer made his way to center of the Earth and decides to follow in his footsteps. Lindenbrook and one of his students (Pat Boone) mount an expedition down a volcano in Iceland. They are joined by a burly farmer named Hans, a duck named Gertrude (!), and the widow of a scientist who tried to steal Lindenbrook's discovery. Along the way they must contend with various dangers including Count Saknussemm (Thayer David), the descendant of the original explorer. Entertaining adventure story. No it's not extremely faithful to Verne but it's fun nonetheless.