Journey to the Center of the Earth is a film that every science fiction buff should have in his or her collection, but it will appeal to viewers of all ages. It serves as an example of how Hollywood can do a proper science fiction movie if it tries. It contains all the elements necessary to make an outstanding motion picture: engaging story, memorable characters, vivid imagery, and unforgettable score.

The story concerns a Scottish professor, Oliver Lindenbrook, who accidentally discovers an Icelandic plumb bob frozen inside lava from a Mediterranean volcano. The object is inscribed with directions on how to reach the center of the Earth through a crater located in Iceland. When the professor contacts a Scandinavian colleague to verify his find, he unwittingly creates a rival and the race is on to see who will be the first to reach the center of the Earth!

The Lindenbrook Expedition consists of four memorable characters; the professor (James Mason), Alec McEwen (Pat Boone), Carla Goetaborg (Arlene Dahl), and Hans their guide. Actually, there are five characters in the expedition, as Hans is accompanied by his pet goose, Gertrude, who adds her own memorable presence to the story.

The Lindenbrook Expedition discovers a vast unexplored world under the Earth's surface, including a forest of giant mushrooms, a lost city, and an immense underground ocean. There are also enemies below, including huge prehistoric monsters and of course the rival expedition…

Based on the nineteenth century novel of the same name, by celebrated author Jules Verne, Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of the most memorable and entertaining film adaptations of the science fiction genre. Although the screenplay, adapted for film by a team of writers, does not follow the book exactly, it is vastly entertaining nonetheless. The storyline contains elements of mystery, humor, danger, amazement, and grandeur all imaginatively combined into an extremely entertaining and coherent story.

The actors are all top-notch and well suited to their roles, with James Mason doing his usual high caliber performance as the urbane (and stuffy) professor. Pat Boone is remarkably good as the professor's assistant and provides a lot of the more adventurous footage. I am surprised Pat Boone was not used more in films as he made an excellent impression in this role. The lovely and talented Arlene Dahl provides an excellent foil for the professor's serious attitude as Carla Goetaborg who invites herself along on the expedition. And Peter Ronson provides the brawn of the outfit as Hans.

The photography, by Leo Tover, did an excellent job of putting Director Henry Levin's vision on film. The eerie rock formations were courtesy of Carlsbad Caverns. Sets were well made and convincing, especially considering state-of-the-art in 1959. Special effects, probably fairly routine by today's computer generated standards were fantastic and quite convincing for the late 1950s. The important thing is, they are entertaining and will keep your attention the full running time.

The remarkable score, by Bernard Herrmann, evokes the emotion of every scene perfectly and could serve as a model of how a score should be written.

To sum it up, this could be the perfect science fiction film and is sure to delight viewers of all ages and tastes - there is something for everybody. The only question is, "why isn't Hollywood making more movies like this?"

Viewers who enjoy movies like Journey to the Center of the Earth will also enjoy 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea starring Kirk Douglas, and The Time Machine starring Rod Taylor.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for Groups