User reviews

I can attest to the feelings expressed by the last couple commentators about 1959's "Journey To The Center Of The Earth." This is a wonderful family film from the bygone Eisenhower-era of the 1950s. Even though I've been watching it on TV since I was a kid in the sixties, I'd only seen pan&scan versions, and it wasn't until I got it letterboxed on laserdisc that I finally saw what a big-screen entertainment this movie was meant to be. It has wonderful scope and a score by Bernard Herrmann that takes you right down into the bowels of the earth. Listen to it and you'll notice what I mean, as the movie progresses the music keeps going into a lower and lower register. Five organs were used, including one meant for a Cathedral. (The complete original recordings of the score are available on CD from Varese Sarabande.) This movie also has the great James Mason in it, so you know it's got to be good. Sure it's long in the telling and takes a while to get you down that extinct volcano in Iceland, but it's fun all the way with great special effects work by L.B. Abbott and matte paintings by Emil Kosa Jr. The only way to watch this movie is in wide-screen and it's long past due that 20th Century Fox puts this out on DVD in a letterboxed anamorphic transfer. Let's hope that they do it soon.

While this film suffers from some annoying "cuteness" and has lizards parading as dinosaurs, it is nonetheless the best film version of the novel because Verne's themes of exploration and discovery remain. Bernard Herrmann's score is indeed fantastic and this film has a wonderful pace. The cast here is also very talented and the film is so well made one can forgive it its minor flaws.

"Journey to the Center of the Earth" was produced at the height of studio dominance in the film business. 20th Century Fox would soon be nearly bankrupt from the red ink of "Cleopatra" (later saved by the success of "The Longest Day" and "The Sound of Music"). Consequently, every department contributed tons of production value and I would say the matching of studio sets with actual locations in Carlsbad Caverns was pretty flawless. Like a lot of fantasy adventure films of the 1950s and 1960s (ie. Jason and the Argonauts, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and The Wonders of Aladdin), "Journey to the Center of the Earth" focuses firmly on the characters and the special effects support the performances. Today, sadly, so much effort and time is spent in designing the special effects that the human characters suffer and become clichés (with the exception recently of Tobey Maguire's wonderful "Spiderman" and the recent "Superman"). Those of us who grew up in the 1950s, think of this film fondly as a perfect Saturday matinée entertainment. I can still remember sucking on my giant cherry lollipop, flipping popcorn boxes against the screen and enjoying that very ominous Bernard Herrmann musical score. For a singer, Pat Boone plays drama and adventure quite well and even looks good with his shirt off. Arlene Dahl is sexy in her tight bodice and Peter Ronson also performs well considering he had zero acting experience. James Mason's Professor Lindenbrook ties it all together nicely - it was probably his most physical role ever. And, of course there was Gertrude, who, unfortunately, probably ended up on someone's plate, rather than be retired to the Motion Picture Home for old ducks. Kai aye professor, indeed.

After reading some of the comments on this film I feel I have to spring to it´s defense. You see I am born and bred in Iceland and as I write this I am in front of my computer in Iceland, so you can believe me when I tell you that ALL THE ICELANDIC IN THIS FILM IS REAL. I understood almost everything that the Icelandic character in the film said and I can assure you that it was particularly articulate and well pronounced. Why someone said that it was fake, I don´t know. I am guessing that he did not hear it well because the sound can be pretty bad in these golden oldies. While we are on the subject let me also add that some of the facts concerning Iceland were wrong. The horse carriage used to transport the group to the volcano is out of place. The interior design of the hotel and the maitre d´hotel´s costume was a bit off. But it´s described like that in Verne´s novel as well so it´s no big deal. And besides every ethnic group is portrayed in a very stereotypical manner; Scots, Italians, everybody. Such nitpicking is therefore dull and unnecessary and people should just enjoy the film for it´s imagination.

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.

I was pleasantly surprised by 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'. The plot moves fast, especially once the descent into the vulcano has been dealt with. There is a proper villain, and the the characters are drawn nicely and convincingly. Moreover, the acting is good, with James Mason and Arlene Dahl standing out. The bickering of these two is fun, though you begin to suspect pretty soon that they will end as a couple. The sets are really well-done, and I liked the iguanas acting as dinosaurs: They look much better than stop-motion models. All in all a satisfying fantasy adventure!

In 1880, in Edinburgh, Professor Oliver S. Lindenbrook (James Mason) of the local university has been awarded with the title of "Sir" and his students have chipped in for a gift including a lava stone. Prof. Lindenbrook researches the lava and finds evidences that the scientist Saknussem sent it from the center of the Earth one hundred years ago. He sends his findings to his colleague Prof. Peter Göteborg of Stockholm to endorse his research. But soon he finds that Prof. Göteborg has betrayed him and traveled to Iceland to organize an expedition to the center of the Earth.

Prof. Lindenbrook travels with his protégée Alexander "Alec" McKuen (Pat Boone) to Iceland to organize his own expedition, and he discovers that Prof. Göteborg was murdered by Count Saknussem (Thayer David) that wants to protect the discovery of his ancestor. Prof. Lindenbrook and Alec are forced to team-up with the widow Carla Göteborg (Arlene Dahl) and the strong local Hans Belker (Peter Ronson) that brings his duck Gertrude with him. The group goes to a volcano that is the entrance to the center of the Earth in the beginning of their amazing and dangerous journey.

"Journey to the Center of the Earth" is an enjoyable family entertainment based on the novel by Jules Verne. The effects and scenarios are impressive for a 1959 movie and it is funny to see the behavior of the women in that time, screaming and totally vulnerable. The duck Gertrude is responsible for most of the funniest parts of this movie and her tragic fate was absolutely unnecessary. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Viagem ao Centro da Terra" ("Journey to the Center of the Earth")

Intrepid professor Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook leads an expedition towards the center of the Earth via an extinct Icelandic volcano. The journey is sure to be fraught with danger and little do they know that their trip will take in many unchartered wonders.......both good and bad!

As adventure films go, Journey To The Center Of The Earth has few peers, it's a wonderful film based around the Jules Verne story of the same name. There are no hidden agendas here, no wry social commentary or satirical edginess, it is pure fantastical entertainment that wants you to enjoy its science heart whilst you have a blast following this group into the wondrous unknown. Lost cities, prehistoric lizards, underground oceans, crystal caves, sand mines, murder, sabotage, and on it goes for just over two hours of delightful movie making, it even has time for a bit of cheeky sexual tom foolery for the knowing adult.

I'm sure the likes of Spielberg & Lucas were nodding in approval back in the day.

The sets, the sound, and the special effects were all nominated for academy awards, and sure enough all may well seem tame by todays bloated standards, but this is 1959 and let your mind be back to that time and you surely will be taken in by this joyous experience. While I must also mention that location footage shot in the beautiful Carlsbad Caverns adds to the dynamic feel of the picture. Lead acting duties fall to the irrepressible James Mason as Lindenbrook, perfectly cast as he nails all the traits of this dyed in the wood professor. Support comes from Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl {the colour photography perfectly showing her piercing eyes}, Peter Ronson and star of the show Gertrude The Duck.

It was magical to me as a child, it's still as magical to me now I'm in my advancing years, wonderful indeed. 9/10

Based fairly faithfully on a classic sci-fi novel by Jules Verne, Journey To The Center Of The Earth is an inventive, splendidly-realised, smartly acted film. It must have been quite an ambitious undertaking in 1959 to try to make a film set predominantly in a mysterious, unexplored underground realm populated by fantastic creatures and filled with a host of weird 'n' wonderful sights. However, the makers have done a great job in tackling this enormously challenging source material.

A Scottish scientist, Prof Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason) discovers that a fellow scientist recently tried to find a route to the centre of the earth. Determined to venture down the same route, Lindenbrook puts together an ambitious expedition consisting of his nephew Alec (Pat Boone), widow Carla Goetaborg (Arlene Dahl), silent but loyal guide Hans (Peter Ronson), and a duck named Gertrude. The foolhardy team begin their descent among the craggy crevices of an Icelandic glacier, and as they make their way into the bowels of the earth they make many a wondrous discovery, from mammoth-sized mushrooms to fearsome prehistoric monsters.

The film is well-paced and thoroughly entertaining. On the whole, the performances are good (Boone is a little too clean-cut, as usual, but he does all right) and the special effects are excellent for their time. Bernard Herrmann provides a crashing music score, and the set design is absolutely tremendous. This is a classic sci-fi film, and any serious fan of sci-fi movies would be a fool to miss it.

Yes, they did a rather good job of making a movie that did make you feel like the characters were underground and on a grand journey to the center of the Earth. There would be another one that was made in the 1970's that was foreign that I enjoyed a tad better, but this one was good too. That one was just a bit more strange and the dinosaur effects while not grand were a bit better. This one essentially uses lizards with fins tied to their backs as the monsters. Still this one is about a crew going on a strange journey into the earth and overall it is a fun adventure. Its pacing was a bit slow and at times it was kind of dull, but overall it is a nice adventure movie. The group consists of an odd assortment of characters and a goose and one guy who is not on the up and up trying to tag along. You get to watch them have some misadventures and you get to see the strange cavern filled with salt and another one that contains giant mushroom. The movie ends quite nicely too with a rather well done volcanic eruption. Add to that the incredible super lizard and you have your movie. Which is not that greatest adventure of all time, but for a movie made in 1959 it does quite well, better than some movies made today.

I first saw this on TV as a kid in the early 60's and it became a TV staple being shown on network prime time before it went to the Saturday afternoon or late night route. Even as a kid I found this highly implausible and accepted it as escapist fantasy. It's a fun movie and is truly a classic. Director Henry Levin's most ambitious assignment as a director to go up against popular Disney fantasy films of the time, capture the imagination of Jules Verne and make it palatable enough for an adult audience. The unlikely cast of dramatic veteran James Mason, singer Pat Boone, beautiful Diane Baker, sexy Arlene Dahl and Iceland born jock Peter Ronson come together surprisingly well. Veteran screenwriter Charles Brackett who wrote for the screen such classics as Sunset Boulevard, Ninotchka, The Lost Weekend, Niagra and The Bishops Wife adapts the Jules Verne novel. Nominated for three Academy Awards for Art Direction, Special Effects and Sound. This movie is probably more fun to people like me who grew up with it from the time when it was made but it's still a good movie and I've seen it many times as an adult. It would be nice to see in it's Technicolor big screen splendor. I would give it an 8.0 out of 10.

Must admit to seeing this film for the first time in the early 70's in a flea-pit cinema in Glasgow's East end on a double bill with of all things the camp classic that was Adam West's "Batman" movie from 1966 (an interesting coincidence is the presence of Alan "Alfred The Butler" Napier in a supporting role here). I really enjoyed it then and somewhat guiltily returned to it on a rare TV screening recently.

Hmmm...I wish I could be more charitable about it today however, but at times I have to say it's almost as camp as old Bats in his 60's pomp! Things I'd forgotten - good - the Edinburgh location settings in the prologue before the journey (actual settings, I briefly lived there and the New Town streets are almost identical today), and bad - Pat Boone in a prominent role (this I attribute to selective amnesia).

There are some really hokey bits - like the papier-mache "rock" careering down the cave to crush our heroes early on, Pat Boone's, I'll be kind, singular take on Burns' "My Love is Like A Red Red Rose" and of course the lizard monsters appearance near the end. The unintentionally funniest line goes to James Mason's comment about a piece of rock having the consistency of cardboard in front of the most obvious background painting of the Scottish Highlands.

But Mason, who has the most professorial voice you could ever hear, enters into the spirit of the whole fantasy piece and carries you along for the ride and some of the shots in the phosphorescent caves are quite pretty. I'm sure they could have beefed up the supposed blackguard of a villain who dogs our intrepid group's trail, but I know I'm being too harsh on this.

I'll stop my journey here and close by saying I was pleased to see it again after all these years and the confession that the faults I see in it today are more likely down to my mature cynicism than the enthusiastic action I witnessed on the screen.

I have always loved this movie. I have it on tape and have almost worn it out. Time to look for a DVD. THe performances are top notch. Even though Pat Boone falls in and out of his accent he does a creditable job as a Scot. Looks very dashing in the Glendarroch tartan! Jenny sounds like she's from America. They needed a scene where someone explains that Jenny is Uncle Oliver's niece from Kansas.

Arlene Dahl was always a favorite in the 50s and 60s as a strong woman. James Mason is excellent as always. Loved the duck, Gertrude! When I saw this movie as a child, I wanted a duck for a pet. My mother was smart enough to refuse.

I enjoy classic sci fi and I am happy to have recently seen this on DVD by renting it through Netflix. A musical at times, the actors and their songs were delightful. I enjoyed the colors and scenery both above-ground in the Iceland scenes, and underground as the travelers journey to the center of the Earth. If you are the kind of sci fi fan who likes model sets, then this movie will provide visual aesthetic pleasure. The story was compelling and action-packed. I have not read Verne's classic, but this is a good movie in its own right. Modern audiences may be disturbed by the professor's sexist remarks, but since they are purposely meant as character-revealing, one can easily get past them to enjoy the other more admirable characters. I was happy to see a female as part of the expedition to the center of the Earth, and despite the problematics with her role, she had agency. The DVD even has surround sound so the songs and auditory effects were easily heard and projected throughout my living room. Overall entertaining and fun.

I read the novel by Verne and no offense but, it bored the hell out of me. But the movie was very enjoyable not only because of the ability of the cast but also because of the great scenery meant to be the center of the Earth.

Now, I even enjoyed the little tune they start singing all of a sudden, I thought it was quite catchy.

A certain scene I found especially interesting is when the Professor wants to take a sample of a mineral. Although it's very small and didn't look too important it was very well needed to hold the water back.

As I said, the cast was very good, even the duck found itself a very useful role in this film, even though I did think the relationship between the duck and the man was quite strange, perhaps even a bit disturbing. Nevertheless, thumbs up for this movie.

I read the book when I was a kid and enjoyed it quite a bit. When I saw the DVD at the library, I picked it up. I hadn't planned on making my daughter watch an old movie with me, but when she wandered through the living room, she plopped right down and we had a fun time.

The pacing was fine, the actors read their lines well, the music was exciting, and the DVD is very clear - it could have been made last year, as far as the print is concerned. I saw two bits used in Raiders of the Lost Ark - the giant boulder rolling toward our heroes, and a ray of light leading the way at a certain time and place. I'm sure there are other scenes from this movie that were aped in more recent adventure films.

One commenter really went off regarding the Freudian aspects of the film - I noticed too, but it didn't bother me - EVERY film is about sex if you let it be.

The only special features were the original trailer - which actually expected audiences to read! and a comparison of the old unrestored prints to the new one. If you only saw the old fuzzy print, you haven't seen the movie.

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.

This movie has it all - for me at least.

Great characters, story, environment, effects and plot.

I have always had a soft spot for 50s movies, both science fiction, westerns, drama and thrillers.

I would guess that I have watched this movie on VHS about 20 times as a child and now I still like to watch it a few years apart.

I find all of the films founded on Jules Vernes amazing books to be exceptionally well made and should be shown to children instead of the modern Hollywood (propaganda filled) garbage, in my humble opinion.

This is not a film that is 1:1 made from the story of the book, but it is in some ways better, as I see it at least.

Okay controversial one, the first and arguably most famous of the Jules Verne adaptations of Journey to the Center of the Earth and I just hit it with a 3/10.

Let me be clear I have my reasons, but for spoiler reasons I'm limited as to just how much I can explain.

Allow me to start by saying that I've recently binge watched every adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and it's sequel Mysterious Island (Also Jules Verne works) and I remembered the books fondly. For this reason I was able to easily recognize what was loyal and was was nonsense thrown in by the films creators. Sadly I don't remember the original novel for Journey to the Center of the Earth quite as well but I'm pretty sure this has a fair bit of the aforementioned nonsense.

Now if you can get past that and get past the absurdity of the entire plot you'll actually find a remarkably impressive film for 1959. It looks incredible for its time, the audio is top notch and I can entirely understand the appeal. This is an early "Blockbuster" and very impressive stuff as take your brain out viewing.

So why the low rating? Well again it really is absurd, the plot is quite frankly ridiculous and makes some of the later efforts look positively realistic by comparison. It's not that it's pseudo science, it's a distinct lack of science altogether.

But there is one single scene that hit the film hard and took it down from a notable 6/10 to the 3/10 you see before you. Again I don't do spoilers but I'll simply say that a character addition not in the novel was welcome relief but that characters fate was senseless, needless and ruined the whole experience for me.

If that scene doesn't bother you like it bothered me you'll likely find yourself enjoying this ground breaking classic.

The Good:

Looks and sounds excellent for its time

The Bad:

Some logistical absurdities

"That" scene