Torrin-McFinn77 It wasn't until the early to mid-1990s that I actually sat down to watch this movie. I'd seen the movie before I read the book but I wasn't bothered by the differences. In fact, they were welcome. There were many comedic moments, and Kirk Douglas was very good in his role as the Canadian whaler Ned Land. This was the only one of his films I had actually seen too.The design of the submarine was very well done and the sets were almost realistic as if you're really there. The underwater scenes also made the movie worthwhile. How many good films do underwater scenes? Waterworld doesn't really count. But this was the best. Oh, and Peter Lorre does well as the professor's student and sidekick. The others elude me, but they're good too. Disney, this is one of your best live films.

lasttimeisaw Disney's first-ever CinemaScope juggernaut, a handsome adaptation of Jules Verne's classic novel, directed by journeyman Richard Fleischer and won 2 Oscars for its cutting edge special effects and jaw-dropping art direction. The time is in the latter half of 19th century, a trio of outsiders, Prof. Pierre Aronnax (Lukas), his assistant Conseil (Lorre) and an adept harpooner Ned Land (Douglas), after an amidships attack from a "sea monster" destroying their ship, fetches up on the said monster, it turns out to be an iron vessel named the Nautilus, which can submerge under the water (a proto-submarine), commanded by Captain Nemo (Mason). They are held as hostages but Captain Nemo exhibits great willingness to introduce the feather-in-his-cup to Prof. Aronnax, who is utterly astonished and eager to persuade the former to contribute his discovery to benefit the whole world, but Captain has his own concerns.Captain Nemo is a cynical character, a tormented soul, ailed by past terror, he has no faith in humans, after finding his peace in the claustrophobic hull, he adopts a whole self-sustaining mechanism to live completely under the sea with his loyal crew members, the ocean is his treasure trove (although the source of the vessel's propulsion has never been clarified, nuclear energy is tangentially alluded to). Wafting around 20,000 leagues under is no solution to appease his conscience or quench his deep-dish sorrow, that is why he implements those attacks to demolish ships loaded with weaponry or its raw materials, he indeed is a righteously hero, trying to pre-empt war-wrought casualties at the expense of those who are on the assaulted ships, it is a relentless move based on contingency, radical, even somewhat unethical, but it serves as a potent reminder that there is no win-win solution in warfare, it is atrocity in any case, whose corner are you fighting for? Professor Aronnax or Captain Nemo? The film is a sensation to watch not just for its visual innovation (one can find more pleasure in Czech artisan Karel Zeman's THE DEADLY INVENTION if technicalities is your cuppa), the epic squid battle alone is worth your ticket; what one finds engaging, or even refreshing is the story's pervading pessimistic outlook, which is definitely not something one expects from a Disney production, plus James Mason's poignant impersonation of a man plagued by an existential crisis, everything evokes pathos and to some degree, nihilism in the film's unfolding up to the finale, Ned Land is a trouble-maker, and Douglas is overtly concerned with his macho image which only leads to his own disservice (even that hooky ditty WHALE OF A TALE is of little avail at that point); Prof. Aronnax is pedantic, credulous and indecisive, whereas Conseil is a wavering coward who only redemption is his allegiance to Prof. Aronnax. None of the three is worth our sympathy, yet they are the sole survivors, what a disgrace in an otherwise stunning achievement.

Wuchak Released in 1954 and directed by Richard Fleischer, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is a Disney adventure based on Jules Verne's book about a ship in 1868 sent to investigate a wave of mysterious shipwrecks in the south Pacific, which are reportedly attributed to a sea monster. After the ship is attacked, three survivors (Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre & Kirk Douglas) encounter an advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by mad-genius Captain Nemo (James Mason).If you can ignore a few short spurts of Disney hokeyness, e.g. a Douglas song & dance routine and his frolics with Esmeralda the seal, this is a well done fantasy adventure. Everyone praises the giant squid attack in the second half, but my favorite element is simply the fascinating character study of Captain Nemo, excellently portrayed by Mason. Ned Lands (Douglas) argues that Nemo's mad, but is he? Yes, he's driven by hate, but it's hatred of the evils of war and unjust government & the corresponding suffocating laws. IN the oceans he's free. I'd say more, but it's best to watch the movie and glean from it yourself.Unfortunately, there are zero females in the main cast, but it's still well-worth catching. If you enjoy it, be sure to check out the unofficial sequel, 1961's "Mysterious Island," which isn't a Disney production (and therefore lacks the kid-friendly approach) and stars Herbert Lom as Nemo; it's superior in all-around entertainment IMHO. A similar movie is 1974's "The Land that Time Forgot," as long as you can forgive dubious dinosaur F/X.The film runs 127 minutes and was shot in Jamaica, Bahamas and Red Rock Canyon State Park, California, with studio work done in the Los Angeles area.GRADE: B+

AaronCapenBanner Richard Fleisher directed this big-scale, Walt Disney produced adaptation of the famous Jules Verne novel about the futuristic submarine Nautilus under the command of Captain Nemo(played by James Mason) who is tired of humanity's wars, and decides to sink all warships, regardless of nationality. This brings on the attention of the U.S. government, and a ship goes to investigate the sinking's(not meeting Nemo until later.) Kirk Douglas plays whaler Ned Land, while Paul Lukas and Peter Lorre play a professor and his assistant. Exciting film does have its share of lulls and slow spots, but makes up for it with thrilling action involving the attack of the giant squid, vividly brought to life during a sea storm.