JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959)

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959)

Tagline: Based on Jules Verne's fantastic stories of strange adventure...

(Family, Sci-Fi, Most Epic Takedown of The 50s) [G]

Note: This movie was never given an MPAA, but if it came out today, it would be a [G]. 

On, you’ve had enough? Let me tell you, you dried-up walnut of a man, if anyone’s had enough it’s me!

Based on Jules Verne’s book Sir Oliver Lindenbrook thinks he’s found a message from a long-missing scientist who is thought to have taken a journey to the center of the Earth. He promptly gets a team together to see if the message is accurate. Meanwhile, Carla Goetabaug joins the expedition because she has nothing to live for now that her scientist husband has been murdered. On the journey, they discover that the underground isn’t only full of giant creatures and amazing lifeforms. There is also a human who is determined to stop them from discovering its secrets. 

I had to watch this movie twice because honestly the first time I just couldn’t get into it. When you do dig into this it’s pretty crazy how much of a jerk Lindenbrook is. I get that this is based on the book, but even for the 50s Lidenbrook’s bizarre treatment of a woman and a widow in this made me want him to get eat by the first giant rhinoceros’ iguanas we see. I love movies that are not PC at all, but this dude, this dude needed to be eaten. 

Effects wise the creatures are all real animals, so there isn’t much to complain about. The sets are all over the top and they even did some of the filming in the Carlsbad Caverns. It’s all pretty fantastic. I thought the score was just okay, but the pacing is good once you get past the first 25 minutes. The first 25 minutes actually made me want to turn the movie off. Cinematically overall this is well shot and there is no denying that you felt like you were in this underground world exploring all these crazy things. 

Acting wise James Mason is annoying as heck as Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook and that is probably what he was going for. I guess part of it wasn’t acting though. Apparently, he didn’t get along with actress Arlene Dahl who plays Carla Goetabaug. Dahl was most famous for REIGN OF TERROR and ended up in 47 different movie and TV productions. I did like Pat Boone in this as Alec McEwan. Boone was still acting as of 2017. Nothing in this is really stiff and I actually loved Carla’s attitude about things in spite of her circumstances. 

Overall this really isn’t my type of movie. It feels like a long argument between two people that are just tolerating each other and some creatures and a cool atmosphere get thrown in. If this movie had taken place in a Denny’s it would be extremely boring. What the movie does right, are all the epic sets and the incredible design work and craftsmanship. Sadly, for me, this doesn’t help this story get any better. I am also aware that this is a celebrated classic, but a lot like 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, the best I can do is a 4 out of 7.
 

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX COMPANY AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY. 

Please check out the link below by clicking on the picture. Purchases made at Indy Planet for any issue of DARK 30 will go towards funding the next issue.