20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)Few knew when Jules Verne was writing his futuristic novels in the 19th century that such entertaining page-turners would foretell so much reality. In this 1997 adaptation of Verne's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' the screenwriter (Brian Nelson) and director Rod Hardy have elected to pay homage to the scientific aspects of the thriller rather than make the story into a cartoon. And though it is a long song (3 hours), it plays well and introduces some fine special effects and philosophical statements about environmental issues, slavery, feminism, familial relationships, and commitment to dreams. Not bad for a Sci-Fi novel!
The cast is solid: Patrick Dempsey makes a wholesome, handsome Pierre Arronax, Bryan Brown as the driven sailor Ned Land, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is excellent as Cabe Attucks (nice to see this fine actor in a role far different than the one he played on the TV series 'Oz'), John Bach is the arrogant father Thierry Arronax, and Mia Sara serves up the beefed up role of Mara nicely. But the submarine mysterious ship Nautilus surfaces or sinks at the hands of Captain Nemo and while Michael Caine isn't the embodiment of evil we so often see, he finds the soul of the driven scientist whose goal is to protect the 'surface' he has forsaken to scuttle the seas in search of ways to stop future earthquakes topside.
Originally made as a mini-series for television in 1997, the movie for sails along, holding our attention and fascination for the full three hours, not only because we care about the characters, but also because we are treated to some spectacular underwater sequences and a Nautilus that is as elegant a vessel as Verne described. And yes, Captain Nemo still plays the pipe organ as part of the musical score. The script gets a bit on the corny side, especially in the areas of father son relationships, and the unnecessary spin on romances that seem to be de rigueur in keeping an audiences attention. But in the end this is an entertaining interpretation of the Jules Verne classic that still stimulates our thinking and challenges our concepts of environmental concerns. Grady Harp, May 06

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Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Two-Disc Special Edition) (1954) Review

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(More customer reviews)Loosely based on the celebrated novel by Jules Verne and set in the late 19th Century, LEAGUES offers the story of Professor Arronax (Paul Lukas), his assistant Conseil (Peter Lorre), and harpooner Ned Land (Kirk Douglas), who are coaxed by the United States government to aid in the search for a sea monster said to be terrorizing shipping lanes. But the monster is not of flesh and blood, and soon the three find themselves in the hands of the mysterious Captain Nemo (James Mason) as prisoners aboard the Nautilus--a fully functional submarine capable of ramming ships and sending them to the ocean floor.
Underwater photography was hardly new in 1954, but never had it been used so extensively nor to such visually beautiful effect, and the art designs--particularly those for the Nautilus--are justly celebrated. But for all its beauty, it is the performances which make the film work. James Mason does not merely play Nemo, he seems to be Nemo; after seeing his performance it is impossible to imagine any other actor in the role. Paul Lukas adds yet another brilliantly understated performance to his memorable career, and while Kirk Douglas and Peter Lorre are hardly the Ned Land and Conseil of the Verne novel they have surprising chemistry and lend the film considerable dash.
At the time of its release, LEAGUES was the single most expensive motion picture ever made (ironically it would loose that dubious distinction later that same year to yet another film featuring James Mason: A STAR IS BORN), and every penny of the money spent shows in the onscreen result. While many of Disney's live-action films are fondly recalled, few have had enduring fame, much less claim to status as art--but LEAGUES is the exception, and although the episodic nature of the story seems a shade languid from time to time it remains both a landmark and one of the most influential films of its decade. Truly enjoyable from start to finish.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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Climb aboard the Nautilus ... and into a strange undersea world of spellbinding adventure! Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre star as shipwrecked survivors taken captive by the mysterious Captain Nemo, brilliantly portrayed by James Mason. Wavering between genius and madness, Nemo has launched a deadly crusade across the seven seas. But can the captive crew expose his evil plan before he destroys the world? Disney's brilliant Academy Award(R)-winning (1955, Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects) adaptation of Jules Verne's gripping tale makes 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA a truly mesmerizing masterpiece!

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