Those looks of steely determination were necessary in the face of all the sulfur they encountered.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) is one of a suite of films based on the Jules Verne novel of the same name, and it is, arguably, one of the best. I’m not saying it has the most fidelity to its source, as I’m not even sure I’ve ever read the classic Verne offering, but it has all the elements of an enjoyable science fiction/fantasy tale: a fantastic quest, monstrous egos masking horrendous character flaws, monsters designed to make the ego-clash seem small and insincere, a scene stealer, a miraculous, yet logical, escape, and an Olympic sprinter.
Oh, right. Strike that last one. In case you wonder, no, that’s not a necessary part of a classic science fiction tale. But an actor who did sprint in the Olympics is present. (No medal won, sadly.)
Not all of these ingredients are well thought out, as the romantic subplot is neglected here. But, truth be told, much of the rest is well done, the acting is more than adequate, I adored the scene stealer, and the monsters were surprisingly lifelike – these weren’t hand puppets.
You don’t need to be a completist in order to have an excuse to see this movie, just have an open evening and a taste for old movies and their somewhat archaic ideas about behaviors.
And popcorn! Don’t forget the popcorn!
