{"id":26887,"date":"2012-08-21T12:06:50","date_gmt":"2012-08-21T19:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26887"},"modified":"2020-12-11T23:10:02","modified_gmt":"2020-12-12T06:10:02","slug":"journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth-1959","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26887","title":{"rendered":"Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;The greatest mystery is right here &#8212; right under our feet.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-Center-of-Earth-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-Center-of-Earth-Poster-204x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"204\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-26888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-Center-of-Earth-Poster-204x300.jpg 204w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-Center-of-Earth-Poster-87x128.jpg 87w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-Center-of-Earth-Poster-696x1024.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 204px) 100vw, 204px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn 19th century Scotland, a famed geologist (James Mason) journeys to the center of the earth, accompanied by his student (Pat Boone), the widow (Arlene Dahl) of his deceased rival, and a strapping Icelander (Peter Ronson) with a pet goose.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Explorers<\/li>\n<li>Fantasy<\/li>\n<li>James Mason Films<\/li>\n<li>Jules Verne Adaptations<\/li>\n<li>Rivalry<\/li>\n<li>Science Fiction<\/li>\n<li>Scientists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nFollowing the success of Disney&#8217;s <em>20,000 Leagues Under the Sea<\/em> (1954) and United Artists&#8217; <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=15567\"><em>Around the World in 80 Days<\/em> (1956)<\/a>, adaptations of works by Jules Verne become all the rage in Hollywood; unfortunately, few have really stood the test of time (see <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4662\">here<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3939\">here<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=3714\">here<\/a>), and <em>Journey to the Center of the Earth<\/em> is no exception. Naturally, the premise itself is ludicrously fantastical on all levels, to the point where one must simply suspend all disbelief and treat the tale as an adventure rather than any kind of legitimate science fiction; interestingly, there are plenty of viewers willing to do just that. DVD Savant, for instance, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s758center.html\">gives it a glowing review<\/a>, calling it &#8220;a fantastic adventure with something for everyone&#8221; &#8212; however, his nostalgic bias is clearly in evidence, given that he admits it was the movie he was taken to see on his seventh birthday, and that it marked the moment when he first &#8220;discovered that somewhere out there people made movies just for <strong>me<\/strong>.&#8221; His point is well taken: I can absolutely see a film like this suiting the bill for seven-year-old boys in a pre-CGI era. <\/p>\n<p>Modern-day adult viewers, however (at least those without any similar nostalgic hold on the film), will likely find themselves simply bored and\/or annoyed by the story, which takes 45 minutes to finally deposit its characters on their journey towards the &#8220;center of the Earth&#8221;, and from thence is patently sanitized to include an often-shirtless Pat Boone (!):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1821\" height=\"909\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57247\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2.png 1821w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2-1024x511.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2-128x64.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2-768x383.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2-1536x767.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Boone2-541x270.png 541w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1821px) 100vw, 1821px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; a feisty female (Dahl) maintaining a perfectly made-up face no matter how deep into the Earth she descends:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1817\" height=\"899\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl.png 1817w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl-300x148.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl-1024x507.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl-128x63.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl-768x380.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl-1536x760.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Dahl-546x270.png 546w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1817px) 100vw, 1817px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and a pet goose (!). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1819\" height=\"891\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57249\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2.png 1819w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2-300x147.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2-1024x502.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2-128x63.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2-768x376.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2-1536x752.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-Center-Earth-Goose2-551x270.png 551w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1819px) 100vw, 1819px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As noted by <a href=\"http:\/\/moria.co.nz\/sciencefiction\/journeytothecenteroftheearth1959.htm\">Richard Scheib on his Moria site<\/a>, while &#8220;Verne wrote a dark, claustrophobic Age of Exploration fantasy&#8221;, the film adaptation &#8220;is a ridiculously opulent Cinemascope colour spectacle&#8221; in which &#8220;the center of the Earth is illogically depicted as a colourful and well-lit world of studio-floor splendour and crystalline formations&#8221;, and &#8220;the result is more akin to a 19th Century tea party than serious exploration&#8221;. Indeed, if this kind of thing is <em>your<\/em> cup of tea, then definitely indulge; otherwise, there&#8217;s no need to bother checking it out.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Colorfully fantastic sets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1825\" height=\"889\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-57250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography.png 1825w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography-300x146.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography-1024x499.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography-128x62.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography-768x374.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography-1536x748.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Journey-to-the-Center-Cinematography-554x270.png 554w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1825px) 100vw, 1825px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Bernard Herrmann&#8217;s score\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; this one is only must-see for fans of the genre. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0052948\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1959\/12\/17\/archives\/journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth-verne-fable-opens-at-the.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.digitallyobsessed.com\/displaylegacy.php?ID=4569\">Digitally Obsessed Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scifilm.org\/musing231.html\">SciFilm Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s758center.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/moria.co.nz\/sciencefiction\/journeytothecenteroftheearth1959.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/B5bbW4alFuE\">Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The greatest mystery is right here &#8212; right under our feet.&#8221; Synopsis: In 19th century Scotland, a famed geologist (James Mason) journeys to the center of the earth, accompanied by his student (Pat Boone), the widow (Arlene Dahl) of his deceased rival, and a strapping Icelander (Peter Ronson) with a pet goose. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Explorers Fantasy James Mason Films Jules Verne Adaptations Rivalry Science Fiction Scientists Review: Following the success of Disney&#8217;s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26887\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26887","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26887"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26887\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57251,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26887\/revisions\/57251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26887"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26887"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26887"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}