{"id":50905,"date":"2020-08-31T11:58:35","date_gmt":"2020-08-31T18:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=50905"},"modified":"2021-07-26T11:15:05","modified_gmt":"2021-07-26T18:15:05","slug":"mysterious-island-1961","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=50905","title":{"rendered":"Mysterious Island (1961)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Aren&#8217;t we able to do anything to save ourselves?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Poster-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-50906\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Poster-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Poster-180x270.jpg 180w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Poster.jpg 666w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nDuring the Civil War, a group of Union prisoners (Michael Craig, Herbert Brown, and Dan Jackson) &#8212; accompanied by an unwitting journalist (Gary Merrill) and a Confederate hostage (Percy Herbert) &#8212; escape by hot air balloon and land on a remote island with enormous creatures and mysterious signs of human life. Soon they are joined by two shipwrecked British women (Joan Greenwood and Beth Rogan) and romance blooms between Brown and Rogan while the team struggles to survive.\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>Deserted Islands<\/li>\n<li>Fantasy<\/li>\n<li>Gary Merrill Films<\/li>\n<li>Joan Greenwood Films<\/li>\n<li>Jules Verne Adaptations<\/li>\n<li>Prisoners of War<\/li>\n<li>Ray Harryhausen Films<\/li>\n<li>Survival<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Mysterious_Island\">Loosely based on Jules Verne&#8217;s 1875 novel of the same name<\/a>, this sequel to <em>20,000 Leagues Under the Sea<\/em> (1954) references Captain Nemo (indeed, he shows up late in the film as a pivotal character), but tells its own distinct tale of escape and survival on a remote island. Making the adventure much more exciting are several enormous creatures, including a crab that nearly eats one of the soldiers (Dan Jackson) before being dumped into a boiling hot geyser and eaten for supper:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab-1024x571.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"357\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab-1024x571.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab-1536x856.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab-484x270.png 484w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Crab.png 1803w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; a huge, chicken-like bird that tries to peck away at Rogan (and is similarly roasted and eaten): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken-1024x577.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"361\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53577\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken-1536x865.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken-479x270.png 479w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Chicken.png 1805w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; a gigantic bee that seals Rogan and Brown inside a honeycomb cell: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee-1024x578.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"361\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee-1024x578.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee-768x434.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee-1536x868.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee-478x270.png 478w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Bee.png 1811w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and more. Indeed, it&#8217;s these animated creatures &#8212; crafted by Ray Harryhausen &#8212; that make the film memorable and beloved by many viewers, but unfortunately, they don&#8217;t make much sense within the narrative, and weren&#8217;t part of the original novel. With that said, it&#8217;s refreshing to see the inclusion of a black actor and character (Jackson) who&#8217;s given a reasonably equitable role (at least up until the women arrive):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson-1536x863.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Jackson.png 1813w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and the opening escape sequence &#8212; as the prisoners leave their jail in a storm and sail high into the air &#8212; is genuinely exciting (see still below). Harryhausen fans will want to check this one out.   <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The exciting opening escape sequence<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3-1024x575.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"359\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50907\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3-1536x863.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3-481x270.png 481w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Mysterious-Island-Escape-Opening3.png 1643w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Bernard Herrmann&#8217;s score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; this one is only must-see for Harryhausen completists. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0055207\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s3723myst.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/sciencefiction\/mysterious-island-1961.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tcm.com\/this-month\/article\/28071%7C0\/Mysterious-Island.html\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Aren&#8217;t we able to do anything to save ourselves?&#8221; Synopsis: During the Civil War, a group of Union prisoners (Michael Craig, Herbert Brown, and Dan Jackson) &#8212; accompanied by an unwitting journalist (Gary Merrill) and a Confederate hostage (Percy Herbert) &#8212; escape by hot air balloon and land on a remote island with enormous creatures and mysterious signs of human life. Soon they are joined by two shipwrecked British women (Joan Greenwood and Beth Rogan) and romance blooms between Brown&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=50905\"> 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-50905","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\/50905","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=50905"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50905\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74401,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50905\/revisions\/74401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=50905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=50905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=50905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}