Journey to the Center of the Earth with James Mason, Pat Boone

ADVENTURE FILMS

Journey to the Center of the Earth (B+)

STARS...
James Mason, Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, and Peter Ronson.

PLOT SUMMARY...
In 1880, an expedition from Scotland travels deep beneath the Earth's crust.

QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". James Mason is commanding as the expedition head. Arlene Dahl has spunk as a female member of the expedition. A highlight of the picture is an encounter with dinosaurs. The dinosaur scenes, involving real lizards with fins strapped to their backs, are fun.

DIRECTOR: Henry Levin
YEAR & RATING: 1959 (NR)

BEST BETS:

The Abyss

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
SYNOPSIS...
In 1880, a geology professor is given a volcanic rock by a student. Inside the stone is a message from a long dead explorer.

The professor and his team go to Iceland, entering a dead volcano. Proceeding to the center of the Earth they encounter giant mushrooms, dinosaurs, and a rival exploration team.

Our heroes escape from the center of the Earth in a huge asbestos bowl, via a now live volcano. Back home, the professor and his team is cheered by a huge crowd.

Review:

Director Henry Levin's "JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH" is a classic tale of Sci-Fi adventure.

At Edinburgh University in Scotland, James Mason ("Heaven Can Wait") is a recently knighted geology professor, with Pat Boone ("State Fair") as one of his students. When Boone brings Mason a volcanic rock, Mason cracks it open and finds a message from a long dead explorer, telling of a path leading from an Icelandic volcano into the very center of the Earth. Mason is jazzed, exclaiming, "The greatest mystery is right here, right under our feet."

By contemporary film standards, it seems to take forever to get Mason and his crew into the volcano and beneath the Earth's crust. Levin and his Screenwriters, Walter Reisch and Charles Brackett, while remaining faithful to the Jules Verne source novel, try the contemporary viewer's patience a bit. Once Mason and his crew do finally begin their journey below ground, however, the film's pace picks up considerably.

James Mason, as the expedition head, is a commanding, yet very much human leader. He effectively represents 19th Century ideals, heavy on manly adventure and light on female participation.

As is to be expected, 50's teen dream/crooner Pat Boone warbles several tunes. Fortunately, they are brief and do not unduly impede the story's progress.

Some of the films scenes were shot in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. They blend cleverly with the film's Academy Award nominated sets. Director of Photography, Leo Tover, lenses the cavern and sets to perfection. Special Photographic Effects are credited to James B. Gordon and Emil Kosa, Jr.

The dinosaur scenes are fairly clever. Instead of stop motion animation we get real lizards with fins strapped to their backs. Kids in particular should enjoy these scenes, which are my favorite in the film.

For once, the mushy 50's romantic stuff is kept to a minimum. Boone's fiancé, Diane Baker ("The Prize"), is left behind in Scotland. And while Mason and Arlene Dahl ("Kisses for my President") do sleep together during the expedition, on the sand of an underworld beach following a shipwreck, they don't actually kiss until the film's last scene.

The Music, by Bernard Herrmann, is dramatic and mysterious, with frequent use of the organ for emphasis. Like his classic Scores for numerous Hitchcock movies, the Herrmann Music seems an integral part of the film itself.

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH will be highly watchable for Sci-Fi fans of all ages. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH is a journey well worth taking. See ya underground!

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Journey to the Center of the Earth (B+)
	STARS... James Mason, Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, and Peter Ronson. PLOT SUMMARY... In 1880, an expedition from Scotland travels deep beneath the Earth's crust. QUICK SCAN... This film could be compared to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". James Mason is commanding as the expedition head. Arlene Dahl has spunk as a female member of the expedition. A highlight of the picture is an encounter with dinosaurs. The dinosaur scenes, involving real lizards with fins strapped to their backs, are fun.
DIRECTOR: Henry Levin YEAR & RATING: 1959 (NR) BEST BETS: The Abyss Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea	SYNOPSIS... In 1880, a geology professor is given a volcanic rock by a student. Inside the stone is a message from a long dead explorer. The professor and his team go to Iceland, entering a dead volcano. Proceeding to the center of the Earth they encounter giant mushrooms, dinosaurs, and a rival exploration team. Our heroes escape from the center of the Earth in a huge asbestos bowl, via a now live volcano. Back home, the professor and his team is cheered by a huge crowd.
Review: Director Henry Levin's "JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH" is a classic tale of Sci-Fi adventure. At Edinburgh University in Scotland, James Mason ("Heaven Can Wait") is a recently knighted geology professor, with Pat Boone ("State Fair") as one of his students. When Boone brings Mason a volcanic rock, Mason cracks it open and finds a message from a long dead explorer, telling of a path leading from an Icelandic volcano into the very center of the Earth. Mason is jazzed, exclaiming, "The greatest mystery is right here, right under our feet." By contemporary film standards, it seems to take forever to get Mason and his crew into the volcano and beneath the Earth's crust. Levin and his Screenwriters, Walter Reisch and Charles Brackett, while remaining faithful to the Jules Verne source novel, try the contemporary viewer's patience a bit. Once Mason and his crew do finally begin their journey below ground, however, the film's pace picks up considerably. James Mason, as the expedition head, is a commanding, yet very much human leader. He effectively represents 19th Century ideals, heavy on manly adventure and light on female participation. As is to be expected, 50's teen dream/crooner Pat Boone warbles several tunes. Fortunately, they are brief and do not unduly impede the story's progress. Some of the films scenes were shot in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. They blend cleverly with the film's Academy Award nominated sets. Director of Photography, Leo Tover, lenses the cavern and sets to perfection. Special Photographic Effects are credited to James B. Gordon and Emil Kosa, Jr. The dinosaur scenes are fairly clever. Instead of stop motion animation we get real lizards with fins strapped to their backs. Kids in particular should enjoy these scenes, which are my favorite in the film. For once, the mushy 50's romantic stuff is kept to a minimum. Boone's fiancé, Diane Baker ("The Prize"), is left behind in Scotland. And while Mason and Arlene Dahl ("Kisses for my President") do sleep together during the expedition, on the sand of an underworld beach following a shipwreck, they don't actually kiss until the film's last scene. The Music, by Bernard Herrmann, is dramatic and mysterious, with frequent use of the organ for emphasis. Like his classic Scores for numerous Hitchcock movies, the Herrmann Music seems an integral part of the film itself. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH will be highly watchable for Sci-Fi fans of all ages. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH is a journey well worth taking. See ya underground! MovieMonday.com * Super Star Index * Award Winners * CelebrityFrame.com