Publisher: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Ages: eight and up
Parental
Advisory:
Some scenes
may scare younger viewers
Almost
fifty years old and best remembered
for its giant squid battle, "20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea," the film that nearly sank
Disney (depending on who's reminiscing), is
one great family film. And the extras on this
2-disc DVD set are equally compelling.
The award-winning movie (1955, Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects) was an adaptation of Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," which starred Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre as shipwrecked survivors taken captive by the mysterious Captain Nemo, brilliantly portrayed by James Mason. Nemo is a madcap genius who has launched a deadly crusade in the world's oceans in his nuclear-powered submarine.
In a sense, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was the "Star Wars" of its time, and the most expensive picture of its era. The film still appeals to audiences today. Youngsters can enjoy the underwater scenes, the shots of the Nautilus submarine in action, the comic antics of Kirk Douglas and that climactic fight with the giant squid. And beyond the great visuals and entertainment, grownups can enjoy Mason's complex portrayal of Captain Nemo. The movie works on all fronts, although the pacing may be a bit slow for kids raised on Power Rangers and their ilk.
DVD extras are excellent. They include audio commentaries with Director Richard Fleischer and film historian Rudy Behlmer; and an interesting "The Making Of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea Featurette" that shows how the film, in particular, its special effects and underwater sequences were filmed. The crown jewel is the "The Sunset Squid Sequence" that shows the original squid battle that was set on a calm sea at sunset. The near-legendary sequence was so crude and unintentionally comic, it had to be rethought and completely re-shot. Fans of the film can get their first look at this intriguing bit of film history.
Other extras include:
- Radio
Spots (Original Radio Spots From the 1954 Feature)
- Peter
Lorre's ADR Tracks (gives the listener a glimpse into the process of dialogue
replacement)
- Captain
Nemo's Organ Music
- Jules
Verne & Walt Disney - Explorers Of The Imagination
- The
Humbolt Squid: A Real Sea Monster! - A short documentary about an aggressive
squid found in nature
- The
Musical Legacy Of Paul Smith
- Touring
The Nautilus
- Disney
Studio Album, Production Gallery, Monsters Of The Deep, Trims, Script Excerpt:
Nemo's Death
- Movie
Merchandise
- Themed
Cartoon (theatrical animated short "Grand Canyonscope," which was presented
as part of the theatrical release)
- Theatrical
Trailer
- Storyboard-To-Scene
Comparison
- Unused Animation
To borrow a line from Douglas' character, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" tells "a whale of a tale." The film is as much fun now as it was fifty years ago. And those who enjoyed the film as kids will have the most fun experiencing it all again and going behind the scenes with the DVD.
6/9/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
