Rating: 
Summary: Sounds like...
Review: There's a number of differences of opinions regarding the audio portion of this DVD. I own both the DVD and VHS versions of Mysterious Island, and can tell you that sonically the tape is superior, with Bernard Herrmann's score in stereo (as it was recorded). This is also true for the VHS version of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. If the DVD of Sinbad is not up to the quality of the remastered tape (as another reviewer noted), then I'll not be in a rush to replace mine anytime soon. Thanks to the previous reviewers who noted this.
Rating: 
Summary: Greenwood and Harryhausen: Great!
Review: This is a nice, satisfying telling of the Verne story, with special effects by Ray Harryhausen and a good score by Bernard Herrman. Escapees from a Civil War prison camp are blown way off course in a balloon they stole. They find themselves on an apparently deserted island somewhere in the Pacific, are joined by two women who were shipwrecked, and eventually come face-to-face with Captain Nemo and the wrecked Nautilus.
They have to deal with pirates, an erupting volcano and Harryhausen's creature threats. These include very large versions of a hungry red crab, an aggressive chicken, a bee and an unhappy squid. Some of the creatures turn out to be very good boiled or roasted.
The movie holds up well because of a strong story, good action, and fairly well-defined characters. It features Herbert Lom, in my view an under-rated actor, and Joan Greenwood. By this time Greenwood was taking character parts and doing a lot of stage work. But from the mid-Forties to the mid-Fifties she was, I think, one of the sexiest, smartest and funniest star actors Britain has ever produced. Her plummy, smoky voice is inimitable. She is coy and slightly lascivious in Kind Hearts and Coronets, sexy and brave in The Man in the White Suit.
The DVD transfer is just fine.
Rating:
Summary: one heck of a movie
Review: this is one of my favorite jules verne movie along with 20000 leagues...but my only complaint as with all columbia harryhausen movies on dvd is sound..my vhs tape is 4 times better sound than this dvd..i'm asking if ray reads any of these or someone from columbia dvd please do better a better job on sound...my dvd list on chapter and extras has better sound than the movie..it would mean so much to all fans if these were redone and done right with at least surround sound on all ray's movies on dvd.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a substitute for the novel
Review: This movie has attempted to accomplish the same end as other classic films taken from the stories of Verne: to recreate an adventure movie of something much less action-oriented. Relying on the fame of this renowned author, Harryhausen has found a novel much less suspenseful and reenvisioned it as a wild tale of monsters and pirates. Verne described himself as primarily a geographer, taking the word in quite the broadest sense to indicate focus of interest in the geology of the earth, oceanography and seafaring, chemistry, and biological and applicable knowledge of Earth's flora and fauna. Like in many of his myriad books, Verne attempts in "The Mysterious Island" to impart his learning to the general populace through the medium of highly fictionalized romances - thus science fiction. His two skills - learnedness in the sciences and mastery of storytelling - intertwine with such alacrity as to preserve his legend as an author for all time."The Mysterious Island" itself is a novel Verne placed prime significance in. Within this three-part volume, Verne places five castaways on a deserted island without a single tool and describes how, in great detail, these men are able to recreate their own civilization from the raw materials of an amazingly diverse island. From simple tools, the men master pottery and metalworking, domestication of animals, machine manufacture, electric generators and devices, and eventually fuel-powered elevators, automobiles, and airplanes. Seen as both a vision of past and future technological advances, this book caused such a success that, when researchers investigated in 1961, it remained one of the most popular novels checked out in public libraries across America and Europe. In response to this popularity came a movie. Cy Endfield, a specialist in epic adventure movie-making, directed this film in a way very unlike Verne's original plot and motives. It is likely Endfield did not even read the lengthy novel and its biographical relatives, or if he did chose a very different approach for a very different audience. Verne's novel does include the fantastic events of the protagonists' escape from Richmond, the attack on Granite House by pirates, and the volcanic eruption which destroys the island, but these events are but a fraction of his attention. In our movie, the audience is witness to pure action, and only the basic threads of plot and characterization of individuals are retained in the book's transformation to the screen. Furthermore, this film includes a very memorable character from Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," the Captain Nemo. Apparently the author and character are inseparable, and to make a movie based on Verne is to borrow from any novel of one's choosing. While this film does not preserve the intentions of the movie, several features must be stated to its benefit. Acting and plot development here are brisk and enjoyable, but most notable elements are witnessed in special effects. Thanks to the stop motion genius Harryhausen, "The Mysterious Island" is now home to giant crabs, bees, cephalopods, and Phororhacos. These creatures are explained as Captain Nemo's experiments in gigantism with which he hopes to feed the nations of the world. In a deeply humanitarian speech, Nemo professes hatred for the follies of war (quite unlike his literary nationalism) and paints a future of "big wheat, and sheep the size of cattle," where no nations suffer those economic dilemmas that inspire international aggressions. Contained on this DVD, additionally, is a fascinating hour-long documentary which should not be missed, chronicling the history of Ray Harryhausen and his art.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't beat the classics
Review: This movie is good for a vintage flick.
Rating:
Summary: One of the better Colombia Tri/Star DVDs....
Review: Well I can't say that Colombia/Tri-Star make the best DVD's. Sometimes they put really boring bonus features on the DVD and a lot of forgetable film trailers added to make up for the lack of bonus features, but the DVD of Mysterious Island is an exception. The print of the movie is very good. Rather exceptionle picture and sound quality, including an informative making of featurette hosted by Ray Harryhausen on how the movie was made. And also a bonus, hardly any boring film trailers were put on it. One of the better Colombia/Tri-Star DVDs.
Rating:
Summary: One of the better Colombia Tri/Star DVDs....
Review: Well I can't say that Colombia/Tri-Star make the best DVD's. Sometimes they put really boring bonus features on the DVD and a lot of forgetable film trailers added to make up for the lack of bonus features, but the DVD of Mysterious Island is an exception. The print of the movie is very good. Rather exceptionle picture and sound quality, including an informative making of featurette hosted by Ray Harryhausen on how the movie was made. And also a bonus, hardly any boring film trailers were put on it. One of the better Colombia/Tri-Star DVDs.
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