Rating: 
Summary: Better than it has any right to be!
Review: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH -- given that among its stars is Pat Boone, and among its special effects are live lizards with rubber fins attached -- is a far better movie than one would expect, even today. It appeared about a year after special effects extravaganza 7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD, and about a year before the enlarged-lizard silliness with Claude Raines, Jill St. John, and Fernando Lamas in a remake of the THE LOST WORLD -- and yet JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH still works pretty well as entertainment for today's audience. Of course, JOURNEY also was a product of the heyday of some of the successful Disney live-action family adventures, which this movie probably most closely resembles. JOURNEY has a good story and some interesting music going for it -- and this is probably the only film using live lizards as dinosaurs where the lizards, with sails atop their backs, actually look something like the dimetrodons they are supposed to represent (if a bit too large). Even Pat Boone is good in this movie, as is pretty much everyone else. James Mason is ideal and at least as well cast as he was in 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, and when a redhead lady in a girdle, a Swede with no lines, a goose, and a dastardly villain play your emotions with equal success (and no snickering), you know someone has gotten the tone right. The widescreen and color are excellent. The DVD presentation manages to preserve the color well, by the way (the movie has a rather wondrously gaudy look, for a film that takes place mostly in caves (!), and the Technicolor seems to have been well preserved). In short, a film that is audacious in scope from a time that produced a number of movies that seem dated today holds up surprisingly well and is still a fun adventure diversion.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent classic fun
Review: Although it deviates (!) from Verne's story, this film is a classic. James Mason does his usual outstanding acting -- for once as a good guy rather than a villain -- and there's a good bit of humour, not least provided by Pat Boone as one of Mason's students. Suspend disbelief for an afternoon and watch this light romp. Rated 'G' for sure.
Rating:
Summary: ...And featuring Gertrude, our intrepid girl stunt duck
Review: I really do have to say that the Dvd-drive in review did not fully give this film justice even with its glowing review. The special effects are still incredible (yes, except for those lizards, but more about that later) and the sets were flawless and fake in a Wonka sorta way which lent a wonderful real/unreal quality to the film. By now you know everything about this film from the other reviews, so I'll not take up your time to restate what they said. A great family film it is because it's enough to keep the adults riveted with the plotline and enough to keep the kids riveted by the visuals. I would've given this film 5 stars, however, but do keep in mind that this film does feature a couple iguanas being mistreated so I've had to deduct a star- not exactly a PETA friendly flick. But it ain't Cannibal Ferox so go with it and have yourself a blast!!
Rating:
Summary: Classic SCI-FI
Review: I love this movie. I watched it many times as a kid and even though some of the effects are a bit dated by today's standards, the sets are great and there is still the sense of mystery and adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Colourful Adventure Film
Review: "Journey To The Center Of The Earth" was a big hit when released in theatres in 1959, and it's easy to see why. This is a good, old-fashioned adventure story from that great pioneer of sci-fi/fantasy story-telling--Jules Verne. First of all, the movie looks gorgeous, and much work was put into restoring its glory for DVD. One of the extras demonstrates the difference between old video versions and the DVD in terms of picture quality--the contrast is stunning. The sound is also excellent for a film of this age and, with Bernard Herrmann's memorable score, this is important. The sets and matte paintings are top-notch, as we follow our heroes ( and a villain ) through a maze of caverns, deeper into the earth. Many obstacles are waiting for them, and there is a sense of excitement throughout. Special effects are fine for the time--years before computers and digital tricks took over--and the dimetrodon attack is justifiably famous. In terms of performances, the late James Mason towers over this movie--his enthusiastic, take-charge performance really gives this film the lift it needs. Pat Boone ? I'm sorry--good looking guy, popular singer at the time--but as an actor, he is as dynamic as a bowl of vanilla pudding. Giving him top billing over James Mason is ridiculous. Leading lady, Arlene Dahl, is fine--the way she comes out of these underground escapades looking gorgeous, is quite a feat ! The plot deviates substantially from Verne's original novel, and of course there are many liberties taken with true science ! However,the idea here is to "go with the flow", and have a good time. Some younger viewers might think that this movie takes too long before the action starts, but hopefully they will find it worth the wait ! Again this was one of the last major films from a decade where sci-fi/fantasy films blossomed. If you like the genre, this lovely DVD definitely belongs in your collection.
Rating:
Summary: The New DVD Journey
Review: Let no one doubt that this is a great classic film and although modified from the original book, it presents the story well and is extremely entertaining. The new DVD has some background lighting irregularities of contrasting brightness/darkening that tends to take away from this film's great color presentation, but in consideration of the age and existant recordings, it is a decent restoration. The best restorations I have seen are "The Time Machine" and "Vertigo" and this one could have used those staffers because it deserves it. The Bernard Hermann score is unforgettable and constitutes one of his best works, having a similarity to his "Day the Earth Stood Still" (a few music pieces cut from this movie, "diamonds" in particular are extremely similar to the music used in "Journey') and deep organ tones are added for atmosphere. The movie has charm. From 1880 Scotland to Icelandic geology and the subsequent underground scenes it impresses the eye and articulates the hazards of uncharted exploration. The film is also unusually reverent, a quality lacking in films made today. SAFE for children to watch.
Rating:
Summary: A Family Classic
Review: The movie is a lot of fun--lots of action, humor, music, and adventure. James Mason adds plenty of gravitas to his role as the Professor, and Pat Boone acquits himself surprisingly well with a bare chest and a Scottish brogue. Gertrude the duck's entrance is priceless. Our entire family enjoyed the film and our children, who are easily jaded by modern action movies, watch it over and over. The DVD restoration, by the way, is first rate.
Rating:
Summary: Finally! Thank you 20th Century-Fox!
Review: Excellent transfer of a movie I have loved since I went to the movie theatre to watch it.
The DVD is impeccable. Fully restored picture, excellent sound and a few extras included.
James Mason and Pat Boone are at their best in this movie, based on Jules Verne's classic adventure tale.
If you like adventure-fantasy movies, then this one is certainly for you.
They certainly don't make them as they used to.
Buy it. It's well worth the money.
For the entire family...
Rating:
Summary: Better then The Core. Much better.
Review: As Hollywood throws more and more CGI effects pictures at us, the more hollow, they seem to be with their short non-existent scripts casted by bad actors who play cardboard characters. The more movies in the past look better and better all the time. Case in point being Journey To The Center Of The Earth. A movie that has aged very well and still has some of the best visual effects done on dinosaurs. I can't say enough about this movie except that James Mason leads a steller cast of actors who do good jobs with their roles. The screenplay was well written and the movie's atomoshere of traveling to an underground world is enhanced even more so by Bernard Herrmann's music. I tend to place Journey To the Center of The Earth in the same catagory of good science fiction/fantasy films as Star Wars and Jurassic Park.
Rating: 
Summary: Dolby Surround-Sound Magic
Review: A 19th century French businessman, Jules Verne decided rather late in life to give up the stock market and write children's fantasy novels. I'm so glad he did. The movie version of his "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", in 1954, set off an explosion of major Jules Verne film adaptions(over 12 movies in 10 years). One of the finest was "Journey to the Center of the Earth". As the story opens, an Edinburgh professor receives a gift; a meteorite fragment from his student. Intuition fires Prof. Lindenbrook's imagination: Could an historic scientific message be hidden inside? After testing, the rock explodes. Lindenbrook assembles an expedition to follow an explorer's trail down into an extinct Icelandic volcano. Enemies surround him. Mysterious creatures are everywhere. For Prof. Lindenbrook and his party, a fantastic adventure is about to begin. "Journey to the Center of the Earth" stars Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, Thayer David, Alan Napier, and the magnificent James Mason. But the real "star" is composer Bernard Herrmann, who's thundering, booming film score is nothing short of classic(and actually, only one of many). Director Henry Levin fashioned a lively, colorful saga in 1959's "Journey to the Center of the Earth". Extensive shooting in Hollywood, Scotland, and Carlsbad Caverns produced sweeping set-pieces of subterranean caverns, a giant mushroom forest, and even the lost temples of Atlantis. Special effects include miniature constructions, matte painting, and more. Sadly, the film's main draw-back is a horde of painted lizard "dinosaurs" thrown at the camera in the exciting finale. This brand new widescreen anamorphic (2.35:1) DVD is an excellent transfer. Fox found the original 1959 camera negative worn and faded. A search for viable film elements led to a black-and-white silver print; from this came a 35mm interpositive. Finally came digital restoration and video enhancement. DVD extras include 40 chapter stops, 8 trailers, and a conclusive restoration documentary. Famous and wealthy in his time, Jules Verne predicted the future use of submarines, space-travel, and crustaceous exploration. Over 80 motion picture and TV productions around the world have heralded his work. The first science-fiction movie was made in 1902 by George Melies. And yes, you're right. It was written by Jules Verne.
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