Rating: 
Summary: If You're A Vernian Fan
Review: I first saw this film when I was a kid at the Colony Theatre in south Chicago in the early 60's. Loved it ever since. Disney did an excellent recreation of the Nautilus- both inside and out. The interior camera shots were actual "cabin" size in proportion to the vessel itself. The pipe organ was recorded at the UA sound studios- and yes, James Mason really IS playing it. The giant squid shoot was a marvel of technology for 1954 hydraulics- this being filmed in a huge tank. By all means, go on this wonderful voyage brought to you by the "fore-seer of things to come, Jules Verne- and Walt Disney.
Rating: 
Summary: Lavishly produced classic of the famouus Jules verne novel.
Review: Made with care and attention to detail, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is a recognized genre classic and boasts top-notch performances by James Mason as the mentally tortured Captain Nemo and Kirk Douglas as the happy-go-lucky Ned Land. The art direction, set design and special effects are of the highest order and hold up well today, more than 40 years after the film was made.The eye-popping wonder of the film is the submarine "Nautilus", a triumph of cinematic design. From it's rivited, faceted hull to it's alligator-like conning tower to it's well designed interior sets, the "Nautilus" is a vibrant, believable vessel that does much to suspend audience disbelief. James Mason's portrayal of the spirit-tortured Captain Nemo is one of the high points of this prolific, dignified actor's career. His enigmatic, mysterious Nemo is a driven character who is guilt stricken by his deeds but helpless in the face of the impulses that drive him to commit them. The plot is only loosely based on the Verne book and much has been deleted or changed from it, but the film makers wisely avoided the addition of a female love interest that was common to many later movie adaptations of Verne and Wells. Sadly, the VHS version is not offered in the widescreen format and it deletes the portions of the image seen at both edges of the screen. For someone who has seen the movie in a theater, this is especially noticable on the interior sets. Still, any tape version is better than none at all and the picture and sound quality are good. Perfect for family viewing, "20,000 Leagues" offers much for adults as well as children. A must-have classic.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-See!
Review: Just after the Civil War,a ship is sent to investigate mysterious sinkings by a "Sea Monster(in reality, an advanced submarine)". The ship is attacked by the submarine Nautilus, commanded by Capt. Nemo. The redoubtable Capt. Nemo destroys ammunition cargo ships to satisfy his anti-war agenda. Capt. Nemo: "Think of it. On the surface there is hunger and fear. Men still exercise unjust laws. They fight, tear one another to pieces. A mere few feet beneath the waves their reign ceases, their evil drowns. Here on the ocean floor is the only independence. Here I am free!" Based on Jules Verne's 1870 novel, 2-time Academy-Award-winner "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is Walt Disney's 1954 Technicolor Cinemascope triumph. Directed by Richard Fleischer, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was filmed in Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Hollywood. It features an international cast of screen legends including Oscar winner Paul Lukas, Kirk Douglas, James Mason, and Peter Lorre. This dual-disc DVD is a rich anamorphic transfer, with an eye-popping 2.55:1 aspect ratio and a newly remastered, THX-enhanced Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The movie has commentary featuring film historian Rudy Behlmer, and a 97-minute documentary with interviews with 88-year-old Kirk Douglas. There's more! There are five more featurettes, a Donald Duck cartoon, two galleries of production stills, unused undersea animation, audio clips, bio/filmographies, and literally an entire sea-chest more of extras and goodies. The documentary contains one error. Disney's true first all-live-action feature was 1950's "Treasure Island". In "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", James Mason is simply electric as the enigmatic anti-hero Nemo; a lonely madman whose only cause is vengance. Curiously, the Greek word for Nemo is "no one". They don't make movies like this anymore. Maybe they never did...
Rating:
Summary: An amazing special edition of a great classic!
Review: Ever since I was a child, no other Disney film has captivated me quite like this classic. In my opinion this is one of James Mason's best performances (along with "Odd Man Out") & Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, & Paul Lukas are perfectly cast. Even after 50 years, the special effects are wonderful. I was so excited when this dvd was released because my old vhs copy was worn out. The special features on this dvd are amazing & I've never seen so many documentaries on a special edition before. This is like a "Criterion Collection" dvd of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" at half the cost! The movie has been beautifully restored & you simply won't find a better Disney classic anywhere. I recommend you buy this soon before Disney puts it in their freekin' vault!
Rating:
Summary: A Great DVD of a Great Film
Review: Like many of the other reviewers of this movie, I'm a pre-boomer who was dazzled by the film as a child. Somewhere in my aging mom's attic, I have a few bolts (painted wood) from the movie set of the Nautilus, which I "borrowed" from one of the Disney properties as a kid nearly a half century ago. I remember taking a bus from LA to Burbank to stare through the slats of the fence in the back lot of the Disney Studios and seeing a partial model of the Nautilus, perhaps 1/3 scale, tossed in a corner like so much debris. What I would have given to be able to drag that model home. When I viewed the VHS version of this film a couple of years ago, I was bitterly disappointed by the poor quality which made the watching experience actually painful to a fan like me. But, let me tell you, this DVD is as thrilling as the VHS was painful. This fully-restored version of the film comes roaring back to life in all of its glory and then some. It's the best film restoration these old eyes have ever beheld. Watched on a state-of-the-art widescreen TV, this is every bit the experience it was in the '50's and I think it's wonderful that this great film is now preserved for the ages, just as it was when it was first released. Is this a perfect movie? No. Even as a kid, I noticed that the background music was too cheesy, that Kirk Douglas's songs seemed gratuitous, that the fish swimming outside the large porthole were cartoonish, and that the electrically-illuminated eye of the Giant Squid made an otherwise perfect special effect look a bit fake. I'm just as puzzled by those weaknesses today as I was then, especially since all other aspects of the film, including the numerous, Oscar-winning special effects involving the Nautilus, are masterful. But no movie is perfect and this movie, minor warts and all, is nothing less than a memorial to the genius of Disney, the acting of James Mason, the passion of the Disney staff, and the vision of Jules Verne.
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