Rating: Summary: Entertaining Sci-Fi Film Worthy of Praise Review: Despite a number of harsh criticisms, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is a thoughtful and entertaining sci-fi film with an intelligent premise. When the submarine Seaview discovers a strange, burning sky over the Arctic with temperatures unusually warm, its crew learns that the Van Allen Radiation Belt surrounding the earth has somehow caught fire, threatening to roast the earth unless something can be done to stop it. With temperatures around 170 degrees and communications with Washington cut off, Admiral Nelson (played nicely by Walter Pidgeon) orders the Seaview to the North Pole, with the intention of firing a nuclear missile as a solution to the ensuing catastrophe. Unfortunately, Captain Crane (Robert Sterling) and most of the crew are at odds with the Admiral's intentions. Attempted mutiny follows, while enemy subs, giant sea creatures, and sabouteurs try to foil the mission. Peter Lorre swims in a shark tank, Barbara Eden dances to Frankie Avalon's trumpet, and Michael Ansara plays the religious fanatic. While nowhere in the realm of the sci-fi classics, this is, nonetheless, a colorful and entertaining film with good acting (from most of the cast) and good special effects - a worthy and necessary inclusion in any serious sci-fi collection.
Rating: Summary: Barbara Eden and Frankie Avalon Review: Fantastic voyage is a real imaginative picture. A group of scientists will make a weird voyage , in the deep of the human body . They have just a hour to win in this dramatic mission. They are sent through the blood current and they will have to minimize and destroy a serious damage in the brain of an eminent personality. This film sooner or later will be remade . I don't have any doubt about. But the challenge to win this original film is hard to reach. The script , the dramatic tension along this tour de force , the amazing inside locations around the lungs , heart brain and optycal nervous are first rate! plus the incredible cast: Artur O Donell , Edmund O'brien , Stephen Boyd , Donald Pleasence and the unforgettable and seductive beauty Raquel Welch give this film of Richard Fleisher two thumbs up about the top ten gem sci fi pictures , because he would make five years after Soylent Green another must in your collection. Watch this movie . A permanent triumph and a gorgeous visual experience!.
Rating: Summary: What a pair! Review: Fantastic Voyage was always a cool movie, but the reason for my purchase of this set is Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea. While it's not as much fun as the classic TV show, it's a grand example of Irwin Allen at his best. The cast is watchable and the effects still hold up. It's fast paced and fascinating. I only wish Fox would release the TV series as well. You haven't seen Voyage until you see the TV cast do their stuff. Richard Basehart blows Walter Pidgeon out of the water.Great stuff!
Rating: Summary: As Much As I Love the Enterprise.... Review: I always thought that the coolest fictional "ship" ever created was the Seaview. With its window-paned bow and sleek dolphin-like lines, this craft moved smoothly through the ocean. Yeah, the storyline has something to do with putting out a fire in the Van Allen Radiation Belt surrounding the Earth and the subsequent sabotage of the crew's plans. But, all this is irrelevant as the viewer just sits back and watches the Seaview. Too bad the military hasn't caught on to the design. Perhaps, enlistment in the Navy would increase if they had such a "tight" sub!
Rating: Summary: I'm Impressed! Review: I just received this DVD in the mail and I was so impressed with the picture quality, I had to write a review. I have several other DVD's of older movies that do not come close to the picture clarity that Voyage/Fantastic do. I almost expected to see a grainy picture with a few flakes of snow now and then. But to see the picture in this clarity is great. Not to mention that the movies are two of the best all time classics. If you watched either of these movies when you were a kid, like me, you will not be disappointed with this double feature.
Rating: Summary: A great science fiction movie, lots of action, fun Review: I loved this movie and have watched it over and over. It is scientific nonsense, but who cares. Walter Pigeon as Admiral Nelson was excellent. However Joan Fontaine as Dr Hiller was a real pain. Of course, letting the shark eat her was a real nasty overkill, . Barbara Eden was the real female star(with the largest female part,very feminine and likeable).She would have been principal star if she had had more seniority in movies then. She was great as was her real life husband Michael Ansara (Alvarez). Totally enjoyable. A classic.
Rating: Summary: One minor classic and another "entertainment" Review: I suppose you could contrast one as trash vs. treasure. This double bill features Irwin Allen's version of science fiction. The story is suspensful if you're 8-12 years old but most folks would recognize the story is improable. Voyage has more in common with Star Wars than with science fiction. The effects work by L. B. Abbott are standard for the time. The most difficult part about working water is that you can't miniaturize water droplets. The cast isn't really given a heck of a lot to do. Again,if you've seen Lost in Space or even the television series of Voyage (which I thought was better--it had no pretentions about being anything other than a 60's version of the serials). Fantastic Voyage is another matter. Although far from flawless, it has a cold war era story that's memorable. It's a melding of James Bond and sf. There are story flaws (although the oxygen molecules in the ship were miniaturized with the sub, those coming from the patient's lungs would be too large for them to breath)and the characters aren't very well developed, but it's a fun journey. The effects (again by L. B. Abbott and his crew)are more effective because we're dealing with a "landscape" we've never seen from a bacteria's point of view. There aren't any extras to speak of but this is a fun double feature. One person's trash is another person's treasure. In this case you get both for the price of one. Voyage is trashy fun while Fantastic is a fairly well constructed piece of 60's science fiction. Although not as well written as Planet of the Apes (which would follow two years later), 2001 or even Soylent Green, FV is still fun. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 2 stars/Fantastic Voyage 3 1/2.
Rating: Summary: Format Review: I've always liked this movie,but I wish it were in widescreen, and on DVD. Perhaps with behind the scenes footage,and how it became a TV series.
Rating: Summary: the Movie was Better then the TV show. Review: If we count the movie "Voyage To the Bottom Of The Sea" as seperate from the television series that came later, then it is an all right piece of science fiction on film. The design of the Seaview still looks pretty impressive even by modern submarine standards. The special effects are better then what you would have generally seen in a early 1960's science fiction film, the sets constructed looked fairly good, and the underwater photography was also up to par. The real stars in this movies are the actors; Walter Piegon, Barbara Eden, Robert Sterling, Peter Lourie, Frankie Avolon, and the others. They did a pretty good job in the film. It's entertaining and watchable. That's about it. But so much of Allen's later work on film and television was so forgetable. This movie was one of his better works.
Rating: Summary: the Movie was Better then the TV show. Review: If we count the movie "Voyage To the Bottom Of The Sea" as seperate from the television series that came later, then it is an all right piece of science fiction on film. The design of the Seaview still looks pretty impressive even by modern submarine standards. The special effects are better then what you would have generally seen in a early 1960's science fiction film, the sets constructed looked fairly good, and the underwater photography was also up to par. The real stars in this movies are the actors; Walter Piegon, Barbara Eden, Robert Sterling, Peter Lourie, Frankie Avolon, and the others. They did a pretty good job in the film. It's entertaining and watchable. That's about it. But so much of Allen's later work on film and television was so forgetable. This movie was one of his better works.
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