20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1997) USA
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Image Cover
Additional Images
Director:Richard Fleischer, Charles A. Nichols
Studio:Walt Disney Video
Writer:Jules Verne, Joe Wiesenfeld
Rating:4.5
Rated:G
Date Added:2006-03-27
ASIN:B00005JKU0
UPC:0786936192476
Price:$19.99
Awards:3 nominations
Genre:Costume Adventures
Release:2003-05-20
IMDb:0118247
Duration:127
Picture Format:Widescreen
Aspect Ratio:1.33 : 1
Sound:Dolby
Languages:English
Subtitles:English
Features:Anamorphic
DVD-Video
Live
2.55:1
Richard Fleischer, Charles A. Nichols  ...  (Director)
Jules Verne, Joe Wiesenfeld  ...  (Writer)
 
Kirk Douglas  ...  
James Mason  ...  
Paul Lukas  ...  
Peter Lorre  ...  
Robert J. Wilke  ...  
Richard Crenna  ...  Professor Aronnax
Ben Cross  ...  Captain Nemo
Julie Cox  ...  Sophie
Michael Jayston  ...  Admiral Sellings
Paul Gross  ...  Ned
Jeff Harding  ...  Captain Farragut
David Henry  ...  Scotia captain
James Vaughan  ...  Father
Susannah Fellows  ...  Mother
Joshua Brody  ...  Child
Peter Ellenshaw  ...  
Elmo Williams  ...  
Vincent Di Fate  ...  
Jess Liaudin  ...  A seaman
Comments: Evil is a silent hunter.

Summary: The swashbuckler genre bumped into science fiction in 1954 for one of Hollywood's great entertainments. The Jules Verne story of adventure under the sea was Walt Disney's magnificent debut into live-action films. A professor (Paul Lukas) seeks the truth about a legendary sea monster in the years just after the Civil War. When his ship is sunk, he, his aide (Peter Lorre), and a harpoon master (Kirk Douglas) survive to discover that the monster is actually a metal submarine run by Captain Nemo (James Mason). Along with the rollicking adventure, it's fun to see the future technology that Verne dreamed up in his novel, including diving equipment and sea farming. The film's physical prowess is anchored by the Nautilus, an impressive full-scale gothic submarine complete with red carpet and pipe organ. In the era of big sets, 20,000 Leagues set a precedent for films shot on the water and deservedly won Oscars for art direction and special effects. Lost in the inventiveness of the film and great set pieces including a giant squid attack are two great performances. Mason is the perfect Nemo, taut and private, clothed in dark fabric that counters the Technicolor dreamboat that is the beaming red-and-white-stripe-shirted Kirk Douglas as the heroic Ned Land. The film works as peerless family adventure nearly half a century later. --Doug Thomas