Really Surprised!

Awesome Movie

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

After receiving as a gift a volcanic rock, which contains an important clue, an already famous geology professor sets out to Iceland, in order to find a supposed passage which might lead to the center of the earth. At the same time though, two other characters are on their way to find the same passage, in an attempt to gain instant fame.It's a movie based on a classic book by Jules Verne, which presents the fantastic journey to the center of the planet. Although starting a bit left footed, the characters dedicate a vast period of time for their travel, finding more and more miraculous places and beings along the way. It's plot and characters are very well made and described, along with several twists which are meant to increase the drama and interest. Although a bit predictable, but this is mostly because of the book I know, it manages to be a good watch until the end, even bringing a couple of unexpected moments along the way. What is to be mentioned though are the visual effects, which by today's standards are way too primitive, but they shouldn't be harshly judged. It looks decent for a film made about sixty years ago, but don't have high expectations from its visuals.Overall, I find it to be an enjoyable movie, with a deep retro felling which I like, which tells a classic story in its own unique way. It's a good watch for everybody who wants to relive a classic story, especially through an old film like this one.

One of these movies I wouldn't watch as a kid due to presence of giant reptiles posed as dinosaurs...However, it is just a laugh today, but quite a good movie about a professor wanting to know about the "Center of the Earth". Despite some opposition from one descendant of the first explorer, he and a team make quite a trek despite many countless perils.However, at the end, all ends well.Was at least something very good from this era, shot mostly on movie sets and exteriors on various locations (mainly California passing for Iceland).At least, Steven Spielberg did take notes to inspire some of his movies involving perils (like the Indiana Jones saga), and Pat Boone who did not regret to shoot this movie despite some reserves...Not a boring moment here on this journey...

Saw this film this week following Halliwell's review and since the premise of the story seemed interesting, albeit wondering how realistic a journey to the center of the earth could be made and how they would manage to insert 2 females in the plot. I respect the late Halliwell, but there's nothing watchable in this film. His 3-star films are mostly very good but this one is a duck, excuse me, a turkey, even trying to see the film through 1959 eyes. The film takes too long to get going and then it doesn't go anywhere. The actual story underground is very disappointing. Bernard Hermann's music is understandably closer to Jason and the Argonauts than to Vertigo or Citizen Kane, and James Mason is good, and tries his best, but these didn't mean much in this dreadful film, even with Charles Bracket in the writing credits.

In 1880, in Edinburgh, Professor Oliver S. Lindenbrook (James Mason) of the local university has been awarded with the title of "Sir" and his students have chipped in for a gift including a lava stone. Prof. Lindenbrook researches the lava and finds evidences that the scientist Saknussem sent it from the center of the Earth one hundred years ago. He sends his findings to his colleague Prof. Peter Göteborg of Stockholm to endorse his research. But soon he finds that Prof. Göteborg has betrayed him and traveled to Iceland to organize an expedition to the center of the Earth. Prof. Lindenbrook travels with his protégée Alexander "Alec" McKuen (Pat Boone) to Iceland to organize his own expedition, and he discovers that Prof. Göteborg was murdered by Count Saknussem (Thayer David) that wants to protect the discovery of his ancestor. Prof. Lindenbrook and Alec are forced to team-up with the widow Carla Göteborg (Arlene Dahl) and the strong local Hans Belker (Peter Ronson) that brings his duck Gertrude with him. The group goes to a volcano that is the entrance to the center of the Earth in the beginning of their amazing and dangerous journey."Journey to the Center of the Earth" is an enjoyable family entertainment based on the novel by Jules Verne. The effects and scenarios are impressive for a 1959 movie and it is funny to see the behavior of the women in that time, screaming and totally vulnerable. The duck Gertrude is responsible for most of the funniest parts of this movie and her tragic fate was absolutely unnecessary. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Viagem ao Centro da Terra" ("Journey to the Center of the Earth")