Unlike my last Flashback, here’s one that the whole family can enjoy. You kids have probably seen the newer remake of this film with Brendan Fraser, but I’m taking ya’ll back to 1959 with this sci-fi original based on the classic Jules Verne story – JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. The astounding actor James Mason plays Sir Oliver S. Lindenbrook, and professor that wants to follow an explorer’s notes that show how to travel to a deep underground world. He was accompanied by his daughter, his assistant Alec, and Hans and his pet duck. Their aim was to beat their unscrupulous rival, Count Saknussem, played by Thayer David. He was a proper villain for this film. I remember the line he delivered when asked by Mason’s character if he was going to get some sleep, “I hate Sleep, those little slices of death.”
For the time that this film came out, it had extravagant sets that I’m sure Verne would have been proud of. They also did several super-imposed shots with lizards looking like giant killer reptiles. It’s another classic movie that people would catch on a Saturday or Sunday Afternoon Movie back in the day. But I believe this and other 50s and 60s fantasy films hold up fairly well today, considering.
The film also starred Diane Baker, Pat Boone and Peter Ronson.
image source: dailygrindhouse.com
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