20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
Adventure | Drama | Family | Sci-Fi

Based on Jules Verne's Book - A Timeless Sci-Fi Adventure

For the first time ever, you can enjoy this timeless classic in a Special Edition DVD. Fully restored to look and sound as it was originally intended, it also features hours of exclusive bonus materials your entire family will enjoy again and again.

Climb aboard theiNautilus...and intoia strange undersea world of spellbinding adventure! Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas and Peter Lorre starias shipwrecked survivors taken captive by the mysterious Captain Nemo, brilliantly portrayed by James Mason. Wavering between genius and madness, Nemo has launched a deadly crusade across the seven seas. But can the captive crew expose his evil plan before he destroys the world?

Disney's brilliant Academy Award-winning adaptation of Jules Verne's gripping tale makes 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea a truly mesmerizing masterpiece!

User Comment: zetes Madison, WI • When I was 13, I visited Disney World as a present for my graduation from elementary school. I was already too old, and I was rather annoyed at most of it. Particularly annoying was the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It had the longest line and, when I finally got on the ride, it was utterly boring. It also takes longer than all of the other rides, as well. Well, the movie on which the ride is based is fortunately much more fun (and you could probably watch it thrice in a row from the time you step into the ride's line up to the moment you get back off the thing!). It's actually one of the best films Disney ever put its name on, counting both live action and animation. In fact, the only one I can think of off hand that I definitely prefer is Mary Poppins. A good deal of 20,000's success can probably be found in Jules Verne's novel. I have a feeling that a lot of the dialogue and plot were left intact (I know some of it was changed). The script and dialogue are enormously literate. Disney films rarely (if ever) express this much intelligence and depth. It would only equal half the movie, though, if the lead actors weren't aboard. Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre, and James Mason are at their bests here. Douglas and Mason in particular give stellar performances (Lukas' character is more of an observer and Lorre is, well, Lorre, but both have great scenes). Douglas plays Ned Land, a harpooner and the sole survivor of a ship's crew which was attacked by the Nautilaus. He's energetic and funny, and he also effectively communicates his dilemma as someone who has no real purpose on the ship, and is thus disposable. Heck, Kirk even sings a great song, believe it or not! Mason plays Captain Nemo, a character that became so archetypical afterwards that he might seem somewhat cliche to some. But Mason has some of the most amazing line readings. Richard Fleischer's direction is quite good. The film also benefits from an obviously enormous budget, as the production values are awe-inspiring. Take for example a scene in which the Nautilaus begins to sink. We see various bolts burst and pipes bend. We see the details when they repair the ship. And the giant squid attack is actually quite well done. The special effect technology is a bit crude at the time (a goofy rubber shark thankfully only appears in one shot), but the squid's enormous tentacles look and move realistically, or at least as realistically as one can demand for a film from this period. I'm telling you, don't ignore this movie just because Disney produced it and you can only get it in one of those giant plastic retard cases. It's a great, great film. 10/10.

Summary: Underrated masterpiece

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