Barnes & Noble

For aficionados of literary adventure, it doesn't get much better than Jules Verne; for lovers of movie magic, Walt Disney is the man to beat. It's no surprise, then, that when Verne and Disney come together on the big screen, all bets are off. Film history was made in 1954 with the arrival of director Richard Fleischer's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the long-awaited Disney adaptation of Verne's underwater classic. Verne's story concerns an 18th-century mariner (Kirk Douglas) who is kidnapped on the high seas by Captain Nemo (James Mason), the mad pilot of a futuristic sub. A half century ago, this enthusiastically touted, high-megawatt extravaganza made waves within the industry for its grand scale and even grander production costs. But in the end, the efforts -- and the salaries -- paid off. The movie's still-breathtaking special effects -- which include, among other pitched battles, the famed hand-to-tentacle combat with a mammoth squid -- earned an Academy Award. Perfectionists take note: 20,000 Leagues took full advantage of all Cinemascope had to offer, and subsequent TV showings and video releases have chopped up the film's panoramic vistas. So go for the letterboxed editions where available, and find yourself a great big TV. Bruce Kluger

All Movie Guide

This 1954 Disney version of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea represented the studio's costliest and most elaborate American-filmed effort to date. Kirk Douglas plays a trouble-shooting 19th century seaman, trying to discover why so many whaling ships have been disappearing of late. Teaming with scientist Paul Lukas and diver Peter Lorre, Douglas sets sail to investigate--and is promptly captured by the megalomaniac Captain Nemo (James Mason), who skippers a lavish, scientifically advanced submarine. The film's special effects, including a giant squid, were impressive enough in 1954 to win an Academy Award. Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 786936786583
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO