Customer Reviews

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Any interpretation of Jules Verne's novel will have limitations. Mostly, this is due to the fact that our images of his fantastic technologies are colored by our own experience with what would be his future. Thus, the inside of the Nautilus becomes cheesy (the 1950s Disney version), or too close to reality (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). This film, however, does a good job of tempering Verne's own time with ours. The ships in the film look very period - including the Nautilus.

Moreover, the story line itself, while modified, does a good job of portraying the complexity of Nemo's character, leaving the viewer (like Professor Aronnax) torn between admiration and disdain. Yet, this is a television version - thus we see romance and jealousy introduced into the story. Instead of a faithful servent, the Professor is accompanied by his beautiful daughter (Julie Cox), leading to contention between Nemo and the whaler Ned Land. If you are a purist, the story changes may be aggravating.

Where this film excels is in the visuals. Aside from the previously mentioned ships, the underwater shots are great. My kids really enjoyed the shots of the sea life - cuttlefish, tangs, rays - and were drawn into Nemo's underwater world.

While aspects of the movie were not true to Verne's original tale (and how many are), I found it an entertaining movie. Moreover, my kids really liked the movie, and wanted to read about Captain Nemo after the movie was over. I would recommend this DVD. While my rating is 3 stars, I would give it 3.5 if I could.

1997 saw two, count 'em, two TV versions of the classic Jules Verne adventure "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." The least literate, this version tosses out much of Verne's loftier discussions of Victorian science and philosophy and replaces them with watered-down romance of the drugstore bookrack variety. Ben Cross is a stone-cold Nemo (how sadly far we've come from James Mason's tortured nobleman in the 1954 Disney version), skulking about his steel-plated creation, the Nautilus, with a seemingly nameless and faceless crew. Into his nomadic existence comes a group of castaways, led by the sympathetic, if tired-looking Richard Crenna as marine biologist Pierre Arronax. There's also a joyless love-story between Nemo and Arronax's outspoken daughter (not featured in the book) that struggles to add emotional fireworks, but simply results in a lurching distraction from the main plot about Nemo's quest for an end to war and human strife. Hammy acting by the supporting cast will make you feel like this is a movie aimed at kids, even with the story's darker overtones. About the only aspects of the film that rise above mediocrity are the production values and special effects. Though this Nautilus is nowhere near as imaginative as the Disney version, it is more faithful to the submarine described in the book, and overall, the look of the film is suitably impressive. Still, fans of Jules Verne will likely appreciate the 1954 film version more, even if poor Kirk Douglas is forced to sing. (The other TV version, by the way, with the usually likeable Michael Caine isn't much better; dark and murky, it bogs down under the weight of its pychobabble script.)

In my 40 years, there have been about 3 movies that I walked out of. My wife and the thought of writing this review is the only reason this poor excuse for a movie wasn't the fourth. Other than havine a submarine and a captain named Nemo, this movie had nothing to do with the book. Nemo now appears to be a righteous Middle Eastern terrorist of sorts whose kingdom was robbed from him by the "Armies of the West". He is smitten with the professor's daughter, who of course is in love with the no good harpoonist who I am sure will provide for her needs wonderfully and be very supportive of her future research efforts. Nemo of course keeps the submarine well stocked with makeup, hairdryers, curlers, and dresses, but inexplicably our heroine only manages to find one dress worth wearing for the entire voyage. Incidentally, the crew is all dressed in uniforms constructed from the silk of some exotic shellfish, unfortunately, the producers couldn't be bothered to show the room containing the first operational deep sea weaving loom for making a variety of fine silk fabrics while cruising beneath the waves. Amazingly, Ned the harpoonist is now the only man on the ship with enough testosterone to throw a harpoon into a sea monster. I have a newfound respect for the lifetime of learning it must take to be able to properly through a spear into a large animal at the mind boggling distance of "four harpoon lengths". Also, you'll be intrigued to know that Nemo no longer wrestles with the giant squid, but the new monster du jour is a "proto-leviathan" created to prove the theory of "static evolution". Proto-Leviathans apparently look like a giant manta ray, swim at 5000 fathoms beneath the ocean, and somehow manage to keep their mouth full of air while attempting to swallow their underwater prey.

If you long for bad dialog on the level of "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes", bad science on the level of "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes", and plot holes big enough for a blue whale to swim through, this is the movie for you. Don't hesitate! Click buy it now! I laughed through the entire movie, despite the fact that I don't believe the scriptwriter put a single joke in the movie!

Hallmark's version of Jules' Verne's , 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is entertaining, but suffers from the producer's need to rewrite the story to entertain the widest possible audience. The character of Conseil was dropped to add a love interest in the form of Arronax's daughter, Sophie. The squid is gone too- replaced by a monsterous, star wars universe, creature known as a "proto-leviatian". Though lavish by tv-movie standards, it's obvious that the budget was tight for such an ambitious project. The characters are adequate, but are too modern in speech and character- Ned Land in particular is just your average jock spouting
such lines as, "whatever." Of particular interest is the Nautilus- the production designer did his homework and attempts to put a true Verne
version on the screen, complete with retractable steering house and
triangular ram. Unfortuately, darn little of this is seen onscreen and it would have been nice to have been given a minor tour- though the budget may have killed this. Inside the sub is too modern-and probably
way too large compared to exterior views. The diving shots are nice and try and convey the beauty of the ocean. Anyone familiar with a produce section will recognize some very obvious squash and oranges the divers pluck from the sea floor amid some common variety silk plants! Still, enhanced by a nice music score, it's a nice ride- but if you're only going once- go with the Disney version.

Ben Cross and Richard Crenna are both fine actors. I am never afraid to check out a movie when either one is involved.
Unfortunately, they are not given the proper support from the writer or the director. This movie covers the basics from the book and Crenna and Cross put in fine performances. However, the story is spotty at best and the monsters are borderline ridiculous. Julie Cox (good lord, those eyes!) puts in a decent but largely two-dimensional performance as Aronnox' daughter, an added character that provided romantic tension between Ned Land and Nemo.
Not a bad movie, but I'd rather you check out the Michael Caine version produced at around the same time.

I didn't think this movie was as bad as most of the negative reviews here. (But then I admit to being easily entertained when it comes to movies:-)). The movie doesn't have the big screen appeal of the original, perhaps, but for a made for TV movie I thought it was okay. The detractors are right about many of the changes from the original--the professor's daughter rather than his servant accompanies him, providing fodder for the love triangle between Nemo, Ned Land, and the daughter, which was all too predictable. The Nautilus itself isn't as striking as the sleek, sinister-looking original with its buzz-saw-like snout, this one looking more like a gigantic, super-size burrito tapered at one end with a prop at the stern. But the interior of the ship is where this version of the Nautilus shines, with nice interior visuals, including striking views of the captain's quarters and library with the many impressive books, and the nice circular viewing windows in each room, a stylish touch, I thought.

Also, it was good to see Richard Crenna is still working. I hadn't seen him in a movie in 20, maybe 30 years. It was good to see him again, and in a decent role. Cross plays a less flamboyant but equally credible Captain Nemo than James Mason, bringing a quiet intensity and thoughfulness to the role. There's the obligatory SCUBA walk on the ocean floor with beautiful cinematography of a tropical reef and fish, and Ned Land falls into a hole and barely makes it back to the ship in time. This didn't happen in the original, either, if I remember right (having read it 40 years ago). But again, it was okay. The actor who plays Captain Farragut, Nemo's nemesis, was also good, but I can't recall his name. He has the sort of "historical" looks that would make him perfect for a Civil War movie, so he fits right in here as the man determined to catch the elusive Nemo. The exciting original scene with the Kraken is replaced by an attack by a huge "proto-leviathan," an enormous, primitive sea creature that the professor has theorized existed but no one had ever seen until now. In the end, Nemo lets the three go and he and his crew and his ship disappear, never to be seen again.

Overall, not a great flick compared to the original, but at only a little over 90 minutes, still decent and something quick that you could knock off in one short sitting. I still enjoyed it despite its not being in the same class as the original flick.

Without writing you a novel, let me just say this film is terrible. Below are a few reasons why I equate "terrible" with this Allumination/Hallmark version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

(1) If this film was meant to accurately tell Jules Verne's novel, the viewer would never know it. For starters, "Where is Conseil?" "Why a daughter to Professor Aronnax?" and "Why pit Captain Nemo against Ned Land to win the love of Sophia (Aronnax's daughter)?"

(2) If the viewers are supposed to feel sorry for Captain Nemo, they won't. When Captain Nemo sinks Admirable Farragut's ship, I felt sorry for the Admirable and his crew. [In short, Captain Nemo reminds me of a demented terrorist.]

(3) To include a "love story," this film leaves out many of the most exciting parts of Jules Verne's novel, replacing them with Proto-Leviathans.

(4) The wardrobe was POOR (and who heard of silk uniforms). There were many inconsistencies between reality and what was shown on screen including the occasion where only Ned Land's harpoon (being thrown into the Proto-Leviathan) could save them from dying from lack of oxygen.

In short, the Disney version (and even the ABC version with Michael Caine and Patrick Dempsey) is better than this horrible film.

I have to be honest I only watched the first ten minutes of this hunk of junk. I ussually will soldier through a movie if I have put my money into it, but I could not watch this. It's the first movie I've ever seen that truly does blow harder than water shooting out of a whales blow hole.

This version of "20,000 Leauges Under the Sea" is very inventive. Almost like a totally new story based on Jules Verne's book. I personally love this version too. It's creative and so enjoyable to watch. I love the action and struggle between good and evil. The quest to try to be close to perfect, caring and understanding too all creation. It has some great themes. I also love how they added the romance between Professor Arronax's daughter and Captain Nemo and Ned Land. It's very sweet and endearing. Captain Nemo is very romantic in this version and more caring. But there's also penty of the original story in it, the main theme is there for freedom and trying to fight humanities injustice's to each other and create a better understanding and more compassionare world. The scene were Ned fights the sea monster is neat. I recommend this movie to all ages. It's am adventure and an exciting film.
I'd also highly recommend the 1950's film with James Mason and Kirk Douglas. The Disney version.

The Jules Verne classic book is copied again on tape. The stars are Richard Crenna, Ben Cross, and the eccentric Julie Cox. It is not the worst version, and I am sure the Crayola Kids version is a lot worse than this. Arronax joins an expedition to find the thing that has been attacking many ships. The daughter beseeches the guy to have her go, and she disguises herself as a boy to get on. Okay, you have to act like a normal cool teenager to do that, not talk about sex as the main subject. The rest is mostly like the book, except there is some kind of other beast instead of a squid. The subplot ain't alienish, but "she" sure doesn't act normal in the submarine. So, try to enjoy the sea theme and ignore the subplot.