Jules Verne on Film: A Filmography of the Cinematic Adaptations of His Works, 1902 through 1997 [Paperback]

Thomas C. Renzi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0786419660 | ISBN-13: 978-0786419661

Jules Verne—Voila!—is a name that resonates with visions of fantastic adventures and images of exotic exploits. In his voyages extraordinaires, the noted French author integrates his encyclopedic knowledge of science and geography with his ability to tell fascinating and entertaining tales, taking his readers on unprecedented journeys across the globe, into the earth, and out into space. This revered writer, who with his boundless imagination had hoped to contribute substantially to the world of letters, has surpassed that expectation to become coincidentally a significant influence on film.

This comprehensive filmography not only offers an incisive analysis of Verne’s epic creations, but also presents an examination of the films inspired by his stories and characters. If one tries to think of all the films adapted from the works of Jules Verne, a fair sampling might be easy to come up with. If one looks more closely at the plots and motifs of many other films, science fiction and otherwise, their origins are revealed to have been derived from Verne. For example, most film enthusiasts are familiar with Disney’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and a few may even be aware of the 1916 silent version. But Verne’s classic undersea novel also provided the underpinnings for such other movies as Fantastic Voyage (1966) and Innerspace (1987). The central arrangement is by Verne’s title with a brief thematic analysis of the novel. The entry then presents in chronological order all cinematic adaptations of that work, allowing the user to make ! comparative analyses of not only the movies but also their relationships to Verne’s original story. Filmographic data are provided for each adaptation, along with a plot synopsis that blends critical commentary with an examination of the connection between the movie and Verne’s work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Renzi writes well...intelligently...one of the better books to emerge in some time" -- Classic Images

"extremely detailed...useful...covers...many of the cinema’s unacknowledged borrowings from Verne...recommended" -- Interzone

"fun...handsomely illustrated throughout...easily readable" -- Science Fiction Studies

About the Author

Thomas C. Renzi is an administrator and instructor at Buffalo State College (New York). He lives in Buffalo.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: McFarland Publishers (March 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786419660
• ISBN-13: 978-0786419661
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,845,915 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Someone once said that, even while many of us may think our lives are dull, every life, reviewed from beginning to end, can serve as the basis of an interesting novel. As I look back on my own range of experiences, I can't help but agree with that observation. As a boy, I was alway good in math and thought I would pursue a career in electrical engineering. Attending the University of Buffalo, however, I learned there were more dimensions to the field than geometric formulas and algebraic equations. I almost flunked out. Luckily, I was an enthusiastic musician, a drummer, and I slid over to the music program. Music took me on the road and then to Las Vegas where I played tennis by day and drummed in the casinos by night. In the meantime, I developed an avid interest in reading and writing and decided to return to UB to get a doctorate in English. I've taught writing, reading, film, and literature courses at Buffalo State College, first in the English department and then as Coordinator of Tutorial Services in the Academic Skills Center. I am enamored with film and have written a few books on film adaptation--CORNELL WOOLRICH FROM PULP NOIR TO FILM NOIR (McFarland, 2006), H.G. WELLS: SIX SCIENTIFIC ROMANCES ADAPTED FOR FILM (Scarecrow Press, 1992), and JULES VERNE ON FILM (McFarland, 1998), the last two reprinted in paperback in 2004. I've also written a series of technical books on drumming. I live in a suburb of Buffalo, completing a book on screwball comedy films, making some ambitious attempts at fiction writing, discouraging deer and rabbits from eating my shrubbery, and spending time with my beautiful wife Deborah and my remarkable son Matt.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Reference-Work, December 19, 1999

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Cyberbambi123 (Zürich - Switzerland / Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jules Verne on Film: A Filmography of the Cinematic Adaptations of His Works, 1902 Through 1997 (Hardcover)

As far as I know the only film-book about Jules Verne on film in english language. The Filmography is almost complete (I only found one german-TV-Movie about "Mathias Sandorf" missing)and lists even west- and easteuropean Films from the silent movies of Georges Méliès till today (1997). Sometimes the author lists films which are "influenced" by Jules Vernes that goes for my taste a little bit too far: "The Black Hole" by "20'000 Leagues Under The Sea". Still this book is definitively an important reference-work an belongs in every serious filmbook-collection!