20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Wow! Such a good movie.

So much average

Sadly Over-hyped

It wasn't until the early to mid-1990s that I actually sat down to watch this movie. I'd seen the movie before I read the book but I wasn't bothered by the differences. In fact, they were welcome. There were many comedic moments, and Kirk Douglas was very good in his role as the Canadian whaler Ned Land. This was the only one of his films I had actually seen too.The design of the submarine was very well done and the sets were almost realistic as if you're really there. The underwater scenes also made the movie worthwhile. How many good films do underwater scenes? Waterworld doesn't really count. But this was the best. Oh, and Peter Lorre does well as the professor's student and sidekick. The others elude me, but they're good too. Disney, this is one of your best live films.

Disney's first-ever CinemaScope juggernaut, a handsome adaptation of Jules Verne's classic novel, directed by journeyman Richard Fleischer and won 2 Oscars for its cutting edge special effects and jaw-dropping art direction. The time is in the latter half of 19th century, a trio of outsiders, Prof. Pierre Aronnax (Lukas), his assistant Conseil (Lorre) and an adept harpooner Ned Land (Douglas), after an amidships attack from a "sea monster" destroying their ship, fetches up on the said monster, it turns out to be an iron vessel named the Nautilus, which can submerge under the water (a proto-submarine), commanded by Captain Nemo (Mason). They are held as hostages but Captain Nemo exhibits great willingness to introduce the feather-in-his-cup to Prof. Aronnax, who is utterly astonished and eager to persuade the former to contribute his discovery to benefit the whole world, but Captain has his own concerns.Captain Nemo is a cynical character, a tormented soul, ailed by past terror, he has no faith in humans, after finding his peace in the claustrophobic hull, he adopts a whole self-sustaining mechanism to live completely under the sea with his loyal crew members, the ocean is his treasure trove (although the source of the vessel's propulsion has never been clarified, nuclear energy is tangentially alluded to). Wafting around 20,000 leagues under is no solution to appease his conscience or quench his deep-dish sorrow, that is why he implements those attacks to demolish ships loaded with weaponry or its raw materials, he indeed is a righteously hero, trying to pre-empt war-wrought casualties at the expense of those who are on the assaulted ships, it is a relentless move based on contingency, radical, even somewhat unethical, but it serves as a potent reminder that there is no win-win solution in warfare, it is atrocity in any case, whose corner are you fighting for? Professor Aronnax or Captain Nemo? The film is a sensation to watch not just for its visual innovation (one can find more pleasure in Czech artisan Karel Zeman's THE DEADLY INVENTION if technicalities is your cuppa), the epic squid battle alone is worth your ticket; what one finds engaging, or even refreshing is the story's pervading pessimistic outlook, which is definitely not something one expects from a Disney production, plus James Mason's poignant impersonation of a man plagued by an existential crisis, everything evokes pathos and to some degree, nihilism in the film's unfolding up to the finale, Ned Land is a trouble-maker, and Douglas is overtly concerned with his macho image which only leads to his own disservice (even that hooky ditty WHALE OF A TALE is of little avail at that point); Prof. Aronnax is pedantic, credulous and indecisive, whereas Conseil is a wavering coward who only redemption is his allegiance to Prof. Aronnax. None of the three is worth our sympathy, yet they are the sole survivors, what a disgrace in an otherwise stunning achievement.

This film is no more than the adaptation of one of Jules Verne's most notable novels. Abundantly read, disseminated and translated, its difficult to spoil, telling the voyage of the Nautilus, a mysterious submarine commanded by Nemo, a misanthrope haunted by his own past and who found in the depths of the sea a refuge, far from civilization. The cast is led by James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas and Peter Lorre, four acclaimed actors who don't let us down. Their work is excellent. The film was made for the young but its not necessarily childish. In fact, among the moments of humor (especially brightened by Douglas, the most comic actor in the cast) there are many situations of dramatic tension and philosophical reflections around human nature, cruelty and the notion of civilization. Mason was able to give psychological depth to Nemo, a character who, otherwise, would be just cruel and inhuman. Douglas's character may sometimes seem selfish or materialistic, but the actor has also managed to give him a cheerful, sometimes generous soul. Ned Land is someone who loves freedom and who finds himself imprisoned, fearing what may happen to him. The film has great scenery and underwater scenes are impressive. The submarine was thought to the smallest details, matching well the mysterious technology with a certain retro visual style of pleasant Victorian flavor. All this gives visual beauty to a film that, although already ancient, still worth it.

This is a great story and a great adventure for all ages and it could and should have ended differently and better, but, that's all fantasy.Things have to get worse before they ever get better, hence, Captain Nemo and The Nautilus.Jules Verne was WAY ahead of his time when he wrote, and, then published this masterpiece of "Utopian-idea-through-means-of-Distopia" novel in 1870. Yet, way back then, he knew exactly what governments, any government in the world, would do with such power as Captain Nemo's notes described; and, what his supra-genius creation, The Nautilus, could do...in the wrong hands.Even if Professor Pierre Aronnax was sent by Captain Nemo as an emissary and he successfully contacted some 'seemingly-agreeable' government for "Peace On Earth"...they'd have invited him in as a friend and tortured him to death for information, as they did with Nemo's wife, to get everything and give nothing.In many ways, this novel (and, movie) can be related to and compared with many others since - "The Killer Elite"(1975); "The Eiger Sanction"(1975); "Sneakers"(1992); "War Games"(1983); "The Osterman Weekend"(1983); "The Sicilian"(1987); not to mention "The Count Of Monte Cristo;" "The Departed;" "Payback;" "Prince of the City;" etc., and, many more...all about misplaced trust, deceit, treachery, lying, and, traders!In many ways, Captain Nemo and Professor Aronnax were very much alike - educated; loved peace and harmony; were at one with nature and the earth; etc. However, Captain Nemo experienced a tragedy that Professor Aronnox couldn't possibly imagine nor understand unless he'd seen and felt it himself from a personal point of view. This is why two people who share all the same values and interests can be so incredibly different. Under other circumstances, whether good or bad, these two could have been great friends; but, this isn't the case here.Then, just to make all of this advancement and intelligence in the story seem crazy to the average and typical viewer and reader, we have Ned Land, the bull-headed simpleton who cares nothing for learning; right and wrong; nor, the world in which he lives. He cares only for material wealth, drunkeness, and, living in the moment. Idiotic viewers and readers cheer him on while condemning advanced thinking and possible resolution to war; starving; enslavement; etc!?!? WHY? Mr. Land is the monkey who threw the wrench into the great program; the bumbling knuckle-dragging clown whose big muscles did the thinking for his little brain; the fool who began with nothing and ended with nothing when he could have made a 'real' difference in a great way.As I wrote - This is a wonderful book and movie, but, like with others, the protagonist, Captain Nemo, had to be made to seem 'crazy' to make for an acceptable ending and an acceptable explanation for why the world will never be harmonious. Case in point - "Magnum Force" and "Death Wish." People who were disposing of those whom society would do better without had to be made to look 'crazy' to please readers and viewers who're thin-skinned and unrealistic dummies who don't know how the world works and always expect a senselessly short-lived happy ending. The concept of Captain Nemo's hatred of war and enslavement may have made a good difference in the world. It's such a shame when people actually cheer when Nautilus sank. Much like how people cheered when the European nations gave up their colonies and left the native peoples in those colonies to butcher one another as a result!?!? As Bertolt Brecht wrote - "Do not rejoice in his defeat, you men. For though the world has stood up and stopped the bastard, the bitch that bore him is in heat again." This applies to most every single event in history when man thought that the 'next' government and/or the 'next' leader will be better - Stalinist Russia after Czar Nicolas II; Adolph Hitler after Germany's WW1 defeat; Pol Pot's takeover of Cambodia; Idi Amin; Alfredo Stroessner; Saddam Hussein; etc...etc!Do your own thinking or lack there of!Either way, I love this movie and book - easily 10 Stars! :)