Review of Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1977) by Christiane S — 12 Sep 2008

This 1959 film was way cool when I saw it in theaters as a kid in the 1960s, even though the special effects look really lame today (especially the croaking lizards, the giant mushrooms and the glow-in-the-dark caves).

But is has a classic Jules Vernesque feel, helped along by James Mason's performance as a Scottish scientist who believes he can hike to the earth's core and live to tell about it. He makes the impossible journey with his gullible intern (Pat Boone!), a beautiful woman (Arlene Dahl) and an Icelandic cave guide with a pet duck.

(Warning: Don't get too attached to the duck.).