The Film (3.5/5)

Professor Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason), uncovers a strange clue about the center of the earth, when a student named Alec (Pat Boone) brings him a piece of volcanic rock. The two find a cryptic message on the rock that came from a scientist who 300 years ago, discovered a passage to the center of the earth in Iceland. The two men decide to find this passage and make the journey themselves. As they make the slow decent in the Earth, what mysteries will they uncover?

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959, aka JULES VERNE’S JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH), Is the kind of light heart adventure movie we don’t see much of anymore. It’s a movie that balances some of the sillier moments with class and a family friendly tone, without becoming unbearable or desperate to be liked.  The movie is giant in scope and features a game cast, but it’s without it’s issues.

After setting a standard as the troubled Captain Nemo in Disney’s 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1954), James Mason returns to the world of Jules Verne with a more comic part. Despite some of the late 50’s sexist comedy, Mason handles the part with class and delivers some subtle moments. I worried at first when sitting down to watch this, about how unbearably Pat Boone was going to be. But honestly, he comes off as a likable handsome co-lead and only has a few musical moments. Arlene Dahl plays the widow of an Icelandic scientist, who joins the two men. Her character luckily doesn’t fall for any of the damsel in distress clichés.

On a filmmaking level, the movie is wide and open. Epic in scope with huge vistas. While mostly staged bound, the film has a lived-in quality and uses its production values for maximum effect. The caves and hills of the decent down the earth, are bold enough to not feel too fake. As for creature the effects, we get a few good scenes with dinosaurs played by lizards with fins glued onto their backs.

On the downsize, the movie does have some pacing issues. The first half takes a while to get going. And aside from some brief moments, I was not really worried about the characters. The danger seeming false or just non-existed.

While, not perfect by any means, JOURNEY is a fun piece of Saturday afternoon viewing. It’s well made enough to work as warm escapist entertainment and it doesn’t talk down to it’s viewers.

Audio/Video (5/5)

Eureka! gives JOURNEY a sizable upgrade on Blu-ray with a fantastic new transfer and sound mix. Sourced from a new 4k restoration, the picture and sound have never sounded better. The 5.1 DTS-HD English Master Audio track is a joy to listen to, with no noticeable hiss or problems. As for the score, it is highlighted in the Isolated music and effects track, which is worth a listen if you Bernard Hermann. English subtitles are included.

The 1080p HD transfer is a lovely look at the brand new 4k restoration. The colors pop off the screen, and every frame is filled with detail. The focus is sharp and picks up on the littlest aspects. Each layer full of life. The 2.35:1 aspect ratio is also kept in tack and shows the glamour of this production in an epic scope. A treasure for the eye.

Extras (4.5/5)

The extras section is also stuffed with handsome featurettes and a commentary. The commentary is with film historians Steven C Smith and Nick Redman, with guest of honor actress Diane Baker. The track is light and full of fun, with Miss Baker fondly remembering the production. She shares many insights into the production and talks about her beginnings as an actress.

 Moving on to the featurettes, first up is an interview with film critic and author Kim Newman. Newman covers every aspect of the movie, while also exploring the many big budget Jules Verne adaptations. He also covers how the movies changed from the novels, and how many sci-fi movies used them for inspiration, such as the 1960’s THE LOST WORLD, and THE TIME MACHINE. By far the best feature in the set.

Next up is a featurette on the restoration and the process over the years. Also included is the original theatrical trailer. Rounding out the package is a booklet of liner notes and a still gallery showing off various posters and behind the scenes photos.

Overall (4.5/5)

JOURNEY is a fun popcorn movie that comes from Hollywood’s golden age. It’s a little rough the edges, but is saved by its upbeat tone and cast. As for the release, this is the best the movie has ever looked. And the cherry on top is the fun and in-depth interview with Kim Newman. Highly Recommended.