7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
An Edinburgh professor and assorted colleagues follow an explorer's trail down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the earth's center.
Starring: Pat Boone, James Mason (I), Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, Thayer DavidSci-Fi | Insignificant |
Family | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Jules Verne’s source novel upon which Journey to the Center of the Earth is based was just shy of reaching its centennial year when the 1959 film was released and became an instant box office sensation. That is testament to two rather salient facts: first, it shows what a visionary Verne was, a man who “invented” all sorts of things in his fiction that we’ve come to take for granted; and second, just how difficult it was to bring Verne’s visions to life in the film world. While films as iconic as Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon were adapting (officially or unofficially) Verne as early as 1902, the modern era of Verne adaptations really started with the fabulous Disney version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, an immense smash in 1954 (and one of Disney’s first live action dramatic films, to boot). 1956’s Best Picture Oscar winner Around the World in 80 Days may have eschewed Verne’s science fiction leanings for glamorous Hollywood trappings and lots of cameo appearances, but it also proved just how solidly entertaining Verne’s basic conceptions almost invariably were. Verne’s works would continue to provide inspiration for films up to our present day, including the somewhat lackluster reboot of Journey to the Center of the Earth, a property currently be refitted for “Real 3D” after its anaglyph presentation of a few years ago. But for those of a certain age, or those who grew up watching broadcasts of old feature films on television, the 1959 Journey to the Center of the Earth holds a special place in many hearts. While both its practical and optical effects may look a bit worn to our present day CGI saturated eyes, the film boasts an incredibly effective production design and features some fun and winning performances from a cast that is probably best described as “eclectic”.
Journey to the Center of the Earth is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Twilight Time with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.34:1. When Journey came to the then technologically "amazing" laserdisc format around 1990, it was evidently discovered that the original negative had deteriorated to such a point that it couldn't be used for what would have then been a state of the art transfer. Apparently at that time new intermediary elements were created which may still be in use today, according to information passed on to me from Twilight Time's Nick Redman. The results, while not completely staggering, are very good and should please ardent videophiles who bring appropriate expectations. The colors here are still quite robust a lot of the time, though flesh tones, while generally very accurate looking, are just slightly pallid in some of the opening scenes. The ubiquitous purples and reds are still vivid and extremely impressive. The elements here are in surprisingly good shape, with very little damage or blemishing to report. As with most of the Fox HD masters that have been provided to Twilight Time by the studio, there doesn't appear to have been any drastic DNR applied to this release, so grain is intact (and quite apparent in some of the opticals, as should be expected), though edge enhancement is also quite noticeable in several sequences. The image is generally just a bit on the soft side, especially with regard to midrange shots, though fine detail pops quite nicely in close-ups. While the overall presentation here is decently sharp and detailed, it's not quite up to modern day standards for what a top tier catalogue release should look like, no doubt due largely to the elements that Fox was forced to use.
Whatever niggling doubts some may have about the video quality of Journey to the Center of the Earth should be offset rather substantially by the pretty incredible sounding lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 audio offered on this release. Fox did the best it could with the video elements it had on hand, and even diehard home theater fans have to realize that if the elements aren't there to begin with, there's only so much that can be done. With regard to the audio, Fox evidently went back to the drawing board as it were and though it evidently only had a duplicate stereo track from 1968 (no one is quite sure why), they had this restored at a rather substantial cost back when the laserdisc was released, and apparently that restored track has now been released in a lossless format. The results are terrific sounding, especially with regard to Bernard Herrmann's incredible organ infused score. The low stops on the organ, while not what one traditionally thinks of as LFE, will positively leave most home theater floorboards rattling, or at least humming along in sympathetic vibration. At times there is still just the hint of boxiness in the midrange, but overall fidelity is superb on this track, with dialogue clear and consistent, effects well placed and prioritized, and Herrmann's score sounding better than ever.
That old adage "they don't make 'em like that anymore" certainly has no better example than this thrilling 1959 version of Journey to the Center of the Earth. This is a film that taps into a childlike sense of wonder and presents a beautifully rendered alien world that just happens to (supposedly) lie right beneath our feet. An impressive production design is just one of the signal pleasures of this film, which also features some fun performances and an incredibly rousing score by Bernard Herrmann. Twilight Time has once again provided a very solid release, with very good video culled from some less than optimal elements and incredible sounding audio. Highly recommended.
Fox Studio Classics
1966
Fox Studio Classics
1961
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1961
Ray Harryhausen Signature Collection
1963
Anniversary Edition
1954
1957
1960
1960
1924
1986
1956
1953
Warner Archive Collection
1955
1962
1970
1974
2016
2008
Flight to the Future / Warner Archive Collection
1956
Warner Archive Collection
1955