The Terror Beneath the Sea Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

The Terror Beneath the Sea Blu-ray Movie Review

Terror Beneath the Sea is an entertaining science-fiction action classic. Based on the book written by Masami Fukushima, Terror Beneath the Sea is produced by Kôji Kameda (Mahiru no sangeki, Ai Jôji monogatari - Taiyô no ko) and Seiichi Yoshino (A Fugitive from the Past, Sex document: Kinpatsu call girl). Starring Sonny Chiba, Peggy Neal, Franz Gruber, Gunter Braun, Andrew Hughes, and Beverly Kahler, Terror Beneath the Sea is a perfect matinee feature – one with great thrills for genre fans.

Ken Abe (Sonny Chiba) and Jenny Gleason (Peggy Neal) are on a mission together. Ken is a top reporter and Jenny is a skilled photographer. The pair end up going on a trip to a Navy site where torpedoes are being tested at the base. As Ken and Jenny explore the site, the pair end up exploring a nearby cave and discovering a group of fish-men.

As it turns out, there is a mysterious underwater city and it is being ruled over by Dr. Rufus Moore (Erik Neilson). Dr. Rufus Moore (Erik Neilson) uses the fish-men as his own personal minions. Can Ken and Jenny defeat the mad scientist and emerge from the depths of the mysterious underwater city alive?

Sonny Chiba is terrific in Terror Beneath the Sea. Chiba is one of the most entertaining and charismatic film stars. Peggy Neal is an impressive co-star in her memorable role. Neal plays well off of Chiba and their scenes together are impressive. Terror Beneath the Sea features a supporting cast including Commander Brown (Franz Gruber), Captain Bob (Gunter Braun), Professor Howard (Andrew Hughes), and Luisa (Beverly Kahler).

The feature highlights impressive art direction by Shinichi Eno (The Green Slime, The Golden Bat). The art direction is imaginative fun. The aesthetics of the sets and the designs make Terror Beneath the Sea an impressive genre feature.

The special effects by Nobuo Yajima (Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot, Kamen Rider Black) are terrific fun. The visual quality of the old-school effects adds to the charms of the science-fiction film. Terror Beneath the Sea has good underwater scenes and optical effects impress.

The cinematography by Kazuo Shimomura is impressive and highlights the aesthetic of the entire feature-film well. Shimomura did a solid job showcasing the underwater city. The photography is engaging and provides elegance to the genre filmmaking. There is also additional underwater photography featured by Akira Tateishi.

Composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi (Dragon Ball Z, White Snake Enchantment), Terror Beneath the Sea benefits from having a superb composer involved. Kikuchi is a gifted talent and one of the best composers in anime. The music is terrific fun for an old-school adventure.

Edited by Fumio Soda (Violent Streets, House of Terrors), Terror Beneath the Sea is well-paced action- adventure fun. The rhythm and flow of the filmmaking is excellent. Terror Beneath the Sea feels well edited and engaging throughout.

Written by Kôichi Ôtsu (Captain Ultra, Daitokai - Tatakai no hibi), Terror Beneath the Sea has a solid script. The characterizations are engaging. The dialogue is well-done. The science-fiction elements certainly play out well.

Directed by Hajime Satô (The Glamorous Ghost, House of Terrors), Terror Beneath the Sea is the type of rainy-day afternoon matinee fun that is highly entertaining. Genre enthusiasts will appreciate Satô’s filmmaking style. Terror Beneath the Sea is an old-school classic – especially entertaining for fans of underwater adventures.

The Terror Beneath the Sea Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Terror Beneath the Sea is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The transfer for Terror Beneath the Sea is decent throughout but does show some source related issues. The transfer is of an outdated master.

Considering the source issues present, the release could have benefited somewhat from receiving a new 2K or 4K remaster. Some scenes with the current master are a bit soft looking. The color reproduction could look a little bit better but still provides a decent showcase for the cinematography.

The Terror Beneath the Sea Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. Optional English subtitles are provided on the release. The audio is only presented in an English dubbed presentation. Unfortunately, there is no original language audio track or accompanying subtitles. I would have preferred the original language audio but the English option is still enjoyable. As such the feature is listed as a "bonus film" on the release – not as a main selection (as on the other features in the box-set).

The Terror Beneath the Sea Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements on the release.

The Terror Beneath the Sea Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Terror Beneath the Sea is an entertaining science-fiction adventure. Fans of undersea adventures with good traditional special effects will find something to enjoy. The performances are good – especially from Sonny Chiba and Peggy Neal. The Blu-ray provides a solid (if somewhat outdated looking) high-definition master and English audio (unfortunately no Japanese language audio option is included). As such, unlike the other films in the box-set, Terror Beneath the Sea is noted as a "bonus film" for the collection. Recommended.