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Journey to the Center of the Earth

Play trailer Poster for Journey to the Center of the Earth G 1959 2h 12m Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
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84% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A geologist (James Mason) and his assistant (Pat Boone) set off on an expedition to the center of the earth. Following directions found in an inscription hidden in volcanic rock, the explorers travel to a volcano in Iceland to begin their journey. Along the way, a widow of a famous scientist (Arlene Dahl) and an Icelander (Peter Ronson) join their party. However, the treacherous terrain and prehistoric monsters are not their only concern when a rival scientist (Thayer David) is on their trail.
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Journey to the Center of the Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth

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Critics Consensus

A silly but fun movie with everything you'd want from a sci-fi blockbuster -- heroic characters, menacing villains, monsters, big sets and special effects.

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Critics Reviews

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Ian Nathan Empire Magazine Still captivating despite the obviously dated effects. Rated: 4/5 Jun 6, 2007 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out It's one of the very best Hollywood adventure movies, with lots of monsters, underground oceans, sinister villains, and touches which would have delighted Jules Verne himself. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times It's really not very striking make-believe, when all is said and done. Rated: 2/5 Mar 25, 2006 Full Review Austin Faricy Honolulu Star-Bulletin There is an adequate amount of romance to conclude the story neatly, but the big thing in this engrossing movie is the sight and the sound and the wondering what's going to happen next. The incredible was never more vivid. Mar 16, 2023 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins With this group, there are always opportunities for tea, moments for carrying a tune, terribly annoying sound effects, and unexplainable conveniences for survival. Rated: 5/10 Aug 23, 2020 Full Review Isabel Quigly The Spectator The best value in nonsense for a very long time. Jul 19, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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David H From the very beginning poor acting and lousy writing. As for Alaska it looks more like Victorian England. Also Hollywood attempt to conduct a strong chick in charge movie but with a woman who is a joke. This movie should not have been made. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/22/24 Full Review Audience Member Dated a bit now of course, but remains enjoyable. Loved this as a kid, and gotta believe the creatives behind the Raiders series were influenced by it. This and 20,000 Leagues will always be sci-fi classics. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/18/24 Full Review Deke P Saw it when it first hit theaters. Fondly remember I found it fascinating and loved it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/03/24 Full Review CodyZamboni Z Enjoyable campy adventure, A few scenes reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Good looking lead actress, Solid Bernard Herrmann score Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/07/24 Full Review Taylor L "Well, you all deserve a rest. Let us have tea, with a double ration of raisins!" A classic Jules Verne fantasy tale with all the Victorian sensibilities (and whimsical scientific standards) you could hope to find, Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of the better of the big-budget midcentury adventure films. It features not only a series of elaborate sets and James Mason in his silver fox years, but an oddly pervasive sense of humor that keeps things lighthearted even as our ragtag group of explorers are facing slow deaths in underground caverns - there's a festive duck sidekick and in the final scenes, Pat Boone has to use a lamb to prevent a series of nuns from seeing him naked, after being blown through a volcanic tube and presumed dead. The structure of this film will feel surprisingly familiar to many, with features that have seldom changed in the action-adventure films of later decades - the discovery of an artifact, the exotic locales, a love interest, a competing villain to clash with, and an ultimate conclusion that keeps the big discovery from being too earth-shattering. Shame that Harryhausen wasn't brought in for the special effects, he probably could have gotten a bit more creative than putting some paint on a few lizards. It's funny that Boone has practically disappeared from the realm of pop culture; he was literally the most successful American singer of the 1950s after Elvis, but tens of millions of records sold doesn't mean you'll live on in the minds of later generations. (3/5) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/31/22 Full Review derek l A decent Sci-Fi adventure based upon Jules Vernes' novel and even though the 1959 adaption may have a few aspects that are dated, it is still a fun and thrilling adventure that involves the exploration down towards the center of the earth. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Journey to the Center of the Earth

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Movie Info

Synopsis A geologist (James Mason) and his assistant (Pat Boone) set off on an expedition to the center of the earth. Following directions found in an inscription hidden in volcanic rock, the explorers travel to a volcano in Iceland to begin their journey. Along the way, a widow of a famous scientist (Arlene Dahl) and an Icelander (Peter Ronson) join their party. However, the treacherous terrain and prehistoric monsters are not their only concern when a rival scientist (Thayer David) is on their trail.
Director
Henry Levin
Producer
Charles Brackett
Screenwriter
Walter Reisch, Charles Brackett
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox, Joseph M. Schenck Productions
Rating
G
Genre
Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Runtime
2h 12m
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