Dad's Movie Lists
 

Mysterious Island (1961), Director: Cy Endfield, rated Approved

A world beyond imagination! Adventure beyond belief!

Film ClipStarring: Michael Craig, Joan Greenwood, Herbert Lom, Michael Callan, Gary Merrill, Dan Jackson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"What I did was in the name of peace. Your war, like all wars, glories in devastation and death." - Captain Nemo

Why watch this? This film is a master-class on stop-motion animation by the undisputed master, Ray H.

Plot Summary: During the American Civil War, Union POWs escape a Confederate prison in a hot-air balloon and crash-land on a remote Pacific island inhabited by giant creatures. Joined by two shipwrecked women, the group must learn to survive the dangers of the island and find a way to escape. They eventually encounter Captain Nemo and discover the oversized animals are part of his scientific experiments.

Dad's Preview: Jules Verne's many fantastical stories are perfect vehicles for filmmakers looking to create larger-than-life animals. Set during the Civil War, a hot-air balloon ends up on a strange isle inexplicably inhabited by the infamous Captain Nemo and creatures of immense size. Still today, I am amazed by the incredibly nuanced details of the massive crab and the hive of gargantuan bees.


Ameran Films; Columbia Pictures

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