Customer Reviews

Mysterious Island

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Somehow, everything about this movie screams "Saturday afternoon". It has an improbable plot, effects from a simpler era, and the good winning out over the morally ambiguous.

The only fair way to judge this movie is in its own context, now more than 40 years old. At the time, Harryhausen's stop-action creatures were the height of special effects. The giant crab, bee, and other creatures could not have been done any other way. Rays from "electric gun" may have been scratched directly onto the film. Again, it looks unsophisticated to today's eye, but matches the rest of the movie very well.

For its time, though, this movie has a few fairly modern features. The one black actor had about as much of a role as the others, even though Jim Crow was still alive and kicking. There was a skimpy-skirted female lead with a habitual need for being saved. The other woman, however, was one of the more competent members of the group. She was used to a life of ease, but quickly showed her competence at handling support functions for the team, and under primitive conditions. Maybe she did "women's work", but she did jobs that needed doing and she got past her aristo background to do them. About the only complaint we ever heard was that her gun jammed at a crucial moment.

There's no high moral or deep art here. There is good fun. It's a little dated, but that is just part of its charm.

Yes in deed, the great classic as I watched as a kid. A group of people who find themselves stranded on an uncharted deserted island. Wigh gigantic animals, engaging story line. And yes this is out on DVD as I have just purchased it.

This is an interesting fantasy movie about five men dropped on a desert island during the civil war. It very loosely based on Jules Vernes masterpiece, very loosely. Lots of monsters and women which were not in the book. You might enjoy the movie, but if you want to know the real story, you have to read the book - that will be well worth your time. I wish that someone would produce a movie that really tells the whole story as Verne wrote it; I'd buy that in an instant.

This is an interesting fantasy movie about five men dropped on a desert island during the civil war. It very loosely based on Jules Vernes masterpiece, very loosely. Lots of monsters and women which were not in the book. You might enjoy the movie, but if you want to know the real story, you have to read the book - that will be well worth your time. I wish that someone would produce a movie that really tells the whole story as Verne wrote it; I'd buy that in an instant.

A very entertaining adventure movie for the whole family with the F/X (special effects) of Ray Harryhausen and music of Bernard Herrmann. Once again this adaptation doesn't follow the book entirely. You still get the same great entertainment even though it does not. Castaway some men and women on an island without "Wilson", but with Captain Nemo, giant animals, giant insects, and cutthroat pirates. This all adds up to fun like the older version of Swiss Family Robinson, Treasure Island, or some other equivalent classic. Although not produced by Disney it is the same type of quality family oriented film with great cast, sets, special effects, and music. This was English made so the accents are a little thick for being Americans, but the acting is top notch. Well worth owning on DVD. If you enjoyed the Harryhausen version of "Jason and the Argonauts" you should enjoy this.

Very enjoyable movie that used to be on WGN at least one Sunday afternoon a year in the 1970s. Worth it for nostalgia value alone. Great score, nice initial action scenes. The runaway balloon featured in many childhood dreams.

I finally saw this without TV commercial interrupts. It's an adventure but leaves me kind of flat. Good special effects for the time though. Plot kind of weak for me.

This is one of many movies from the 1960s well worth purchasing. I have seen this movie at least a dozen times as a child and it is now a part of my collection. It ranks right up there with the best if you like medieval, mythological, or swashbuckling adventure. As usual, there are many challenges that the heroes must overcome.

Any movie with Ray Harryhausen doing the special effects will be worth watching and Mysterious Island is no exception.That said he gets comparatively little room to do his thing on this production but we do get giant crabs,garagatuan bees and a menacing bird.The plot gets underway when a party of Union soldiers ,a captured Confederate gaoler and a war correspondent escape from a Confederate prison via balloon and are blown clear across America coming down on an uncharted Pacific island.They are soon joined by two shipwrecked English gentlewomen and they begin to build a society together by dint of co-operation and teamwork
Also on the island is Captain Nemo and his fabled submarine Nautilius .They are faced with the challenge of making good their escape from the island before a volcanic eruption destroys all in its path
Other reviewers have rightly commented on the score ,by veteran Hitchcock collaborater Bernard Herrmann,and this is truly atmospheric and dynamic .The acting is variable in quality with Brits Craig and Herbert failing to convince as Americans and it is left to reliable and classy veterans Greenwood ,Merrill and Lom to steal the acting honours
It is not on a par with my favouite Harryhausen movies,especially Jason and the Argonauts, but its good entertainment and I reckon most people will enjoy it

Well made... however it was loosly based on Jules Verne's novel.

Ray Harryhausen did a great job on his stop motion animation! Those who like strange-world movies... see it!