Journey to the Center of the Earth

Release Date: December 16, 1959

Watch Date: March 16 – March 18, 2023

 

    We’ve had a lot of racism, so why not add sexism to the list?

    This was an attempt, a failed one, by a studio not yet owned by Disney, to capture the magic of ‘20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’. And here’s the thing – I think that this is a better, more engaging offering than Disney’s attempt at Jules Verne. A surprising statement about a film mostly set in a cave.

    But here’s the thing, the cavern system, weirdly, has more variety than the ocean we were shown in ‘20,000 Leagues’. Each scene has it’s own unique backdrop. Our heroes aren’t passive like in ‘20,000 Leagues’ – trapped on a submarine, unable to do anything. These characters move forward under their own steam, make their own decisions, forge their own path.

    Now, sometimes, that path leads them to giant, painted, lizards dressed up to be dimetrodons in a scene that deeply upset Bob. We’re pretty sure none of the cold-blooded animals in this film live long past the end of shooting because I highly doubt safe products were used to drastically alter the appearance of these animals.

    Honestly, I think I could really enjoy this film, hell even look back fondly on the experience of watching it, if it weren’t for our main character, Oliver Lindenbrook’s constant, irritating sexism.

    Look, I get it. Verne wasn’t writing in the modern era, and even then the sexism is meant to be taken with a heaping helping of irony because the woman the he is constantly picking on is highly intelligent and helpful to the adventuring party as a whole. She’s the only one who can speak the Icelandic language and communicate with their porter. She takes the notes Oliver’s assistant goes missing. She provides them the gear they need to actually make the trip. So maybe I’m too sensitive, and I will own that I can be at times, especially when women are being treated poorly as a form of entertainment. But when it’s every other word out of our main heroes mouth, and I know that in the end she’s probably going to end up falling for him.

    While there is believable chemistry between the two leads, the woman is also extremely recently widowed – even though their journey takes at least a year based on the timelines they throw out in the film. Of course, spending that much time in close proximity during life and death situations you probably would develop feelings for someone. I don’t know, it still feels like their relationship isn’t given enough time to properly grow.

    It’s not a bad film; it, like every other Jules Verne story, tells of a scientist discovering something amazing against impossible odds. That’s fun. And it is better than ‘20,000 Leagues’ – definitively in my mind, but you have to be willing to slog through a man acting superior to all women in literally ever scene. If you can’t manage that without wanting to claw your eyes out, then this isn’t the film for you.

    The duck is super cute though.