20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

"I am not what is called a civilized man, Professor. I have done with society for reasons that seem good to me. Therefore, I do not obey its laws." - Captain Nemo

release year: 1954
genre: action/adventure
viewing setting: home DVD 11/16/13

synopsis: Two scientists and a sailor end up aboard a fantastic submarine captained by a fanatic genius.

impressions: Still a classic, sixty years later. If anyone ever accused me of being unable to enjoy a G-rated Disney movie, I could throw this one at them. The submarine is cool. The idea of technology far ahead of its time is cool. The various adventures are cool. Captain Nemo is cool. Of course, if I were him, I'd have built a fleet of submarines and a big underwater city, but you can't have everything.

acting: Kirk Douglas is the boisterous sailor who has his own ideas. James Mason is the dominant Captain Nemo, a misunderstood genius whose (valid) hate of the surface world results in (invalid) aggressions against it; even though he's technically the bad guy, you can't help but admire his ideas. Paul Lukas is the main professor, but says and does little compared to the others or his apprentice, played by Peter Lorre.

final word: A great adventure for kids of all ages.

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