20,000 Leagues Under the Sea [1954]

Import Classic
If you just want a splendid widescreen transfer of the classic 1954 adaptation of Jules Verne's sci-fi / fantasy adventures, there's an acceptable Region 2 disc out there. If you truly love the movie, or are interested in any of its principals - Verne, Walt Disney, director Richard Fleischer, stars James Mason (he broods!) and Kirk Douglas (he sings!), or design great Harper Goff (his Nautilus is still the ultimate movie submarine) - you need the Region 1 Special Edition. This is a DVD that does everything right. Disc one includes a commentary from Fleischer ands a feature that should be mandatory on all big studio films made before 1965: the cartoon (Donald Duck in Grand Canyonscope) which accompanied the original release. Disc two has an in-depth 'making of' along with several additional spotlight featurettes, including footage of a real giant squid. Especially valuable is a junked version of the squid fight, taking place on cal seas at sunset and abandoned because of an inadequate monster; this is the sort of legendary material we once thought was lost forever.
KIM NEWMAN

First Published In: Empire no.185 [November 2004] p.174

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