If I'm being totally honest I recorded this version of Journey to the Center of The Earth believing it to be the 2008 remake with Brendan Fraser (I wasn't aware that there was a TV version till now). Having realised that it wasn't the version I expected once the opening credits started I decided to stick with it and here's what I thought....
One thing I will say is that I think it's unfair to come down hard on this film purely because it's a 'TV movie' film. The acting was pretty bad, the animal effects were laughable (they weren't great in the original, but to be fair that was made in 1959). Despite all this, I did find this TV film to be fairly enjoyable. In this TV film we are treated to a voice-over narrative from Abel (whereby he is articulating notes that he's putting in his diary). At times, I thought that this was a nice touch as it does help to give a basic understanding of what some of the characters are thinking and how they feel. This narrative is also quite informative and helps to explain some of the things that they've discovered whilst they're in the cave. Where this falls apart slightly is that it's over-used and there are occasions when it's used to explain what's going to happen next - which is pointless as we'll know what will happen eventually. This isn't a major criticism as I found the voice-over work to be more of benefit than hindrance. I also thought that it got going fairly quickly and it was generally better paced than the original. It was all OK up till this point, but then came the final third....
In this TV version of the film, our intrepid adventurers stumble across a tribe of people who have descended from earth down to the Centre of the Earth centuries ago. Just when you think it can't get any more ridiculous we then find that the tribal people are worshipping Martha's missing husband as some sort of god. I mean really? Before our adventurers met the tribes people my biggest criticism is that there was a lack of tension because no-one was pursuing them or following them like we saw in the original - alas this objection was answered at this point, but it was answered in a ridiculous and nonsensical way. The issue of food was ignored initially, but then answered when our adventurers are treated to a 'Last Supper' style feast - quite where all the food came from is a complete mystery. What I can't understand is that a film of this nature is supposed to be shrouded by mystery, our adventurers have had to use a map and a modicum of intelligence in order to get to the area that the tribe are inhabiting and yet we're supposed to believe that this tribe of people have discovered this area by mistake. It just requires too much suspension of disbelief and doesn't give the film any kind of intensity. In the original, you really felt that the team were isolated and you felt that they'd achieved something by the end, but you don't get that feeling here and it ultimately made this film a lot less rewarding and a lot less enjoyable.
Up till the 60 minute mark I did think this was an OK film - it was reasonably enjoyable without being anything special. However, it's ultimately ruined by its final 30 minutes where it descended into absurdity, implausibility and downright stupidity.
One thing I will say is that I think it's unfair to come down hard on this film purely because it's a 'TV movie' film. The acting was pretty bad, the animal effects were laughable (they weren't great in the original, but to be fair that was made in 1959). Despite all this, I did find this TV film to be fairly enjoyable. In this TV film we are treated to a voice-over narrative from Abel (whereby he is articulating notes that he's putting in his diary). At times, I thought that this was a nice touch as it does help to give a basic understanding of what some of the characters are thinking and how they feel. This narrative is also quite informative and helps to explain some of the things that they've discovered whilst they're in the cave. Where this falls apart slightly is that it's over-used and there are occasions when it's used to explain what's going to happen next - which is pointless as we'll know what will happen eventually. This isn't a major criticism as I found the voice-over work to be more of benefit than hindrance. I also thought that it got going fairly quickly and it was generally better paced than the original. It was all OK up till this point, but then came the final third....
In this TV version of the film, our intrepid adventurers stumble across a tribe of people who have descended from earth down to the Centre of the Earth centuries ago. Just when you think it can't get any more ridiculous we then find that the tribal people are worshipping Martha's missing husband as some sort of god. I mean really? Before our adventurers met the tribes people my biggest criticism is that there was a lack of tension because no-one was pursuing them or following them like we saw in the original - alas this objection was answered at this point, but it was answered in a ridiculous and nonsensical way. The issue of food was ignored initially, but then answered when our adventurers are treated to a 'Last Supper' style feast - quite where all the food came from is a complete mystery. What I can't understand is that a film of this nature is supposed to be shrouded by mystery, our adventurers have had to use a map and a modicum of intelligence in order to get to the area that the tribe are inhabiting and yet we're supposed to believe that this tribe of people have discovered this area by mistake. It just requires too much suspension of disbelief and doesn't give the film any kind of intensity. In the original, you really felt that the team were isolated and you felt that they'd achieved something by the end, but you don't get that feeling here and it ultimately made this film a lot less rewarding and a lot less enjoyable.
Up till the 60 minute mark I did think this was an OK film - it was reasonably enjoyable without being anything special. However, it's ultimately ruined by its final 30 minutes where it descended into absurdity, implausibility and downright stupidity.