journey to the center of the earth ( also called jules verne 's journey to the center of the earth ) is a 1959 adventure film adapted by charles brackett from the novel of the same name by jules verne .

journey to the center of the earth was directed by henry levin and stars james mason , pat boone and arlene dahl .

journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 film )

journey to the center of the earth is the 1959 film adaptation of jules verne ' s journey to the center of the earth .
journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) ( a film retrospective by mark r . leeper )
a scene from journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) , directed by henry levin .
when it comes to good adventure stories , journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) will arguably feature among the very best .
see the trailer and find local showtimes for
journey to the center of the earth .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) near you .
filmation ' s saturday morning cartoon journey to the center of the earth ( 1967 ) was based on this film version rather than the original novel by jules verne and features several characters that were created for the 1959 film .
admittedly , in most cases that liberty has been abused , often to the point of providing a narrative at odds with the novel : mining the wonderful alliteration of the phrase , “journey to the center of the earth , ” and its simple yet profound central idea . in this regard come to mind such films as alien from l . a . ( cannon , 1988 ) , journey to the center of the earth ( viacom , 1989 ) , funky fables : an excellent journey to the center of the earth ( saban , 1991 ) , journey to the center of the earth ( nbc , 1993 ) , journey to the center of the earth ( usa , 1999 ) , journey to the center of the earth ( ion , 2008 ) , and journey to the center of the earth ( the asylum , 2008 ) . yet the new theatrical journey to the center of the earth provides a case of the optimal , most rewarding use of that freedom .
journey to the center of the earth director : laura shepherd distributor : catalyst distribution , inc . year : 1996
( from left to right ) pat boone , james mason , and arlene dahl in journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) , directed by henry levin .
axel , the enthusiastic and excitable nephew of the illustrious professor and mineralogist otto lidenbrock , narrates the tale of the journey to the center of the earth .
funky fables : an excellent journey to the center of the earth producer : eric s . rollman distributor : saban year : 1991
journey to the center of the earth director : t . j . scott distributor : ion network year : january 27 , 2008
the question and answer section for journey to the center of the earth is a great resource to ask questions , find answers , and discuss the novel .
last week i wrote an evaluation of journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) , one of my favorite movies of the 1950s and what i consider one of the great adventure films of all times . i find what is wrong with the film forgivable . but i would not feel right about just ignoring the many problems i saw watching the film recently . this is effectively an appendix to that essay listing problems with the writing of journey to the center of the earth .
: after all , we . . . we did hit the center of the earth .
journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) , an adaptation of the jules verne novel , is widely considered a classic . it featured boone , james mason , and lizards that stood in as dinosaurs . …
osborne - bartucca , kristen . pk ed .
journey to the center of the earth summary
. gradesaver , 13 november 2016 web .
[ 19 ] . background from the publicity and articles on the usa network journey to the center of the earth , printed on september 8 , 1999 .
1959 was a year of lackluster films from fox . but fox found journey to the center of the earth was a notable exception . they made some effort in the following years to have a science fiction adventure for the summer . in 1960 it was a remake of the lost world for irwin allen . but fox ' s best summer science fiction adventure film was journey to the center of the earth until it was displaced by star wars .
the writings of verne , particularly this novel , demonstrate their malleability to animation , a form demanding altered techniques and narrative approaches from live action . the medium of the small screen has been most typically associated with these productions , running the gamut from the low grade efforts for the 1967 - 69 journey to the center of the earth series , to the australian a journey to the center of the earth in 1976 . each of the animated versions has been created in its own , strikingly different style , from the minimalism of series television , to the juvenile caricatures of an excellent journey to the center of the earth , and ultimately the detailed , quality efforts in the aforementioned 1976 version , a journey to the center of the earth .
[ 26 ] . michael odorna , “brendan fraser stands tall with ‘journey to the center of the earth’ , ” los angeles times , july 13 , 2008 .
…love ( 1957 ) , the science - fiction movie journey to the center of the earth ( 1959 ) , and the musical state fair ( 1962 ) , in which he starred with fellow teen idols bobby darin and ann - margret . …
[ 6 ] . bob rusk , “pat boone’s journey to the center of the earth , ” the big reel , no . 264 ( may 15 , 1996 ) .
i caught up with boone recently in omaha , nebraska , where he was appearing at film historian bruce crawfords’ showing of the classic 1959 movie , journey to the center of the earth , which starred boone . coincidentally , boone had just come from his 60th high school reunion in nashville , tennessee .
news item added that lincoln barnett was to write the screenplay for brackett , barnett ' s contribution to the released film has not been determined . according to a march 1959
[ 13 ] . tom kelly , “journey to the center of the earth , ” epi - log , no . 25 ( december 1992 ) , 94 - 98 .
journey to the center of the earth study guide contains a biography of jules verne , literature essays , quiz questions , major themes , characters , and a full summary and analysis .
welcome to our weekly field guide to 1950s horror and sci - fi movies and the creatures that inhabit them . this week : it ' s time to gird our loins for a journey to the center of the earth
i can nitpick the obvious flaws , but these types of big - budget a - list adventure films are a dying breed . to quote julie kirgo’s excellent essay accompanying the film , there’s an “unironic innocence” to journey to the center of the earth that can’t be imitated today .
it was a tale of explorers entering an icelandic volcano , and finding themselves at the ' center of the earth ' - the earth ' s core . there they encountered :
the popular image or stereotype of the eccentric scientist , represented by professor otto liedenbrock ( or von hardwigg , or oliver lindenbrook in the 1959 film ) .
[ 25 ] . brendan fraser , quoted in “journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , ” life story : movie magic ( 2008 ) , 47 - 48 .
[ 28 ] . charlotte huggins , quoted in “journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , ” life story : movie magic ( 2008 ) , 47 - 48 .
[ 16 ] . steve biodrowski , “journey to the center of the earth , ” cinefantastique , 17 ( january 1987 ) , 10 , 53 ; pat h . broeske , “journey to the end of the budget , ” los angeles times , february 22 , 1987 , p . 19 ; steve biodrowski , “meanwhile , cannon shelves its other journey to the center of the earth , ” cinefantastique , 18 ( july 1988 ) , 43 - 60 .
the sun was shining quite brightly on the shores of the underground ocean ( near the center of the earth ) as can be seen by the shadows of the actors .
richard scheib at the science fiction , horror and fantasy film review ( 2 . 5 / 5 stars ) ( link ) -
any connection between this film version of journey to the center of the earth and jules verne’s 1864 novel ( his second published ) must be considered purely coincidental .
an heiress hires an anthropologist / adventurer to track down her husband who has disappeared while searching for a mythic passage to the center of the earth .
[ 14 ] . paul s . newman , journey to the center of the earth : the fiery foe , big little books no . 26 ( racine , wisconsin : whitman , 1968 ) .
[ 29 ] . anita briem , quoted in ian spelling , “brendan fraser and company add an extra dimension to jules verne in journey to the center of the earth in 3 - d , ” urltoken .
the 1959 version of
journey to the center of the earth ,
the one starring james mason and pat boone , wasn ' t filmed in 3 - d ; that one had to make do with
the incomparable magic of cinemascope ,
as mason intoned in the ' 59 film ' s trailer . the new
journey
has even less to do with jules verne than the pat boone one did . it may have more to do with jules munshin than jules verne .
a professor and his colleagues follow an explorer ' s trail down an extinct icelandic volcano to the earth ' s center .
stolid , stoic , practical , and minimal . in the book he ' s an eider - gatherer ; in the 1959 film a duck fetishist .
[ 15 ] . andres berenguer , “the adventure of photographing jules verne’s fabulous journey to the center of the earth , ” american cinematographer , 58 ( december 1977 ) , 1294 - 1295 , 1308 - 1309 .
professor oliver lindenbrook ( james mason ) and his assistant alec mckuen ( pat boone ) take a journey into the center of the earth , facing all manner of magical locations and exotic creatures .
ironically , journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , is from the same production company , walden media , that brought us chan’s around the world in 80 days catastrophe . it is in contrast with it , and another summer release , the league of extraordinary gentlemen , that walden’s journey to the center of the earth 3 - d stands out so strongly . a movie intended for the summer season , when the purest escapism is expected from the widest audience , offers the greatest difficulties for a potential adaptation . however , journey to the center of the earth 3 - d not only achieves fidelity to verne’s conception , but also includes a referential dimension .
professor lindenbrook of edinburgh university tracks an expedition undertaken generations ago , by an icelandic explorer , who was known to have attempted a journey to the centre of the earth .
films have logically tried to fill in more details about arne saknussemm , a character whose background verne leaves so enigmatic , and possibly this is the screen’s single greatest narrative contribution to the story . among animated versions , the 1976 a journey to the center of the earth and the willy fogg journey to the center of the earth both add details about saknussemm’s fate and that of his companions on that long - ago first journey . again , the creativity of animation trumps live action in this regard , whether the 1959 version examining him through the portrayal of his descendant , count saknussemm , or alien from l . a . providing a modern day saknussemm and his daughter .
an edinburgh professor and assorted colleagues follow an explorer ' s trail down an extinct icelandic volcano to the earth ' s center .
[ 3 ] . for detailed analysis and production history , see william schoell , “the making of jules verne’s journey to the center of the earth , ” filmfax , no . 55 ( march / april 1996 ) , 51 - 57 , 74 . see also the film’s pressbook .
meantime , as a little tide - over , we have a reassuringly cheesy and wholly enjoyable new version of
journey to the center of the earth
starring brendan fraser and a lot of stuff aimed directly at your head .
' s hair does have one curl out of place as they approach the center of the earth . all of their hair gets wet and shaggy near the end of the movie .
the devils ( bfi ) , for documentation of the various controversies surrounding the film .
the geographical expedition is varied by making it a trip back in biological and geological time - - the deeper the explorers go , the farther they travel into the past . journey to the center of the earth remains squarely within modern definitions of the science fiction genre , retaining all of the compelling originality and imagination , and does not have the aura of science fiction set in the past that now sometimes seems to date verne’s novels , such as twenty thousand leagues under the seas or from the earth to the moon and around the moon . the “prophecy” of submarines and moon travel has been fulfilled - - unlike journey to the center of the earth .
[ 5 ] . lawrence knight , “the journeys to the center of the earth , ” dakkar , no . 1 ( 1968 ) , p . 22 .
[ 27 ] . brendan fraser , quoted in “journey to the center of brendan fraser , ” life story : movie magic ( 2008 ) , 87 .
only a few incidents from verne remain as several juveniles become lost underground . [ 16 ] journey to the center of the earth becomes utterly incoherent as the focus shifts to an atlantis in the center of the earth , meant as a funky in - joke that is utterly bizarre and unfunny . the city is presented as a big - brother metropolis most reminiscent of george orwell’s novel , 1984 .
descending , they arrive at an abandoned mine shaft , board its rail . the subsequent roller - coaster style ride aboard a mine car is both reminiscent of tokyo disneysea’s “journey to the center of the earth” and a blueprint for possible rides in the future . [ 30 ] the tokyo ride devoted to the novel , like this part of the journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , depicts a mine excursion into one amazing underground world of colors and monsters conceived by verne , and it is this the film references , not , as some critics have suggested , indiana jones and the temple of doom . the filmmakers are recognizing that audiences may be as familiar with the 1959 film , the tokyo disney ride , as much as the original novel . [ 31 ]
every adaptation was aimed at fundamentally different audiences . worldwide mainstream viewers were the objective of the 1910 , 1959 , and 2008 3 - d movies . youthful filmgoers were the target in more specialized venues like where time began and journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , with children for the animated versions and wishbone : hot diggety dawg .
the actors get somewhat ragged as they spend months traveling towards the center of the earth . but all of them are quite well shaven and their hair seems to never grow .
a 1996 canadian animated version , journey to the center of the earth , clearly reflected an enormous debt to the 1959 movie , while adding fresh permutations of its own . directed by laura shepherd , it ran approximately 40 minutes and was produced by phoenix animation studios for blye mijicovsky productions , but had only very limited showings through catalyst distribution , inc .
( 1959 ) , a big - budget , family - friendly film with
something for everyone
and a generous helping of visual treats . as with the best adaptations of verne ,
back on the surface , the children are fascinated with a gold medallion that wishbone has dug up . returning to the story of journey to the center of the earth , the discovery leads to an underground river inside the rocks , to relieve the explorer’s thirst . the explorers are thrown out of the volcano in italy when the family accidentally digs into a water pipe .
viaje al centro de la tierra / jules verne’s fabulous journey to the center of the earth / where time began producer - director : juan piquer simon distributor : international picture show ( u . s . ) year : 1977
a exciting , but boring . journey to the center , become very silly . even henry levin ' s direction saves this sci - fi success .
years ago , i worked in the film industry and for a while as a publicis for 20th century fox , boone’s home studio . i fondly remember working at my very first real job as the assistant manager of the alex theatre in glendale , california , where journey to the center of the earth played first run .
the latest twilight time blu - ray presents the best version , particularly in the video department , of the film with all the lush colors you’d want in the center of the earth . there’s also the requisite isolated soundtrack , audio commentary with diane baker and film historians steven c . smith and nick redman , and the trailer .
the war of the worlds ( 1953 ) this film was the winner of the best achievement in special effects academy award , by producer george pal , for its vivid depiction of the invasion of the earth by martians .
there were some problems i found in journey to the center of the earth i think casablanca is a great film and most people i talk to seem to agree . but the truth is that there is a lot in that film that makes little sense . there was no such thing historically as
letters of transit
and certainly nothing that the gestapo would accept . and absolutely nothing that the germans were not allowed to even question . later in the film when the letters are actually used they seem to be barely examined . some films just seem to click and you accept them even with their problems . and as for rick and louis walking off into the fog at the end , where do you find fog in the moroccan desert ? still we just accept it because it is a good film . that is how i feel about journey to the center of the earth .
during the first few years of the 21 st century , new versions of journey to the center of the earth continued to be announced but remained unproduced . finally , in 2007 , a new big budget version was made , journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , and as so often happens , simultaneously two lower budget renditions of the same story were made to cash in on the former’s anticipated popularity , one by robert halmi for television , and another direct - to - video by the asylum . halmi’s appeared first , and like his 2005 version of mysterious island , the filmmakers did not return to the novel , but chose instead to remake an earlier adaptation .
not very much here that could be directly considered
lovecraftian
, but there is a sunken atlantis hidden in a hollow earth , and this is among the better hollow earth movies ever made , with some of the most striking hollow earth imagery to have ever been put to film . . . .
the day the earth stood still ( 1951 ) this classic science - fiction film featured state - of - the - art visual effects and seamless model miniatures .
in journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , all the vital motifs , characters , and themes of verne’s novel are retained , as far as possible in the format of a summer “thrill ride” movie . episodes are either replaced or approximated within the script’s new narrative . the major change is to have the journey take place over days , rather than weeks , with a running time of 92 minutes .
future learning and skills – giving everyone the opportunity to build a lifelong relationship with film .
based on jules verne ' s 1864 science - fiction novel , this henry levin - directed fun adventure - fantasy film had fake looking ( and now dated ) special effects , although they were still effective . it was remade as journey to the center of the earth ( 1993 ) , starring brendan fraser .
cinema scope mag for film reviews , criticism news & comments . one of the most respected publications on film , uniting experienced critics with new writers .
[ 18 ] . billy aronson , a journey to the center of the earth , “wishbone classics” series ( new york : harper , 1996 ) . although tied in with the wishbone series , this book actually retold the original verne story , rather than the television episode . by contrast , michael anthony steele , digging to the center of the earth , “the adventures of wishbone” series ( allen , tx : big red chair books , 1999 ) , followed the outline of the television episode hot diggety dawg .
prof . lindenbrook leads his intrepid party on an expedition to the center of the earth , via a volcano in iceland , encountering all manner of prehistoric monsters and life - threatening hazards on the way .
a summer film almost dictates a contemporary setting . the question then becomes how to re - tell the story within that requirement—or to abandon it altogether , as the asylum had done . director eric brevig himself had changed the initial 19 th century setting of the script of journey to the center of the earth 3 - d , believing it needed to concentrate on the book’s highlights , to appeal to modern audiences . [ 22 ] he hoped to get away from some of the elements that make the book unlikely from a scientific standpoint to modern audiences , and to avoid the feel of a remake . [ 23 ]
the asylum is known for producing films from public domain stories , and with titles reminiscent of big budget productions offered by major studios , so it is not surprising for them to join the verne bandwagon ; in 2007 they had released an updated version of twenty thousand leagues under the seas entitled 30 , 000 leagues under the sea . as weak as their journey to the center of the earth is , it is vastly superior simply as entertainment to 30 , 000 leagues under the sea . while the latter actually had more in common with verne , it was such a disservice to his premise that a film like journey to the center of the earth that simply abandons the author altogether ( except in name only ) deserves less opprobrium .
every version of journey to the center of the earth has demonstrated the ever - increasing intertextuality of these adaptations . the films increasingly reflect not only the novel , and an attempt at adaptation , but more and more frequently are equally influenced by previous films of the story . whether adding to the youthful mix of the underground explorers or finding atlantis , films expand the original vernian “text” to include new elements . so many of these verne productions have now been made and are repeated endlessly on television that he has been initially encountered through screen renderings by most of the last two generations of audiences , making such adaptations a defining experience in the discovery of this author . journey to the center of the earth 3 - d demonstrates how this has progressed to the point where it is possible to simultaneously craft a film which serves at one and the same moment as a pastiche and adaptation .
while decades may have passed since the peak of boone’s career as a hit singer ( second in sales only to elvis back then ) tv variety show host and movie star , he vividly remembers making journey to the center of the earth , in which he co - starred with james mason and arlene dahl .
it may well be second to king kong ( 1933 ) as the film i have seen the greatest number of times .
“ journey to the center of the earth may have saved 20th century fox , ” boone said , “the studio was in danger of being bankrupted by the filming of cleopatra until journey became a solid box office hit . it definitely ranks as one of the true adventure classics that had a profound influence on many future filmmakers , such as steven spielberg and george lucas . brendon fraser , eat your heart out . ”
long ago , a lone explorer named arne saknussemm made a fantastic descent to the fabled lost kingdom of atlantis at the earth’s core . after many centuries , his trail was discovered , first by me , professor oliver lindenbrook , my niece cindy , student alec mckuen , our guide lars and his duck gertrude . but we were not alone . the evil count saknussemm , last descendant of the once noble saknussemm family , had followed us , to claim the center of the earth for his power - mad schemes . he ordered his brute - like servant torg to destroy our party . but the plan backfired , sealing the entrance forever . and so for us began a desperate race to the earth’s core , to learn the secret of the way back . this is the story of our new journey to the center of the earth .
unfortunately , at the last minute journey to the center of the earth 3 - d has had to drop 3 - d from the title in many screenings , owing to a lack of theaters ready for the new systems . it had already been held back for a full year precisely because not enough theaters were equipped for it . having been made on a relatively modest budget of $ 54 million ( with ten weeks of principal photography , in montreal ) , journey to the center of the earth 3 - d could not open in 3 - d in all theaters . this required simultaneous release in many theaters with only “flat” prints , lacking the 3 - d .
the film featured man - eating tsavo lions leaping toward the camera and flying spears thrown out of the screen .
on february 28 , 1993 , nbc premiered a new two - hour television movie pilot entitled journey to the center of the earth , which had even less relation to the novel than the cannon duo . a nuclear - powered craft descends into the shaft of an active volcano , but becomes trapped as it explores the world underground on a quest for the knowledge of atlantis .
one of the cryptograms in max’s copy of journey to the center of the earth leads to the asgeirsson institute of volcanolgy in iceland , where trevor and sean meet the late asgeirsson’s daughter hannah ( anita briem ) . she explains that her father was a vernian—one of a small group who believed that what the author wrote was , indeed , fact , and hetzel editions can be seen on the book shelves .
prof . lindenbrook leads his intrepid party on an expedition to the center of the earth , via a volcano in iceland , encountering all manner of prehistoric monsters and life - threatening hazards on the way . written by mark hockley
the ten commandments ( 1956 ) the film won the best achievement in special effects academy award . it was cecil b . demille ' s remake of his own 1923 silent film , with one of the most miraculous visual effects scenes in film history ( and the most expensive special effects to date ) - - the parting of the red sea .
crew : ( color ) widescreen . available on vhs , dvd . extract of a review from 1959 . running time : 132 min .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
in spite of my love for this film ( and it is a film i have loved from when i first saw it ) when i see it to say i am willing to give it a pass in spite of the film ' s stretches of credulity . here are problems i have noted ( in addition to the coincidences already mentioned ) .
in a staple of this series , at the conclusion wishbone narrates several minutes showing how the special effects were created to depict verne’s journey to the center of the earth - - an unusually direct acknowledgment of the fictional nature of the story . this lack of pretense allows hot diggety dawg to succeed in simultaneously telling two separate but complimentary stories . hot diggety dawg cleverly and charmingly conveys the novel’s tone and plot in a series of vignettes , overcoming its brevity .
you do not need to cross the fence to reach the cache , but you may want to for the views . you can see several of the other ridges where more difficult caches await your journey .
[ note : stanley kubrick was strongly influenced by this film , and based much of the design and plot elements of 2001 : a space odyssey ( 1968 ) on this film . star trek ii : the wrath of khan ( 1982 ) used props from this film as well . ]
arriving with sean are some of max’s possessions , including the baseball mitt intended as a gift for his son’s birthday and his carefully studied copy of verne’s journey to the center of the earth . the book is full of notes and even a cipher which , as in verne’s telling , the nephew decodes . here is a clear displacement in the new narrative , verne’s novel taking the position of saknussemm’s relic in the original . verne’s book becomes the document that adds a sense of mystery to the journey . just as in the novel , 19 th century travelers follow in the footsteps of those who went before ; in this film the characters are using the novel itself as their guide .
) discovers a long hidden message that reveals the existence of a passage into the centre of the earth . leading a team of unlikely adventurers ( including
: miss jenny ! i saw you turn pale when the domini spoke of those in peril at the far ends of the earth .
luckily , axel manages to decrypt the document . arne saknussemm reports that the traveler who climbs up on the crater of snæfells volcano can get into the center of the earth ; he apparently undertook this journey himself . axel knows that his uncle will want to make a similar attempt and decides not to tell him of the find , but eventually gives in . lidenbrock immediately starts planning the journey and tells his nephew to come along as well . axel is reluctant until his fiancée grauben , his uncle’s ward , tells him that he ought to make the excursion .
in 1880 , in edinburgh , professor oliver s . lindenbrook of the local university has been awarded with the title of
sir
and his students have chipped in for a gift including a lava stone . prof . lindenbrook researches the lava and finds evidence that the scientist saknussemm sent it from the center of the earth one hundred years ago . he sends his findings to his colleague prof . peter goetabaug of stockholm to endorse his research . but soon he finds that prof . goetabaug has betrayed him and traveled to iceland to organize an expedition to the center of the earth . prof . lindenbrook travels with his protégée alexander
alec
mckuen to iceland to organize his own expedition and discovers prof . goetabaug murdered by count saknussemm who wants to protect the discovery of his ancestor . prof . lindenbrook and alec are forced to team - up with the widow carla goetabaug and the strong local hans belker who brings his duck gertrude with him . the group goes to a volcano that is the entrance to the center of the earth in the beginning of their amazing and dangerous journey .
news item stated that charles brackett , in association with twentieth century - fox , had bought the rights to the novel from the korda estate and wanted clifton webb to play the role of
oliver lindenbrook .
although an april 1959
the earth itself as a kind of character or organism . for you scientists or mythologists , does verne subscribe to the gaea principle ?
this sci - fi disaster film was producer george pal ' s follow - up film to destination moon ( 1950 ) - with a mediocre story that had spectacular special effects .
a miniature model of the lost atlantis was used for the earthquake scene . the lava was probably oatmeal , similar to the lava in the 1960 film
the time machine
.
it was also the first science - fiction film to feature
flying saucers
and the first true robot , gort .
robert halmi , sr . dusted off the script of his 1999 version of journey to the center of the earth , compressing it back to a 90 minute telefilm for rhi entertainment that appeared on the ion network on january 27 , 2008 . william bray adapted the 1999 tom baum teleplay , this time helmed by t . j . scott . the principal characterizations and motives remained the same , only compressed and more tightly paced .
a bit hokey to be sure , but this action / adventure movie has a rip - roaring premise taken from the classic novel by jules verne . it has charming characters , especially the overbearing professor who is proven wrong on a regular basis . journey to the center of the earth also boasts diverting action sequences , and a grand , old - fashioned score .
fittingly , the first film recognized as steampunk was the 1902 fourteen - minute french animated short le voyage dans la lune ( a trip to the moon ) , based on jules verne’s from the earth to the moon and h . g . wells’ the first men in the moon . wildly popular upon its release , the georges méliès film– one of his hundreds of fantasy films– achieved canonical status within science fiction .
casper dies on the return journey , and crossing the underground sea again , jonas , lytton , and alice are abruptly sent to the surface by a vortex phenomenon . saknussemm ( in the only context in which he is mentioned ) is said to have predicted this : underground storms which turn into giant waterspouts that feed surface lakes . lytton and alice decide to honeymoon in iceland , and explore fresh caverns that may offer a more direct route to the center of the earth ( which has the curious effect of making the verne novel seem like a sequel to this film adaptation ) .
samuel m
sam
raimi [ 1 ] ( born october 23 , 1959 ) is an american film director , producer , writer and actor , famous for creating the cult horror comedy evil dead series , as well as directing the original spider - man trilogy ( 2002–07 ) and the 1990 superhero film darkman ; his most recent work is 2013 ' s disney fantasy film oz the great and powerful . raimi has produced several successful television series and is the founder of renaissance pictures . recently , he worked as the producer of the possession , and the 2013 remake of evil dead . he is currently working on a film adaption of the critically acclaimed video game the last of us .
i understand the appeal of the 1950s cinemascope adventure movies like 20 , 000 leagues under the sea and around the world in 80 days . while their special effects are dated , the practical effects are always spellbinding to see in a world gone to cgi and the actors take it seriously . however , these same movies suffer from an extended amount of bloat and the human component is always infinitely duller than the actual “journey” being undertaken . these are the problems and triumphs employed in journey to the center of the earth , a movie i liked a fair bit more than 20 , 000 leagues but whose issues remained the same .
apparently at the very center of the earth there is a sea to one side and not the other . and you can tell you are there because there is
a field of force that snatches gold away .
the physics makes no sense at all . ( also in this scene jenny seems to have some sort of psychic link to the explorers . )
in spite of it all , this is a film that clicks for me . it may well be second to king kong ( 1933 ) as the film i have seen the greatest number of times . mark r . leeper copyright 2016 mark r . leeper
[ 22 ] . joe nazzaro , “to the ends of the earth , ” starlog no . 367 ( july 2008 ) , 11 - 13 .
cooga mooga film productions , inc . , joseph m . schenck enterprises , inc .
audio commentary with actress diane baker and film historians steven c . smith & nick redman
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
the story concerns an expedition , led by james mason , who plays a dedicated scientist , to the center of the earth . among those who descend to the depths with mason are pat boone , one of his students ; arlene dahl , the widow of a swedish geologist who steals mason’s information and tries to beat him to the ‘underworld’ ; and peter ronson , an icelandic guide and jack - of - all - trades .
edinburgh university professor sir oliver lindenbrook believes he has found an very old message from a long lost scientist who may have found the way to journey to the center of the earth . with his assistant , student alec mckuen , he sets off for iceland where an entrance in a volcanic range is to be found . they are soon joined by carla goetabaug , whose scientist - husband was recently murdered , and icelander hans belker as they descend into the bowels of the earth . there they will find fantastic creatures , exotic plants , the lost city of atlantis and a foe who wants to keep knowledge of this underworld to himself .
while the subterranean world is offered as an example of a different outcome of darwin’s theories , the theme is insufficiently explored , and the second half of the miniseries is disappointing . the filmmakers are unable to develop an adequate destination for the expedition , refusing to allow the journey itself to serve as the goal , as in the novel .
the expedition soon runs out of water , and axel faints and becomes lost . here , and at several other points in the story , the visuals adopt axel’s subjective point of view , approximating the first - person narration of the novel . the novel’s separate episodes of axel’s rescue and the finding of water are effectively conflated here , and they also find the skeletons of the many other men who had traveled with saknussemm - - an eerie sequence that provides one of the few attempts to seriously suggest the outcome of the first expedition to the center of the earth .
perhaps part of the novel’s appeal is its premise , transcending science fiction to present an adventure which can never be realized , yet still retains a powerful grip on human curiosity . for it is also a fantasy of the ultimate conquest of nature , traveling through its most hidden recesses to regions that will never be seen . journey to the center of the earth offers the reader and moviegoer not only a prehistoric world , but one entirely of the imagination , a realm conjured by the mind of jules verne , and ever more often by the magicians of the screen who have found his idea a source of inspiration .
news items , producer eugene lourie planned to film a version in italy with gerard philipe and michele morgan as the stars . according to september 1956 items in
there is an attenuated telling of the journey to the underground lake . the only marker among the caves is one at the beginning , in russian , telling them the correct initial cave to take . ( there is no mention of saknussemm . ) on the way , the remains of sergei’s brother are found .
a diary flies out of mason ' s hand while they are on a raft because of earth ' s magnetic field . you can see a wire attached to the left corner of the book .
a squad of supernatural investigators are earth ' s only defense against an evil ghost wizard and his minions .
[ note : the same joke to open up the screen ( for odorama ) was used in john waters ' polyester ( 1981 ) - in homage to this film . ]
this classic universal horror film effectively used a foam - latex costume suit to represent the amphibious creature called the gill - man - one of the most famous movie monsters ever created .
in some european versions of the film , for example the spanish dubbing , the
prof of geology ' s song
was re - dubbed into the
gaudeamus igitur
song .
however , it was also known for its unique opening or preamble , in which one of the film ' s stars , a bow - tied tom ewell , opened the film by walking out onto a open stage to speak to the camera ( and break the fourth wall ) and to introduce the feature . the background was an abstract landscape with musical instruments floating in space .
basically the story of a man forced to finally see the injustice around him . riley’s movie is designed to do the same thing to you . …
prof . lindenbrook leads his intrepid party on an expedition to the centre of the earth , via a volcano in iceland , encountering all manner of prehistoric monsters and life - threatening hazards on the way .
presence ; perfectly believable as the enthusiastic scientist lindenbrook , mason ' s performance also often adds to the film ' s light touch . as the determined captain nemo in
the self - conscious decision to go into the epistolary mode for part of the adventure .
in a grotto , bioluminescent birds extinct for millions of years lead them to the center of the earth : waterfalls and a sea lit by an underground sun . here is the world verne described , but recreated in an entirely fresh manner , lush and verdant , full of vibrant colors , teeming with all the signs of life . this image was the centerpiece of the original poster art and website reflecting the 3 - d .
the
scientific
idea of the earth being hollow ( evolving partly from the mythology of the
underworld ,
which in turn evolved into hell ) was in circulation since edmund halley in the late 17th century and still is the subject of speculation . ( edgar rice burroughs also wrote an inner - earth series of books . ) here are various
hollow earth
web sites - - some explanatory and skeptical , others rather loony .
scott ashlin at 1000 mispent hours and counting ( 1 . 5 / 5 stars ) ( link ) -
if you pay close attention to the dialogue , you’ll note that the plot of journey to the center of the earth unfolds over the course of most of a year . and yeah , the way this movie flows , that feels about right . . . . i have a longstanding personal prejudice against movies in which the heroes are routinely bailed out of trouble by their cute animal companions . . . lavish production values will only carry a movie so far ; it may be vastly sillier than this one , but at the earth’s core is at least reasonably entertaining most of the time .
zero point subrise : the hollow earth
- - brief historical summary of halley , symmes , . . . nazis :
geology , the fields of study concerned with the solid earth . included are sciences such as mineralogy , geodesy , and stratigraphy . an introduction to the geochemical and geophysical sciences logically begins with…
director nathan juran ' s classic fantasy film ( with stop - motion special effects by ray harryhausen ) wasn ' t even a nominee in the awards category of best special effects . it was the first film using stop - motion special effects to be shot in full color .
the gimmicky 3 - d effect required that the viewer wear special polarization glasses , unlike anaglyphic 3 - d that required red / blue glasses to be worn . 3 - d technology was employed to try to combat the encroaching competition of television on the film industry .
based on jules verne ' s fantastic stories of strange adventure . . . a fabulous world below the world !
based on the story by jules verne , an edinburgh professor and assorted colleagues follow an explorer ' s trail down an extinct icelandic volcano to the earth ' s center .
news item , cooga mooga film productions was pat boone ' s production company . under boone ' e deal with twentieth century - fox , boone was to produce and star in the film for a share in the profits , as well as a salary .
, is brought to the screen in this thrilling adventure about a band of intrepid explorers descending to the hidden reaches of our world .
the sequence around the underground sea is , as in the novel , the centerpiece of the story , and the full treatment of this setting and the incidents around it - - the island , the dinosaurs , the storm - - with a large degree of fidelity to verne , make where time began noticeably different from other films of the novel . more impressive than the blue of the sea in the 1959 version , in where time began filters turn the ocean a deep shade of greenish - blue aqua , contrasting with the orange of the land ; the striking color combinations make the setting all the more convincing . [ 15 ]
after some initial location views of the ascent of snaefells , the interior of the earth is entirely recreated through imagination , and computer - generated backgrounds that resemble the matte shots of earlier films , rather than using any of the authentic scenery such as carlsbad caverns in the 1959 version or the canary islands in where time began . trapped by a rockslide , there is no way but forward . lighting a flare ignites a cave of magnesium , and the movie emulates verne’s own habit of concealing pedagogical purpose ( in this case geology ) in the guise of an exciting narrative .
andre de toth ' s horror film from warner bros . had the extra added attraction of being filmed in 3 - d - and it was highly successful . it was the first 3 - d color feature film released by a major american studio .
although this was a horror film , the most remembered 3 - d scene in the film was the paddle - ball sequence in which a huckster ( reggie rymal ) in front of the newly - opened
house of wax
kept swatting at a ball attached by a string to a paddle . he spoke at the theatre audience and noted :
, who played lindenbrook’s student , croons love songs . however , the film’s special effects were excellent for their day , and the story can still hold the viewer , thanks mostly to the
producer / production co : twentieth century fox film corporation , cooga mooga , joseph m . schenck enterprises


the polka king is an american comedy film directed and written by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky .

the film stars jack black , jenny slate , jason schwartzman , and jacki weaver .

it premiered at the 2017 sundance film festival on january 22 , 2017 .

the polka king

vulture - jack black and the cast of “the polka king” are . . .
the polka king
tells the story of jan lewan , a polka star who went to prison for running a ponzi scheme .
the sporadic magic of the polka king largely comes from its casting , and the hammy performances that follow .
vanessa bayer , j . b . smoove & willie garson join jack black comedy ‘the polka king’
jenny slate is set to co - star with jack black in the indie comedy “the polka king . ”
jack black makes the antihero in the polka king just so lovable . and that ' s a problem .
jack black is
the polka king ,
in an ingratiating comedy based on an improbable true story .
netflix has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the jack black - starrer the polka king , which first debuted at sundance .
inspired by true events , “the polka king” tells the story of local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan , who develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans .
jack black comedy ‘polka king’ adds vanessa bayer , j . b . smoove , willie garson | deadline
the polka king is warm and sympathetic , avoiding easy jokes in favor of humane , character - driven humor .
‘hamming it up to the nth degree’ : jack black as jan lewan , the polka king . photograph : pr company handout
bernie finds a more cohesive balance between the craziness of the story and a solid emotional center . the polka king never quite gets there .
maya forbes and wally wolodarsky are co - directing and writing the polka king , which is based on joshua brown and john mikulak’s documentary , the man who would be polka king , which follows the rise and fall of jan lewan , a pennsylvania polka sensation who shocked the polka world when it was revealed he seduced his fans into investing in a ponzi scheme .
principal photography for “the polka king” is slated for mid - july through mid - august , at various locations across rhode island .
netflix has picked up global rights to jack black ’s comedy “ the polka king ” and plans to launch the film later this year .
“ the polka king ” premiered at the sundance film festival in january . maya forbes directed the film from a script she wrote with wally wolodarsky .
inspired by true events , “the polka king” tells the story of local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan , “who develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans , ” according to a release .
the man who would be polka king is a movie starring michael byrne , pete chacho , and catherine damavandi . a look at the rise and fall of band leader jan lewan , whose international polka empire led to the greatest polka - related financial crime in history .
principal photography for “the polka king” is slated for mid - july through mid - august , 2016 at various locations across rhode island .
the pic is based on the joshua brown and john mikulak documentary , “the man who would be polka king , ” following the rise and fall of jan lewan , a pennsylvania polka sensation who shocked the polka world when it was revealed he seduced his fans into investing in a ponzi scheme .
pawtucket – production staff for the jack black film “the polka king” visited a number of city sites last week as they prepare to start filming in rhode island .
a look at the rise and fall of band leader jan lewan , whose international polka empire led to the greatest polka - related financial crime in history .
pawtucket – filming for “the polka king , ” starring jack black as polka legend / con artist jan lewan , got going in pawtucket last friday . several homes on waltham street and harvard street are being used for the film .
a member of the camera crew . filming for the movie
the man who would be polka king
starring jack black took place on friday , july 15 , in pawtucket .
a press release from the rhode island film & television office last week announced that shivhans pictures will produce and finance filming of “the polka king” in rhode island this summer .
black , david permut , stuart cornfeld , shivani rawat , monica levinson and priyanka mattoo are producing . rawat’s shivhans pictures is also financing “the polka king . ”
actor jack black , left , during filming for the movie
the polka king
last friday in pawtucket . black is starring in the film . ( breeze photos by charles lawrence )
the feature is based on the documentary the man who would be polka king from directors joshua brown and john mikulak , which follows grammy - nominated polka sensation jan lewan , who ended up running a soviet souvenir - based ponzi scheme that landed him in jail .
infinitely polar bear helmer maya forbes and former simpsons writer wally wolodarsky wrote the movie , and forbes directed . the polka king also stars jenny slate , vanessa bayer and jason schwartzman .
polka king is being produced by permut , stuart cornfeld , shivani rawat , monica levinson and priyanka mattoo . permut presentations’ vp chris mangano will exec produce .
producers of the polka king are david permut of permut presentations , stuart cornfeld of red hour pictures , shivani rawat and monica levinson of shivhans pictures , and priyanka mattoo . rawat’s shivhans pictures is also financing the polka king . shivhans has been behind such pictures as bleecker street’s danny collins , the oscar - nominated trumbo and captain fantastic which is currently out in theaters .
acclaimed actor and musician jack black ( “school of rock” , “kung fu panda” ) stars in the new feature film comedy “the polka king” , written and directed by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky .
with a clipped and modestly entertaining 90 - minute run time , the polka king that relishes in lewan ' s theatrics but rarely pauses to interrogate what ' s behind his facade .
polka king , directed and written by forbes and wolodarsky , is based on the documentary film the man who would be polka king from directors john mikulak and joshua von brown . the movie was produced by david permut ( permut presentations ) , stuart cornfeld ( red hour films ) , shivani rawat and monica levinson ( shivhans pictures ) , jack black ( electric dynamite ) and priyanka mattoo .
jack black plays a polka star and con artist in a new netflix movie .
on sunday night , sundance had the world premiere of the latest comedy vehicle from actor jack black , “the polka king . ” it was introduced as a welcome opposite for the programmers after they had watched “three documentaries about syria , ” and proved to have that effect with a mostly - packed house . one of the more straight - up comedies of the fest , “the polka king” treats viewers to a bizarre true story and funky performances from its strong cast .
filming for the movie
the man who would be polka king
starring jack black took place on friday , july 15 , in pawtucket . the movie is based on joshua brown and john mikulak’s documentary which follows the rise and fall of jan lewan , a pennsylvania polka sensation who unwittingly brought a town to its knees in a ponzi scheme .
bayer is repped by wme and rise management . smoove is repped by uta and converge media group . garson is with paradigm and john carrabino management . wme and icm represent distribution rights on the polka king .
cranston , r . i . —
the polka king ,
the movie being made in rhode island that stars jack black , is looking for unpaid extras wednesday for a shoot at rhodes on the pawtuxet , 60 rhodes place , cranston .
polka king is currently slated to start production this summer and is being produced by permut , stuart cornfeld , shivani rawat , monica levinson and priyanka mattoo permut presentations’ vp chris mangano will exec produce .
netflix has taken global rights to maya forbes and wally wolodarsky’s comedy biopic the polka king starring jack black as local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan . deadline hears that netflix paid high seven figures for the movie , which premiered at the sundance film festival in january . there were several suitors since the movie premiered at the festival . netflix was there at the beginning , and pulled ahead of the pack in recent months . wme and icm co - repped the deal .
jenny slate , jason schwartzman , jacki weaver , j . b . smoove , and vanessa bayer also star in the story of local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan . the movie is based on the joshua brown and john mikulak documentary , “the man who would be polka king , ” which detailed lewan’s rise and fall after persuading fans to invest in a ponzi scheme , which landed him in jail .
fifty - one walcott street , a house used in the movie ,
the man who would be polka king .
unofficial sources say that the movie involves large spans of time and the house will again appear in the movie with a fresh coat of paint . filming for the movie starring jack black took place on friday , july 15 , in pawtucket .
jack black , jenny slate and jason schwartzman star in this tale of the rise and fall of a real - life polka maestro .
a streaming date has not been determined , but polka king will hit netflix before the end of this year . no word on whether there will be a theatrical release component like other netflix titles ( the streaming studio has a deal for its original movies to be shown at the luxury chain ipic theaters ) .
local pennsylvania polka legend jan lewan develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans and lands him in jail .
“pawtucket is thrilled to welcome jack black and ‘the polka king’ to our great city , ” said mayor donald grebien in a statement . “it’s truly exciting to have the film’s production headquarters in the city’s armory arts district in historic downtown , and that a number of local pawtucket businesses are being considered for film locations . ”
crew : directors / writers : mary forbes , wally wolodarsky , based on the documentary
the man who would be polka king
by john mikulak and joshua von brown . camera ( color , widescreen , hd ) : andrei bowden schwartz . editor : catherine haight . music : theodore shapiro .
“we loved working with them before and know we can help them maximize their potential for this extraordinary project , ‘the polka king , ’ ” feinberg said . “the script is superbly written , and we look forward to seeing jack black unleash his talent and soar as he portrays this provocative character . ”
this exuberant tragicomedy recounts the remarkable but true story of the rise and fall of polish émigré jan lewan ( black ) , from striving tchotchke shop owner in the ’70s to the undisputed “king of pennsylvania polka” in the early ’90s . lewan pursued the american dream by any means necessary , fleecing investors and bribing officials to build a personal musical empire in what became the world’s only known polka ponzi scheme . swept up by lewan’s charismatic charm are his devoted wife , marla ( slate ) , and his neurotic sidekick , mickey ( schwartzman ) .
dennis harvey gave “the polka king” a strong review at sundance : “one of those conspicuously talented comics who nonetheless can be tricky to cast , jack black has rather surprisingly found some of his best big - screen roles portraying liberally dramatized versions of real people , à la ‘school of rock’ and ‘bernie . ’ ( no , ‘drunk history’ doesn’t count . ) featuring black’s most eccentric true - life character yet , ‘the polka king’ amply plays to its star’s strengths , yielding a hilariously tough - to - believe biopic that should easily prove one of the bigger commercial breakouts of sundance’s 2017 edition . ”
“pawtucket is thrilled to welcome jack black and “the polka king” to our great city . it’s truly exciting to have the film’s production headquarters in the city’s armory arts district in historic downtown , and that a number of local pawtucket businesses are being considered for film locations , ” pawtucket mayor donald r . grebien stated in a press release .
this adaptation of john mikulak ' s and joshua von brown ' s doc the man who would be polka king is a big left turn after forbes ' debut , the autobiographical infinitely polar bear , campy and outrageous where that film sought the emotional core of extreme behavior . the stylization can be hard to take at times , however true to events it may be .
ans were shocked when it was discovered that their hero had committed one of the largest ( and possibly only ) polka - related financial crimes in history .
polka bandleader jan lewan sets out to build a music and travel empire but soon runs afoul of the law in this jack black comedy based on a true story .
polka musicians are an easy target for comedy – and what’s really going to top john candy and eugene levy as stan and yosh , the schmenge brothers , from the old canadian sketch comedy show sctv ? luckily , after an initial high - energy onslaught ( and jenny slate in some fabulous outfits ) , the polka king goes easy on the “ain’t they quirky ? ” sequences that a cheap - shot filmmaker like jared hess has somehow turned into a career . even though jack black is hamming it up to the nth degree , this somehow turns into a film about characters you care about .
exclusive : the dance card for the jack black comedy the polka king just got longer with saturday night live ‘s vanessa bayer , curb your enthusiasm ‘s j . b . smoove and hawaii five - o ‘s willie garson boarding the project . the news follows after deadline broke exclusively last week that jason schwartzman and oscar nominee jacki weaver are also set to star alongside black who is not only headlining , but producing too under his electric dynamite label .
chris mangano is a young producer in the independent film world who has already made significant contributions to the scene in just a few years . his most recent project , the polka king starring jack black debuted at sundance this past year to widespread critical and audience acclaim . i had a chance to catch up with chris about the project , his career , and what big things are shaping up at mangano movies & media , his production company .
the spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love from throughout the past year .
one of those conspicuously talented comics who nonetheless can be tricky to cast , jack black has rather surprisingly found some of his best big - screen roles portraying liberally dramatized versions of real people , à la “school of rock” and “bernie . ” ( no , “drunk history” doesn’t count . ) featuring black’s most eccentric true - life character yet , “the polka king” amply [ … ]
it’s not a spoiler , but jan lewan was indeed at the screening last night , and ( after climbing onto the stage himself ) was able to clarify just how authentic the movie’s events are : “pretty much true . ” afterward , he and black performed a polka rap ( you’ll see soon , i’m sure ) , basking in massive applause . as someone near me asked , “doesn’t he owe people five million dollars ? are we ok with that ? ” that’s a revealing observation to the slightness this movie has with the legitimately bad things jan did . but the movie is very often fruitful with its goofiness .
the polka king
finds a distinct balance of being good - spirited to the title person while able to let us laugh out loud about his absurdities .
what’s key is that even though this is a movie about a scoundrel , it’s all very optimistic . forbes and wolodarsky keep the frame bright and the filmmaking calls attention to itself only when necessary . in one such scene , jan somehow hoaxes a group of people to buy into a european tour that includes a visit from the pope – and then somehow gets john paul ii to stop by for a group photo . if you ignore the part about going to jail , the polka king is a great advertisement for the “fake it ‘til you make it” manifesto .
a pennsylvania polka sensation almost brings down the town with a ponzi scheme . with jack black and jacki weaver . produced by red hour films . shoots july 15 - sept . 20 in rhode island .
the polka king , a return to sundance for maya forbes and wally wolodarsky after infinitely polar bear , is definitely wacky , perhaps even a little zany , but as the pre - title card and closing credits photos remind us , this is based on a true story . that fact serves as a considerable engagement engine , as this is the type of story where , if someone told it to you , you might say , “man , they ought to make a movie about that ! ”
unbounded optimism is a great thing up to a point in the polka king , maya forbes ' feature version of the true story in which a flamboyant bandleader found himself swindling his aged fans out of millions . jack black , as the immigrant musician in question , finds a role that invites a great deal of jack black - ness , full of peppy showmanship and thickly accented dialogue . but even moviegoers with a strong tolerance for that shtick may be less than involved with this half - charming feature , which inspires some sympathy for its protagonist but not enough to carry the film . commercial prospects are iffy , despite the strong cast .
one of those conspicuously talented comics who nonetheless can be tricky to cast , jack black has rather surprisingly found some of his best big - screen roles portraying liberally dramatized versions of real people , à la “school of rock” and “bernie . ” ( no , “drunk history” doesn’t count . ) featuring black’s most eccentric true - life character yet , “ the polka king ” amply plays to its star’s strengths , yielding a hilariously tough - to - believe biopic that should easily prove one of the bigger commercial breakouts of sundance’s 2017 edition .
will be the fourth film ms . hampson produces in the ocean state . her previous films were the golden globe nominated production “
this film tells the story of a polish polka music singer , who makes a fortune by setting up a ponzi scheme that targets the elderly . i thought it would be a comedy , but only after a few minutes in i already found out it was not funny at all . the story is not so engaging because the background stories of the investors are not explained , and hence i feel little for them . the characters in the film are not very likable either . unfortunately , i did not like this film as i imagined i would .
the breeze first reported last week that at least one scene for the movie would be filmed at the modern diner . susan mcdonald , marketing communications manager for memorial hospital , said the crew will stage a retro icu room for scenes at the hospital when filming starts the second week of august .
but when it comes to the film’s overall success , these wildly amusing situations take a back seat to the contributions of an excellent cast . speaking the language of incorrigible optimism in a burlesque polish accent , black gets to sing ( the soundtrack is wall - to - wall polka favorites , though there’s no “she’s too fat for me” ) , hustle , and deliver broken - english homilies to his heart’s desire . the cartoonish extroversion that can be simply too much in other contexts is ideally harnessed here .
basically the story of a man forced to finally see the injustice around him . riley’s movie is designed to do the same thing to you . …
the movie is like a goof on the american dream a la michael bay ’s “pain & gain , ” but with the small - town - version scheming of a “ the wolf of wall street . ” the dreamer in this case is polish immigrant / polka bandleader jan lewan ( jack black ) , who has pride , perhaps too much pride ( not plainly ego ) about being successful . he also has a certain naivete , both to the way that government works and his stern belief if he can think things , they will come true . at the beginning of the film , he leads a rollicking polka band that goes by his name , and owns a shop in a strip mall in hazelton , pa that sells various polish trinkets . we also see in a cartoonishly - cut flashback that he works various other jobs , washing bathrooms , cleaning dishes or delivering pizzas , indicating a sweet , sincere hustle .
in the documentary premieres slate , film topics include examining the events that led up to the 1995 oklahoma city federal building bombing , the syrian refugee crisis , and a new look at the fabled musicians of the buena vista social club from director lucy walker . with the emergence of a greater tv presence in recent years , the special events portion of the sff 2017 program will feature returns to sundance for rashdia jones and jill soloway with the opening episodes of jones’ netflix docu - series hot girls wanted : turned on and the first three episodes of the new and upcoming i love dick amazon series from the transparent creator . the angie tribeca star’s hot girls wanted documentary debuted at sundance 2015 and was quickly picked up by the streaming service < . / a >
jan ' s dream of making more money and having an empire of polish and polka - based goods leads him to giving promissory notes to his polka group fans , thinking it ' s an easy way to make money . he’s informed steadily that this is a ponzi scheme , that it must cease immediately , and that he has to pay back his investors . but when a sweet older couple say they want to invest even more money , jan gives in , and takes the money . for years , he isn’t investigated , and his business ventures ( a trip that promises a pope meeting , for one ) get crazier and crazier . “this really happened” is the first line of text in the story , and feels like the refrain to the various absurd sequences that follow .
tomorrow’s short film unveiling is scheduled to be the last official sundance slate release before the festival kicks off . in the meantime , take a look at the latest and rich sundance lineups from today below :
a showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year .
other announced pawtucket locations for the film include the modern diner , german club , and memorial hospital .
“some of the most pressing themes that we can trace through the festival lineup — the environment , political upheaval , social change — are distilled to their very human essences in both comic and dramatic stories , ” noted sff director john cooper on monday of the latest slates . “these stories , and the conversations they spark , start here and will extend well beyond the mountain and the festival in the months ahead . ”
independent pilot showcase — we are proud to present the world premieres of these outstanding pilot presentations , highlighting the best in episodic series work from the independent community .
the cannes international film festival is the most talked - about film festival of the year , where directors from around the world showcase their newest work , from the most challenging art cinema to the big blockbusters . for many years , roger ebert and a team of contributors have covered cannes , and we are continuing that tradition with start - to - finish coverage from around the festival .
pawtucket is ground zero for rhode island production of the film , with the production office at the george h . fuller & son company building at 145 exchange st .
after an accident at the hair salon , violet realizes she ' s not living life to the fullest . a soulful barber helps her put the pieces back together .
filmed at the german american cultural society in pawtucket , ri and rhodes on the pawtuxet in cranston , ri .
78 / 52 / u . s . a . ( director : alexandre philippe ) — this is an unprecedented look at the iconic shower scene in alfred hitchcock’s psycho , the “man behind the curtain , ” and the screen murder that profoundly changed the course of world cinema . world premiere
bitch / u . s . a . ( director and screenwriter : marianna palka ) — a woman snaps under crushing life pressures and assumes the psyche of a vicious dog . her philandering , absentee husband is forced to become reacquainted with his four children and sister - in - law as they attempt to keep the family together during this bizarre crisis . cast : jason ritter , jaime king , marianna palka , brighton sharbino , rio mangini , kingston foster . world premiere
flying the flag as we have for past sundances , deadline co - editor - in - chief , film mike fleming jr . and myself will lead our coverage out of park city , salt lake and more with breaking news on the deals , the films , the panels , and the scene .
randall rosenbaum , executive director of the rhode island state council on the arts , congratulated the rhode island film & television office on bringing another major motion picture production to the state . he said productions like this help to energize the state culturally and economically , and provide employment to local creative workers .
two years after robert redford ’s last sundance film festival onscreen appearance with nick nolte in a walk in the woods , the founder of the utah gathering is back with the discovery , it was revealed today as the premieres , documentary premieres , midnight , spotlight , kids and special events programs were unveiled .
the miracle of the casting director enlivens this slight but based - on - a - true - story tale of a immigrant entertainer who embraced america by operating a ponzi scheme as a lucrative sideline . jack black surprises me for the second time this year and jacki weaver ( an aussie ! ) does a bang - up job as a new jersey mother - in - law who doubts her daughter ' s choice in love . slate and schwartzman ably hold down the rest . better than you might ' ve expected . . . and polka , no less .
a look at the history of the american comedy publication and production company , national lampoon , from its beginning in the 1970s to 2010 , featuring rare and never - before - seen footage .
rancher , farmer , fisherman / u . s . a . ( directors : susan froemke , john hoffman , beth aala ) — from the montana rockies to the wheat fields of kansas and the gulf of mexico , families who work the land and sea are crossing political divides to find unexpected ways to protect the natural resources vital to their livelihoods . these are the new heroes of conservation , deep in america’s heartland . world premiere . the new climate
in this prequel to the fantasy classic , three young gelflings inspire a rebellion against the cruel emperor when they discover a horrifying secret .
the minds behind history ' s most iconic toy franchises discuss the rise ( and sometimes fall ) of their billion - dollar creations .
as far back as i can remember my favorite thing in the world to do was going to the video rental store . i’d walk up and down each aisle looking at all the one sheets printed gloriously on the front of the vhs boxes . i flip the cases over and read the billing blocks of the films , looking who the actors and directors were . i’d put mental notes together , creating in my head my own imdb of sorts . obviously this was before the internet was even around . then , when i was in the third grade , my father bought our family a camcorder . after that i don’t think there was one school project i didn’t turn into some sort of video project , all the way through high school . film school always seemed to be what was in store for me .
she most recently lent her voice to the illumination blockbuster “the secret life of pets . ” she is repped by wme and 3 arts .
trippy indie madeline ' s madeline is the movie that lakeith stanfield and boots riley from sorry to bother you want to see the most .
weaver , oscar nominated for her performances in animal kingdom and silver linings playbook , has the james franco - directed and - starring the masterpiece in the pipeline . she is repped by icm partners and elevate entertainment .
take every wave : the life of laird hamilton / u . s . a . ( director : rory kennedy ) — this is the remarkable story of an american icon who changed the sport of big wave surfing forever . transcending the surf genre , this in - depth portrait of a hard - charging athlete explores the fear , courage and ambition that push a man to greatness— and the cost that comes with it . world premiere
untitled lucy walker / buena vista social club documentary / u . s . a . , united kingdom , cuba ( director : lucy walker ) — the musicians of the buena vista social club exposed the world to cuba’s vibrant culture with their landmark 1997 album . now , against the backdrop of cuba’s captivating musical history , hear the band’s story as they reflect on their remarkable careers and the extraordinary circumstances that brought them together . world premiere
this year at sundance , netflix had the biggest acquisition at the festival , paying $ 12 . 5 million for dee rees’ southern period drama mudbound .
women ' s rights attorney gloria allred takes on the biggest names in american culture as coverage of sexual assault allegations in the media become more prevalent .
when she recovers stolen film of a movie she shot 25 years ago , novelist sandi tan revisits her time with the enigmatic man who swiped the footage .
jan’s got a loving wife he adores in former miss junior pennsylvania marla ( jenny slate ) , and a son , david ( eventually played as a teen by robert capron ) . he’s got a polka band he fronts , co - founded with “musical genius” clarinetist mickey ( jason schwartzman ) . he’s got a live - in mother - in - law ( jacki weaver , at risk of stealing the whole movie ) who nags and doubts his every move . but even she would be a small price to pay if the performing gigs he lives for actually paid the bills , rather than providing chump change . he also runs a knickknack shop and delivers pizzas on the side , yet barely keeps his head above water .
black plays jan lewan , who came to america from poland to chase dreams that seemingly had no limit . he formed a polka band , won the love of a beautiful bride ( jenny slate ' s marla ) , and developed a large following of kielbasa - devouring senior citizens across pennsylvania . still , he lived hand to mouth , starting innumerable offshoot ventures ( a polish knicknack store , for instance ) in hopes that one would pay off and beget a commercial
empire .
the story cuts corners with the seriousness of the events , opting to highlight the absurd details of jan ' s con work , however naive he may truly be . jack black’s incredible , passionate performance is a key bonding agent to the script , in which he is able to make jan vividly likable , innocent , hilarious and tragic , often simultaneously . you see the gears of choosing greed turn in black’s head when one bad decision leads to a clumsier one , even if the movie doesn’t paint a full picture of all the businesses that he owns , or why he thinks he won ' t be caught . from the beginning he makes this a passionate venture along the likes of his work in “ bernie , ” taking on a thick polish accent while boasting an incredible singing voice and fantastic range . ( there ' s a show - stopping scene where he sings
proud to be an american
with his polish band , which is both hilarious and chilling . ) the movie repeats the message that “bernie” sent as well , that as narratives try to cover so much territory but with a constant human anchor , black is one of the very best for the job . with the precision of his performance and the bigness of his presence , he is able to find the empathy that allow us to connect and laugh with strange characters .
security men wave away cars and people who do not live in the area .
in the 1970s and ' 80s , national lampoon ' s success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled douglas kenney .
rebel in the rye / u . s . a . ( director and screenwriter : danny strong ) — this portrait of the life and mind of reclusive author j . d . salinger goes from the bloody front lines of world war ii to his early rejections and the ptsd - fueled writer’s block that led to his iconic novel , the catcher in the rye . cast : nicholas hoult , kevin spacey , sarah paulson , zoey deutch , hope davis , victor garber . world premiere
look and see : a portrait of wendell berry / u . s . a . ( directors : laura dunn , jef sewell ) — this cinematic portrait of the changing landscapes and shifting values of rural america in the era of industrial agriculture is seen through the mind’s eye of farmer and writer wendell berry . the new climate
● gente - fied / u . s . a . ( creator : marvin lemus , executive producers : charles d . king , aaliyah williams , america ferrera ) — seven characters deal with the effects of change in la’s boyle heights . bicultural millennials and old - school business owners hustle to create spaces that celebrate their latino identities— even while faced with rent hikes , a housing crisis , and a steady stream of outsiders threatening to gentrify their barrio . the festival will debut three episodes of this short - form episodic series . cast : edsson morales , alicia sixtos , victoria ortiz , yareli arizmendi , salvador velez jr , rafael sigler . world premiere
ms . forbes and mr . wolodarksy previously collaborated on the golden globe nominated movie , “infinitely polar bear” , which was produced in the ocean state in the summer of 2013 and co - wrote “diary of a wimpy kid” and “monsters vs aliens” .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
jack black is jan lewan , a polish immigrant completely in love with the american dream . you can pronounce that “yan” or “jan” , as he is too eager to please to have a preference . after working low - end jobs he meets up with a multi - instrumentalist named mickey ( schwartzman ) and they form a polka band in pennsylvania . at a cancer telethon he meets a former junior miss hazleton ( jenny slate ) and they fall in love . but in addition to his band he’s got a store of polish gewgaws , and the opportunity to buy into some high yield return “investment” packages .
choose the plan that’s right for you . digital access or digital and print delivery .
jan is a born , shameless , boundlessly energetic showman , and his aged audience adores him . they bite readily enough when he begins soliciting investors for his “empire , ” which is projected to encompass a polka tv show and other pipe dreams . though acting with seeming good ( even honest ) intentions , jan doesn’t quite realize he needs to register any such business with the government , let alone that creating a financial operation in which investors are paid back simply from new investors’ contributions ( rather than actual business profit ) is a form of fraud . the state does take notice , however , dispatching investigator ron ( jb smoove ) , whom jan hastily assures he will refund the moneys post - haste .
500 years / u . s . a . ( director : pamela yates ) — from a historic genocide trial to the overthrow of a president , the sweeping story of mounting resistance played out in guatemala’s recent history is told through the actions and perspectives of the majority indigenous mayan population , who now stand poised to reimagine their society . world premiere
since he started as film critic for the chicago sun - times in 1967 , and began covering movies locally and at international film festivals , roger ebert has met and interviewed countless movie idols , artists and unknowns - - some of them even before they became famous . there ' s hardly a major figure in the history of movies , from the last part of the 20th century into the 21st , that he hasn ' t encountered .
when mickey picks jan up from prison , his car has a pennsylvania front license plate . pennsylvania only issues a single plate that is placed on the rear of the car .
with netflix only a couple years into their push to develop original films , < i > paste < / i > counts down the 50 best the service has to offer .
black , who appeared in “school of rock” and “kung fu panda , ” among other films , stars in the new feature film comedy , written and directed by maya forbes and wallace wolodarsky . forbes and wolodarksy previously collaborated on the golden globe - nominated movie “infinitely polar bear , ” which was produced in the ocean state in the summer of 2013 , and co - wrote the “diary of a wimpy kid” movie and “monsters vs aliens . ”
downward dog / u . s . a . ( showrunners : kat likkel , john hoberg , creators : michael killen , samm hodges ) — the story of a struggling millennial , nan , as observed from the point of view of her lonely and philosophical dog , martin . the festival will premiere the first four episodes of the series , followed by an extended q & a with the cast , creators and showrunners . cast : allison tolman , samm hodges , lucas neff , kirby howell - baptiste , barry rothbart . world premiere
the hollywood reporter ' s r eview out of sundance said of the film :
jack black , as the immigrant musician in question , finds a role that invites a great deal of jack black - ness , full of peppy showmanship and thickly accented dialogue .
want to share imdb ' s rating on your own site ? use the html below .
] when i was little boy in poland , all the times , i dreaming of america . so i come , i work hard , and i climb to the highest stars .
an interview with terry gilliam , director of
the man who killed don quixote .
the opening shot of a movie can tell us a lot about how to view and interpret what follows . it can even represent the whole movie in miniature . the opening shots project collects illustrated analyses of some of jim emerson ' s favorites , and contributions from scanners readers .
from co - writer / director maya forbes and writer wally wolodarsky , the movie is also able to actualize an elevated cartoonish reality for the story , starting with its excellent , gaudy production design ( like the strip mall that the gift shop is located on ) and editing that tells the story with sharp timing and zippy jokes . ( the movie is a treasure trove of goofy physical actions by its characters . ) it’s a major film for forbes , who found the funny material within her tense personal family tale of “ infinitely polar bear , ” but now proves she can orchestrate unique , massive comedy , especially when working with such an excellent cast .
roger ebert has attended international film festivals and events for almost half a century , from the kolkata international film festival to the academy awards . in addition to his coverage , our contributors report the latest from cannes , telluride , toronto , sundance and other movie showcases world - wide .
steven feinberg , executive director of the rhode island film & television office , said it was help from raimondo and general assembly members , along with many people from the public and private sectors , that helped bring forbes and wolodarsky and their team of artists back to the ocean state .
oklahoma city / u . s . a . ( director : barak goodman ) — the bombing of the alfred p . murrah federal building in oklahoma city in april 1995 is the worst act of domestic terrorism in american history ; this documentary explores how a series of deadly encounters between american citizens and federal law enforcement—including the standoffs at ruby ridge and waco—led to it . world premiere
choose the plan that ' s right for you . digital access or digital and print delivery .
midnight episodic showcase — for the after - dark crowd , we present the world premieres of two thrilling new episodic additions to our midnight lineup : pineapple , from adaptive studios , and snatchers , from stage 13 , followed by an extended q & a with the creators of both series .
jenny slate , vanessa bayer and jason schwartzman also star in the film that debuted at sundance .
the collider podcast : episode 75 - sundance 2017 , ' split ' , and m . night…
when mickey picks jan up from prison , his car has a pennsylvania front license plate . pennsylvania only issues a single plate that is placed on the rear of the car . see more »
the film posted a notice on the state film office ' s facebook page looking for people to film wednesday from 9 a . m . to 1 p . m . at rhodes . the notice specifies that potential extras should arrive 1990s clothing , and says all ages are welcome . those under age 18 , however , must be accompanied by an adult , the film office said tuesday .
while i’d hate to see reactions from the folks who actually got swindled by jan lewan ( he apparently owed close to $ 5m by the time he got caught ) , this is a weirdly enjoyable movie about terrible deeds . you may even find yourself humming “oom - pah” by the end .
without ever completely losing touch with reality , the expertly turned design contributions here revel in the decor and sartorial havoc that can be wrought when people of deeply tacky taste get some serious spending money .
i love dick / u . s . a . ( directors : jill soloway , andrea arnold , kimberly peirce , executive producers : jill soloway , sarah gubbins , andrea sperling , victor hsu ) — chris and sylvere , a married couple in the intellectual community of marfa , texas , become obsessed with a charismatic artist named dick . what follows is the unraveling of a marriage , the deification of a reluctant messiah and the awakening of the female gaze . the festival will present the first three episodes of this amazon original series , followed by an extended q & a . cast : kevin bacon , kathryn hahn , griffin dunne , roberta colindrez , india menuez , phoebe robinson . world premiere
● pineapple / u . s . a . ( director and writer : arkasha stevenson ) — when a miner’s daughter is assaulted in the local coal mine , she utters only one word , leaving the town’s sheriff baffled . the event quickly spirals out of control , impacting the entire town . the festival will premiere three short - form episodes of this uniquely cinematic drama series . cast : tyler vickers , kel owens , ron gilbert , gloria vonn , lucille sharp , brooklyn robinson . world premiere
killing ground / australia ( director and screenwriter : damien power ) — ian and samantha arrive at an isolated campsite to find an suv and a tent—with no sign of the occupants . the discovery of a distressed child wandering in the woods unleashes a terrifying chain of events that will test the young couple’s breaking point . cast : aaron pedersen , ian meadows , harriet dyer , aaron glenane . international premiere
the incredible jessica james / u . s . a . ( director and screenwriter : jim strouse ) — jessica james , an aspiring nyc playwright , is struggling to get over a recent breakup . she sees a light at the end of the tunnel when she meets the recently divorced boone . together , they discover how to make it through the tough times while realizing they like each other—a lot . cast : jessica williams , chris o’dowd , keith stanfield , noël wells . world premiere . closing night film
lakeith stanfield and his sorry to bother you director boots riley discuss the stress of filming sex scenes .
this section of the festival is especially for our youngest independent film fans . programmed in cooperation with utah film center , which presents the annual tumbleweeds film festival , utah’s premiere film festival for children and youth .
mudbound / u . s . a . ( director : dee rees , screenwriters : virgil williams , dee rees ) — in the post– world war ii south , two families are pitted against a barbaric social hierarchy and an unrelenting landscape as they simultaneously fight the battle at home and the battle abroad . this epic pioneer story is about friendship , heritage and the unending struggle for and against the land . cast : carey mulligan , jason clarke , jason mitchell , mary j . blige , garrett hedlund , jonathan banks . world premiere
herb weiss , the city’s economic and cultural affairs officer , pointed out that home and business owners get location fees when filming is done on their properties , an economic benefit beyond the extra traffic to area businesses .
the place for everything that doesn ' t have a home elsewhere on rogerebert . com , this is a collection of thoughts , ideas , snippets , and other fun things that roger and others posted over the years .
tell them we are rising : the story of black colleges and universities / u . s . a . ( director : stanley nelson ) — a haven for black intellectuals , artists and revolutionaries—and path of promise toward the american dream— black colleges and universities have educated the architects of freedom movements and cultivated leaders in every field . they have been unapologetically black for 150 years . for the first time ever , their story is told . world premiere
short - form episodic series — a celebration of the evolving landscape of content consumption , we present these short - form episodic series as new voices in the medium , defying broadcast boilerplates with a redefinition of traditional episodic conventions .
shortly after seeing the film i sat down with jack black , jack weaver , willie garson , maya forbes and wally wolodarsky . they talked about how the project came together , how jan lewan always wanted to be famous , the incredible true story , and so much more . in addition , towards the end of the interview , you can also watch them play a game i call “get to know your sundance attendee , ” which asks tough questions like drink of choice , how long can you go without looking at your phone , what’s the last tv show you’ve watched that you want to recommend , what do you collect , favorite websites , and a lot more .
kuso / u . s . a . ( director : steven ellison , screenwriters : steven ellison , david firth , zach fox ) — broadcasting through a makeshift network of discarded televisions , this story is tangled up in the aftermath of los angeles’s worst earthquake nightmare . travel between screens and aftershocks into the twisted lives of the survived . cast : iesha coston , zack fox , hannibal buress , the buttress , tim heidecker , mali matsuda . world premiere