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Movies / On DVD / 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

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Reviews Counted:23

Fresh:21

Rotten:2

Average Rating:7.7/10

Consensus: One of Disney's finest live-action adventures, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea brings Jules Verne's classic sci-fi tale to vivid life, and features an awesome giant squid.

Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: Walt Disney's fun, live-action adaptation of Jules Verne's classic science-fiction story features some of the best special effects produced in the 1950s. Captain Nemo, the commander of a futuristic... Walt Disney's fun, live-action adaptation of Jules Verne's classic science-fiction story features some of the best special effects produced in the 1950s. Captain Nemo, the commander of a futuristic submarine called the Nautilus, rescues the survivors of a shipwreck and takes them on an incredible journey far below the ocean's surface. They encounter numerous wonders of the sea, including an enormous squid which attacks the ship in the film's most unforgettable sequence. Academy Awards: Best Special Effects, Best Art/Set Direction. [More]

Starring: Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas

Starring: Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas

Director: Richard Fleischer

Director: Richard Fleischer
Story: Jules Verne
Screenwriter: Earl Felton

[See More Credits]

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Release:

May 13, 2003

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
  • Climb aboard the Nautilus ... and into a strange undersea world of spellbinding adventure! Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre star as shipwrecked survivors taken captive by the mysterious Captain Nemo, brilliantly portrayed by James Mason. Wavering between genius and madness, Nemo has launched a deadly crusade across the seven seas. But can the captive crew expose his evil plan before he destroys the world? Disney's brilliant Academy Award(R)-winning (1955, Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects) adaptation of Jules Verne's gripping tale makes 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA a truly mesmerizing masterpiece!
  • Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    A breathtaking piece of entertainment, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is amongst the finest live-action films to come out of Disney Studios.

    Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
    03/09/09
    Richard Luck
    Richard Luck
    Channel 4 Film

    Far superior to the majority of genre efforts from the period (or any period, for that matter), with production design and technical effects that have dated hardly at all.

    Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
    07/22/08
    Steve Biodrowski
    Steve Biodrowski
    ESplatter

    Walt Disney's production of 20000 Leagues under the Sea is very special kind of picture, combining photographic ingenuity, imaginative story telling and fiscal daring.

    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    06/06/07
    Variety Staff
    Variety Staff
    Variety
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    One of the best Disney live action films and a classic fantasy-adventure.

    Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
    06/06/07
    TV Guide's Movie Guide

    Grandly entertaining.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
    06/06/07
    Dave Kehr
    Dave Kehr
    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    This is one of Disney's best, and one of the all-time adventure greats. And that, I swear by my tattoo.

    Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
    07/03/06
    David Cornelius
    David Cornelius
    eFilmCritic.com

    This is one of the great movie adventures, fully deserving its canonisation in Disney World.

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    06/24/06
    Geoff Andrew
    Geoff Andrew
    Time Out

    As fabulous and fantastic as anything he has ever done in cartoons is Walt Disney's 'live action' movie made from Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    03/25/06
    Bosley Crowther
    Bosley Crowther
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    10/09/05
    Chuck O'Leary
    Chuck O'Leary
    Fantastica Daily

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    07/16/05
    Emanuel Levy
    Emanuel Levy
    EmanuelLevy.Com

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    03/07/05
    Rob Blackwelder
    Rob Blackwelder
    SPLICEDWire

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    09/04/04
    Randy Shulman
    Randy Shulman
    Metro Weekly (Washington, DC)

    20,000 Leagues is a sublime story of isolation, of disparate masculine seclusion, akin to those found in such films as Jaws and The Thing.

    Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You | comment Comment
    09/06/03
    Rumsey Taylor
    Rumsey Taylor
    Not Coming to a Theater Near You

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    08/22/03
    Carol Cling
    Carol Cling
    Las Vegas Review-Journal

    ...a vision of beauty and excitement for the eye and ear. It's still fun to watch after all these years.

    Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
    06/20/03
    John J. Puccio
    John J. Puccio
    DVDTown.com

    The talky 20,000 Leagues probably won't thrill kids fresh from The Matrix, but they may be interested to know that the Verne film was the effects marvel of its day.

    Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
    06/14/03
    Glenn Abel
    Glenn Abel
    Hollywood Reporter
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Squid battle aside, though, 20,000 Leagues doesn't give us much more pioneering footage, and that doesn't take place until the very end. The rest of the film -- in retrospect -- is just waiting for the finale.

    Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
    05/04/03
    Christopher Null
    Christopher Null
    Filmcritic.com

    One of the all-time great fantasy-adventure films.

    Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
    03/10/03
    Marjorie Baumgarten
    Marjorie Baumgarten
    Austin Chronicle

    better than the ride at Disney!

    comment Comment
    11/07/02
    Michael Szymanski
    Michael Szymanski
    Zap2it.com

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    09/19/02
    Jeffrey Westhoff
    Jeffrey Westhoff
    Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
     
     
    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    Latest News for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

    July 08, 2009: Disney Calls for 20,000 Leagues Rewrite Opens in new window
    Moving ahead with its planned "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" prequel, Disney has brought aboard Randall Wallace to rewrite Bill Marsilii and Justin Marks' script. More...

    May 04, 2009: McG Takes The Rock 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Opens in new window
    Seeking to continue his successful string of Disney-produced projects, Dwayne Johnson has agreed to star in McG's upcoming "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" prequel. More...

    January 07, 2009: McG Going 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Opens in new window
    McG has lined up his next project, and instead of another "Terminator" sequel, it's a prequel -- to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." More...

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