20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997 film)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Print advertisement
Genre
  • Adventure
  • Fantasy
  • Romance
Based onTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas
by Jules Verne
Teleplay byJoe Wiesenfeld
Directed byMichael Anderson
Starring
Music byJohn Scott
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerRobert Halmi Sr.
ProducerJohn Davis
Production locations
  • Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England
  • Red Sea, Israel
CinematographyAlan Hume
EditorJason Krasucki
Running time95 minutes
Production companies
Budget$15,000,000 (estimated)
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 23, 1997 (1997-03-23)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1997 television film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Ben Cross as Captain Nemo. It premiered on March 23, 1997. Based on the 1870 novel of the same name by Jules Verne, it is most notable for replacing the character of Professor Aronnax's manservant, Conseil, with the Professor's daughter, Sophie, who disguises herself as a boy so that she may accompany her father aboard USS Abraham Lincoln; she becomes the apex of a love triangle involving Captain Nemo and Ned the harpooner. The film was produced by Hallmark Entertainment.

Cast and characters

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Executive producer Robert Halmi Sr. said that he wanted the film to be more positive than the original novel in order to make it more accessible to children.[1]

Critical reception

[edit]

The film was generally poorly received.

Variety described the film as being "not quite that bad". They praised the film's photography and said that film's special effects "almost made the film worth watching."[2]

The Washington Post described the film as being "the next worse thing" to the seasonal flu. The film was criticized for lacking a sense of adventure or action. Richard Crenna and Ben Cross were both described as being miscast in their roles, and the replacement Professor Aronnax with his feminist daughter in the story was also criticized as being transparent and forced. The film's special effects were also criticized.[3]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sterngold, James (23 March 1997). "Down to the Sea -- Again and Again". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  2. ^ Richmond, Ray (20 March 1997). "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". Variety. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  3. ^ Shales, Tom (22 March 1997). "'LEAGUES': A REAL SINKER". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
[edit]