 It may be true that the works of Jules Verne aren’t as significant or impacting to the youth of the current generation as they were to the preceding ones. It’s an argument that can be held for a lot of early, non-dark science-fiction. Perhaps with the advancement of our own sciences, the ideas behind the classic novels are viewed as silly, inconceivable, or simply incorrect.
Released in 1976, already seventeen years after Levin’s popular film adaptation, it seems that even then the creative team behind The Fabulous Journey To The Center Of The Earth was coming to terms with that fact. So, as even the name implies, this “fabulous” adventure is more of an homage to the history of the novel in cinema than it is an authentic adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel. In fact, the film starts out with images from Georges Méliès A Trip To The Moon and The Impossible Voyage (which is actually the first adaptation of Journey To The Center Of The Earth) and a narration that embraces this heritage and hopes to do it justice.
How noble.
The story of the film takes place in 1898, and Professor Otto Lindenbrock (Kenneth More, Sink The Bismarck) picks up a novel (presumably Verne’s) and marvels at the depth of the author’s imagination. Later, he, his niece Glauben and her suitor Axel discover a code in this book detailing a location where entry to the core of the planet ispossible. In no time, they set together on an expedition to Mount Sneffels to locate this entrance and discover what really lies under it all.
A few things differ from the novel at this point, and that’s not counting the inclusion of Glauben for no reason other than to have some female presence. Early during their travels under the Earth’s crust, they meet up with another human named Olsen (genre veteran Jack Taylor, The Ghost Galleon, Succubus) who claims to be a time traveler. Sadly, this additional spark of creativity is never well developed. A lot more could have been done with his character.
Anyway, their “fabulous” journey to the center of the Earth is filled with wonderful things that are clearly outside the norm, including beaches bathed with sunlight despite being underground, huge dinosaurs, lizards, gigantic  mushrooms, a gigantic King Kong inspired ape and even a subterranean laboratory with normal enough looking technicians working inside.
The real problem with all of this isn’t so much the film’s deviation from the source as much as it is the time it takes to get there. It’s a good 30 minutes before we start the journey and a good while longer until we start seeing the “fabulous” aspects of it. During the build-up, the film drags. It’s only after the characters start to explore the underground world that the viewer becomes engaged, and at that point the film rushes along quickly to its finale. For a “G” rated film obviously made with children in mind, they simply aren’t going to have the patience to wait that long, and most adults won’t either.
 While I did enjoy The Fabulous Journey To The Center Of The Earth, even I checked my watch a few times, which is never a good sign during a 90 minute film. Only the most patient of viewers will have little to complain about, and even then, I can’t imagine them preferring this film to Levin’s Journey To The Center Of The Earth. The acting, the directing, the music and the script were all done much better nearly two-decades prior, and that film still holds up today. Fabulous is another affair altogether, I recommend it only to people looking for a light diversion, or to Verne completists that must see every film version of the text that was made. Most other people will simply be bored.
 The DVD Presentation
Presented for the first time in anamorphic widescreen, Fabulous Journey looks surprisingly good. That’s about the best compliment that one can give it, though, because there are still plenty of flaws. Quite a bit of film grain is visible, and at times there are some color drops, but all things considered, I never once cared. It gave me that sense of discovering a really old film on late-night television. The audio, however, is less spectacular. We are only offered a Mono track, but that’s not the real issue. What bothers me is that I don’t have the ability to watch the film in its native language, just the English dub which is painfully obvious when watching. Also, no subtitles are included.
And the Extras Are?
Alternate U.S. Opening Credits – (2:51)
In the U.S., the film was released under the much shorter title, Where Time Began. The opening credits for this version are included here as an extra, in full-frame, complete with an absolutely awful song that I’m more than happy wasn’t used in the European cut that is featured.
Original Trailer – (3:23)
The trailer for the feature is nothing special, but does a decent enough job of showing some of the film’s highlights. It’s also notably light on dialogue, which no doubt helped market the film easier in various countries.
Stills Gallery – (1:04)
The small (only ten images) gallery included here at least offers some of the promotional artwork and texts that appear to have come from various press packets.
 Trailer Gallery –
Included here are four trailers for completely unrelated titles. First, there is the DVD trailer for the recently released Voltron: Defender Of The Universe (0:43) sets, which everyone should be purchasing. Next, a Japanese trailer for Miike’s The Great Yokai War (1:42), which looks awesome even without subtitles. Then there’s Space Amoeba (2:01), a classic Japanese monster film from Ishirô Honda. Finally, there are two trailers for the completely fucking surreal Legend Of Dinosaurs And Monster Birds (3:17), which I noticed includes several stars of the Toei Pinky Violence films. Sadly, it doesn’t appear to be on DVD, but if this is coming soon from Code Red or Media Blasters, count me in.
The Bottom Line
Fabulous Journey To The Center Of The Earth isn’t a film for everyone, and it isn’t that great of a DVD. While I liked the film, it’s hard for me to give it much of a strong recommendation to anyone who isn’t already curious. But Code Red is on the right path. The presentation is acceptable for a film of this caliber, and the features are appropriate. There is plenty of room to grow, and I’m sure Code Red will be a DVD studio to be on the lookout for in 2007.
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