20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954) - 5 stars out of 10

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954) - 5 stars out of 10

"20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" is a classic Disney live-action film, and typically believed to be the best adaptation of Jules Verne's wonderful underwater adventure.  The film truely feels like an adventure as its many different segments (Finding Nemo, life on the Nautilus, the penal colony, the sea monster) give a sensation of progressing through chapters in a book.  Although it is not a musical like many of Disney's live-action films, the lone song "Whale of a Tale" really makes me wish that there was more music.  The film boasts strong performances by James Mason as Captain Nemo, Kirk Doulas as ned Land, Paul Lukas as Professor Aronnax, and Peter Lorre as Conseil.  In spite of some dialogue that drags, the layers of this story held my attention as I wanted to know what would happen in the end.  Could you really ask more of a sea adventure when it gives you sinking ships, unique characters, and a giant squid attack?  This is may be a "watch it once and put it back in the vault" Disney film, but it's definitely worth that one watch!