Our 8 year old son is fascinated with giant animals. He especially likes giant animals that lurk underwater. One of his favorite television shows is River Monsters. So when our family movie arrived in the mail last week, I had high hopes. I was sure he'd love it, but I wasn't convinced the younger ones would be interested. I had, after all, committed the ultimate parenting faux pas; I ordered a Disney movie that wasn't animated. But it did have a great story question and a giant squid. To my surprise, that was actually enough to keep even our preschoolers occupied in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
After we watched the movie, I told my husband I was going to review it. He scoffed. I, honestly, do not know why. Yea, I know the move is over 50 years old. I also know that the movie takes some liberties with Jules Vern's book. I will even admit the special effects and graphics are cheesy by today's standards. But 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a classic. I read the book and watched the movie when I was a kid. Frankly, I don't remember much about either one except that huge squid. There is a funny thing, though, about classic movies. Sometimes the whole premise is lost in the translation. But translating that into a Disney movie just makes the story messier. Our kids actually thought the entire plot revolved about a giant squid attacking boats. Any attempt I made to explain otherwise left them confused. I suspect that's what happened with me. That's probably why I never really considered there just might be more to the story.
From a Christian perspective, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (G) is family friendly science fiction. The story follows three men, a professor, his assistant, and a master harpooner, as they search the seas investigating the rumors of a violent sea monster. Paul Lukas plays Professor Pierre Aronnax, the scientist who, along with his assistant Conseil (Peter Lorre), has been commissioned by the U.S Government to either prove or disprove the existence of such a monster. They embark on their expedition upon a Naval ship. Onboard, as part of the ship's crew, is Ned Land played by Kirk Douglas. Ned Land has been hired for his skill at harpooning dangerous sea creatures. After several months, the Naval Commander is ready to call off the mission when their ship is attacked. Prof. Arronax, Conceil, and Ned Land are all thrown overboard and seek refuge on a strange metal vessel. They soon realize this vessel, a "submerging boat", is the monster they have been looking for. Once inside the submarine, the trio are captured by Captain Nemo (James Mason), commander of the Nautilus. The tale progresses as Professor Aronnax attempts to understand Nemo and to uncover his secrets, while Ned remains suspicious and searches for ways to escape.
I enjoyed 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea precisely because the movie was filmed in 1954. I felt I could relax and not worry about foul language, drug references, or sexual innuendo. Since it is a Disney film, I was a bit surprised to see a drunken Ned Land singing to a seal. The scene is very cleverly done so I don't think children notice much accept the little seal clapping and doing tricks. Other than that, I don't think there is really anything offensive or frightening in the film at all. Kids of all ages can find something to like in this movie. There is music, humor, mystery, and adventure. Like most of these type movies, the idea of good vs. evil is easy to recognize. I think children can see that Captain Nemo is a creepy, wicked man, even without his playing of Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D minor. Other Christian concepts, though, aren't really obvious. Even if they were, I imagine children will still find the most exciting moments in the whole movie are the screaming cannibals and the giant, man-eating squid.
The movie, unlike the book, attempts to address an issue that is currently a hot topic—environmentalism. I'm not certain that it is true, but some have speculated that Walt Disney may have been an environmentalist. If so, that might explain the environmentalist theme running throughout the film. Captain Nemo has found a way to harness nuclear power. This power keeps his entire submarine travelling through the ocean. It is this secret that Captain Nemo feels he must keep hidden from the rest of the world. Even though this power could change the world, Captain Nemo believes that humans are too corrupt to use it properly. In fact, Captain Nemo believes that all of mankind is wicked and warlike. Escaping to the sea, he only finds solace in his natural environment. This idea is fundamental to environmentalism. Environmentalists believe that humans are a threat to the environment and, therefore, the earth and her resources must be protected. At first glance, this philosophy may seem complimentary to Christian theology. Environmentalism, however, runs the risk of placing a higher value on nature itself that on the needs of human beings. This is a perversion of God's plan for mankind. The Book of Genesis explains that God intended for humans to live on the Earth and use her resources, but God also trusted man with the care of His creation. Authentic Christianity teaches that nature is not merely at man's disposal but that man has the responsibility to use resources wisely, without neglecting his duty to the rest of mankind. Christian children are never too young to participate in the care of their environment, such as through recycling projects or neighborhood gardens. This is also a good opportunity for older children to consider more complex topics such as providing renewable energy resources throughout the world, especially to poorer nations.
When we watched 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, I honestly didn't expect much. I really only remembered Captain Nemo and that darn squid. If nothing else, I thought the children would get a taste for the classics. I came away with something I never expected—a new perspective on Disney movies. I won't say I don't like them, but I will start paying closer attention. I recently read that Disney plans to do a remake of the movie. I can only imagine what magic will come out of their studio this time. We'll probably take our children to see it. Of course we'll tell them that we want to compare it to the movie of our youth. In reality, we'll just be looking for the giant squid.
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