Mysterious Island (serial)
| Mysterious Island | |
|---|---|
| File:Mysterious Island (serial).jpg | |
| Directed by | Spencer Gordon Bennet |
| Produced by | Sam Katzman |
| Written by | Screenplay: Lewis Clay Royal K. Cole George H. Plympton |
| Based on | The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne |
| Starring | Richard Crane Marshall Reed Karen Randle Ralph Hodges |
| Music by | Mischa Bakaleinikoff (musical director) Gerard Carbonara Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | William Whitley |
| Edited by | Earl Turner |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
|
Release dates
|
August 23, 1951 |
|
Running time
|
15 chapters (252 minutes) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Mysterious Island is the 46th serial released by Columbia Pictures. It is an adaptation of the 1874 novel by Jules Verne, The Mysterious Island (L'Île mystérieuse). As in the original story, which was a follow-up to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, this serial is set in 1865. However, the serial has alien Mercurians as an additional set of villains and it has been labelled as a space opera version of the Verne novel.[1][2]
Contents
Plot
During the siege of Richmond, Virginia, in the American Civil War, POW Capt. Cyrus Harding escapes from his Confederate captors in a rather unusual way – by hijacking an observation balloon. In his escape, Harding is accompanied by sailor Pencroft, his nephew Bert, writer Gideon, loyal soldier Neb, and a dog. A hurricane blows the balloon off course, and the group eventually crash-lands on a cliff-bound, volcanic, uncharted (and fictitious) island, located in the South Pacific, with very unusual inhabitants. They name it "Lincoln Island" in honour of American President Abraham Lincoln.
The castaways soon encounter a group of people that include the local natives (who worship the island's volcano), Rulu (a woman from Mercury trying to extract an unnamed superexplosive element in order to conquer the Earth), Ayrton (a wild man exiled on the island) and Captain Shard (a ruthless pirate). A mystery man, who possesses great scientific powers, also makes his presence known to the group of people; he is Captain Nemo, who survived the whirlpool in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and unlike the character in the Disney film, was not fatally wounded by military troops from warships. On the way, our quintet of heroes must battle the elements and peoples while trying to figure out a way off the island and back to civilization.
Cast
- Richard Crane as Capt. Cyrus Harding
- Marshall Reed as Jack Pencroft
- Karen Randle as Rulu of Mercury
- Ralph Hodges as Herbert 'Bert' Brown
- Gene Roth as Pirate Capt. Shard
- Hugh Prosser as Gideon Spillett
- Leonard Penn as Captain Nemo
- Terry Frost as Ayrton (the wild man)
- Rusty Wescoatt as Moley
- Bernard Hamilton as Neb
- William Fawcett as Mr. Jackson
- George Robotham as Mercurian
- Anthony Ross as Confederate lieutenant
- Sid Ross as Mercurian
- Pierre Watkin as Southern officer
Production
Costumes from earlier serials, belonging to the Western Costume Company, were recycled for Mysterious Island. The Mercurian soldiers wear shirts from Flash Gordon and masks from The Spider's Web.[1]
Critical reception
Harmon and Glut were largely positive about this serial: "Although fantastic beyond credibility, Mysterious Island actually contained more elements from the original source than most such adaptations of the sound era."[1]
Chapter titles
- Lost in Space
- Sinister Savages
- Savage Justice
- Wild Man at Large
- Trail of the Mystery Man
- The Pirates Attack
- Menace of the Mercurians
- Between Two Fires
- Shrine of the Silver Bird
- Fighting Fury
- Desperate Chances
- Mystery of the Mine
- Jungle Deadfall
- Men from Tomorrow
- The Last of the Mysterious Island
Source:[3]
.jpg){kind=link}