Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

Producer/director Irwin Allen might be best known for his take on 'Lost in Space', but the man had a knack for disasterfilms or adventurous romps that may be completely devoid of logic, but still offer up enough spectacle to keep you interested.

In all fairness, 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea' isn't one of his best works, but it is engaging enough to keep you entertained on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The wonderfully eloquent Walter Pidgeon is Admiral Nelson who has just completed the maiden voyage of his latest invention: a nuclear submarine called The Seaview. After a short stint with a Congressman on board to show how well this ship can be used for scientific purposes, they resurface to discover the world is ablaze. For some reason, the Van Allen radiation belt surrounding the Earth has caught fire and if it is not extinguished, the planet will be reduced to a cinder. Nelson has a radical plan: launch a nuclear missile into the belt at a certain location and thus the Van Allen Belt will be pushed away, making sure that life continues. But many are opposed to his plan and with a lack of communication, things get tense.

The title doesn't really fit the film, truth be told, but it does give you a sugary opening song by Frankie Avalon, who also plays a part in the film, mainly to attract the kids. But again: that doesn't really make any sense. Walter Pidgeon is great as always and Peter Lorre in a minor role is amusing as hell. But then again, I've always been a fan of mr Lorre, so I am rather biased.

During their trek across the globe, the crew of the Seaview encounter several problems: a saboteur (who isn't who you think it will be, a nice touch, actually), a minefield and a giant squid and octopus. Those last two should have been the best part of the film, but sadly, they're not. The first one is a large animatronic, but it is so lifeless and stiff, that you never get a sense of dread. Especially if you compare it to the squid attack from '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'. The second (the giant octopus) is a normal octopus attaching itself to a model of the submarine and unfortunately in this shot it is very clear that it is a model.

Also: nothing of the science in the story makes any sense whatsoever. Just pointing that out.

Nevertheless, despite its flaws and the fact that it is not the most thrilling film ever, this one has a nostalgic glow that still makes it entertaining to watch. The performances from most actors are solid enough and it is a submarine film unlike others, in that it is not only grim and dark. Heck, the deep sea is lit like you're only six feet deep (which is actually the case, because everything is so clearly shot in a tank, you can actually often spot the surface). But these things aside, you can do a lot worse if you've got about 90 minutes to spare.