If I'm being totally honest I recorded this version of Journey to the Center of The Earth believing it to be the 2008 remake with Brendan Fraser (I wasn't aware that there was a TV version till now). Having realised that it wasn't the version I expected once the opening credits started I decided to stick with it and here's what I thought....One thing I will say is that I think it's unfair to come down hard on this film purely because it's a 'TV movie' film. The acting was pretty bad, the animal effects were laughable (they weren't great in the original, but to be fair that was made in 1959). Despite all this, I did find this TV film to be fairly enjoyable. In this TV film we are treated to a voice-over narrative from Abel (whereby he is articulating notes that he's putting in his diary). At times, I thought that this was a nice touch as it does help to give a basic understanding of what some of the characters are thinking and how they feel. This narrative is also quite informative and helps to explain some of the things that they've discovered whilst they're in the cave. Where this falls apart slightly is that it's over-used and there are occasions when it's used to explain what's going to happen next - which is pointless as we'll know what will happen eventually. This isn't a major criticism as I found the voice-over work to be more of benefit than hindrance. I also thought that it got going fairly quickly and it was generally better paced than the original. It was all OK up till this point, but then came the final third....In this TV version of the film, our intrepid adventurers stumble across a tribe of people who have descended from earth down to the Centre of the Earth centuries ago. Just when you think it can't get any more ridiculous we then find that the tribal people are worshipping Martha's missing husband as some sort of god. I mean really? Before our adventurers met the tribes people my biggest criticism is that there was a lack of tension because no-one was pursuing them or following them like we saw in the original - alas this objection was answered at this point, but it was answered in a ridiculous and nonsensical way. The issue of food was ignored initially, but then answered when our adventurers are treated to a 'Last Supper' style feast - quite where all the food came from is a complete mystery. What I can't understand is that a film of this nature is supposed to be shrouded by mystery, our adventurers have had to use a map and a modicum of intelligence in order to get to the area that the tribe are inhabiting and yet we're supposed to believe that this tribe of people have discovered this area by mistake. It just requires too much suspension of disbelief and doesn't give the film any kind of intensity. In the original, you really felt that the team were isolated and you felt that they'd achieved something by the end, but you don't get that feeling here and it ultimately made this film a lot less rewarding and a lot less enjoyable.Up till the 60 minute mark I did think this was an OK film - it was reasonably enjoyable without being anything special. However, it's ultimately ruined by its final 30 minutes where it descended into absurdity, implausibility and downright stupidity.

Countryshacks' review should be taken with a grain of salt. This version was a made for TV version, and was not released in theaters. I don't know about countryshack, but I don't expect the same level of effects out of a made for TV movie that I expect out of a full blown Hollywood production. The budgets are no where near the same.I found the movie fairly enjoyable, the effects pretty much on par with what I'd expect. The story is a bit soap operaish as countryshack stated. I wonder if countryshack thought he was taping a prerelease of the Brendan Fraser movie by the same name that was released later that year, and would have been heavily promoted about that time.

Back in 2008, there was a big budget remake of Journey to the Center of the Earth. It starred Brendan Fraser, had computer generated dinosaurs and was in 3D. As has become common, someone decided to do a low budget version of the same story. This one stars Ricky Schroder, has the gorgeous scenery of the Canadian wilderness and is very much in 2D. Unlike most of these "mockbuster" knockoffs which stink out loud, this version of Jules Verne's classic tale is a mostly competent piece of family friendly entertainment. If you're looking for something just as wholesome as the 1959 original with James Mason, but with a more modern sensibility and less frenetic than the Fraser rendition, you'll find it here.In late 19th century America, shortly after the purchase of Alaska from Russia, a headstrong heiress (Victoria Pratt) hires an adventuresome anthropologist (Ricky Schroder) to lead an expedition to track down her missing husband (Peter Fonda). With only a handwritten map to guide them and joined by the anthropologist's enthusiastic nephew (Steven Grayhm) and a Russian expatriate (Mike Dopud), the group discover a hidden mine in the hills of Seward's Folly that leads them down into the Earth and a subterranean world of dinosaurs, primitive tribesmen and a prehistoric zip line. After a weirdly-faithful-to-its-setting relearning of the old lesson about the perils of playing god, our intrepid band of terranauts must flee for their lives in a not-that-desperate bid for the surface.Now, while this telling of Journey to the Center of the Earth is low budget, it's not "hand-held camera, made for about $67.29" cheap. All the sets and costumes meet the standards of your average TV movie and director T. J. Scott makes great use of his locations to give the film a much bigger feel and appearance than it could otherwise afford. The budgetary restrictions are noticeable in the rather sedate and basic nature of the film's action sequences. Without the resources to stage very complicated scenes of fighting or other physical peril, director Scott has to resort to other means of generating excitement. He's mostly successful, except for the previously-mentioned prehistoric zip line. That's one of those low budget movie scenes where the filmmakers do it because it's inexpensive and sounds good in theory but turns out to look rather silly on the screen.Ricky Schroder and the other 3 actors in the main roles give quite likable performances, which is good because they're on screen for virtually the entire film. Peter Fonda seems a little disconnected from what's going on, but maybe he was just having some 60s drug flashback during production. The script is completely adequate. It's not especially smart or clever but neither is it grating or insultingly stupid. Director Scott does a good job managing the pace of this essentially G rated melodrama and tries to give the characters a teeny, tiny bit of emotional depth. Given its financial limitations, this Journey to the Center of the Earth is a largely admirable effort.While I think it's the best of the lot, the 1959 James Mason movie is going to be dated in tone and technique to many of today's viewers. If you'd like the same sort of storytelling with a more contemporary style and don't want to be visually assaulted by big budget Hollywood crap, take a gander at this motion picture. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Despite its name, the movie has a very low sci-fi feel to it. I felt I was watching something more akin to a western travel adventure than anything else. Outside of that, it was pretty innocent and mild - like a low-budget family movie. Nothing great here.Basically, this is a story about a wealthy lady who enlists the help of an anthropologist to help find her missing husband. He was on a quest to find a passage into the earth - but hasn't been heard from in 4 years. With the help of two other men, they try to retrace her husband's path.Although there is no suspense, thrill or anything like that, the movie has a pleasant tone to it that almost makes it an "OK" way to pass 2 hours. However, unless you're looking for something to watch while you fall asleep, pass on this.