Feb 25 2009
Unknown World (Review)
UNKNOWN WORLD (1951)
Directed by Terry O. Morse (Godzilla: King of the Monsters)
There are sometimes in movies when you have to take certain liberties and suspend reality. Take Journey to the Center of the Earth for example. Its story is pure science fiction and isn’t very true to life. But what if it were true to life? Well, it wouldn’t be as exciting and that’s what Unknown World ends up being. However, it still has the imagination to suspend the belief that an underground drilling machine could run smoothly and carry several people.
As per usual with 1950’s science fiction, Earth faces the threat of nuclear war. Freaking out at the possibility, Doctor Jerimiah Morely heads an expedition via gigantic drill machine to find an underground environment for surviving a nuclear holocaust. But just to keep things interesting (or predictable) some investors come along for the ride to be annoying and cause conflict. Naturally, one or two of them die along the way to stress the dangers of the mission. As their oxygen and water runs low, the crew is forced to search the underground caves to survive.
The film is filled with lots of scientific talk about controlling the drill machine along with dull character developing dialogue. The cast is capable, but the story can’t keep up. The special effects are bare-bones, but more importantly, poorly edited. For instance when the drill machine is moving, you hear the sound that a drill would make, but the miniature model is being pulled rather poorly by a string causing the footage to not sync up. Are there any redeeming qualities about this film? Well, if you want to find a ‘fun’ way to teach students about caves, there are some educational (if not sophomoric) elements to the film. Not to mention the footage inside the caves are pretty interesting, but it just makes the miniature footage look twice as ridiculous and takes you out of the movie.
DVD Dump Counter:
-1 atomic bomb stock footage reel.
-3 moments of narration.
-1 scene of pills for breakfast.
-3 scenes of a miniature drilling machine pulled via string.
-2 shirtless men pounding on rock with sledgehammers.
-1 falling-off-a-cliff death.
-1 volcanic apocalypse
-1 drowned-in-a-flood death.
RATING: C-Movie
Even though it’s a work of fiction, Unknown World has the same boredom level as an educational video in high school. However, just like an educational film, it holds SOME educational value. This could easily be one of those videos you show in classroom and discuss what is factual and what is science fiction.
