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From the Page to the Screen – Journey to the Center of the Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth is a classic 1864 adventure novel by Jules Verne. It is considered to be one of the best adventure novels of all time and one of this author’s most important works. It is still a widely-read book that inspired many movie adaptations throughout the years.

THE 1959 VERSION

The most famous adaptation was released in 1959 and it received quite good reviews. It is probably the best-reviewed of all the adaptations out there, though it still needs more attention as it’s truly a wonderful movie.

PLOT

For the most part, the movie was faithful to the book with some changes here and there, including the added villain, which was unnecessary, but the added female character was a great choice that paid off for the film. My main issue here is that the novel felt a bit more adventurous and science-based, but the movie is still so much fun and genuinely well crafted in most of its plot points.

WINNER – BOOK

CHARACTERIZATION

This might be a controversial view, but I would say that the film trumps the source material in this regard. Yes, the villain wasn’t necessary, but the female companion was beautifully realized and her dynamic with the professor was lovely. The characterization in the book was slighter than in the film that felt more modern in that regard.

WINNER – FILM

EMOTION

I would say that neither the book nor the movie were particularly emotionally resonant, though both have their charming and sweet moments. The relationship between the two main male characters was better done in the novel while in the film the romance is very endearing.

WINNER – TIE

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THEMES

This one obviously belongs to the book. The film did not focus at all on the science behind this expedition while the novel genuinely felt like a work of science fiction in that regard as it focused heavily on geology in particular. The positive versus negative outlook on life was also a very well explored theme that was absent in the film itself.

WINNER – BOOK

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

Jules Verne’s writing is excellent. He is particularly adept at descriptions and scientific explanations. He paints iconic imagery in this work. However, the movie is also impeccable in recreating these images through the use of excellent practical effects and some amazing sets and location work.

WINNER – TIE

BOOK 4: FILM 3

Yes, this was a much closer race than I’d anticipated, but the movie is so lovely, charming and genuinely well adapted that I really enjoyed it. It felt both faithful and modernized in its adapting choices. Still, the novel was more imaginative, adventurous and scientific, which is why it wins here.

THE 2008 VERSION

The second most popular adaptation came out in 2008 to somewhat mixed reviewed, but excellent box office. The 3D element drove this product to great success, but it remains an overly modernized take on a classic story in my book.

PLOT

The story is not handled all that well in this cinematic adaptation. It lacks the scientific elements and the overall story moved through the motions. It was definitely faithful to a degree in the scenes beneath the earth, but the charming tone and adventurous elements were too scarce.

WINNER – BOOK

CHARACTERIZATION

Clearly the book developed its characters better than this movie. I wouldn’t say that the characters here are bad as they are perfectly fine, but simply the acting turns needed to have been more charismatic and the female companion was very forgettable.

WINNER – BOOK

EMOTION

The movie did try to include some moving moments in the third act, but they all seemed telegraphed and trying too hard to make the kids in the audience feel something. The book fared much better in this regard as well.

WINNER – BOOK

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THEMES

Undeniably the movie has no chance competing here, especially when its emphasis on the actual science behind this expedition was only served in the beginning while the rest of the flick became an action fest above all else.

WINNER – BOOK

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

Jules Verne’s writing is fantastic. His descriptions remain truly impressive and managing to enchant readers to this day. This movie, however, isn’t all that efficient technically speaking. It is well scored and made overall, but the VFX work left a lot to be desired as it looks surprisingly dated for a 2008 flick.

WINNER – BOOK

BOOK 5: FILM 0

Though it might seem by this score that I hate this adaptation, I do not. Not at all. It has its moments and it’s great for kids. However, it’s clearly inferior to the 1959 adaptation as it felt overly modernized and too obsessed with appealing to children and audiences with way too much action and spectacle.