The Island at the Top of the World

A very good film! I felt thoroughly entertained for the entirety of the 93 minute run time of <em>'The Island at the Top of the World'</em>. The special effects may have aged in quite funky and mildly chucklesome fashion, but the great adventure elements, pinpoint pacing and terrific cast help the film keep a high footing. Donald Sinden (Ross), David Hartman (Ivarsson) and Jacques Marin (Brieux) are all fantastic in their respective roles, none of them necessarily stand out by themselves but they really do bounce off each other impressively - kudos to the casting. I would've liked a tad more development into Sinden's character and his concurrent decisions, especially with what occurs with Mako (Oomiak). The music is done ably by Maurice Jarre, it adds a strong amount to the onscreen affairs. The premise is enjoyable, thanks to the fact that it keeps moving forward to avoid each location or event becoming repetitive. The final act isn't as great as what proceeds it, though it's still a positive climax. A sequel would've been cool to see, shame it was canned due to a poor box office. In similar terms, I think a current day remake would be excellent - better effects would do this story wonders. A top adventure, give it a watch!

_**Jules Verne-like adventure about finding a lost colony of Vikings**_ A British aristocrat (Donald Sinden) in London, 1907, arranges an expedition to the arctic in a state-of-the-art airship to find his lost son (David Gwillim). Along for the ride are an archaeologist (David Hartman), the captain of the vessel (Jacques Marin) and a fearless Eskimo (Mako). They are astonished to find a settlement of Vikings, but they value their privacy. "The Island at the Top of the World" (1974) is in the tradition of Jules Verne or Edgar Rice Burroughs-inspired adventures like “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954) and “Mysterious Island” (1961). Unfortunately it failed at the box office while the similar “The Land that Time Forgot,” released a few weeks earlier, was a modest hit. Go figure because both are equally worth checking out if you’re in the mood for high adventure with fantasy elements. If you like these kinds of colorful movies you’ll appreciate this one. While it uses some quaint effects like matte work and indoor sets, there’s also a lot of magnificent outdoor footage, including animals, and the Vikings are surprisingly convincing, speaking Old Norse. You just have to adapt to the old style of filmmaking. Agneta Eckemyr as the lovely Freyja is a highlight in the manner of Agnetha Fältskog of ABBA in the 70s. Too bad we don’t get to see more of her à la Beth Rogan in “Mysterious Island.” Some have dubbed this “the last great adventure yarn from the old line Disney studio.” While there’s a smidgen of Disney humor, don’t expect anything eye-rolling like the set-bound and ludicrous “In Search of the Castaways” (1962). This is leagues better. The journey to the arctic takes a bit of time while maintaining interest, but when the Viking colony is discovered there are thrills galore till the end, including unexpected ones. The film runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California; Redmond, Oregon; and Norway. GRADE: B+/A-

Discovered this the other day in a tin of DVDs. It is a little bit far-fetched, but nonetheless a smashing Disney family adventure about a millionaire who sets off to the Arctic in an airship with a professor and a slightly grumpy French captain (the frequently scene-stealing Jacques Marin) to track down his missing son. They pick up an unwilling Eskimo en route to a volcanic island inhabited by long lost Vikings and there their enterprise begins. There is some lovely scenery and wildlife photography interspersed with the action and the dramatic scenes hold up well after almost 50 years. The acting isn't great nor is the script, but it boasts a fine Maurice Jarre score and it did take me fondly down memory lane back to when I saw this in the cinema aged 7.