The Mysterious Island (1929 film)

Promotional image for The Mysterious Island (1929 film)...

Summary

In the peaceful kingdom of Hetvia, Count Dakkar prepares two high-tech submarines to explore the ocean depths. Jealous of Hetvia's bounty and eager for war, the evil Baron Hubert Falon attempts to steal the two submarines for use as weapons. An undersea chase ensues, which leads the two rivals, along with Dakkar's daughter, Sonia, and her lover, Nikolai Roget, into a secret world ruled by a race of strange aquatic creatures.

Details

• Release Date: 1929
• Country/Language: US, Silent with English subtitles
• Genres/Technical: Science Fiction, Adventure, silent, black-and-white
• Setting: Gaslight, Ocean
• Runtime: 1 hr 35 min
• Starring: Lionel Barrymore, Jacqueline Gadsdon, Lloyd Hughes
• Director: Lucien Hubbard, Benjamin Christensen (uncredited)
• Writer: Jules Verne (original story), Lucien Hubbard (screenplay)
• Producer/Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• View Film: (link)
• Scene: "The undersea 'men' release their deadliest ally...." (link)

Ratings

MPAA Ratings

• Rated: G (mild Violence)

Tentacle Ratings

A rough measure of how "Lovecraftian" the work is:

• S____ (One Tentacle: Debateably Lovecraftian; has almost no direct connection to Lovecraft's work)

The film was almost certainly not inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, but it was released only a year or two before "The Shadow Over Innsmouth (fiction)", and the scenes in which "to capture all the humans, the undersea 'men' release their deadliest ally, a sluggish monster of terrific strength..." are perhaps reminiscent enough of similar scenes of the Deep One horde from Lovecraft's story as to suggest a possible inspiration.

Note: This rating is not intended as a measure of quality, merely of how closely related to Lovecraftian "Weird" fiction the work is.

Reviews

Review Links:

• (review needed)

Synopsis

 Spoiler Section (Highlight to Read)

In the peaceful kingdom of Hetvia, Count Dakkar prepares two high-tech submarines to explore the ocean depths. Jealous of Hetvia's bounty and eager for war, the evil Baron Hubert Falon attempts to steal the two submarines for use as weapons. An undersea chase ensues, which leads the two rivals, along with Dakkar's daughter, Sonia, and her lover, Nikolai Roget, into a secret world ruled by a race of strange aquatic creatures.

Notes

Associated Mythos Elements

• Fiction: "The Shadow Over Innsmouth (fiction)"
• Race: Deep Ones
• Race: Shoggoth
• Deity: Dagon