Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

When the Earth is threatened by a burning Van Allen Radiation Belt, US Navy Admiral Harriman Nelson plans to shoot a nuclear missile at the Belt using his experimental atomic submarine, the Seaview. (IMDb)

An undersea sci-fi adventure that loses its credibility as soon as a global disaster comes out of left field in the form of a terrible looking sky on fire. The world-saving submarine mission established henceforth (featuring a tiresome repeated external sub shot) is just as outrageous and poorly written, with the crew and captain melodrama within the visually superior indoor sets offering only slight consolation. It’s a film that’s never substantial, and only occasionally entertaining.

5.5/10 (Poor)

The Lost World (1960)

Professor Challenger leads an expedition of scientists and adventurers to a remote plateau deep in the Amazonian jungle to verify his claim that dinosaurs still live there. (IMDb)

In classic adventure movie form, it’s problematic in its stereotypes (see the cannibalistic natives) but engaging in its varied locales. The sets and effects look good for their time (tarantula aside) and except for a few too many high-pitched screams from St. John, the acting is just as solid. Touches of romance and revenge add depth to an exploration/escape plot that’s exciting aside from a few action scenes that drag on way too long and slow down an otherwise well-paced film. A decent watch.

6/10 (Mediocre)