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Unknown World (1951) -- Scientists use a gigantic drilling machine for an expedition to the center of the earth.

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Overview

User Rating:
4.0/10   279 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 15% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Millard Kaufman (original screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Unknown World on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 October 1951 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Drilling into the forbidding depths of the earth! more
Plot:
Scientists use a gigantic drilling machine for an expedition to the center of the earth. full summary | add synopsis
User Comments:
Unsci fi. Started out promising but went nowhere for an hour afterward more (27 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Bruce Kellogg ... Wright Thompson
Otto Waldis ... Dr. Max A. Bauer
Jim Bannon ... Andy Ostergaard
Tom Handley ... Dr. James Paxton
Dick Cogan ... Dr. George Coleman
George Baxter ... Carlisle Foundation Chairman
Marilyn Nash ... Dr. Joan Lindsey
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Night Without Stars (USA) (working title)
To the Center of the Earth
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Runtime:
74 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Both the mountains mentioned, Mt Lefat and Mt Neleh, are fictional. more
Quotes:
Wright Thompson: What kind of place is this? Flowers that crumble to dust in your hand, stones that look like pearls, fish without eyes! Nature's sure a practical joker!
Dr. Jeremiah Morley: I suppose you could've done better?
Wright Thompson: In 10 million years I couldn'ta done worse!
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FAQ

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22 out of 28 people found the following comment useful.
Unsci fi. Started out promising but went nowhere for an hour afterward, 19 April 2006
2/10
Author: mstomaso from Vulcan

Let's face it, if you're bothering to read reviews of this film, you are probably going to see it out of a sense of obligation if nothing else. So, it really doesn't matter what I say, now does it?

This is a fairly typical early 1950s not-very-scientific attempt to use the genre as a means for moralizing. The morality of this film is certainly worth listening to for its anti-war, anti-pollution, etc, messages, but the film lacks depth, science of any kind, and, basically, a compelling plot.

Being a fan of 50s sci if, I thought this film started off pretty well. Although there is no obvious crisis looming on the horizon, a scientist and a group of anti-nuke colleagues obtain grant money to explore deep within the earth for the possibility of habitable subterranean environments. Since the film was made in 1950-51, the level of concern regarding nuclear warheads is certainly understandable (too bad some have forgotten about this, eh?).

Much is made about the vehicle which they will use for this journey. The vehicle looks like a suped-up bullet nose Studebaker with a large drill bit attached to it. This vehicle is apparently capable of drilling through several hundred miles of solid rock, without any visible cooling system. As the scientists explore deeper and deeper into the earth, they are not surprised (though I was) to find that most of the crust and upper mantle (my terms, not theirs) are in fact hollow, and have not only gorgeous stalagmites and stalactites, but flat floors graded properly for people to take walks on. Harassed by noxious gasses, magma and pretty poor acting, the cast dwindles as the story devolves into a simple adventure tale.

The acting is generally uneven, and is hampered by the occasionally absurd script. I really don't want to single anybody out, but Marilyn Nash and Bruce Kellogg are particularly off-pace in this one.

The director, Terry Morse, went on to make a few good films (such as the List of Adrian Messenger), and also a lot of other films (the American version of Godzilla, and the timeless classic - not - Love Slaves of the Amazon). And this is sort of below-standard fare in the context of his filmography.

Well, OK then, go see it... You know you want to, and I am not going to stop you... But don't say you didn't have fair warning.

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