The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960)
Starring: Gregoire
Aslan, Jo Morrow, June Thorburn, Lee Patterson, Basil Sydney, Peter Bull,
Kerwin Matthews
Company: Twilight Time
My Review and Thoughts:
A true wonderful adventure fantasy film based on the classic
1726’s novel written by the one and only Jonathan Swift. A true classic book
and this movie is a true classic of special effects. Twilight Time did a
wonderful job in choosing this for their release. This is a must buy for family
movie night. A must buy for the kids.
Twilight Time has lovingly created a dynamic transfer to
this classic fantasy adventure film that is filled with the one of kind touch
of the master Ray Harryhausen. I have always loved the talent behind those
wonderful creations. Jason and the Argonauts is one of my favorite films.
Harryhausen had away that would leave the inner child, and adult side amazed.
His creations would leave you in awe of the beauty and art form of his mastery.
Harryhausen is a true god when it comes to creating pure believable imagination
of creatures and monsters. He was a master that brought forth creatures or
monsters and turned them into characters themselves. Brute monsters became
characters, and hateful creatures became living breathing reality through his
hands. He developed a wonderment through his hands. His ability shined in
everything he did, shined in one way or another. Twilight Time has also
released several of Ray Harryhausen’s films such as Mysterious Island, First
Men in the Moon. The transfer to Blu-ray by Twilight Time shines in every way
possible.
This is directed by Jack Sher. Sher was also a writer and
producer. He wrote more than directing. Writing and co-scripting for such
classics like 1953’s masterly, Shane. His directing did not create anything
amazing or masterpiece worthy, but what his directing did create are some
memorable films, one such film is 1959’s The Wild and the Innocent starring the
amazing war hero Audie Murphy. To me the one film that stands out and is
basically what you remember him for is The Three Worlds of Gulliver. The Three
Worlds of Gulliver is a magical fantasy tale with spectacular special effects.
Starring the one and only Kerwin Mathews. Mathews was a
regular in many Harryhausen films or action adventure, fantasy cinema. He was
the spectacular, swash buckling hero of many stand out films. From The 7th
Voyage of Sinbad playing the lead role of Sinbad. 1962’s The Pirates of Blood
River. 1962’s Jack the Giant Killer, 1967’s Battle Beneath the Earth. Who can
forget his role in one of the greatest, cheesiest, “oh my god what the hell did
I just watch” 1971’s dorkiest and yet greatest B-movie Cult midnight film ever,
rubber suit and all, Octaman. How can you go wrong with a man in a rubber suit
octopus, half man, half rubber octopus, priceless? His last two films where
horror movies. 1973’s The Boy Who Cried Werewolf and the comedy horror 1977’s
Nightmare in Blood. Kerwin was an awesome soul at true performing. He captured
a vast array of weird, wild, dramatic wonders throughout his career. He stopped
acting in 1977 but did not pass away until 2007. I suppose after a while
certain actors just walk away, or are tired of the business. He went on to sell
antiques. Stayed with his partner Tom Nicoll which they were partners for an
amazing 46 years. Kerwin passed at 81 years old. He left me with a wonderful
childhood of memories, growing up with fantasy and adventure that he graced his
wonders with.
Also, starring the amazing beautiful Jo Morrow and June
Thorburn. The beautiful amazing June Thorburn had a wonderful career and yet
also a sad reality. She graced the world of film and TV with her amazing beauty
and true art form of acting for a very short time. Her career was amazing and
great even if it was a short career. Such classics like Tom Thumb, The Cruel
Sea, Touch and Go. Her beauty. Her amazing ability to perform was silenced at
the very young unbelievable age of 36 years. She was pregnant and sadly
perished in a plane crash in 1967 in England. Truly a brutal reality. I cannot
imagine how great and further her career would have moved forward, had she
lived. A sad reality to this movie, seeing her, knowing the truth of her demise,
ad’s a brutality of thought as you watch.
Also, keep an eye out for a fantastic character actor Martin
Benjamin Benson. Performing in over 155 movies. Started acting in 1942. From
classics to just about anything from such greats as Goldfinger, The King and I,
1960’s Exodus. Also, was a part of some great classic horrors and cult style
films such as 1958’s The Cosmic Monster, 1961’s Gorgo, 1962’s Night Creatures,
1967’s Battle Beneath the Earth and a true favorite, and horror classic 1976’s
The Omen. One of his last films was the amazing 1999’s Angela’s Ashes.
Also, keep an eye out for the amazing Basil Sydney. A true
iconic actor that left the movie world with an expertise and amazement that few
performer can ever grasp. He started acting in the silent era and went on into
the talkies. His career was great, and worthy to praise. His many roles from
1950’s Treasure Island, 1952’s Ivanhoe, 1956’s Around the World in Eighty Days,
many movie lovers will know him as the character of Claudius in 1948’s
masterpiece Hamlet.
It’s just great seeing so many actors and actresses in this
film. Keep an eye out for many of them. I could go on and mention many others,
but if you’re a movie buff or film historian you will see and pick out the
amazing cast. The film contains amazing stop motion animation. For the time,
wonderful special effects. This is a true adventure in imagination and
wonderful story telling. This is a true treat for the kids, a wonderful family
film. An awesome way to spend movie time together. Twilight Time did a lovely
job in picking this awesome special effect wonderment of imaginative means.
Audio/Video:
My Rating: 5 out of 5
I have seen this movie many times. Saw it on the Big screen,
seen it on the small screen. Seen it both on VHS and DVD and now seeing it in
1080p High Definition on Blu-ray is totally a fantastic experience. Twilight
Time did an amazing job on transferring it to Blu-ray. The audio is just the
same as the video. Both stand out in amazing detail. Crisp, clear, vibrant
perfection.
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 1.66:1 & 1.78:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1960 / Color
Extras:
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Isolated Score Track: The man behind this music score is the one and
only Bernard Herrmann. The man behind the music really needs no introduction to
cinema lovers. He is the master behind some of the greatest music scores of all
time. He was a regular on Hitchcock films composing such masterpieces as
Psycho, North by Northwest, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo and many, many
other Hitchcock films. Now he also did beyond Hitchcock films such as the
masterpieces Citizen Kane, Cape Fear, Fahrenheit 451, and Taxi Driver. Whatever
he graced with his master talent, was a true one of a kind music orgy of total
perfection that left a movie, with so much more glory, when it had his, musical
talent. He was a multi-award winning master composer. He worked his talent from
1941 all the way until 1976. His last four movies in the 70’s was an array of
his talent from, De Palma’s Sisters and Obsession, to Cohen’s, It’s Alive, to
Scorsese’s, Taxi Driver. He left his stamp in the music and movie world for all
generations to experience. He also has been graced by many other Twilight Time releases
with his music score from, The Bride Wore Black, Journey to the Center of the
Earth, Mysterious Island, Garden of Evil and now this one, The 3 Worlds of Gulliver.
His music is still being used today in films and TV, most recently in the
awesome first season of American Horror Story, and on the big screen in Night
at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.
Audio Commentary by Film Historians Randall Cook, C. Courtney
Joyner, and Steven C. Smith. A wonderful listen. It’s always a true treat to
listen to film historians talk about movies. Learning informative information and
history of a film is fantastic and Twilight Time either supplies new commentary
or picks older commentaries to grace many of their releases which is fantastic
and more wonderful about their blu-rays.
The Making of The 3 Worlds of Gulliver. A great look at the
creation of the movie. A basic making of feature. Another great extra for the
fan of cinema seeing history about a movie.
Two programs titled The Harryhausen Chronicles and This Is
Dynamation! Both great watches. Filled with information and a nostalgia of
special effects and creations of Harryhausen.
Original Theatrical Trailer
Overall:
Another golden ticket of perfection from Twilight Time. To
me this is must own Blu-ray for any Harryhausen fan, for any stop motion
animation fan, for any lover of olden days of fantasy adventure films. Solid
acting, solid direction, solid fanciful story. Twilight Time did another
brilliant choice for so many fans of this film and those behind this film. A
solid transfer in both audio and video perfection. A must own Blu-ray. Highly
recommended.
INFO:
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