A journey beneath the waves is the setting of the next film. I saw this film the first time when I was 12 and it has since become one of my favorite Disney films of all time. For this project, I’m focusing on the story itself, including dialogue, character development, any subplots, how a story presents itself, the speed at which it moves, if it slows down unnecessarily, etc.
Update: In February 2022, I started a video version of the DFP on Tiktok. You can find the video below. Thoughts expressed in the video may be different than what are expressed in the blog post, due to the time difference in posting.
A Brief Summary
In the mid-1800s, ships crossing the Pacific ocean are being destroyed by an unknown monster. One such ship, carrying Ned Land, a harpooner, Professor Pierre Aronnax and his assistant Conseil, is destroyed, leaving only the three men alive. After a night on the open sea, they find the ‘monster’, the Nautilus, a submarine powered by nuclear energy. The captain of the submarine, Captain Nemo, takes the three men into the submarine as they dive into one underwater adventure after another. Includes an underwater burial ceremony, cannibals, and a giant squid.
What works
- The beginning and end of the film feature a book, the original book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which then really ties with the voice-overs, giving the film more of an epistolary telling than a straight adventure film.
- I really like that the focus is placed more on the action than on the Professor. While he is the narrator and does voice-overs periodically throughout the film, it is better that he didn’t open the film as well. It would have slowed the film tremendously when instead, we see immediately the ‘monster’ and its power. Following the explosion, we get an understanding of the public opinion of the ‘monster’ before we even meet the Professor.
- The very night that the Captain of the steamer carrying Ned, Conseil and Professor Aronnax is the night they find the ‘monster’. The captain gives this speech about their 3 1/2 month journey (kind of reminded me of a ‘3-hour tour’ haha) in search of the monster and since nothing has been found, they’ll head to their destination. Cue foreshadowing.
- Nemo is so excited when Aronnax introduces himself, almost as if at that moment he starts formulating a plan. He is such a fascinating character to watch and really makes the movie amazing.
- Also, I think part of why he’s excited is that he could have someone of his same intelligence level to converse with. Especially since Aronnax is someone that he’s heard of, admires even (kind of), this only fuels his desire to share what he’s done to someone who could understand it.
- The dialogue sheds so much light on the main characters: Ned, Aronnax, Conseil, and Nemo. Not just in what is said but how it’s said.
- Ned Land often jokes or loses his temper. He’s smart but is antsy, just waiting for his chance to escape from this nightmare he’s found himself in.
- Conseil is THE WORRIER OF ALL TIME. He worries about EVERYTHING and questions most things. Not in the same manner as Ned, but because he doesn’t seem to want to be there (obviously) and is trying to make sure he doesn’t die. A valid reason for doing anything, really.
- Now Arronax is a bit of an odd duck. Over the course of the film, it becomes clear that he’s never really gotten out from the Museum before, at least not where he could talk with real people. He has such a sense of optimism that he is Nemo’s perfect match, his optimism matching Nemo’s level of realistic pessimism.
- With Nemo, there’s this superior tone with which he speaks. Not just because he’s Captain, but because of his intelligence. He often acts as if he alone is master of the sea, his crew being there to serve only him.
- Conseil is the middleman to Ned Land’s free-spirited craziness and Aronnax’s dignified scholarly self. He does play a valuable member of the group but there are brief moments where he acts like he’s not sure what he wants to do with himself. Poor guy, he goes through so much in the movie but his more realistic persona keeps a natural level of emotions for the audience to relate to.
What may or may not work
- Professor Aronnax’s voice-overs. The voice-overs do keep the film moving, providing a decent amount of information in a short amount of time. So do I get why they’re there? Sure. And his early voice-overs work really well. But once on board the Nautilus, his voice-overs delve into ‘lecture’ mode, rather fitting with his occupation, but they come off as slow and a tad dreary. Helpful, but dreary.
Honorable Mentions
- Ned’s song: A Whale of a Tale. One of my favorite live-action film songs
- Ned swallows a fish in a bottle of alcohol (to create messages in a bottle), nearly choking after. “There was a flabulina ocalina in there. Poor thing.” Conseil says with a sad face. I merely laugh.
- Captain Nemo’s ending (and that of the entire film) is one of the most bittersweet, beautiful endings I have ever seen. His final words even reveal his true long-hidden nature and give some goodness back to his character.
- Ned saves Esmeralda (Nemo’s pet seal) which is basically the nicest thing ever.
Side Questions
- When Nemo and crew discover Aronnax, Ned, and Conseil, why doesn’t Aronnax try to convince Nemo that their arrival was not out of disrespect but merely survival?
- Also, where were these crewmen when Conseil was yelling “Hello”? They were obviously on board to help with the crew’s return from their underwater trip.
- Where do the books and art come from in Nemo’s collection? Also, how did he first hear about Aronnax?
What I learned from watching this film
- What attracts me to this story and this film is not just the thrill of seeing the Nautilus or all of the undersea adventures. It is the level of differing complexities in the characters. Nothing is strictly black and white in this film, in fact as the film moves on, the boundaries between good and bad become murkier. To create a story like that forces the audience to question themselves, what their actions would be. Nemo, during one heavy conversation with Aronnax, points out that though lives were lost on the ship that had just been sunk, it was to prevent the thousands of deaths that would follow should the ship have reached its destination. By that point in the film, the audience has seen more than one side of Nemo, even glimpsing the pain that he’s in while completing the destructive act. I mentioned above that his character made the film amazing, and it does because he, though driven to mad obsession, is the most human of all the characters, showing that there is more depth to him, more sides than that of the ‘monster of the sea’.
If you’ve seen 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, what are some of your thoughts? Share in the comments below!
Rewind to the beginning of the Disney Film Project
Skip back to the previous film with The Vanishing Prairie
Fast Forward to the next film with Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
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