It's another Monsterous Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Our classic feature took 3 years to complete with a budget of $1,130,000, and, was a silent film with sound segments added before it's release. It only grossed $55,000, but, the studio was saved by the box office hits BEN-HUR and THE BIG PARADE. Get this... Although fimed in 2-color technicolor, no color prints survive, only one reel exists tinted with Technicolor sequences and is held at the UCLA Film Archive. 
Eegah!! has sent over a soundclip for our approval, sooooo, you can go ahead and push the big red 'GO' button there next to the petrified shrub, NOW, Ralphie The Tarantula! Here's some oldtime sound from... THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND!
The complicated story goes like this... On a volcanic island near the kingdom of Hetvia lives the benevolent leader and scientist, Count Dakkar. Him and engineer Nicolai Roget have designed a submarine which Roget pilots on its initial voyage just before the island is overrun by Baron Falon, despotic ruler of Hetvia. Falon sets out after Roget in a second submarine, they dive to the ocean's floor and discover a strange land populated by dragons, a giant octopus and an undiscovered humanoid race. 
Lionel Barrymore plays Dakkar, here, he explains to his old pal Baron Falon his plans to launch his new submarine. Of course, Falon betrays him. 
The Count's sub is launched and the crewmen explore the mysterious ocean depths surrounding Hetvia. 
But, devious Baron Falon and his men follow in close pursuit in sub 2! 
The men in the main sub encounter this very weird looking sea creature! Reminds me of that honking spider that chased little Juanito in the cave in THE BLACK SCORPION. 
Once the are on the bottom of the ocean, they encounter a strange undersea civilization and a dressed up alligator filling in for a giant sea dragon! 
The main crew try and use their diving suits to move through the little sea people. 
Falon's crew gets a gander at some of the creepy things just waiting for them outside their ship! 
The giant octopus barely misses grabing the sub as the crew make their escape from the ocean floor! 
Baron Falon's port is blown the Hell up with torpedos, putting an end to its evil enterprise. 
At the end, Dakkar is put inside his second sub only to submerge under the waves, never to be seen again... Tune in Wednesday for another mysterious treat from Eegah!!
5 comments:
Thanks! Have heard of this flick all my life. Captures are awesome. Forrest Ackerman alerted me to sad fates of early celluloid. Sometimes I would read in Famous Monsters Of Filmland that only stills remain but no prints survived ravages of time. Sure glad this keeper was not lost forever. Background info enlightening. Keep on keeping on. Peace. STENDEK :)
Hi again. Above post was mine. Just so early in morn I was too blasted lazy to log in. Peace. :)
Hi S - TCM plays this one every now and then, uninterrupted - could not find my TCM version and had to use my lo-fi copy.
Awesome review and great post. very detailed and the pics are a great addition.
I'm diggin your blog
Swing by my page
http://grimmreviewz.blogspot.com/
You have shared some very interesting stills of the movie. Looks really nice.
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