Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was a science-fiction film directed by Irwin Allen and released in 1961. Walter Pidgeon starred as Admiral Nelson, commander of USOS Seaview, a futuristic atomic submarine, alongside Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, and Peter Lorre. The theme song is sung by Frankie Avalon, who also has a part in the film.

Related Topics:
Science-fiction - Irwin Allen - 1961 - Walter Pidgeon - USOS ''Seaview'' - Submarine - Joan Fontaine - Barbara Eden - Peter Lorre - Theme song - Frankie Avalon

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The plot involves the Van Allen radiation belt catching fire while the submarine is in the Arctic Ocean, causing a deadly global heat wave. Trouble for those on board the submarine begins when it emerges there is a saboteur amongst them.

Related Topics:
Van Allen radiation belt - Heat wave - Saboteur

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The film is riddled with scientific and technical absurdities (for instance, the Van Allen belt comprises subatomic particles which cannot catch fire, even if there was oxygen in space), and the plot is driven by piling one disaster on top of another (a minefield, a hostile submarine, a giant squid, a near-mutiny and a religious fanatic, to name a few). Another peculiarity is that the crew has naval type ranks and uniforms, but the submarine is privately owned (a ridiculous expenditure for any corporation or non-profit agency).

Related Topics:
Subatomic particle - Oxygen - Minefield - Giant squid - Mutiny - Fanatic

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Near the end of the film the saboteur is unmasked, then falls into the sub's aquarium during a fight and is eaten by a shark that the sub's marine biologist just happens to have on board for research purposes.

Related Topics:
Aquarium - Shark - Marine biologist

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Eventually, despite the efforts of the fanatic to prevent it, the sub launches a nuclear missile into the belt, extinguishing the fire and saving the world.

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The name of the film is an inversion of a phrase appearing at about its time, concerning the exploration of the Arctic Ocean by nuclear submarines, namely, "a voyage to the top of the world." No large submarine can reach the ocean floor in the high seas and safely return.

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