Mysterious Island (Widescreen) Description Based on Jules Vern's classic novel, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND is the story of five men escaping from a Confederate prison in an observation balloon. When they land the balloon, they find themselves on a South Seas island where they encounter pirates, a giant bird, a giant crab and even Captain Nemo. Jules Verne's classic adventure is perfectly matched with Ray Harryhausen's timeless movie magic in Mysterious Island. Based on Verne's sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, this rousing Civil War-era fantasy begins when a band of Union war prisoners (and one Confederate straggler) escape in a hot-air balloon, which crash-lands on the titular island of mystery. Verne's novel doesn't include any gigantic creatures, but Harryhausen's version--under the capable direction of genre specialist Cy Endfield--features giant oysters, bees, a prehistoric Phororhacos (a giant chickenlike bird!), an undersea cephalopod, a giant crab, and enough danger to keep its resourceful ensemble on constant alert. Captain Nemo (Herbert Lom, ably filling James Mason's shoes) is a third-act hero, pursuing an ill-fated dream to save humanity from hunger and war. The action may be too intense for younger viewers, but Endfield's pacing and Harryhausen's stop-motion mastery make Mysterious Island a wondrous precursor to Harryhausen's follow-up classic, Jason and the Argonauts. --Jeff Shannon Features: Product Details: Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Fantasy Format: Multiple Formats, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen Contributor: Crane Wilbur, Michael Callan, Michael Craig, Daniel B. Ullman, Anna Sofroniou, Gary Merrill, Joan Greenwood, Dennis Muren, George Lucas, Henry Selick, Charles H. Schneer, Cy Endfield, John Prebble, Ray Harryhausen, Richard Schickel, Jules Verne, Ray Bradbury See more Language: English Runtime: 1 hour and 41 minutes Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.85:1 Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated) Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.4 Ounces Item model number ‏ : ‎ 2226635 Director ‏ : ‎ Cy Endfield, Richard Schickel Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 41 minutes Release date ‏ : ‎ October 29, 2002 Actors ‏ : ‎ Michael Craig, Joan Greenwood, Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, George Lucas