Mysterious Island

Adventure is the key to the special effects extravaganza Mysterious Island. This 1961 feature is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and appears to be in excellent shape considering the film's age. The bright colors and solid black levels are all well represented with only a small amount of grain penetrating the image. Overall Columbia's work on this golden age title is very good. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono in English and is very apt for the film it is supporting. While directional effects and fidelity are sorely lacking, the bulk of the track is free and clear of any excessive hiss or distortion. Also included on this disc are English, French and Spanish subtitles. A few extra features have been included on this DVD, starting with a short promotional featurette titled "This is Dynamation" which looks at the special effects created by Ray Harryhausen. "The Harryhausen Chronicles" (narrated by actor Lenoard Nimoy) is a nearly hour long history on special effects artist Harryhausen and his work in Hollywood. Filled with various interviews, including the effects master himself, this documentary should please any fan of stop-motion effects. "Mysterious Island Featurette" is a fluffy look at the making of the film and includes some interview footage with Harryhausen, rare behind-the-scenes photos and storyboards from the film. Finally there are a few short photo galleries with production and artwork stills, as well as other theatrical trailers for other Columbia Tristar DVDs.