i agree with some of these reviews island wa exciting at the age of 9 primarily because during the 70s era there was very little else.however being at the age of fifty to some of them are completely unwatchable now. the majority of them were good decent films however Disney lacked at times this film is one of them.i can appreciate the work but the storyline on this one is dull and non engaging.this was released at Christmas time of 1974 so it must have done well considering that there was most likely nothing better in the cinema that Christmas period nothing my sharp memory can pull up anyway and it was cheaper in those days than now. must have been a dollar fifty to get into the theater so thats why Disney always had large attendances. these days the film has to be spectacular or it will die a quick death at the box office. also in those days studios didn't have big bucks to make a film like they do these days thefore we have to look at the times these films were released in in order to better evaluate their entertainment level.the Disney studios worked well with what they had to work with at the period these films were released in. only when we get older o we ever say cant believe i bought what i was watching plus our minds were more younger therefore most likely more tolerable.

In 1907, a wealthy Englishman recruits an American archaeologist and a French dirigible pilot to help him find a mysterious island in the Arctic where he believes he will find his missing son. When they locate the island, they find its inhabited by a lost Viking civilization that aren't too happy to see the outsiders.Enjoyable Disney adventure film that's a throwback of sorts to similar films of the 1950s and early 1960s. It immediately brings to mind movies based on the works of Jules Verne, although it's actually an adaptation of the Ian Cameron novel "The Lost Ones." Handling the screenplay is John Whedon, a writer who worked mostly in sitcom television and also happens to be the grandfather of Joss Whedon. Directing the film is Disney favorite Robert Stevenson. It's a good-looking picture with nice sets and matte paintings. The scenes with the dirigible model are pretty good. There are no Harryhausen monsters to speak of, sadly, but there is a groan-tastic scene involving killer whales. The cast is decent, with most of the actors playing stereotype stock characters. Mako's turn as a cowardly Eskimo is probably the most colorful performance in the film. Maurice Jarre's evocative score is a big plus. The journey to discover the island is the best part. Once they arrive and deal with the Vikings, it becomes a lot less interesting, although things do pick back up during the escape. It's not going to give 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or Mysterious Island a run for their money, but it's very entertaining in its own way. Give it a shot if you're a fan of old-school adventure films, Disney or not, and you'll likely find something to enjoy here.

My dad took me to see this one in the theater back in 1974 when I was 7 years old. It blew me away and helped fuel a lifelong love for adventure/fantasy. Hey, who doesn't like a cool adventure? The story is set in the early 1900's and concerns a rich Englishman who leads a rescue party deep into the Arctic in search of his missing explorer son. They track him to a mysterious lost colony of Vikings that has been cut off from the outside world for centuries. The plot is a fairly typical "Lost World" format: 1/3rd of the movie is spent searching for the lost world, 1/3rd is spent exploring the lost world, 1/3rd is spent being chased around/from the lost world. It's all fairly exciting, but not deep enough to impress an adult viewer. (However, with some deft tweaking this could be GREAT remake material for Disney.) I bought the DVD recently to take a trip down memory lane and I wasn't disappointed. It held up well to my memory. Yes, the effects are dated and some of them are downright terrible, but others are surprisingly good, and overall the film has a wonderful pre-CGI charm. You'll also get vibrant outdoor shots and some of the best matte work you'll find in ANY movie. It's not a bad choice for adventure/fantasy fans looking for family-friendly fare. Probably your only chance to see this film anymore is on DVD. Be sure to get the 30th anniversary edition as it has the extras.

This sci-fi adventure adapted from Jules Verne novel film deals about an expedition organized by a rich man(Donald Sinden),an adventurer(David Tomlinson,an unforgettable Lucas Tanner) and a genius inventor(Jacques Marin).They along with an Eskimo(Mako) set out in search of his son in a ingenious blimp called Hiparion.But they suddenly encounter a lost civilization, a Viking kingdom.They are trapped by the Vikings and are judged in a temple under the sculptures of Northern Gods: Thor and Odin.They're condemned to death penalty but achieve to flee.The movie displays exciting flying involving a spectacular Zeppelin over the skies of Arctic where we see different animals: Seals,oxes,White bears,Orcas,Reindeers and a Whales cemetery.The picture gets action,adventures,derring-do,amusing images and breathtaking landscapes.Colorful atmosphere in this entertaining story with tension and adventures is maintained throughout. Splendid aerial cinematography reflecting marvellous outdoors.Abound matte painting including interesting special effects by the Disney specialist Peter Ellenshaw who is production designer too.Evocative and agreeable musical score by Maurice Jarre(Lawrence of Arabia).The motion picture is beautifully directed by Robert Stevenson,he's a Disney's usual director(In search of the castaways ,his fist attempt to recreate Verne novel,Gnome mobile,Herbie rises again,Mary Poppins).Mainly recommendable for all family and specially for children and adventures lovers.