Fifty years ago the Walt Disney Studios took moviegoers on an adventure deep
beneath the surface of the sea to a world of mystery and menace. Jules
Verne's epic novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was adapted for the screen
in grand style, being at the time of its release, the most expensive film
ever made. In the 1950s Walt Disney's artists and craftsmen were the
finest in the business and he combined them with the best filmmaking talent
available in Hollywood.
20,000 Leagues boasts a stellar Hollywood cast (Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas,
Peter Lorre, and, of course, James Mason as Captain Nemo), but the most
memorable "character" in the film is the Nautilus, Captain Nemo's fantastic
submarine. With its frightening sea monster appearance and opulent
Victorian interiors, the Nautilus roams the infinite underwater world
piloted by its mad creator Captain Nemo. The look of the Nautilus came from
the brilliant imagination of artist Harper Goff, who knew that the ship's design would
be crucial to the success of the whole picture. " I always thought that the
shark and alligator were quite deadly-looking in the water," Goff said, " so I based my
design on their physical characteristics. The submarine's
streamlined body, dorsal fin and prominent tail simulated the traits of the
shark. The heavy rivet patterns on the surface plates represented the rough
skin on the alligator, while the forward viewports and top searchlights
represented its menacing eyes." Goff figured that Nemo would have built his
Nautilus hastily and crudely, using only available rough iron salvaged from
shipwrecks and riveted together by hand.
Other special Goff touches were the round irising viewports that look out
from Nemo's salon, saw-toothed rakers capable of cutting through the
hull of a ship, and a skiff which fits into its own berth on the
afterdeck.
The Nautilus, as seen in the film, was actually built in a variety of
different forms and sizes depending on the requirements of the production.
For underwater scenes, a detailed 11-foot long miniature was built, complete
with operational lights in the wheelhouse and salon viewports and a
revolving propeller. Powered by five car batteries and weighing more than a
thousand pounds, this model was filmed in a tank on Sound Stage 3 at the
Disney studios in California. For scenes in which the actors would be
filmed on the sub's exterior, a full-sized deck and wheelhouse set were
constructed of wood and fiberglass.
After the film was completed, Walt Disney had the unprecedented idea of
displaying the sets and other artwork in his brand new Disneyland park
still under construction. The full-scale Nautilus sets, giant squid and all,
were trucked from the studio lot down to Anaheim where they were displayed
in Tomorrowland for eleven years. It was here that the intricate details of
the world's most famous submarine could be studied up close and fuel the
dreams of many young fans of the film.
Today 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is considered by film historians to be
one of the greatest science fiction films ever made. Its thrilling story
combined with timeless performances, powerful music and dazzling effects
inspired generations of filmmakers to follow...but it's Captain Nemo's
mysterious submarine cruising in the oceans' depths that still captures our
imaginations.
The Walt Disney Gallery is proud to present this 1/96 scale replica of the
Nautilus, the most accurate representation ever offered. William Babington
and Rich Allsmiller, who both hold a personal respect for the subject
matter, have constructed the model with painstaking attention to detail.
Allsmiller, an expert on 20,000 Leagues and the Nautilus, and who shared a
close friendship with designer Harper Goff, has authenticated the model to
be as correct as possible. The upper deck and wheelhouse above the water
line are based on the full-sized sets used in the movie, while the body of
the ship below the water line is an exact replica of the 11-foot long
miniature.
Cast in resin, this very special figurine commemorates the 50th
Anniversary of Disney's landmark live-action film and is a tribute to the
artistic vision of Harper Goff. The Nautilus rests on a specially designed
wooden base and can be internally illuminated just as it was in the 1954
film.
Coming in March 2004 from the Disney catalog and at DisneyStore.com!
