20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Rod Hardey, dir. Michael Caine, Patrick Dempsey, Mia Sara, Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje, Bryan Brown, featured players. Brian Nelson, script, based upon the novel by Jules Verne. Made for TV. First shown ABC, two nights, May 1997.

Aside from the standard gadgets of 20,000 Leagues—the Nautilus, diving bells, protoSCUBA outfits—see for "the hand of Rotwang" twice over: Capt. Nemo starts the show with one (as we learn fairly far into the first episode), then the French-scientist hero gets one after rebelling against Nemo (his adopted father-figure). Cf. Metropolis, but far more so The Empire Strikes Back. Given the film's stress on dreams, threatening father-figures, and an Oedipal situation, it is fair game for Freudian analysis. (RDE, 26/05/97)