Exploitation Cinema: Where Time Began / Encounters [DVD] [1975] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

Its got Jack Taylor & Kenneth Moore in this.
The following review was written by Michael Den Boar of 10,000 Bullets.

Where Time Began (Jules Verne's The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth): While visiting a book store Professor Lindenbrock buys some beat up books from a vagrant. One of the books plot is about journeying to the center of the earth. While reading the book one day Professor Lindenbrock discovers a decoded message which explains when and how it is possible to travel to the center of the Earth. Professor Lindenbrock with his niece Glauben and her fiancé Axel travel to Iceland to begin their journey. Shortly after their arrival they find themselves a guide named Hans who helps navigate the treacherous terrain that lies ahead of them.

Spanish director Juan Piquer Simón is best known for his ultraviolet slasher film Pieces which also happens to feature a performance by Jack Taylor. Who also has a role in The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth. He has also directed some other cult favorites like the killer slugs' movie Slugs and E.T. clone The Pod People. Juan Piquer Simón is on his best day a competent director on his best day whose films lack any distinctive style. His direction for The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth is some of his best work of his career as he keeps things simple and lets the story to all the talking.

The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth is based loosely on Jules Verne's 1864 novel `Journey to the Center of the Earth'. The screenplay retains the meat of Verne's story which is a good thing since the original novel is perfect and needs no changes. The film has a pulp/serial type feel to it that harkens back to the classic Sci-Fi and action adventure serials of the 1940's. The cast all give good performances with the stand out one being that of Jack Taylor as Olsen. His performance as Olson is one of his best of his career as he has a knack at playing mysterious brooding characters. The film also features an array of giants including an ape, mushrooms, lizards and turtles. The effects and creatures are reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen's work on films like Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titan's.

The film also features a love story between Glauben and Axel that plays out throughout this magical adventure. The plot gets going quickly with the majority of the film spent beneath the surface of the Earth. It is hard to believe that The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth was directed by the person who directed the notoriously violent film Pieces. And yet Juan Piquer Simón's adaptation of Jules Verne's `Journey to the Center of the Earth' is an often unfairly maligned film that manages to keep things interesting despite its flaws. Overall The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth is action/adventure that can be enjoyed by viewers of all age groups.

Encounters of the Unknown is three separate story,of the Supernatural ,this would be akin to Twilight Zone Episodes.

The DVD:

This is yet another installment in Code Red's ever expanding `Septic Cinema' line. Both films are presented in an anamorphic widescreen. Also this release is a dual layer release (7.47 GB). The transfer for Encounter with the Unknown looks like it was taken from a worn print. And while there is print damage that varies in degree throughout. Outside of a few minor instances where things flare up. For the majority of the film the print damage is minimal. Colors tend to fluctuate and at times they look muted. Black levels are average at best and details generally look crisp. There are no problems with compression and edge enhancement is kept in check. Where Time Began had been previously released on DVD by Code Red in 2006 under the title Jules Verne's The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth. And this transfer looks like an exact port of the transfer used for that release.

Each film comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English. Dialog comes through clearly. Background noise and distortion are minimal. Range wise both are rather limited.

Extras for this release are limited to trailers for Wacky Taxi, Deliver Us From Evil, Cheering Section, Jules Verne's The Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Dragon vs. Needles of Death and Challenge the Dragon. Overall a affordable double feature from Code Red, who pairs a new title with one of its previous releases.

Two great double feature movies from the 1970s, I remember when I was a little kid!
if you liked the 1970s then you'll like this double bill!
The movie "Encounters" is a spooky 3 story horror movie with Twilight Zone's own Rod Serling narrating!
Everything's good except the only thing that bothered me is I was somewhat dissapointed when I discovered that it's packaged on the box as "Exploitation Cinema" but when you play the DVD disc it saya "Septic cinema" and it doesn't have that cute introduction like you're walking into a movie theater and you can select other options and/or the option of playing the "Grindhouse Experience" at the lobby refreshment stand just like the other "Exploitation/Grindhouse Cinema" DVD's collection.
The DVD does come with vintage 1970s movie trailers of both action and kung fu movies!

When I was a kid, I was a big fan of TNT's MonsterVision which was like USA Up All Night only they showed these old low budget horror flicks. TV favorite Joe Bob Briggs hosted it. One of the show's staples was Encounter With the Unknown. It usually followed another TV classic, The Legend of Boggy Creek. I've lost track the number of times I recorded and re-recorded these movies and now Code Red has finally done EWtU justice by bringing it out of the VHS graveyard and into the digital age.

Encounter With the Unknown is much in the vein of Night Gallery and The Twilight Zone with Rod Sterling narrating a trio of supernatural tales. In the first story, a grieving mother places a deadly curse on three young men who played a fatal prank on her only son. "One by land. Two by sky...". In the second story, a country boy discovers a gaping hole in the middle of his family's land where strange, terrifying noises emanate from deep within. When the boy's bumpkin father and his friends decide to venture down into the hole, they soon discover that there are places man was never meant to go. In the last story, a sad young girl hails a ride home from the bridge. When the good Sumaritan arrives at the girl's home, she has vanished and he earns of her sad fate.

Code Red has done a remarkable job by presenting this fun family horror flick in an anamorphic widescreen version. While the print is riddled with scratches, debris, and washed out colors, it's a small price to pay to finally see it on DVD. I didn't care. I've waited so long to add this to my collection that I'll take this copy any day.

As part of Code Red's double bill, they've added a version of Journey To the Center of the Earth with A Night To Remember (the original Titanic epic for our grandparents' age) star Kenneth More. Why they chose to include a cheesey sci-fi flick with a horror movie is anyone's guess. I have yet to watch and I doubt I ever will as this story has never interested me in any of its remakes. Also included is a couple of forgettable trailers that I guess Code Red may release in the future if people appear to want them. I won't be amongst them.

As with Code Red's marketing policy, this DVD will most likely have a short shelf life so if you're interested in a fun, scary flick, I'd grab a copy while you still can. Ghostkeeper was recently released and it's already gone OOP with a last listing of $75.