Krakatoa: East of Java (1969)

Director:

Bernard L. Kowalski

Writers:

Cliff Gould (written by) and
Bernard Gordon (written by)

Release Date:

14 May 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

The Incredible Day That Shook The Earth To Its Core!

Plot:

The Dutch East Indies, in the late 19th century. Capt. Hanson of the "Batavia Queen" is preparing to embark on a salvage expedition...

Plot Keywords:

Ship | Volcano | 70mm Film | Disaster | Indonesia

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Maximilian Schell	...	Captain Hanson
Diane Baker	...	Laura
Brian Keith	...	Connerly
Barbara Werle	...	Charley
Sal Mineo	...	Leoncavallo
Rossano Brazzi	...	Giovanni
John Leyton	...	Rigby
J.D. Cannon	...	Danzig
Jacqui Chan	...	Toshi
Robert Hall	...	Guard (also as Rob't Hall)
Victoria Young	...	Kiko
Marc Lawrence	...	Jacobs
Midori Arimoto	...	Midori
Niall MacGinnis	...	Harbor Master (as Niall Macginnis)
Joseph Hann	...	Kuan
Sumi Haru	...	Sumi
Geoffrey Holder	...	Sailor
Alan Hoskins	...	Jan
Peter B. Kowalski	...	Peter (as Peter Kowalski)
John Clark
Leoncito Cayetano
Peter Graves
Mike Brendel
Jerzy Radlowsky		(as Jerzy Radlowski)
Larry Hawkins
Mark Slaten
José Jaspe
Martín Díaz		(as Martin Diaz)
David Aller
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eugène Lourié	...	Telegrapher (uncredited)
Nikki Van der Zyl	...	Toshi (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Bernard L. Kowalski

Writing credits
Cliff Gould		(written by) (as Clifford Newton Gould) and
Bernard Gordon		(written by)

Produced by
William R. Forman	....	producer
Lester A. Sansom	....	associate producer
Philip Yordan	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Frank De Vol		(as De Vol)

Cinematography by
Manuel Berenguer		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Walter Hannemann		(as Walter Hanneman)
Warren Low
Maurice Rootes

Production Design by
Eugène Lourié		(as Eugene Lourie)

Art Direction by
Julio Molina		(uncredited)
Luis Pérez Espinosa		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Antonio Mateos		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Laure Lourié		(as Laure De Zarate)

Makeup Department
Julián Ruiz	....	makeup artist (as Julian Ruiz)

Production Management
José Manuel M. Herrero	....	production manager
Gregorio Sacristán	....	production supervisor (as Gregorio Sacristan)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Kowalski	....	second unit director (as Francis L. Kowalski)
José María Ochoa	....	assistant director (as José Mª Ochoa)

Art Department
Julián Mateos	....	property master (as Julian Mateos)
José María Alarcón	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Francisco Prósper	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Kenneth Heeley-Ray	....	sound editor
Kurt Hernfeld	....	sound editor (as Kurt Herrnfeld)
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist (as Gordon McCallum)
Wally Milner	....	sound recordist
Donald C. Rogers	....	sound (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Basilio Cortijo	....	special effects assistant
Eugène Lourié	....	special effects sequences director (as Eugene Lourie)
Alex Weldon	....	special effects
Francisco Prósper	....	miniatures (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Cabrera	....	second unit photography
Antonio Luengo	....	still photography
Eduardo Noé	....	camera operator (as Eduardo Noe)
Egil S. Woxholt	....	underwater photography
Donald C. Rogers	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Simminger	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Don Record	....	montage designer

Music Department
Mack David	....	songs: music & lyrics by

Other crew
Eva Del Castillo	....	script supervisor
Lew Gerard	....	script supervisor
John Kirby	....	dialogue coach
Don Record	....	titles designer
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director (uncredited)
Herbert L. Strock	....	adr director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cinerama Productions Corp. (presents) (as Cinerama®)
• Security Pictures (uncredited)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (uncredited)

Distributors

• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1969) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• Simitar Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• American Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• D+T (Brazil) (DVD)
• HVC Films (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles and montage by

Also Known As:

"Volcano" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

131 min | UK:147 min (BBFC submission before censorship)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | USA:G | UK:PG (1996) | UK:U (1969) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Cinerama Productions Corp.

Trivia:

Krakatoa was roughly 12 square miles in size and when it erupted in the most cataclysmic explosion in history it caused the death of 36,000 people. It's estimated the explosions released energy a million times greater than that of a hydrogen bomb. The explosions were so powerful that they transformed Krakatoa's highlands, which were over 1,000 feet high into chasms over a 1,000 feet deep. One of the explosions was heard in the Phillipines over 3,000 miles away. Tidal waves reached a height of 150 feet and reached South America and their effect were felt in the English Channel.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Laura spots Peter through the telescope, Peter is looking off at an angle as if he is waving and smiling at a second ship that is present.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Monty Python's Flying Circus: Scott of the Antarctic (#2.10)" (1970)

Not a bad film, but it's a bit slow and talky!

Krackatoa, East of Java is a fictional story set against the backdrop of the infamous eruption of Krackatoa in 1883 that triggered huge Tsunamis. This movie involves a ship captain and his crew on a voyage to a ship wreck site close to the shores of Krackatoa where the 200 year dormant Volcano begins waking up in search of treasure. This movie does have excitement but you have to wait through awhile to get the excitement. Most of the action is on the ship. Although intrigueing things happen on the way, like dead fish in the water and unexplained explosions, the action is still too slow. However the special effects were good for a movie this old (1969). I thought the eruption and Tidal wave sequences were well done. 6/10