Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > The Island at the Top of the World (1974)

The Island at the Top of the World (1974) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 27 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
6.0/10   709 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 11% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Stevenson
Writers:
John Whedon (screenplay)
Ian Cameron (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Island at the Top of the World on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 December 1974 (USA) more
Tagline:
Adventure beyond imagination
Plot:
Four turn of the century explorers embark on an airship expedition to the high artic. Where upon they find a lost colony of Vikings. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. more
User Comments:
Enjoyable Disney adventure. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
David Hartman ... Prof. Ivarsson
Donald Sinden ... Sir Anthony Ross
Jacques Marin ... Captain Brieux

Mako ... Oomiak
David Gwillim ... Donald Ross
Agneta Eckemyr ... Freyja
Gunnar Öhlund ... The Godi (as Gunnar Ohlund)
Lasse Kolstad ... Erik
Erik Silju ... Torvald
Rolf Søder ... The Lawspeaker
Torsten Wahlund ... Sven
Sverre Anker Ousdal ... Gunnar (as Sverre Ousdal)
Niels Hinrichsen ... Sigurd
Denny Miller ... Town Guard
Brendan Dillon ... The Factor
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
93 min
Country:
USA
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.75 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)
Filming Locations:
Redmond, Oregon, USA more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The Vikings all speaks Norweigian except the Godi (Gunnar Öhlund) who is speaking Swedish. more
Goofs:
Continuity: The Hyperion's propellers are hand cranked men by men on the ground. When the entire ship is viewed at rest the propellers are nowhere near the ground. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The Making of 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire' (2002) (V) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful:-
Enjoyable Disney adventure., 23 October 2003
7/10
Author: Jonathon Dabell (barnaby.rudge@hotmail.co.uk) from Wakefield, England

The Island At The Top Of The World is based on a novel by Ian Cameron entitled The Lost Ones. The novel was set in modern times, but the film is set in Edwardian times. It is one of the better live-action Disney films, with an interesting and exciting plot, solid performances and an unusual setting. Only the weak special effects give the viewer something to gripe about.

Donald Sinden is splendid as Sir Anthony Ross, an elderly London gentleman who is desperate to find out what happened to his son Donald. Apparently, young Donald went off to the Arctic several months earlier in search of a mythical place "where whales go to die", but he disappeared during the expedition. Sir Anthony refuses to believe that his son is dead, so he assembles a search party and they set off for the freezing polar ice-cap aboard a French airship. As it turns out, right up at the top of the world there exists a lost colony of Viking throwbacks, hidden from the rest of the world and able to survive because the valley in which they live is heated by volcanic materials. Young Donald has been living with these folk since his strange disappearance, but the arrival of his father's search party causes trouble and the Viking elders vote to kill the intruders.

It's every bit as unusual and fascinating as it sounds, and is a truly worthwhile film for kids and adults alike. There are a few mis-calculations (few films, after all, are perfect) but not too many. The special effects, as already suggested, are somewhat below par. Also, much of the Viking dialect is translated by David Hartman's character, and the task of listening to it in one language, then again in English, is slightly tedious. However, all things considered, this is a very enjoyable and entertaining production.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Island at the Top of the World (1974)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Opening eyes on 'skull wall'. Goze211
Map scene (am I remembering this correctly?) kenstru
I Can't Believe This! whitrix
Help please! cipanmanja
Similar films scottgalloway28
'stargate' : it's just a big rip-off... (spoilers for both films) dandan_1976
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Doctor Dolittle Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown Nim's Island The Wild The Wizard of Oz
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Adventure section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.