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VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961)

• Director: Irwin Allen
• Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre, Robert Sterling
• Film: 105mins | USA | Subtitles | Intermission
• Event: 18:30 – 21:15 / Doors 18:00 [18+]

“RACE FROM OUTER SPACE TO SEVEN MILES BELOW THE SEA… WITH AMAZING AQUANAUTS OF THE DEEP!”

A meteor shower sets the sky on fire, threatening to destroy all life on Earth. A plan is hatched to launch a nuclear missile at the Sun from an experimental atomic submarine, the Seaview.

BAR TRASH continues our 14th sensational season — TRASH PLANET 3: APOCALYPSE! — with a classic movie from the ‘Master of Disaster’, Irwin Allen’s VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961).

The first feature-length disaster film is thought to be DELUGE (1933) about a flood that devastates New York, but it wouldn’t be until the genre’s ‘golden age’ in the 1970s that triple-threat producer, writer, and director Irwin Allen (THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE, THE TOWERING INFERNO, and THE SWARM) would perfect the form.

VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961) is an underwater sci-fi adventure that stands at the turning point from the 1950s’ fear of atomic power — as seen in that era’s cautionary sci-fi like THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL and TARANTULA — to a temporary celebration of its potential.  Of course, fighting climate catastrophe with the very weapons that contributed to it might not be the smartest of ideas, but darker visions of our mass destruction would return soon enough…

Perfect Sunday cinema, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA has all the action-adventure, practical special effects, and lurid pseudoscience you could possibly want. It would also gift Irwin Allen the models, sets, and story-telling ideas that he would reuse and recycle on TV in a second adaptation of this story and beloved projects like LAND OF THE GIANTS and LOST IN SPACE. 

With a theme sung song by teen-pop idol Frankie Avalon (who also appears in a minor role), VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA brings Walter Pidgeon (FORBIDDEN PLANET) back to BAR TRASH with a host of supporting cast members including Joan Fontaine, Peter Lorre, Barbara Eden and Robert Sterling. Rarely-screened, your Sunday needs this kind of gee-whiz sci-fi cinema!

Polite notice: We are showing VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA with subtitles from the best available digital source.

/// BAR TRASH is a celebration of cult and curious cinema, hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo and friends. Films are served with introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets from £3.50 + fees. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for updates. ///