
 
Released in 1954, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was a masterpiece of special effects. The famous squid attack was particularly notable. The squid itself, according to "Disney A to Z," "could rear up 8 feet out of the water, its tentacles and feelers moving with frightening realism. It took a staff of 28 men to operate the intricate remote controls. Using hydraulics, electronics, and compressed air, they succeeded in giving a lifelike appearance to the squid."
Still, even after all that effort, when shooting began on the pivotal squid attack, Walt complained, "It's as phony as a $3 bill." Instead of the stormy foray into danger that appeared in the film's actual release, in the first go-round the scene was filmed against a background more appropriate for a romantic boat ride down Moonlight Bay. The placid sea -- visible in some recently rediscovered photographs -- also allowed viewers to see the mechanisms that made the squid function. So Walt ordered the scene reshot, at a cost of $250,000. The soundstage didn't dry out for years. As Walt once said, "I couldn't ever see that there was a better place to put money than in the thing I was interested in."

One interesting note about this film concerns its director, Richard Fleischer. He was the son of the animation pioneer -- and major competitor to Walt -- Max Fleischer. When the director was offered the job he told Walt, "I can't accept it without talking it over with my father first. I'm afraid he might think I'm disloyal or something. If he did, I just couldn't do it."
As Fleischer recalls in his memoir, "Just Tell Me When to Cry," his father granted approval immediately, then added, "And you tell Walt one thing from me. . . . You tell Walt that he's got great taste in directors." Not only was "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" a technological tour de force, it also marked the first time Walt had utilized famous performers to head his cast. Kirk Douglas appeared as sailor Ned Land, Peter Lorre made a memorable appearance, and James Mason was unforgettable as the mysterious Captain Nemo. The result was a smash hit -- one of the most profitable films Walt had made to date.
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