Fantastic Voyage (1966)

A classic not to be missed

If you have ever visited EPCOT Center at Disney World in Florida, you might have visited the pavilion where one of the favorite rides allows visitors to take a trip, not to outer space but to the inner space of the human body.

This movie provides a rare view to the circulatory and respiratory systems of our anatomy. The plot starts with a scientist arriving in the USA to deliver the secret formula for a weapon that would give us the edge in the race for technological power.

The enemy tries to murder him and he falls into a coma because a blood clot is lodged in the brain and may kill him. Our scientists set out to save his life and through miniaturization they are injected into the blood stream to travel towards the blood clot.

You will enjoy a very young Raquel Welch playing the part of the medical assistant to the doctor in charge of the operation. Donald Pleasance delivers an excellent performance as the claustrophobic brilliant scientist who constantly provides insight as to the wonders of the human body.

The process is simply brilliant and we get to see surgeons that scuba dive through human blood, oxygen from the lungs used to replenish the ship's supply, travel through the heart, and an escape through the tear duct.

We simply loved this film and hope you take the time to watch it. For a movie created in 1966, this was definitely ahead of its time!
August 4, 2008

Fantastic Voyage - A fantastic memory of the 60's

Fantastic Voyage was a good (four star) sci-fi film made smack dab in the middle of the 60's. The story line was authored by Isaac Asimov and made a good transfer to film. I couldn't think of a much more representative sci-fi film of the cold war years and this film had all the trappings.

I won't describe the story line except to say that it predicted a very improbable form of what we today call "nano-technology". It was, nevertheless, very entertaining and featured good actors of the day and very decent special effects which just managed to pull off the plot visually.

The plot involved some impossible technology to shrink an entire medical team and submarine designed for a crew compliment of about six, in order to perform brain surgery with a medical laser. This was an inside job and required suspending disbelief to the point of severe strain as the crew and sub were reduced to the size of a blood cell and injected into the patient.

I am out of my depth but this must have violated several of the classical laws of nature like conservation (of matter, energy, reactants and products, direction of entropy change) as well as some of newer ones in particle physics. However, it was all in the name of entertainment.

This film came at a time of relative calm and stability in my life during which I was going through engineering school. One Saturday night, while studying for some tests, my parents asked me if I would like to go out with them for dinner and possibly see a film.

A night out with my parents to see a sci-fi film is something I would remember since my father (who was a diesel engine mechanic and pretty hard headed) had never taken me to the movies except for this particular film! This was about as unexpected a pleasure as I could imagine as going out with my parents did not cause me any problems even when I was a young man.

The movie appeared to be a hit with everyone including my hard headed father. My mom, of course, could always be counted on to appreciate a good flick as we had made a habit of going to the movies together since forever. June 29, 2008

excellent old sci-fi

This is an excellent 60"s sci-fi film. It was done with intelligent thinking and the special effects are great for that time. June 24, 2008

Fantastic Movie!

Fantastic Voyage (Special Edition)

What can I say? One of the true "classics" of science fiction. It is imaginative. It is even "educational" to a point about the human body. It is both science fiction, a medical drama, and a spy story, all wrapped into one story. Of course, Raquel Welch and the antibodies is not to be missed. Plenty of special features that take you back to movies before CGI. Personally, I love it. It has stayed a favorite of mine thru the last three decades. April 3, 2008

A JOURNEY INTO... MICROBIOLOGY? SURREAL MICRO-COSM BROUGHT TO LIFE

I won't say this is a fantastic movie, but it was more interesting than I thought it would be. Its 1966 vintage gives it points, and while it's not full-blown campy, it does take itself somewhat seriously despite the fact its premise is absurd!

But --- when it comes down to it --- it IS fun watching them and their submarine get shrunk! Part of the charge in this movie is the sense of claustraphobia it induces as you watch them go from the size of mice, to the size of ants, until they are finally microscopic and ready to be injected into the man they need to perform laser surgery upon! Brain surgery! As they are put in at one of the lower arteries which will bring them to their destination in the brain, they are suddenly thrown off track and will have to find a new way, via unexpected organs and more dangerous routes! Meanwhile, one of the crew may be trying to sabotage the mission..

Sound a little cheesy? Part of the fun is seeing the different "landscapes" as they cross through different parts of the body (the heart, the lung, the inner ear!). They're always equipped in diving suits whenever they go outside their submarine to battle white blood cells or whatever..

If you go in with low enough expectations, you'll probably enjoy this film.. it's quaint, it's antiquated, a little surreal.. nothing offensive in it. "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was a better submarine movie (*****), but Raquel Welch and compatriots do something new here in taking their 'micro'-cosmic journey inside the human body. April 2, 2008

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