The Island at the Top of the World facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Island at the Top of the World |
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Promotional poster for The Island at the Top of the World by Eric Pulford
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| Directed by | Robert Stevenson |
| Produced by | Winston Hibler |
| Written by | Ian Cameron (novel) John Whedon (screenplay) |
| Starring | Donald Sinden David Hartman Jacques Marin Mako Agneta Eckemyr |
| Music by | Maurice Jarre |
| Cinematography | Frank V. Phillips |
| Editing by | Robert Stafford |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Release date(s) | December 20, 1974 (with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too) |
| Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English Swedish Norwegian Danish Icelandic |
| Budget | $8 million |
| Money made | $10 million (US/Canada rentals) |
The Island at the Top of the World is an exciting live-action fantasy adventure film from 1974. It was directed by Robert Stevenson and made by Walt Disney Productions. The movie stars Donald Sinden and David Hartman. It takes viewers on a thrilling journey to a hidden world.
Contents
Story of the Adventure
In London, way back in 1907, a rich and important man named Sir Anthony Ross (Donald Sinden) plans a quick trip to the Arctic. He is looking for his son, Donald, who disappeared during a whaling trip. Donald was searching for a secret island where whales go to rest.
Sir Anthony gets help from Professor John Ivarsson (David Hartman), an archaeologist from Scandinavia. They also team up with Captain Brieux (Jacques Marin), a French inventor. Captain Brieux flies them in his amazing airship called the Hyperion.
When they reach the Arctic, they meet Oomiak (Mako Iwamatsu). He is a funny and sometimes scared Inuit friend of Donald's. They convince Oomiak to help them find Donald.
Finding a Lost World
During their journey, the group gets separated from Captain Brieux. They then discover a secret island called Astragard. This island is home to a lost group of Norsemen (Vikings) who have been cut off from the rest of the world for hundreds of years.
The Norsemen capture Sir Anthony and Professor Ivarsson. Luckily, Oomiak manages to escape. Soon after, they find Donald! But the group is almost put to death by the Godi. The Godi is a very strict religious leader and important person on the island.
Escape and Discoveries
A brave and beautiful girl named Freyja saves the three men from being burned alive. Donald and Freyja are deeply in love. They escape and meet up with Oomiak again. Eventually, Captain Brieux reappears, saving them from killer whales at the Whale's Graveyard.
However, the angry Godi and his warriors are still chasing them. In the end, the Godi is killed when he shoots a fiery arrow at the Hyperion, causing an explosion. The Vikings say the expedition cannot leave unless one person stays behind.
Professor Ivarsson bravely volunteers to stay. He sees it as a chance to live history. He also believes that if people ever destroy the outside world, places like Astragard could be a safe place for humanity.
Sir Anthony, Donald, Freyja, Captain Brieux, and Oomiak are allowed to leave in peace. They promise not to tell anyone about Astragard. As Ivarsson goes back to the island, he watches his friends disappear into the Arctic mist.
Main Characters
- Donald Sinden – Sir Anthony Ross (the rich adventurer)
- David Hartman – Professor Ivarsson (the smart archaeologist)
- Jacques Marin – Captain Brieux (the inventor and airship pilot)
- Mako – Oomiak (Donald's Inuit friend)
- David Gwillim – Donald Ross (Sir Anthony's lost son)
- Agneta Eckemyr – Freyja (the brave girl from Astragard)
- Gunnar Öhlund – The Godi (the strict leader)
The Hyperion Airship
The Hyperion is the amazing airship in The Island at the Top of the World. Even though it's not in the movie for the whole time, it's a very important part of the story. It was also shown a lot in the movie's advertisements.
Design of the Hyperion
In the film, the Hyperion is a semi-rigid airship, about 200 feet long. It has a sleek, red gas bag and a closed control room hanging underneath. Two engines at the back power propellers on each side. The airship was designed by Peter Ellenshaw's team.
The Hyperion at Disneyland
The Hyperion was once planned to be a big attraction at Disneyland in California. It was going to be part of an area called Discovery Bay. However, the movie didn't do very well at the box office, so the attraction was never built.
Drawings showed a huge wooden hangar with the nose of a life-size Hyperion sticking out. Visitors would enter the hangar and get on board the airship. They would then go on a pretend aerial adventure over the Arctic, using film and a moving platform.
Today, you can still see the Hyperion at Disneyland Park in Paris. A life-size version of the airship is part of the Videopolis Theatre and café complex there.
How the Story Was Written
The film is based on a 1961 book called The Lost Ones by Ian Cameron. To go along with the movie, the book was re-released with the film's title.
Book vs. Movie
There were a few changes from the book to the movie:
- The book takes place in 1960, but the movie is set in 1907.
- The island in the book is Prince Patrick Island, but in the movie, it's north of Ellesmere Island.
- The airship Hyperion and some extra characters only appear in the film, not the book.
- In the movie, Freyja survives and stays with Donald. But in the book, she sadly dies trying to save Donald and Sir Anthony.
Movie Music
The music for the film was created by the famous composer Maurice Jarre. This was his first time making music for a Disney movie. The music had grand themes and used instruments from different cultures to match the film's settings.
How the Music Was Recorded
To get the best sound, the music was recorded on many special magnetic films. This allowed them to control each instrument's sound better. Some unique instruments were even added later.
In 1974, a story record album was released with the movie. It had audio clips from the film and a booklet. The story was told by voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft. The music on this record was played on an organ, not the full orchestra used in the movie.
Later, parts of the movie's orchestral music were used in Disneyland's Adventureland. It was mixed with music from other Disney films and attractions. This created a continuous loop of adventure music played in ride lines, restaurants, and shops.
In 2012, a company called Intrada Records released the complete movie score on a CD. They used the original recordings and mixed them again. This allowed people to hear the music in stereo for the very first time!
Other Facts
The name Hyperion is also used by Disney for some of its publishing companies. Early in Disney's history, they had a studio on Hyperion Avenue in Los Angeles.
