20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Brett Piper [Outpost Earth, The Dark Sleep] has taken to making stop-motion adaptions of classic stories. The Outpost Earth DVD comes with a copy of Journey to the Center of the Earth.

After we wrapped Outpost Earth, Brett asked me if I’d do the narration for his adaptation of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Of course, I said yes!

He recently sent me a copy, and I have to say, I love it! As a person who grew up watching all the Rankin/Bass stop-motion holiday specials like Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, plus the sword-fighting skeleton awesomeness of Ray Harryhausen movies, there’s a special place in my heart for stop-motion animation—and rubber monsters.

Brett only works on these sporadically, between paying projects, but they are a labor of love and it shows in every frame. As I mentioned, Journey to the Center of the Earth is on the Outpost Earth DVD. I don’t know when or how you’ll get to see 20,000 Leagues, but I hope you do. If I hear of a way, I’ll let you know. Maybe when he’s made enough of them, he’ll release a collection.

Won’t that be awesome!