Jules Verne (1828-1905)
In Nantes, France, Jules Verne was born on February 8, 1828. His parents were seafarers, which influenced his writings immensely. In 1847, Jules was sent to study law in Paris, but became enamored by the theater instead. His father was outraged that Jules was not going to continue law, so he stopped sending him money, which force Jules to support himself by writing. Jules Verne became a very rich man. There are three of his works that are made into movies time and again.
Journey to the enter of the Earth (1864)
Professor Lidenbrock discovers an encoded manuscript in which a 16th-century explorer claims to have found a path to the center of the Earth. Acting on the message, the professor and his nephew Axel enter a dead Icelandic volcano with the help of an Icelandic guide. They discover fantastic things, including a past civilization.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) DVD
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870)
A huge monster is sinking ships. A French scientist, his trusty sidekick, and a Canadian harpoonist are thrown from the deck of their American warship and find themselves inside the great monster-- aboard the submarine, Nautilus, in the control Captain Nemo.
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Special Edition)
The Disney version I remember loving as a child (even though it scared me a little bit!)
Around the World in 80 Days (1873)
Phileas Fogg reads in a newspaper that it is possible to travel around the world in eighty days. None of his friends believe it can be done, so Phileas bets them that he could make the journey in eighty days or less. The novel follows the adventures of Phineas after he leaves with his servant Passerpartout.
Around the World in 80 Days
The version with Jackie Chan
To learn more about Verne, or to read his works online for free visit Jules Verne at Online Litereature.
HG Wells (1866-1946)
Born on September 21, 1866 in Bromley, Kent, Herbert George Wells was an English novelist, journalist, sociologist, and historian. Many credit Wells with being one of the founding fathers of science fiction. He created themes that are often found in SciFi books and film even today. Several of his novels have found their way into film.
Time Machine (1895)
With the aid of a machine he invented, Hillyer can transport himself back and forth in time. He visits the future world of the Eloi and the cannibalistic Morlocks and returns to tell the tale. He also visits the world beyond that in which all human life has been erased. In this novel, Wells explores many of the themes that obsessed him, including class inequality.
The Time Machine (1960) DVD
Island of Dr Moreau (1896)
After a tragic shipwreck, a young diplomat is found floating adrift by an assistant of the infamous Dr. Moreau, a scientist charged with unethical treatment of animals who has fled his homeland. On Moreau's island, the diplomat soon finds creatures the doctor has created that are half human and half animal.
Island of Dr Moreau (1996) DVD
Island of Dr Moreau (1977) DVD
The Invisible Man (1897)
A scientist invents a way to make himself completely invisible. After trying the formula on himself, he finds that he can go anywhere and terrorize anyone, all without being seen. But a problem exists; he cannot become visible again and has become murderously insane.
The Invisible Man
The classic Claude Raines movie
The War of the Worlds (1898)
After fleeing their own planet because its resources are depleted, Martians invade Earth. They land in England, sweeping through the countryside, destroying or capturing everything in their path. The alien invaders seem unstoppable until a common germ eliminates them. This is perhaps most well known in the US because of the ill-fated Orson Welles radio play of 1938.
War Of The Worlds (1938 Mercury Theatre Of The Air Radio Broadcast)
The classic Halloween radio broadcast that created panic in the US
To learn more about H G Wells, or to read his works online for free visit H G Wells at Literature Online.
Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)
He was born to a family of Roman Catholics in Edinburgh, in 1859. He became a doctor from Edinburgh University specializing in eye care. He is most known for creating Sherlock Holmes.
The Lost World (1912)
In this story of adventure and discovery, Professor Challenger heads a scientific expedition to explore a South American plateau that remains frozen in time from the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World - Season One
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World - Season Two
The TV series loosely based on Doyle’s Lost World was one of my favorites
To learn more about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or to read his works free online, visit Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at Literature Online.
