Scott LeBrun Ever likable fantasy genre star Kerwin Mathews is cast here as Commander Jonathan Shaw, an officer with the U.S. Navy. He's called into action due to mysterious seismic forces occurring underground throughout the U.S.A. He and his men find that a renegade Chinese general, Chan Lu (Martin Benson), is creating enormous tunnels DEEP underground stretching all the way from mainland China to the States, and placing bombs at strategic points. With the help of a shapely geologist, Tila Yung (Vivienne Ventura), he sets out about foiling the efforts of the diabolical villain.Provided the prospective viewer is aware that this is VERY old fashioned entertainment - with various Caucasians cast in Asian roles - and isn't too distracted by this fact, they should find this to be quite colourful and amusing. The movie (as well as its female actresses) is gorgeous to look at, with eye catching costumes and props and vehicles, and cinematography by Kenneth Talbot. The whole scenario is deliciously preposterous, and director Montgomery Tully gives the story a decent pace while getting solid and straight faced performances from his actors. "Battle Beneath the Earth" isn't overflowing with action set pieces, but it's reasonably rousing just the same, with some interesting "lasers" that offer little more than a light show. The sets are just right for this sort of deliberately cheesy diversion.Mathews, Ventura, and Benson are among a cast also featuring capable performers such as Robert Ayres and Bill Nagy as ramrod straight military officers, Peter Arne as the passionate Arnold Kramer, Al Mulock and Earl Cameron as reliable soldiers Mulberry and Hawkins, Peter Elliott as the nefarious Dr. Kengh Lee, and Ed Bishop as the engaging Lieutenant Commander Vance Cassidy.Fun to watch, and clearly never meant to be taken very seriously.Seven out of 10.

Woodyanders Evil renegade Chinese General Chan Lu (a nicely wicked portrayal by Martin Benson) plans on launching a bunch of nuclear attacks on America from a series of underground tunnels. It's up to brave, but disgraced military man Commander Jonathan Shaw (the dashing Kerwin Matthews) to stop him before it's too late. Director Montgomery Tully, working from a silly script by L.Z. Hargreaves, relates the goofy plot at a steady pace and maintains a serious tone throughout. The admirably sincere acting from a game cast qualifies as a major asset: Viviane Ventura as foxy spelunker Tila Young, Robert Ayres as the ramrod Admiral Felix Hillebrand, Peter Arne as paranoid seismologist Arnold Kramer, Al Mulock as the rugged Sergeant Marvin Mulberry, Peter Elliott as Lu's nefarious scientist assistant Kengh Lee, and Ed Bishop as the stalwart Vince Cassidy. Kenneth Talbot's vibrant color cinematography and Ken Jones' urgent, lively, rousing score are both up to speed. The nifty "Batman"-style whiplash cutaways, the clumsily staged action scenes, some gross miscasting (several British actors play the Asian villains!), the endearingly clunky (not so) special effects (the back-screen projection is especially dodgy), and a big'n'bulky slowly trudging yellow tank car that shoots out deadly lasers which are really just bright beams of light all give this picture a certain lovably dippy kitschy charm. A pleasingly campy timekiller.

orlanthrex One of the scenes holds a special place in my memories as the most unintentionally hilarious piece of cinematography I have ever witnessed.Picture this: The hero is wandering along a discovered tunnel with the leading lady, a geologist. In their travels they come across an obstacle; the passageway is dissected by a lava river level with the passageway. This is excusable, too many films show heroes far far closer to lava than the human body would stand, especially underground. However the female GEOLOGIST is about to step onto the lava, when the hero has to hold her back to stop her saying IIRC "Stop Honey, its hot."Battle Beneath the Earth is a comic strip, fortunately the bad sets and casting have left it iconic and clean cut enough that it can pass for one in the manner of the 60's Batman series or Thunderbirds. If you choose to accept this you will enjoy the film, if for all the wrong reasons. If you cannot stay the hell away. This film rates one out of ten, but its a very watchable form of awful. In my opinion better than the cult Ed Wood films as it does have a followable plot, however ridiculous it may be.

curtisgb This movie classic, from the Golden Age of Sci-Fi films, is a movie to remember. USA vs China, with Jules Verne like settings and the requisite nuclear weaponry that goes with any 60's sci-fi setting.Definitely worth watching again.