Krakatoa, East of Java

6/11/2020

_**A ship adventure with an erupting volcano**_ On a shipwreck salvage mission in the Dutch East Indies in 1883 (aka western Indonesia), a ship captain (Maximilian Schell) is forced by the government to transport a chain gang while the unexpected eruption of Krakatoa and the corresponding tsunami present more natural challenges. Diane Baker plays his romantic interest, Brian Keith an over-the-hill diver and Barbara Werle the diver’s babe. Sal Mineo and J.D. Cannon are also on hand. “Krakatoa: East of Java” (1968) is a ship-confined adventure and disaster movie, like “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972) and “Titanic” (1997), but the human interest just isn’t as compelling. The story is pedestrian and tediously paced, but there are some good things to glean. As for the title, Krakatoa i

7/15/2025

A not terribly convincing Maximilian Schell is “Hansen”, and intrepid sea captain who heads into the Dutch East Indies to track down a wreck. He has been told by his lady friend “Laura” (Diane Baker) that there is a submarine on which her late husband served nestling nicely at the bottom somewhere, replete with a cargo of pearls. He engages the services of the veteran diver “Connerly” (Brian Keith) as well as the enthusiastic young “Rigby” (John Leyton) who has a diving bell, and “Leoncavallo” (Sal Mineo) who has his own hot air balloon and off they go in search of their loot. There are a few complications. Their licence to explore was only agreed on condition that they embark a bunch of reprobates for transportation too, and as these men learn a little more of the true nature of this miss