Krakatoa, East of Java

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 is actually west of Java (and east of Sumatra). Producers decided to keep the geographical error no doubt because it was more exotic-sounding than "Krakatoa, West of Java." Meanwhile, the title helped popularize the spelling ‘Krakatoa’ as opposed to the Indonesian spelling ‘Krakatau.’

The film runs 1 hour, 46 minutes and was shot on a remodeled passenger-cargo ship constructed in England around 1880, with additional footage done in studios in Spain and Italy.

GRADE: C+

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 mission then mutinous thoughts start to cross their minds. Furthermore, with all of these onboard activities smouldering away, they head out to sea under the gaze of the grumbling volcano that is showing distinctly hostile signs that an eruption is imminent. “Hansen” now has lots to do, few he can trust and billowing clouds of toxic smoke - what chance he can succeed? The cast here are all fairly easy on the eye, but they have to deliver some fairly banal dialogue and struggle to ignite this scenario with their internecine plots, romances and grudges. It needed a much more robust lead character, and quite possibly quite a few fewer of the others enabling it to focus more on the treasure hunting elements rather than the personality ones. It does redeem itself well for the last fifteen minutes though as Krakatoa decides it has seen enough of this film and makes it’s presence felt. A combination of actuality and some fairly impressive visual effects bring the thing alive and show us just how violent nature can be when she has to watch a plodding melodrama on a Sunday afternoon. It’s not a bad film, but don’t go looking for much depth to the story or the characters.