The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne

The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne is a Canadian science fiction television series that aired on CBC in Canada from June to December 2000, lasting for one season. The show is a fictionalized telling of the life of French author Jules Verne, placing him into the settings of the stories he wrote such as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas and Around the World in Eighty Days. In the United States, the show aired on the Sci-Fi Channel, premiering in early 2001. The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne was the first television series to be filmed in high-definition video, which made the series expensive to produce.

The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
Created byGavin Scott
StarringMichael Praed
Michel Courtemanche
Chris Demetral
Opening theme"The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne Theme" by Nick Glennie-Smith
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes22
Production
Executive producersNicolas Clermont
Pierre de Lespinois
Neil Dunn
Michael Huffington
Richard Jackson
Gavin Scott
ProducerMichael Mullally
Running time60 min.
Release
Original networkCBC
Original release18 June (2000-06-18) –
16 December 2000 (2000-12-16)

Plot

The show features a fictionalized portrayal of French author Jules Verne (Chris Demetral), along with portrayals of the characters Jean Passepartout (Michel Courtemanche) and Phileas Fogg (Michael Praed), both originating from Verne's 1873 work Around the World in Eighty Days.[1] A new character is also created for the show: Phileas Fogg's cousin Rebecca (Francesca Hunt).[2] The show's premise is of a young Verne being placed into scenarios similar to those of his stories prior to his having written them. Many of the show's settings are portrayed via special effects and computer-generated imagery.[1] Publicity for the show described its imagery as being steampunk.[2]

Production

The show was filmed in Montreal, Quebec at an estimated cost of $30,000,000 CAD. According to the Montreal Gazette, it was the most expensive television series ever shot in the city. English screenwriter Gavin Scott, who created the series, worked with producer Michael Mullally and production company Talisman Films to create the show. Executive producer Pierre de Lespinois chose to film in Montreal due to the city's architecture.[1] The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne was the first television series to be filmed entirely in high-definition video;[3] specifically, it used the HDCAM, a digital camera manufactured by Sony.[4][5]

Broadcast

The show first aired on CBC in Canada in 2000. It was then broadcast in the United States on the Sci-Fi Channel, premiering in early 2001.[2]

Episodes
Episode Title Notable guest stars
1.In the BeginningDavid Warner and Rick Overton
2.Queen Victoria and the Giant MoleTracy Scoggins
3.Rockets of the DeadPatrick Duffy
4.The Cardinal's DesignJohn Rhys-Davies and René Auberjonois
5.The Cardinal's RevengeJohn Rhys-Davies and René Auberjonois
6.The Eyes of LazarusMichael Moriarty and Margot Kidder
7.Lord of Air and DarknessSonia Vigneault and Rick Overton
8.Southern ComfortLarissa Laskin, Sonia Vigneault and Rick Overton
9.Let There Be LightMichael Yarmush
10.The Ballad of Steeley Joe
11.The Black Glove of MelchizedekKim Chan and Nigel Bennett
12.Dust to DustPascale Bussieres
13.The Golem Caroline Dhavernas
14.Crusader in the Crypt
15.The Strange Death of Professor MarechalPolly Draper
16.The Rocket's Red GlareRick Overton
17.Rocket to the MoonR. H. Thomson
18.The InquisitorMako
19.RoyaltyGeordie Johnson
20.Secret of the RealmRick Overton
21.The Victorian CandidateBill Paterson and Keir Cutler
22.The Book of KnowledgeDavid Warner and Michael McManus

Critical reception

An uncredited review in the Times-Picayune rated the show 2.5 out of 4 stars, stating that "With its dark humor, odd machines of the Industrial Revolution, campy derring-do and attractive stars, The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne holds promise."[6] Tom Shales of The Washington Post was less favorable, describing the show's premise as "silly" while also criticizing the directing, script, and characterization of Verne.[2]

Soundtrack

The series' main theme and incidental music was composed by Nick Glennie-Smith. In April 2011, Perseverance Records released a 2-CD soundtrack of the series' music. The soundtrack included the main theme, closing theme, "bumpers" (played at commercial breaks), and suites from every episode of the series apart from "The Book of Knowledge", for which the composer and the recording studio were unable to locate the original tapes.[7]

CD 1
No.TitleLength
1Opening Titles0:53
2In the Beginning2:34
3Queen Victoria and the Giant Mole13:25
4Bumper #10:09
5Rockets of the Dead11:31
6The Cardinal's Design2:04
7The Cardinal's Revenge2:33
8The Eyes of Lazarus2:00
9Bumper #20:11
10Lord of Air and Darkness1:56
11Southern Comfort19:05
12Let There Be Light7:56
13The Ballad of Steeley Joe6:51
14Bumper #30:09
CD 2
No.TitleLength
1Bumper #40:09
2The Black Glove of Melchizedek9:02
3Dust to Dust6:17
4The Golem3:51
5Crusader in the Crypt1:53
6The Strange Death of Professor Marechal4:32
7The Rocket's Red Glare5:53
8Rocket to the Moon3:55
9Bumper #50:09
10The Inquisitor5:25
11Royalty12:38
12Secret of the Realm6:00
13The Victorian Candidate7:27
14End Credits0:42

References
  1. Brendan Kelly (31 March 1998). "Around the city in 22 episodes". Montreal Gazette. pp. A1, A2. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  2. "'Jules Verne': Way Out Of His League". The Washington Post. 5 January 2001. ProQuest 409078250. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  3. "Gordon Brockhouse talks to Pierre de Lespinois, producer of the first TV series shot entirely on high-definition video". Andrew Marshall's Audio Ideas Guide. 2000. ProQuest 194542049. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  4. "Talisman Crest Limited Credits Multi-Million Dollar Savings in Production of the Secret Adventures of Jules Verne to Sony's HDCAM Format". Business Wire. 30 August 1999. ProQuest 446017679. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  5. Mark Collings (8 February 1999). "A producer's guide to advanced TV". Playback. Retrieved 20 March 2023. In Canada, The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne is being shot on a Sony HDW-700 hdcam in Montreal. Post-production is being done by Voodoo Arts on a hybrid system using Avid ds systems with Sony HDW-500 hdcam vtrs.
  6. "The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne". Times Picayune. 31 December 2000. ProQuest 415344494. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  7. "Interview with album editor Gergely Hubai at hans-zimmer.com". Retrieved 29 March 2011.
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