20 Fantastic Blimps, Balloons, And Dirigibles In Movies

Irwin Allen, patron saint of the disaster film, took a break from the hectic sci-fi of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea to write, direct, and produce this film, an adventure film that fits his adventure mold but replaces the devastation with Jules Verne excitement and discovery.

Boasting familiar faces like Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre, and singer Fabian, the film follows a small balloon crew trying to cross Africa in five weeks and plant their flag before slave traders can capture unclaimed land.

There are fun stops along the way, and the final action sequence involving the deflating balloon, a waterfall, the rapid evacuation of ballast, and a shootout with the slave traders, is still a riveting set piece.