Being a Monster Kid in Portland, OR, during the 1970s was tough. Local television stations didn't ever show Hammer horror films, and catching a classic Universal films was a rarity. When I was in my mid-teens, I was able to watch KATU's Sinister Cinema late Saturday nights, and they did show some fun, but not very memorable films. But it was very rare to see something like Bride of Frankenstein or anything that might cost a bit of money to pay for screening rights.
But KPTV, at the time an independent station, was the go-to station on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Sure, the station would repeat films every year, but some of these movies were AWESOME, and often screened uncut. And that how I first saw Island of Terror, with the hand whacking moment intact. It stuck in my mind for years, and a recent re-watch confirms why this film is a must see for classic monster movie fans. Sure, it's not perfect, but director Terence Fisher keeps things moving and the cast is solid, making the film perfect to watch with a bowl of popcorn and your favorite beverage.
The film opens on Petrie's Island off the coast of Ireland, where residents watch a shipment to Dr. Lawrence Phillips, an oncologist seeking a cure for cancer, being loaded up from a boat for transport to his secluded laboratory.
As you might expect, things don't go well in the lab, which we discover right before a distracting smash cut to the opening credits. It's jarring and feels more appropriate for the Thunderbirds TV series (which was on air around the same time). Seriously, watch it and tell me what you think.
Sure, maybe we should wait, but let's not.
What could go wrong?
Soon after, a local walking home at night investigates a cave after hearing something strange within. Of course, that doesn't end well, as we hear what happens to him and it sounds pretty gruesome.
I do love when sound effects are used instead of visually showing what happens. It increases the tension when the sound mixing is good (and in this case, it's amazing) and allows one's imagination to speculate on the gory happenings. It feels like such a lost art in this age of visual effects.
Anyway, the man's wife contacts the local constable, John Harris (Sam Kydd, Moon Zero Two, The Projected Man), who sets out on his bicycle to find the missing man. Oh, I forgot to mention how isolated this island is, as the locals explain as they watch the shipment to Dr. Phillips being loaded onto a truck. A weekly ferry, no phone lines, a generator responsible for the electricity. Yep, they are totally isolated, unless you remember the other island across the water and all the fishing boats moored on the dock.
But let's not nitpick right now, as the Constable finds the missing man in a rather deflated state. The island's physician, Dr. Reginald Landers, (Eddie Byrne, Star Wars: A New Hope, Jack the Ripper, Hammer's The Mummy) performs an autopsy and finds the corpse is lacking any bones. Stymied by the autopsy, Landers decides to take the only boat on the island (a bit of a problem for me, as I explained above) to seek the opinion of London pathologist Dr. Brian Stanley (Peter FREAKING Cushing). Stanley suggest they consult Dr. David West (Edward Judd, First Men in the Moon, The Vault of Horror), a specialist on bone disease. But they find West a bit busy with his date, wealthy debutante Toni Merrill (Carole Gray, Curse of the Fly, The Brides of Fu Manchu), who is dressed in one of West's shirts after he spilled wine on her dress earlier.
Might as well get the scantily dressed woman scene
out of the way now.
West is intrigued by the case and agrees to head to the island to investigate. Toni suggests taking her father's helicopter, which will be quicker than the boat Landers took, as long as she can come along. But, surprise, the helicopter must return to the mainland, as her father is using it the next day, which strands them on the island.
Yeah, I know you're not really surprised. And, as this is before cellphones, the lack of land lines to the mainland means they'll have to wait for the helicopter to return the following day for any contact with the mainland.
Unless someone had a shortwave radio, which you'd expect from such an isolated place. Oh, sorry, another nitpick. Let's go on...
West is amazed by the lack of bones in the corpse, and decides that he and Stanley should visit Phillips lab, where they find more boneless bodies. Taking Phillips' notes, the two try to figure out what happened and how it might connect to the boneless corpse.
Remember, kids, if you go into dark caves at night,
this could happen to you!
Well, it appears Phillips created what are dubbed "silicates," seemingly large single celled organisms that inject a bone-dissolving enzyme into their victims via tentacles sprouting from their heads, than sucking out the sweet bone juice. And, though the creatures are able to multiply via basic cell division, their hard outer shell makes them impervious to firearms and explosives. As the silicates move from the isolated lab to the village, the residents only hope is if West and Stanley can discover the creature's weakness, based on the one dead silicate they discovered.
Of course, mayhem ensues.
Okay, this might not be a great film, but it's damn fun. Director Fisher keeps the film moving at a good pace, with only one scene, as West and Stanley gear up to go into the radioactive storage unit in Phillip's lab, that comes across as an effort to pad out the running time. The acting is solid all around. Bryne is good as a country doctor, Judd hits the right amount of arrogance as a specialist, and the supporting cast playing the locals are solid. Even Gray, who's only character traits are to look pretty and scream, does her best with her limited role.
But, as expected, Cushing steals the show. He has a terrific line as the group boards the helicopter that I'm not going to spoil, and many other great moments throughout the film. That's not to distract from the rest of the cast, but it's Peter FREAKING Cushing, and you expect him to dominate every scene he's in.
I'm here to stop your reign of terror, Count Dracula.
Oh, terribly sorry, wrong movie.
So, let's talk about the silicates, the giant single celled organisms threatening the islanders. When I saw the film on TV in my very early teens, they are terrifying creatures, dividing every six hours to increase their numbers into an unstoppable army. But now, with a bit of time and college behind me, I realize the idea of such beings able to withstand blunt trauma, gunfire and explosives is pretty far fetched. Yes, single celled organisms can have tough cell walls, but I doubt it would survive extreme attempts to penetrate it, should such an organism grow to almost human size. But if you can accept the SCIENCE (you don't say it, you shout it) of the classic 50s monster films, you'll be fine.
I know some reviewers dislike the scene of a silicate splitting on screen, saying it looks like someone poured thick chicken noodle soup onto two models. I won't argue with that, but given the film's budget, and the time it was made, the effect is fine. Sure, I'd have loved to see what Rob Botin might have done with the effect, had it been remade in the 80s.
Sponsored by Campbell soup.
It's mmm mmm good!
The film was released in the United States as a double bill with The Projected Man by Universal Studios. It seems to have faded into monster movie history for a while, as most legitimate DVD releases were for Region 2 players. But Scream Factory has released it on Blu-Ray, with the dismemberment scene intact. The film looks beautiful, and the special features includes a commentary from film historian Dr. Robert J. Kiss and blogger/actor Rick Pruitt, a still gallery and a theatrical trailer. It also features a reversible cover, which you will want to check out. Seriously, I switch mine right away, as the second version (unfortunately, I can not find the artist's name) is superior to the retool poster art. And no, it's not the one at the start of this review.
If you're in the mood for a decent 60s monster movie, Island of Terror is a great choice. Put your brain on hold, let the magic of 50s SCIENCE take over, and watch Peter Cushing lead a bunch of people against an unstoppable force. And if you add a bowl of sugary cereal, it might just make you feel like you did watching creature features on a Saturday morning!
So, we're heading to an isolated island with the corpse of a man with no bones?
Let's do it! What could possibly go wrong?
If you're interested, check out Monster Kid Radio #459, as host Derek M. Koch and artist/filmmaker Frank Dietz discuss the film. If you're a fan of the classic, and not so classic, monster movies of the past, you need to check it out!
If you want to purchase a copy of Island of Terror, please consider clicking on the link below. As an Amazon Associate, I'll get a few cents from the sale, which will help keep the lights on at The Shadow Over Portland office.