Isle of the Dead (1945)

Really Surprised!

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

" . . . than one carrying the Plague," two-star commander Pherides says about 22:05 into ISLE OF THE DEAD. "The horseman on the Pale Horse is Pestilence; he follow the wars," is another of Pherides' favorite sayings (6:10), which I guess is better for this equestrian killjoy than following the Patriots. Perhaps the primary takeaway for contemporary viewers from ISLE OF THE DEAD is: don't even think about visiting Greece. Greeks have so many superstitions about Gods and Monsters that even they cannot keep them all straight. Also, ISLE OF THE DEAD documents that these central European folks will use sleep apnea or any other flimsy excuse to nail foreign visitors tight inside cheap wooden coffins while they're still alive! In this story, "Mary" has long enough fingernails to claw herself out of such a predicament, but what if she had been a nail biter, or just gotten a manicure? When the difference between Life and Death is whether or not you've been consuming enough gelatin, it's probably best to wash one's hands of such a capricious tourist trap, and avoid ISLE OF THE DEAD at all costs!

In the absorbing and atmospheric Isle of the Dead, a callous, uncompromising military general and a reporter find themselves quarantined on an island, waiting for a change in the wind. Among their companions, a chronically ill woman, her young servant, and an old woman who believes the latter is a monster.Like many of Val Lewton's movies, Isle of the Dead is suspense-drama masquerading as a horror movie. Some of the negative reviews here are from people who wanted the horror movie they didn't get, but in spite of some thrills and chills in the last part, this, is in essence, a drama about the power of superstition.With solid performances that include a rigid Karloff, a creepy Helene Thimig, and a nervous Katherine Emery, the interplay of characters and events creates a compelling drama that, in typical Lewton style, opens the door to the supernatural.While the script is thoughtful and there are some memorable and chilling scenes, the movie does suffer from some lapses in logic, starting with the idea that somehow a bunch of people with the plague will be able to leave the island if the wind changes. But overall this is a very satisfying drama.

During the Balkan war of 1912, Greek General Pherides (Boris Karloff) and American reporter Oliver Davis (Marc Cramer) visit the island where the General's wife is buried and are shocked to discover her crypt desecrated. Seeking answers, they go to the home of retired archaeologist Dr. Aubrecht (Jason Robards, Sr.) and find him with a houseful of guests. After staying the night, one of the guests is found dead of what is believed to be the plague and the house is quarantined. Aubrecht's superstitious housekeeper (Helen Thimig) has another explanation for the death, however. She believes it to be the work of a vampiric creature called the vorvolaka. She says the vorvolaka is one of the houseguests (Ellen Drew) and that they are all doomed. At first the General laughs at the idea but as more people die he begins to believe that the vorvolaka is real and it is his duty to protect the others from death at her hands. Add to this a woman (Katherine Emery) deathly afraid of premature burial and you have a powder keg of claustrophobic tensions and superstitious fears.The eighth of producer Val Lewton's nine psychological horror classics from the 1940s. Considered by many to be one of the lesser Lewton films, Isle of the Dead is perhaps my favorite of them all. It's a truly underrated film that typifies the Lewtonian approach to horror. The hauntingly shadowy atmosphere, the eerily ambiguous plot, fine acting, excellent writing, and moody direction are all trademarks of the Lewton horror films. Obviously I'm not alone in my admiration for this classic. Martin Scorsese placed it on his list of the 11 scariest horror films of all time. It's a truly great film that should be more widely appreciated. It's one of Boris Karloff's greatest performances and is a must-see for any of his fans.

Not quite as great as The Body Snatcher but Isle of the Dead is still highly recommended. The film does have a tendency to plod- the setting up could have been trimmed a bit- and Jason Robards Snr. is annoying. Boris Karloff is outstanding, dominating the screen with great power, creepy demeanour and command, even in bad films(like his end of career Mexican films) he was nearly always one of the redeeming qualities and sometimes the only good asset. Katherine Emery is similarly splendid, in fact excepting Robards the acting in Isle of the Dead is very good. The production values are effectively claustrophobic and still look beautiful, while the music has the right amount of eeriness. Isle of the Dead has such a great atmosphere too, full of creepiness and dread. The script is convincingly psychological, especially with Karloff's character and shows and explores its themes and ideas intelligently. The story is always interesting and very atmospheric and the direction is assuredly handled. In conclusion, really well-done. 9/10 Bethany Cox