For World War I general Boris Karloff, a visit to the island where his late wife was laid to rest comes with shocking horrors. First, he finds all the graves torn apart and the corpses destroyed, then he finds the caretaker and his family nearadness. They blame it on an ancient Greek legend, the story of a living demon who exists in the real world during their waking hours but their soul dealing with sinister forces during their sleeping hours. Who this demon is remains unknown, but for Karloff, a general known for his brutal treatment of troops the idea of it drives him to Madness as he tries to protect the remaining residents of the Island from plague.
Horror producer Val Lewton never made a bad film, but not all of them are classics. This is certainly an interesting film, made with the care of his other films, and thought provoking over its view into the night world that we live in while we slumber. Like the same year's "The Body Snatcher", this features a haunting song sung as Karloff arrives on the mysterious isle of the dead. Like Lewton's "I Walked with a Zombie", this features a mysterious female figure floating around in a vamipress like gown, and like many other horror movies of this era, an older woman who seems to be the only one with the wisdom to see the truth, unfortunately not a positive outlook for her future.
Ellen Drew is the feisty heiress to the island, immediately suspicious of Karloff thanks to his reputation, and Marc Emery is the new officer assigned to accompany Karloff Who falls for her. Katherine Emery and Alan Na good performances, but it is the Direction by Mark Robson, and the fabulous camerawork which assisted by great editing and musical score musical score, makes this a unique look at another nightmarish aspect of the old world that can definitely provide nightmares. It is not a horror film in the sense that it shows off much horrific activity, but the unknowing of what is out there is the stuff that can make you shiver even more.
Horror producer Val Lewton never made a bad film, but not all of them are classics. This is certainly an interesting film, made with the care of his other films, and thought provoking over its view into the night world that we live in while we slumber. Like the same year's "The Body Snatcher", this features a haunting song sung as Karloff arrives on the mysterious isle of the dead. Like Lewton's "I Walked with a Zombie", this features a mysterious female figure floating around in a vamipress like gown, and like many other horror movies of this era, an older woman who seems to be the only one with the wisdom to see the truth, unfortunately not a positive outlook for her future.
Ellen Drew is the feisty heiress to the island, immediately suspicious of Karloff thanks to his reputation, and Marc Emery is the new officer assigned to accompany Karloff Who falls for her. Katherine Emery and Alan Na good performances, but it is the Direction by Mark Robson, and the fabulous camerawork which assisted by great editing and musical score musical score, makes this a unique look at another nightmarish aspect of the old world that can definitely provide nightmares. It is not a horror film in the sense that it shows off much horrific activity, but the unknowing of what is out there is the stuff that can make you shiver even more.