I first read about this film in an issue of Mad Monsters (or was it Horror Monsters) back in the mid-60's and have desperately wanted to see it ever since. Why? I have no idea beyond the fact that it was a horror film from Universal that seems to have been virtually forgotten. Now thanks to the wonders of DVD I own a copy of it. Does it stand up to expectations? Well, no...and then again, yes. It certainly isn't the Holy Grail but it is a pretty good example of the low-budget Old Dark House genre. The film is a fast re-teaming of pretty Peggy Moran and likeable Dick Foran who had been a hit team in the previous year's THE MUMMY'S HAND. Direction is by George Waggner (who also helmed the classic THE WOLF MAN) and the film plays as much for laughs as for chills. Foran plays a character not dissimilar to Bogart in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (with Fuzzy Knight standing in for Walter Brennan) who takes a party of tourists to the reputedly haunted Morgan's Island (which he owns) - it's all a bit like THE GHOST BREAKERS and any other haunted house film of the period but none the worse for that. Murder follows murder and there are screams aplenty as the unknown "Phantom" sets about decimating the cast. Any film that features Leo Carillo as a one legged seaman named Owen Clump and has a detective named McGoon certainly has its tongue firlmly in its cheek. HORROR ISLAND is enjoyable entertainment without being anything special but you won't get bored. Rating **
2 comments:
I too had read about this movie when I was a kid (but I think it was in FAMOUS MONSTERS) and have been interested in seeing it all that time. A year or so ago when it was finally included in that box set I was pleasantly surprised for all the reasons you stated. It's a nice little enjoyable "old dark house" Universal with a liberal dose of humour. I also found the print used for the dvd to be exceptionally nice looking. And that guy who keeps creeping around in the wide-brimmed hat is a dead-ringer for a very young John Carradine. In fact, I thought it WAS John Carradine on the cover art for the box set until I watched the movie and found that it wasn't. Another enjoyable spooky romp perfect for kicking back on a slightly chill October night. With hot cocoa and cookies and slippers etc. . . .
I made exactly the same mistake as you about the John Carradine lookalike. There were still moments during the film when it still looks like Carradine.
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