Isle of the Dead (1945)

Director:

Mark Robson

Writer:

Ardel Wray (written by)

Release Date:

1 September 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

What evil force is loose that empties graves of these long dead...buries those still alive...leaves behind it death...AND WORSE! (original half-sheet poster)

Plot:

On a Greek island during the 1912 war, several people are trapped by quarantine for the plague. If that isn't enough worry...

Plot Keywords:

Plague | Quarantine | Island | Vampire | Fictional War

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Boris Karloff	...	Gen. Nikolas Pherides
Ellen Drew	...	Thea
Marc Cramer	...	Oliver Davis
Katherine Emery	...	Mrs. Mary St. Aubyn
Helen Thimig	...	Madame Kyra (as Helene Thimig)
Alan Napier	...	St. Aubyn
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Albrecht (as Jason Robards)
Ernst Deutsch	...	Dr. Drossos (as Ernst Dorian)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #10319)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The statue of the three-headed dog is of Cerberus who guards the gates of Hades to prevent anybody escaping back across the River Styx.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Albrecht refers to Hermes as the god of medicine. In Greek mythology, Asclepius was the god of medicine. In terms of medical support, Hermes' assistance was sought by runners or any athletes with injuries.

Quotes:

Thea: Laws can be wrong and laws can be cruel and that people who only live by the law are both wrong and cruel.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Middleman: The Vampiric Puppet Lamentation (#1.10)" (2008)

Merely okay

Not the best of the Val Lewton horror series, but it has its moments. When I think about it, the plot seems very good. A small group of people quarantine themselves on a small Greek island when they discover that one of them has the plague. Boris Karloff stars as a Greek general who becomes cruel when trying to keep order. After the army doctor dies, he becomes superstitious along the lines of an old woman who is also on the island. Somehow, the characters and the situation never come off especially well. It's never bad, but it's never great, either. The finale is quite effective, however. 7/10.