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Isle of the Dead

Boris Karloff (Actor), Ellen Drew (Actor), Mark Robson (Director) Rated:
NR
Format: Blu-ray
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 312 ratings
IMDb6.5/10.0
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Genre Horror
Format NTSC, Subtitled
Contributor Katherine Emery, Val Lewton, Mark Robson, Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, Ernst Deutsch, Jason Robards Sr., Alan Napier See more
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 12 minutes
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Product Description

Once you visit the Isle of the Dead, there's no hope of returning to the land of the living. A small island off the coast of Greece holds a secret so dreadful that once you step onto its soil you must remain there forever. General Pherides (master of horror Boris Karloff) is one such a visitor. Going to the island to honor the grave of his late wife, Pherides discovers that it's held in the grip of a terrifying plague -- a sickness that enters the victim's mind and drives them insane! Pherides leads the fight against the plague, but then falls prey to it himself. In his delirium, he believes that a woman named Thea (Ellen Drew) is a vrykolaka -- a vampire responsible for the deaths. Insanity runs rampant, and grave robbery, premature burial and ghastly vampires are the unspeakable horrors that await on the Isle of the Dead.

Product details

  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 6.77 x 0.59 inches; 2.12 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Mark Robson
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Subtitled
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 12 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ March 30, 2021
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, Katherine Emery, Alan Napier, Jason Robards Sr.
  • Producers ‏ : ‎ Val Lewton
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Warner Archives
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08WSDW22X
  • Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 312 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
312 global ratings
Trapped on an Island in Hades
4 Stars
Trapped on an Island in Hades
[This review is part of my 31 Days of Halloween series]I'm focusing on ISLE OF THE DEAD, but also recommend the companion DVD BEDLAM.Producer Val Lewton got the theme & title for this little horror gem from Arnold Böcklin's (1827-1901) painting with the same name. In the painting there are two figures in a small boat just off shore from a rather dank & weedy looking island. One figure is standing, obscured head to foot by a shroud like cloak. The other figure is seated, also indiscernible and presumably rowing. The kicker is that you can't tell if the standing figure is looking toward or away from the island, just as you can't tell if the boat is moving to the island or away from it. There is an almost overwhelming sense of stagnation. The more you study the painting, the more disturbing it seems to become.The movie takes place in Greece during a terrible war with carnage all around. Karloff (in an outstanding performance) plays a war weary General who has become desensitized to death & dying & handing out commands to kill & destroy. Cholera (well, I think it's cholera) is scourging the countryside & Karloff goes to the island to enforce quarantine on its few inhabitants residing at an inn. The people include an affable Doctor, an invalid woman & her young & beautiful attendant, an elderly housekeeper, and several others.Apparently the invalid is suffering from catalepsy & dreads being buried alive (I've explored this condition in PREMATURE BURIAL & THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER.) The Doctor & Karloff discuss the ramifications of death being ever present & so near to them. The General reveals himself to be a hard-boiled materialist, a total nonbeliever. The Doctor on the other hand decides to make an experiment of their predicament. He will attempt to invoke the ancient gods to protect them from disease. Incidentally a triple headed dog relic suggests that the island was once the worship place of the goddess Hekate, a deity of black magic.The other plotline involves the worsening condition of the lady & the growing suspicion of the elderly housekeeper that the beautiful attendant is a vampire, draining her mistress of the life force.With a set-up like this frightening things are bound to happen-and they do.ISLE OF THE DEAD is slowly paced, the intellectual issues & the elements of terror carefully presented & explored.No sex or sleaze, just a good horror flick.
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Top reviews from the United States

fischerman
5.0 out of 5 stars A dark grand film that reaches right into today
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2022
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For many watching this movie in 1945 the Pandemic of 1918 wouldn't have been an altogether distant past. And for just as many, the reality of a Polio epidemic was not a distant future.

So is it the long hand of coincidence reaching out in 2022 after years of Covid that only makes Val Lewton's "Isle of The Dead" a relevant film still? I think not, but taken in that context the film transcends entertainment, and pokes our present reality right in the eye and says: pay attention.

Those familiar with Poe's "Masque of The Red Death" easily can see the tribute here, where a group of people are suddenly lockdown on an isolated island due to an outbreak of plague off the coast of Greece during the Balkan War of 1912.
Beautifully dark and brilliantly atmospheric, the characters struggle with the grim reality of death, while doubts emerge in their god(s) ability to save them from doom. And as their doubts increase, superstition and supernatural elements creep in, giving the film a psychological and hauting mood with every wind and waving shadow.

Even after 77 years this film isn’t out of date, or out of touch. In our new Covid normal I find the characters speak to me still, because their reactions are now, and will be again.

I paired this film with Michael Powell's "Black Narcissus" (1947) from Criterion on bluray for a night of dark classics that my eyes just licked up with every frame.
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Michael Gates
5.0 out of 5 stars A Balkan Brute and British Bedlam a la Val Lewton!
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2005
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A great double-feature DVD offering two greats from famed genre producer Val Lewton.

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ISLE OF THE DEAD (1945)

A staid, low-key Val Lewton chiller that stars Boris Karloff as a tyrannical Greek general during the Balkan war. Due to an outbreak of a mysterious plague, the General is quarantined with a small group of people on an island cemetery. As members begin to meet their doom one by one, an old Greek woman among them claims that a vampiric spirit actually responsible for the "affliction" and thusly opens the debate of reason vs. superstition. Karloff's subtle performance perfectly complements the film's eerie atmosphere, and the rest of the outstanding cast delivers strong support. Genre fans will recognize supporting actor Alan Napier, who would later gain television fame as Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, on the classic but campy 1960s series BATMAN.

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BEDLAM (1946)

This creepy melodrama isn't really a horror film as much as it is a period-piece thriller. Set in and around a London insane asylum during the 18th Century, the film stars Anna Lee as an upper-crust sycophant who is wrongfully committed to the asylum when she interferes in the affairs of the institution's cruel director, Master George Sims. Boris Karloff's portrayal of Sims is devilishly delicious, yet he still manages to avoid upstaging the wonderful Lee and the rest of the strong, talented cast (a cast that includes Jason Robards, Sr., Billy House, and a young Ellen Corby, among many others). The atmosphere and mood of the setting are adeptly evoked, and the use of William Hogarth engravings--which Lewton claimed inspired the script--as transitional devices is an aesthetic masterstroke that adds even more to the high production quality and helps the film belie its meager budget. The last flick that legendary B-movie producer Lewton would develop for RKO Studios, it's also one of the best.

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As with the other double-feature discs in Warner's VAL LEWTON series, the films presented here do not appear to have undergone any restoration, though both are in pretty good shape considering their age. BEDLAM is accompanied by an optional feature-length commentary from film historian Tom Weaver, but no other extras are offered on this disc. Still, these two films are some of the best examples of Lewton's efforts, and they also feature outstanding performances from genre great Boris Karloff. So this disc is well worth the reasonable price of admission and is a must-have for any serious film collector or Karloff fan.
31 people found this helpful
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Quiet Knight
5.0 out of 5 stars Isle Of The Dead Gets New Life On Blu-Ray
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2021
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Warner Archive releases this Val Lewton produced, Mark Robson directed horror film from 1945 that stars Boris Karloff as General Pherides of the Greek army in 1912 who goes to a remote isle to visit his late wife, only to find it under quarantine because of the plague, and how a young, healthy woman(played by Ellen Drew) staying at an inn with other people is suspected of being a vorvolaka, a sort of vampire, and the age old battle of science vs. superstition will be waged again...

Looking superb in HD, a huge upgrade from the 2005 double feature DVD(with "Bedlam") now containing a theatrical trailer(with Spanish subtitles) and an audio commentary with genre expert Steve Haberman.

Originally to be released by Scream Factory, those plans were canceled, but lets hope that Warner Archive will continue to release/upgrade the other four Lewton produced films from DVD to Blu-ray. They are "I Walked With A Zombie", "The Seventh Victim", "The Ghost Ship" (all 1943) plus the last one produced "Bedlam" (1946).
16 people found this helpful
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Mike
4.0 out of 5 stars It's all about the atmosphere
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2021
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Wonderful "non-monster" Karloff Universal classic. Atmosphere is critical to this one, it bolsters the paranoia of being on a Greek isle during the outbreak of disease. Fingers pointed, suspicion everywhere, Karloff doing his best to remain stoic as things rapidly go from bad to worse. If you're even remotely a fan of the Universal 1930s-1940s horror films, this one needs to be in your library.
5 people found this helpful
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John Dods
5.0 out of 5 stars Karloff aces it in this haunting film.
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021
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This film was an acquired taste for me. I disliked it when I was younger because there are no monsters in it. Today, The film seems a deeply affecting adult contemplation of our journey’s end. Karloff can make ordinary dialog sound like poetry. Here, the gifted actor gives another very strong performance. Haunting and excellent film craft from Val Lewton. The image quality from Warner Archive is terrific.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Old Horror.
Reviewed in Canada on November 19, 2021
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I'm getting familiar with and enjoying Val Lewton's productions. Nice moody and atmospheric old black and white horror film. I always enjoy getting to see Karloff preform and very nice light work. I wish to get more of his films.
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andy lee
5.0 out of 5 stars Further evidence of Karloff's great acting skills!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2024
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More Lewton magic, you just can't go wrong with any of his productions for RKO. The restoration on this print is quite frankly stunning too!
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doktorstrangelove
5.0 out of 5 stars Klassischer Grusel, kaum bekannt...
Reviewed in Germany on October 6, 2014
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Boris Karloff gilt als eine Ikone des "klassischen" Gruselfilms, vor allem natürlich basierend auf seiner Darstellung von Frankensteins Monster. Dabei vergißt man leicht, daß sein schauspielerisches Können viel mehr Filme und Rollen umfasst. Wer "Isle of the Dead" gesehen hat, ist vielleicht sogar der Meinung, daß Frankensteins Monster bei weitem nicht die beste Darstellung von Karloff ist. Der Film zählt zu den allgemein eher (zu Unrecht) unterschätzten Produktionen Val Lewtons für RKO. Auch hier ist "Katzenmenschen" berühmter, aber ist er auch wirkungsvoller? "Isle of the Dead" schafft von Anfang an eine traumwandlerisch düstere Stimmung, wenn Karloff in seiner Rolle als General Pherides zusammen mit dem amerikanischen Reporter über das von Sterbenden und Toten gesäumte Schlachtfeld geht. Dort treffen sie den ebenso markant und intensiv dargestellten Dr. Drossos, der erklärt, warum die Toten so schnell begraben werden müssen...neben dem Krieg ist die Pest der unsichtbare Feind der Truppen. Diese Stimmung setzt sich fort, als Pherides bei einer Stippvisite entdecken muß, daß das Grab seiner Frau auf der Toteninsel geschändet wurde. Bei den Nachforschungen stößt man schließlich auf eine illustre Gruppe, die durch die Ankunft der Pest auf der Insel an deren Verlassen gehindert wird; von Pherides, der um jeden Preis seine Armee vor der Infektion schützen will. Zu allem Überfluß (nicht für den Zuschauer) tritt zu Krieg, Grabschändung, Pest und Tod nun noch der Aberglaube der einheimischen Hauswirtschafterin, die eine "vorvolaka" unter den Gästen ausgemacht haben will, eine Art Vampir, und paranoid-hysterischen Psychoterror unter den Anwesenden verbreitet, der sich schließlich auf den General überträgt. Zu diesem Wahnsinn kommen noch kataleptische Anfälle und lebendig Begrabenwerden, oder ist es nachher doch die "vorvolaka", die ihr Unwesen treibt? Es ist eine Stärke des Films, Vieles nur anzudeuten und alle Möglichkeiten offenzulassen. Sicher ist vor allem, die klaustrophobische Endzeitstimmung, eingefangen in märchenhaft romantischen Bildern und teilweise von melancholisch-romantischer Musik unterlegt. Die Dialoge sind nahe an der Perfektion, die Szenenfolge enthält nichts Überflüssiges, der ganze Film ist in sich bis ins kleinste Detail stimmig erzählt, mit einer Bildsprache, die viel vom expressionistischen deutschen Stummfilm übernommen hat. Alles in allem ein großartiger Film.

Dazu kommt eine für einen Film dieses Alters (1945) hervorragende DVD Veröffentlichung. Die Ausgabe von Odeon Entertainment enthält aber keine englischen Untertitel, jedoch ist die Aussprache so klar, daß man dies verschmerzen kann. Wer keine Probleme mit dem amerikanischen Regionalcode hat, findet den Film auch in einer Boxfassung mit allen anderen RKO Produktionen von Val Lewton. In dieser Version (nicht in der von Odeon Entertainment!) enthalten ist auch eine informative Extra DVD zu Val Lewton und seinem Werk, die man jedem Fan von "klassischen" Gruselfilmen sehr ans Herz legen kann.

Und wie gesagt, Boris Karloff spielt überragend.
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Bridgette Cooke
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2024
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A great movie
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Jeff Amyotte
5.0 out of 5 stars Isle of the Dead/Bedlam
Reviewed in Canada on December 30, 2013
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I really like the old horror movies of the '30s and 40's. this disc did not disappoint and was a great addition to my collection of this genre. I was also very pleased with the service I was given. The film arrived on time and in great shape. I will certainly use this vendor again in the future.
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