If there is one thing known to be true, it is that horror fans can be counted on to support cinema. It may not be the work that is heralded by general audiences, but genre lovers can be counted out to support productions big and small, new and old, whenever they come to theaters, arrive on disc, release merchandise, etc. This was just as true in the early days of cinema when a struggling RKO Pictures tapped Russian-American novelist, film producer and screenwriter Val Lewton to produce features to capitalize on the low budget, high profit craze of horror films. He did so quite brilliantly with hits such as Cat People and I Walked With A Zombie among the eleven films he created in just three years for the studio. His story is a fascinating and tragic one (listen to this episode of You Must Remember This if you are interested), but before his early demise he released the atmospheric tale Isle of the Dead. This one was not quite the hit that earlier works were due to an increased budget, but it is one that still holds a place in the hearts of many horror fans.
Isle of the Dead was inspired by, of all things, a painting of the same name by Arnold Böcklin. It is a work of art that could have inspired countless different tales, but what Lewton and frequent collaborator Ardel Wray developed is something that feels eerily timely to our present situation. The amazing Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) plays General Pherides, a battle-tested leader who has just claimed a bloody victory during the first Balkan War. The location of this victory is near an island where his wife was buried long ago, so he along with American reporter Oliver Davis (Marc Cramer) pay a visit to her resting place to pay respect. What they find is an empty, disturbed crypt and lilting voice singing on what is said to be a deserted island. They track the voice to a small residence nearby with a myriad of inhabitants who will bring about an air of uncertainty and paranoia that could prove detrimental to all involved.
At the forefront of this group of strangers is retired Swiss archeologist Dr. Aubrecht (Jason Robards, Sr.), a regretful fellow who informs the duo of his part in inspiring a mass grave robbery many years prior to gather valuable Greek artifacts. He is accompanied by his Greek housekeeper Madame Kyra (Helene Thimig), who stokes a natural suspicion in Pherides when she reveals that she believes one of the guests to be a vorvolaka – a vampiric undead creature popular in Greek culture. When one of the other guests is found dead the next morning from a plague, Pherides puts the island under quarantine in order for the sickness to not spread beyond the borders. At the same time, tensions run high between those who believe in superstition and those who believe in science as to whether a vorvolaka is to be blamed for this sudden development. The film does not rely on jump scares as many modern movies do, but instead chooses to conjure up a palpable sense of dread that sustains its swift 72 minute runtime.
While the combination of Karloff and Lewton is the obvious draw for many, the remainder of the ensemble put in fine work in their roles. Alan Napier is appropriately indignant as British diplomat Mr. St. Aubyn, who is trying to take care of his sick wife Mary (Katherine Emery) under tough circumstances. Ellen Drew does well in the complex role of cautious young servant Thea, who Pherides is dead set on exposing as the menacing entity. As good as all of these fine actors are, it is hard to top Boris Karloff, who made a legacy out of keeping people on their toes. While not the best performance of his career, it is as strong as you would expect from the legendary performer. The settings are not the most lavish you have ever seen, but they do a fair job of providing a base from which to build up a sinister atmosphere. If your brain has been wired to respond to the pace of modern horror films, you may find this one a bit too slow for comfort, but if you give yourself over to the psychological dread this feature should prove to be a real treat.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Isle of the Dead for the first time on Blu-Ray with 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. The resulting image will be considered a revelation for fans of this film that is over 75 years old. Print damage is pretty much nowhere to be found throughout the duration of the movie. The black and white photography has nice and subtle, natural film grain throughout that provides a great amount of detail to the image. The presentation has as much depth as the low budget sets allow with special consideration given to the shadows where there is no evidence of any black crush. Val Lewton fans have been clamoring to see more of his work on Blu-Ray, and Warner Archive has made this release worth the wait. Another wonderful effort!
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray release comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that represents this film quite nicely. The original score by composer Leigh Harline is very effective in establishing an uneasy mood for the feature. This score along with the dialogue and sound effects are balanced perfectly with one another with nothing ever getting overpowered. The more menacing sequences pack a punch and are appropriately lively in the speakers. There does not appear to be any damage or age related wear to the track. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles available on the disc for those who need it. Overall, this is a pretty great audio presentation that suits the material really well.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Screenwriter/film Historian Dr. Steve Haberman provides an information-packed commentary track which never lets up for a second. Haberman gives an incredible amount of background information on the project and the individuals involved in the development, the cinematography of the film, details about how the story evolved throughout production and more. This is a real treat to listen to for classic horror fans.
- Spanish Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here with Spanish subtitles. Trailers for RKO pictures are very rare, so the fact that we have access to this is a very cool touch from Warner Archive.
Final Thoughts
Isle of the Dead is a slow burn tale of dread that succeeds in building a sinister atmosphere rather than conjure up anything truly horrifying. The psychological unrest that this film unearths is the strongest aspect of this production along with the impressive turn from the always-reliable Boris Karloff. Warner Archive has released yet another standout disc with an impeccable A/V presentation and a couple of worthwhile special features. Val Lewton fans can once again celebrate the fact that there is still a hope of the remainder of his work coming out on Blu-Ray, you just need to show your support by checking out this menacing tale. Recommended
Isle of the Dead can be purchased directly through Warner Archive or various other online retailers. The Blu-Ray will be available to purchase on March 30, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
