Charles Herold (cherold) In the absorbing and atmospheric Isle of the Dead, a callous, uncompromising military general and a reporter find themselves quarantined on an island, waiting for a change in the wind. Among their companions, a chronically ill woman, her young servant, and an old woman who believes the latter is a monster.Like many of Val Lewton's movies, Isle of the Dead is suspense-drama masquerading as a horror movie. Some of the negative reviews here are from people who wanted the horror movie they didn't get, but in spite of some thrills and chills in the last part, this, is in essence, a drama about the power of superstition.With solid performances that include a rigid Karloff, a creepy Helene Thimig, and a nervous Katherine Emery, the interplay of characters and events creates a compelling drama that, in typical Lewton style, opens the door to the supernatural.While the script is thoughtful and there are some memorable and chilling scenes, the movie does suffer from some lapses in logic, starting with the idea that somehow a bunch of people with the plague will be able to leave the island if the wind changes. But overall this is a very satisfying drama.

Cinemafou This is an effective chiller with a disparate group of characters temporarily confined to an old house because of pandemic plague affecting the area. The air is still and sickly. Claustrophobia sets in. People start to die. Fears are aroused. Superstitions and accusations start. An uneasy feeling is pervasive which quickly turns into alarm as further tragic events appear to unfold and turn into something unexpected. Another dark night must pass before the wind can pick up again.I particularly like this film for its exquisitely wretched atmosphere. Karloff is excellent in a tortured role, where he tries to keep order amidst a collapsing sense of control. The rest of the cast also holds up well, when they don't die and even when they do. It turns out there is more than one way to die.

wes-connors After a 1912 Balkan War, hard-nosed General Boris Karloff (as Nikolas Pherides) shows his soft side by inviting "Boston Star" war correspondent Marc Cramer (as Oliver Davis) to visit a Greek island, where they discover the body of Karloff's dead wife is missing from her coffin. The men go to the stylish and atmospheric home of Swiss archaeologist Jason Robards (as Albrecht) to ask about the desecration. There, we meet the other members of the cast - attractive nurse Ellen Drew (as Thea), who attends ailing Katherine Emery (as Mary St. Aubyn), her husband Alan Napier (as St. Aubyn), creepy housekeeper Helene Thimig (as Kyra), doctor Ernst Dorian (as Drossos), and stumbling Skelton Knaggs (as Andrew Robbins). After one of the group dies and another shows symptoms, The Plague is suspected. Asserting his military title and general command presence, Mr. Karloff orders the group quarantined. As more people fall ill, the cast banter about science and superstition. Karloff slowly begins to consider one of the party may be asserting an evil supernatural presence...****** Isle of the Dead (9/7/45) Val Lewton : Mark Robson ~ Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, Marc Cramer, Katherine Emery

mikhail080 As far as being one of the famous series of suspense and horror films produced by Val Lewton for RKO Studios, Isle of the Dead proves to be one of the lesser efforts. Although it's nicely filmed with an eerie ambiance, moody sets, and some genuine chills, this Isle certainly doesn't make an essential destination for audiences today.The screenplay was inspired by Swiss symbolist Arnold Böcklin's 1880 painting of the same name, and places an assorted group of European nationals on a tiny Greek island in 1912 that soon is placed under quarantine because of a rampant plague. Boris Karloff appears miscast as a by-the-book Greek general in the First Balkan War, who keeps strict watch over the quarantined island inhabitants.Director Mark Robson does his utmost to inject some thrills, but there's a lot of dialog used to propel the plotting, and the suspenseful scenes, although very nicely done, are too few and amount to too little in the end. The movie's plot seems unfocused, with a few too many elements, leading to a little confusion regarding certain character's motivations and dispositions. Is Isle of the Dead about the plague? Is it about the Balkan War of 1912? Is it about the Greek vampires called "vrykolakas?" Is it about premature burials? Mistaken identities? War crimes? Grave robbing? All these elements and more are dumped into the stew, stirred and then simmered for seventy-two minutes. Each element would be interesting in its own, but as each one is touched upon, they become so diffused and diluted that the sum seems to add up to less than the parts.Nevertheless, fans of the genre will still enjoy the film, considering its decidedly unique setting and off-beat characters. The love interests of Ellen Drew and Marc Cramer are attractive and likable, making this viewer wonder why the handsome Cramer didn't achieve greater success. There's a nice scene early on, when Cramer delivers a lecherous wisecrack to Drew, and immediately regrets it because of her annoyed reaction. He takes it back, and makes it up to her in a sweet and honest way that seems to melt her heart, and make the audience warm up to both characters.The great horror icon Boris Karloff appears somewhat out of his element here, playing an ambiguous character whose agenda is unclear and wearing a curly blond hairstyle borrowed from Saint-Exupéry's "Little Prince." At times fatherly, other times menacing, Karloff's general isn't written distinctly enough to become a memorable character -- through no fault of the actor. Nice support is given especially by two character actresses, Katherine Emery as a socialite with a very specific yet reasonable phobia, and Helen Thimig as a spooky Greek native who's the former owner-turned-housekeeper of the only estate on the island. Other characters are given fairly little to do, but there is a tasty cameo from the always-welcome Skelton Knaggs as an early victim of the plague.So, it's not Lewton's or Robson's best work by far, but still Isle of the Dead has enough life to keep it afloat.*** out of *****