The Twilight People (1973)

User Rating:

3.2/10   

Director:

Eddie Romero

Writers:

Eddie Romero (writer)
Jerome Small (writer)

Release Date:

January 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Animal desires... Human lust. Test Tube terrors... Half beast... all monster.

Plot:

A kidnapped diver is taken to an island inhabited by a mad scientist and his half-animal, half-human creations.

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film | Based On Novel

Cast

John Ashley	...	Matt Farrell
Pat Woodell	...	Neva Gordon
Jan Merlin	...	Steinman
Charles Macaulay	...	Dr. Gordon
Pam Grier	...	Ayesa, the Panther Woman
Ken Metcalfe	...	Kuzma, the Antelope Man
Tony Gosalvez	...	Darmo, the Bat Man
Kim Ramos	...	Primo, the Ape Man
Mona Morena	...	Lupa, the Wolf Woman
Eddie Garcia	...	Juan Pereira
Angelo Ventura
Johnny Long
Andres Centenera
Letty Mirasol
Cenón González

Also Known As:

Beasts
Island of the Twilight People

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

Philippines | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Company:

Four Associates Ltd.

Trivia:

In September 1972, Dimension Pictures was widely exhibiting this film on a double bill with The Doberman Gang (1972).

Movie Connections:

Version of The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

Recycled but hilarious

A panther woman, an antelope man, a wolf woman, a bat man and an ape man... all these bizarre characters are included in the weird and campy Island of Dr. Moreau-type movie, The Twilight People.

A diving adventurer is kidnapped (while under water!) and brought on shore to a strange scientist/madman's lab on an island. He soon finds out that the scientist is experimenting with half man / half animal subjects in his search for the perfect being. The adventurer falls in love with the scientist's daughter and together they free the beasts and try to escape the island.

Weird movie! You gotta see it to believe it. The `manimals' look incredibly fake (or is that hokey?) and the actors portraying them really go over-the-top. I loved the way antelope man was always reverse-kicking his enemies! The sets including hidden passageways, cavern walls and the required b-movie flashing lights and gizmos were hilarious. The forbidden love story, the henchmen, the red paint gore, the cheesy ending, the surprising homosexual undertones, the laughable dialogue. this movie has it all! However, it did take itself way too seriously and there are too many incredibly slow parts to make it a camp classic. The last forty minutes are supposed to be an exciting escape but the gunplay and fights are static and somewhat boring. At least the spunky Pam Grier (as the panther woman!) livens things up a little.

A good movie for that after-midnight crowd looking for goofy b-movie fun.

By far the best character was the `Bat Man'. He was just some dude with fake fangs and pieces of black carpet glued to his arms!!! LOL! He had all the best scenes including one where he climbs up a tree and jumps off in an attempt to fly. but falls flat on his face! HILARIOUS! But he eventually redeems himself and some of the scenes of him flying around and swooping down for the kill were terrific.