Fantasy Island (1977) (TV)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Richard Lang

Writer:

Gene Levitt (writer)

Release Date:

14 January 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A mysterious man and his dwarf assistant own an island where they charge wealthy people $50,000 a piece to live out their fantasies. |

Plot Keywords:

Island | Most Dangerous Game | TV Series Pilot | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Ricardo Montalban	...	Mr. Roarke
Bill Bixby	...	Arnold Greenwood
Sandra Dee	...	Francesca Hamilton
Peter Lawford	...	Grant Baines
Carol Lynley	...	Elizabeth 'Liz' Hollander
Hugh O'Brian	...	Paul Henley
Eleanor Parker	...	Eunice Hollander Baines
Victoria Principal	...	Michelle
Dick Sargent	...	Charles Hollander
Tina Sinatra	...	Connie Raymond (as Christina Sinatra)
Hervé Villechaize	...	Tattoo (as Herve Villechaize)
Peter MacLean	...	Hunter #3, Alex Davidson
Nancy Cameron	...	Angel Shermin 'Most Beautiful Girl in the World'
Cedric Scott	...	Hunter #2
John McKinney	...	Hugh Addams Hunter #1

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Television

Movie Connections:

Followed by Return to Fantasy Island (1978) (TV)

The Dark Side of the Island

The previous comments seem to relate to the TV series rather than to the pilot. I haven't seen this in 25 years, but I remember it being far darker than the series. I remember people getting their fantasies with horrific consequences, much like the classic "Monkey's Paw" horror story, or the tale of the genie who grants wishes with literal precision only to have them go horribly awry. Mr. Roarke seemed malicious if not downright evil, and Tattoo was a scary little imp who made you uneasy because of his ability to appear and disappear unseen. I know they had to tone it down to make it a weekly series, but it wasn't too many seasons before it turned into another "Love Boat" where every episode ended with Barbi Benton falling in love with Don Knotts.

Am I the only one who remembers the original made-for-TV movie as a horror movie? I used to tell people that you would never see the pilot on TV again for this reason, but I think it's been long enough. They could show it, if the demand were there. I see Amazon wants $50 for the video; that's too much for my pocketbook. Maybe I'll find a used copy somewhere and answer my own question.