6.5/10
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76 user 53 critic

Isle of the Dead (1945)

On a Greek island during the 1912 war, several people are trapped by quarantine for the plague. If that isn't enough worry, one of the people, a superstitious old peasant woman, suspects ... See full summary »

Director:

Mark Robson

Writer:

Ardel Wray
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2 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Boris Karloff ... Gen. Nikolas Pherides
Ellen Drew ... Thea
Marc Cramer ... Oliver Davis
Katherine Emery ... Mrs. Mary St. Aubyn
Helene Thimig ... Madame Kyra
Alan Napier ... St. Aubyn
Jason Robards Sr. ... Albrecht (as Jason Robards)
Ernst Deutsch ... Dr. Drossos (as Ernst Dorian)
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Storyline

On a Greek island during the 1912 war, several people are trapped by quarantine for the plague. If that isn't enough worry, one of the people, a superstitious old peasant woman, suspects one young girl of being a vampiric kind of demon called a vorvolaka. Written by Ken Yousten <kyousten@bev.net>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

One of these six will be BURIED ALIVE! None can hear their screams on this far-off horror island! None can stop the terrors a man-monster holds in store! See more »


Certificate:

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This film's initial television presentation took place in Hartford CT Thursday 8 March 1956 on WGTH (Channel 18); it first aired in Los Angeles Saturday 21 April 1956 on KHJ (Channel 9), in Salt Lake City Saturday 26 May 1956 on KUTV (Channel 2), in Asheville NC Friday 22 June 1956 on WLOS (Channel 13), in Altoona Saturday 30 June 1956 on WFBG (Channel 10), in Philadelphia Saturday 18 August 1956 on WFIL (Channel 6), in San Francisco Thursday 30 August 1956 on KPIX (Channel 5), and in New York City Saturday 13 October 1956 on WOR (Channel 9). See more »

Goofs

Albrecht refers to Hermes as the god of medicine. In Greek mythology, Asclepius was the god of medicine. In terms of medical support, Hermes' assistance was sought by runners or any athletes with injuries. See more »

Quotes

Dr. Drossos: I meet my old familiar enemy, Death. I've fought him before. I've won, often. Now he wins. Let him come for me.
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Connections

Featured in Monsters on the March (and a Pair of Marvels!) (1980) See more »

User Reviews

 
One of Val Lewton's best horror movie
12 November 2002 | by preppy-3See all my reviews

Scary, fascinating tale set in 1912 Greece. A bunch of people are quarantined on an island (which contains a graveyard) by the plague. A general (Boris Karloff) is in charge, but people dying from the plague, the isolation and close quarters begin to eat away at him. He starts to believe a young, healthy woman among them is a vorvolaka (a vampire). And there's the woman who has an extreme fear of being buried alive...

Quick paced and very literate horror film. There's lots of dialogue about faith, wars, superstition--all of it interesting. The settings are very dark, eerie with a spooky wind always blowing. There are scary moments throughout but they really shift into high gear during the final 15 minutes.

This movie gave me nightmares when I was little! The cast is adequate (except for Jason Robards Sr.--boy, was he annoying!) but Karloff and Katherine Emery were excellent.

Truly frightening old horror film. A definite must-see.


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 1945 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

La isla de los muertos See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$246,000 (estimated)
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Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures See more »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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