Directed by Terence Fisher, Island of Terror, released in 1966, may not be the most memorable of pictures to be associated with the man, but it is a fun one. There would be no vampires like Fisher’s Dracula films nor would there be werewolves, mummies, gorgons or shambling monsters, but there would be man-made creatures born of science, unstoppable monsters that would feed on bone, leaving rubber bodies in their wake. It sounds ridiculous, it is ridiculous, and it is fantastic.

Peter Cushing stars in the lead as a scientist who is called to an island along with Edward Judd, who plays Dr. David West. It seems they have a problem in the form of what they believe to be the bodies of men, left like a puddle on the ground as every bone in their bodies has been either sucked out or dissolved. It is a puzzling mystery, and they, along with a couple of the locals, investigate, seeking whatever it is that could be behind the mysterious murders. It is not long before they run into the creatures called Silicates, and an even bigger discovery is made when they realize that the monsters must be destroyed before they kill every living thing on the planet.

Starting off with a measured pace, Fisher slowly but surely ramps it up through scene after scene until finally, things become quite frantic during the final act. There is quite a bit of tension as events roll along, the danger of the Silicates being ever-present in the minds of the main characters, especially as they multiply and begin to kill every living thing that crosses their path. It was good to see the makers of this film go off the beaten path when concocting a villain for the story. In place of man or monster is a science experiment gone wrong and it gives the movie an air of freshness about it. One also has to give commendations to the writers for creating heroes who are also a little different than who one might see in such a picture. The two doctors are not only men looking to save the world but scientists as well, and they are quite curious as to what makes these creatures tick, what made them and so forth. Things might be frantic, but they bring a level of calm to the situation, for they need to understand the Silicates before they can be rid of them.

Cushing and Judd are quite good in their respective parts, the former almost taking a step back so that the latter might shine a bit more, which was good to see. Also joining them was Toni Merrill as both love interest and damsel in distress, at least momentarily, as well as Eddie Byrne, Sam Kydd and Niall MacGinnis. The cast is an able one, and they bring the picture to life in the best of ways, thanks to Fisher’s direction. They also deserve their flowers for being able to make the Silicates seem like a viable threat. One can only imagine what it must have been like acting opposite the tentacled slugs, pretending that their lives were in danger and so forth. As it is, everything gelled in the right way, making for a very enjoyable movie. At no time did one want to turn away, and despite the almost silliness of it all, one could not help but feel some of the horror that was depicted, especially that final scene that took place across the world where another experiment was taking place, strongly hinting that the Silicates might live again. Definitely worth a watch.

3 out of 5