Val Lewton produced horror films that were as different from the "Universal" ones as could be.His brand of horror film relied more upon mood, atmosphere and suggestion. Most of the time, there wasn't much in the way of monsters."Isle of the Dead" is a case in point. The plot centres on Greece, pre First World War. The country is gripped by a plague that is gripping the entire country. A remote island is reputed to contain a vampire and a group of people are stranded on this island Gripping stuff, albeit at a more leisurely pace.

Mark Robson directed this Val Lewton production starring Boris Karloff as Gen. Nikolas Pherides. The time is the war of 1912, General Pherides goes to an isolated Greek isle to visit the grave of his wife. His is dismayed to find it disturbed, and discovers that because of the plague, all bodies had to be dug up and burned. In fact, the isle is in quarantine, and now the General(as well as the visiting journalist who was interviewing him) are as well. A superstitious old woman believes that a young woman staying at the Inn with them is responsible. Is she right, or is it something else? Eerie and well acted film has good atmosphere but is awfully slow and lacking in action. Karloff makes the difference though, as he is excellent as usual, and makes up for the faults of pacing and story.

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 *****

I do like Val Lewton's films. This one begins in an interesting setting with a war correspondent talking to a military man, Boris Karloff. He is a cruel and driven man, a total follower of military rule. Through a series of circumstances, a group of people end up quarantined from the plague. Karloff asserts his military power, forcing the people to do as he says, but some don't have the "proper" respect. He also shows himself to be very superstitious, believing in some old Greek werewolf stories. He directs his attention toward a young woman who defies him and gets people to believe that she is sort of an angel of death. As people begin to expire, he gains more and more power, but there is another woman who is, for all practical purposes, his equal. The movie is a moody portrayal of what people can do to each other when they are frightened. It's a good role for Karloff and comes off reasonably well.