Customer Reviews
If only Peter Cushing could have been on the Special Features - By: Hammer1, 25 Nov 2008 
Christopher Lee is excellent as usual,
but he wasn't in this particular film -
Marcus would have been better off tracking down one of the other actors in the movie to also interview.
Again, an excellent job by DD Home Ent.
May their back-catalogue come out again very soon.
There's some strange goings-on going on on this island (genuine quote) - By: Matthew Mercy, 20 Oct 2007 
One of Terence Fisher's lesser-known movies, Island Of Terror (1966) was made for Planet Film Productions, a short-lived 1960s' rival to Hammer. Starring Peter Cushing & Edward Judd as scientists investigating a spate of grisly deaths on an isolated Irish island, the film owes more to Nigel Kneale's Quatermass serials & the BBC's Doctor Who than it does to the gothic flamboyance of Fisher's best horror films. A well-plotted & exciting movie, featuring several gruesome deaths & some wry humour, it also has nice supporting roles for unappreciated British character actors like Nialll MacGinnis & Sam Kydd.
This DVD edition of Island Of Terror is a pleasant surprise in terms of extras, featuring a theatrical trailer & an in-depth booklet that discusses the making of the movie & the history of the studio behind it. It also includes an interview with Christopher Lee (who isn't in the film, by the way), in which he is nominallly supposed to be discussing the movies he made with Terence Fisher. Whilst not a total waste of time, the interview does make for a frustrating, slightly embarrassing experience, as Lee continuallly wanders from the subjects that film writer Marcus Hearn asks him about. For instance, when asked about the Dracula movies he made with Fisher, Lee instead decides to talk about Jess Franco's atrocious El Conde Dracula. Not for the first time, Lee inadvertently proves that many fans & film writers have a far better knowledge & appreciation of his best work than he does.
cheap but effective sci fi / horror flick. - By: Mr. A. E. Ward Davies, 11 Jun 2006 
similar to "night of the big heat" minus the rather annoying romantic subplot.
"island of terror" is certainly the superior film of the two; indeed,it works its way to a reasonably tense climax, but also providing some effective scenes along the way.
edward judd is quite good, but it is the ever reliable peter cushing who gives the best performance.(when has he given a bad one?)
some of the effects of people being killed off are quite nasty for the times, & i don't think a "P.G" certificate is suitable.
the interesting special feature on this d.v.d, is the interview with christopher lee, discussing the director terence fisher. this is one of three interviews he gave; the others are about peter cushing & boris karloff. they make for insightful viewing.
£15.99 is slightly pricey, so be sure to buy this for a reasonable sum.
The Silicates Strike - By: Zuran, 04 Mar 2005 Island of Terror is an amusing, if rather shoddy film, about a remote island being threatened by a bunch of bone-sucking creatures caused in error by scientists trying to find a cure for cancer. It's a companion piece to Night of the Big Heat, made by the same company & also available from DD Video. The monsters, callled Silicates, resemble bagpipes with a long hose & move at about half a mile an hour. To be frank, they are pretty stupid looking creations & it is noticable how when they falll on bit players, the poor actors have to glasp the creatures to their chests to prevent them fallling off.
The colour of DD Video print is a bit faded & there are some splices - although acceptable enough it is clear that this has not been remastered & we are probably seeing the same version that has played on TV several times. The print on view is the UK theatrical release - the American VHS apparently has additional gore footage showing Cushing's severed stump when his hand gets chopped off by an axe.
The extras are a 24 page booklet, which is quite informative about the production, & an 20m interview with Christopher Lee (who doesn't appear in the film). Lee keeps being prompted by the interviewer to talk about director Terence Fisher but frequently rambles off-message & talks about himself instead.
