Blu-ray Review: The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

The first big budget (sort of) remake of the HG Wells classic arrived in cinemas in the late '70s with a massive fanfare (I remember the TV ads well) but then seemed to disappear from trace. Even the much-maligned 1996 version didn't resurrect interest in this rather impressive and luscious-looking retelling. 

 

Andrew Braddock (Michael York) is shipwrecked onto a desert island, and is taken in by Dr. Moreau (Burt Lancaster) and his assistant Montgomery (Nigel Davenport). Enamoured by the beautiful Maria (Barbara Carrera) and intrigued by the strange-looking inhabitants he comes across when he's exploring the island, Braddock discovers the Doc is conducting some terrible research which involves turning animals into humans.

The original story, and indeed this version, raises all kinds of ethical dilemmas that we take as no-brainers now (of course, we shouldn't experiment on animals, genetic mutation is wrong, etc.) but when the book, and even this version of the film, came out it was still a widespread occurrence.  As remakes go, this is quite impressive, even if it does have a 'TV movie' quality to it - which is actually not a criticism, but probably down to the transfer of the film to HD for the Blu-ray release. The colour is vivid, lush, and absolutely beautiful. This naturally will show up the imperfections in the make-up on the manimals. These are brilliant, very much in the style of Planet of the Apes (indeed, director Don Taylor made Escape) but may well be a little too fake for today's audiences. There's nothing wrong with them, though and they are quietly effective and very creepy. Richard Basehart (the captain from the classic TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) takes the Bela Lugosi role of the Sayer of the Law, and is brilliantly unrecognisable.

Lancaster's Moreau has a more genial streak than the famous version Charles Laughton portrayed, but is still mad as box of frogs. It's actually surprising that we actually don't see much of what goes on in the House of Pain, but the constant screams and howls which permeate the forest are enough to sicken any right-thinking person.

More of an action-adventure than horror (it's initial release was cut and rated "A" in the UK), it's an entertaining, diverting romp, and even the normally wooden York manages to pull together an engaging part. Add in the impressive man v. beast fight scenes (which don't resort to the actor throwing around a stuffed toy in a pretend fight) and it's worth a look.

101 Films have released the film on Blu-ray in the UK, and although it's a bare bones release, it's a worthwhile purchase to either discover or rediscover a piece of classic '70s cinema. Who doesn't love that poster?
note: screengrabs are taken from an earlier DVD release, not the Blu-ray.

8 out of 10

DVD Review: THE CABIN (2013, aka BLOODLINE)

Brett Ethos (Matt Thompson) is about to be ordained in his church, but is having second thoughts, not helped by recurring nightmares. His friends convince him to go for a weekend away in a remote cabin that his recently deceased grandfather left him. 

His friends, Kevin (Jesse Kristofferson) and Davy (Christopher Frontiero) - along with Kevin's girlfriend Chelsi (Gina Comparetto) - decide to make his last weekend as a 'free man' even more awkward by inviting his ex, Katie (Kimberly Alexander), whom he hasn't seen for several years. Things begin to go wrong when it turns out Brett is a descendent of one of the original settlers who murdered a Native American tribesman some 250 years earlier. A curse placed by the tribe's Shaman, evoked when he arrived at the cabin wearing a talisman heirloom puts him and all his friends in danger.

Originally entitled Bloodline, The Cabin is an entertaining, if unmemorable shocker.  

There's jump scares aplenty, and while the situation and characterisation is very two dimensional, it at least doesn't take the predictable 'cabin in the woods' type scenario.

Thompson does well as writer, director and star, but one gets the feeling he should have took a step back or brought someone in to give the story a little more polish.

As such, it does contain some uninspired dialogue, but it's an engaging and acceptable way to pass the time.

There's the usual array of obnoxious youths, with adequate if not spectacular acting from the young leads. It's interesting to see Jesse Kristofferson, son of the legendary actor/songwriter Kris, and he certainly has his father's looks, and Christopher Frontiero plays the wise-cracking annoying hanger-on of the group well (he essentially is Franklin from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre). However, sSome viewers may be wishing for more bloodshed and thrills when the story meanders on through the redemption theme, while not delving too deep to derail the story.

It's certainly worth having a look at, but nothing spectacular unfortunately.

7 out of 10

DVD Review: YOU ARE NOT ALONE (2010) Directed by Mark Ezra

It's very easy to groan when faced with yet another found footage film, but thankfully, You Are Not Alone (previously known as House Swap) manages to be absorbing enough to overcome the shortcomings and annoyances of the format. 

As one would expect from the original title, our main characters, Matt (Nathan Nolan) and Ginny (Evie Brodie/Bicker) have swapped their luxurious Los Angeles home with a British couple, in order for them both to draw inspiration for the work; Matt being a writer and Ginny a musician. With the book that he's writing being about King Arthur, it's only natural they choose to swap for a house near Glastonbury in Somerset. The place is a gorgeous, sprawling, if a little untidy, mansion. It is full of wood panelled walls, creaky stairs, and a resident stalker who won't leave them alone.

A very simple premise that works really well at building tension and despite stretching credibility a tad when Matt (and later Ginny) insists on picking the camcorder up whenever they hear a noise, the result is mostly a success.

From the very early scenes there's a presence in their videos which they don't seem to notice (it's very clear to the viewer though, almost to the point of obviousness), and although this is a tired trick to spook the audience, some of the occurrences work rather well, and there are some genuine scares. It succeeds in preying on that perfectly normal fear of your home - or holiday home - privacy and safely being violated. That sense is always heightened in a strange place, and the film manages to tap into that almost straight away without resorting to using clichéd stereotypes of we don't like outsider-type villagers.There's also a cinematic taboo broken when the pair discover a rogue bowel movement on the downstairs toilet floor. Yuk, indeed.

Aside from the moody and tense interior scenes, we do get some lovely views around Glastonbury, particularly the famous Tor, which dominates the skyline.

The villain of the piece, despite being given a little back-story, is never really fleshed out as it keeps strictly to the found footage formula, and the brief glimpses we get are merely of a hooded man.

Additional cameras are set up around the house as surveillance, which at least allows for a different perspective to the events. While deftly made by director Mark Ezra (one of the writer/directors behind the '80s slasher classic Slaughter High), the familiarity of the formula prevents it going that extra step into being fully immersive. Who knows how effective it would have been as a more conventional narrative feature with a full, atmospheric score to compliment the shocks and moody visuals. 

Note that although the packaging states the film is rated 18, the BBFC website has the certificate as 15, so don't go expecting anything too extreme in it, other than bad language and anxiety/fear. There's little or no gore, just well-handled scares - and that's not a bad thing. 

 

It appears the film has been gathering dust since it was made in 2010, and one can't help but feel it would have gone down better had it come out then, rather than after years of the same type of film essentially stealing its thunder. As mentioned, it's a notch above the usual attempt at the format, with some genuinely effective shocks and a brooding, gripping atmosphere; certainly worth checking out.

7 out of 10