This science fiction horror tale was one of the few non-Hammer films directed by Fisher (who gave us Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, among others), though this ranks with some of his best work. The budget appears to have been a modest one, but Fisher pulls it off turning in a movie that is both eerie and claustrophobic.
On Petry's Island just off the coast of Ireland, Dr. Phillips and his research team believe they have found the cure for cancer. What they've actually discovered, though, is a scientific Pandora's box. People and animals begin turning up dead, Dr. Phillips included. The victims' bones have been removed, leaving the bodies as little more than sacks of flesh.
The island physician, Dr. Landers, goes to the mainland in search of expert help. He returns with Dr. Brian Stanley (Cushing, star of countless classic horror films) bone specialist Dr. David West (Judd from The Day the Earth Caught Fire and First Men in the Moon), and West's girlfriend Toni Merril (Gray). Our intrepid heroes quickly learn that Dr. Phillips' experiments have created a silicon based life form known as silicates, shelled creatures with a tentacle-like head. The silicates drain their prey of calcium phosphate, effectively ingesting the victim's skeleton.
Making matters worse is the silicates breakneck reproductive cycle. If left unchecked the creatures will overrun the island in a matter of days. There are no phones, and the visiting doctors arrived via a helicopter which will not return for several days. Stanley and West search desperately through Dr. Phillips notes in hopes of finding a way to destroy the creatures.
The movie is not without its flaws. The silicates are represented by less than convincing special effects. Often they look like something one might see in an episode of Dr. Who. The island folk (led by MacGinnis from Jacques Tourneur'sCurse of the Demon) seem a little too quick to accept the idea that their island is infested with monsters. The Toni character dissolves into a complete wimp whenever the chips are down, fitting her squarely into the "girlfriend who is there to be rescued" stereotype.
The amazing thing is that these flaws don't matter in the slightest. Cushing is marvelous as usual, lending just the right amount of acerbic wit to his character. Judd is the epitome of the British stiff upper lip, perhaps too much so at times, but he turns in a great performance just the same. Gray plays Toni with a great deal of spunk, making her highly likable despite her less than heroic actions. All this makes for a movie that holds up after several viewings.
I'm always a sucker for any extras that are thrown onto a video cassette, and this one contains the original theatrical trailer for Island of Terror. It's interesting to note that the silicates are never shown in the preview. This was a wise choice, as the bargain basement effects would probably have turned off a lot of potential ticket buyers, but not showing the critters instills a deep sense of curiosity which no doubt got a lot of people into the theatre.