Dick Foran is supremely engaging as Bill Martin, a deep-in-debt businessman who finally hits upon what he thinks is a winning idea. Presented with half of a treasure map by a character named Tobias (a hearty Leo Carrillo), Bill and his sidekick Stuff (Fuzzy Knight) decide to make some of Bills' property - an island and castle - work for him, by staging "treasure hunts" for interested customers. Their first trip proves to be an eventful one, as one of their number is clearly VERY interested in claiming this supposed treasure for themselves.
No, of course this is not by any means great cinema, but it is what it is: perfectly agreeable comedy-horror (with an accent on the comedy), and a mildly atmospheric, playful jab at the entire "old dark house" genre. Universal probably didn't spend a lot on this, and probably knocked it out pretty quickly, but it shows the audience a pretty good time. This castle in Bills' possession includes the standard secret rooms and trapdoors, and running around is a mysterious "Phantom" (Foy Van Dolsen, a character actor who somewhat resembles John Carradine) who is always trying to scare people away.
The movie has a fairly amusing script (by Maurice Tombragel and Victor McLeod), with some good lines, capable direction by George Waggner (whose finest horror film, "The Wolf Man", was released the same year), and a snappy pace. But the biggest benefit that "Horror Island" can boast is a solid cast playing this rogues' gallery of characters: Peggy Moran as a luminous leading lady, John Eldredge as Bills' greedy cousin George, Hobart Cavanaugh as a meek, sleepwalking professor, Walter Catlett as an officious detective, Ralf Harolde as a bank robber using the boat trip as a getaway, and a memorably sassy Iris Adrian as his moll. The real scene stealer is Lewis Howard as Morans' eternally grumpy, bored companion who gets to utter lines like "Hello, Yorick. Get out of my bed." upon finding a skull.
"Horror Island" packs a reasonable amount of entertainment into its painless 61 minute run time. It really is over before you know it.
Seven out of 10.
No, of course this is not by any means great cinema, but it is what it is: perfectly agreeable comedy-horror (with an accent on the comedy), and a mildly atmospheric, playful jab at the entire "old dark house" genre. Universal probably didn't spend a lot on this, and probably knocked it out pretty quickly, but it shows the audience a pretty good time. This castle in Bills' possession includes the standard secret rooms and trapdoors, and running around is a mysterious "Phantom" (Foy Van Dolsen, a character actor who somewhat resembles John Carradine) who is always trying to scare people away.
The movie has a fairly amusing script (by Maurice Tombragel and Victor McLeod), with some good lines, capable direction by George Waggner (whose finest horror film, "The Wolf Man", was released the same year), and a snappy pace. But the biggest benefit that "Horror Island" can boast is a solid cast playing this rogues' gallery of characters: Peggy Moran as a luminous leading lady, John Eldredge as Bills' greedy cousin George, Hobart Cavanaugh as a meek, sleepwalking professor, Walter Catlett as an officious detective, Ralf Harolde as a bank robber using the boat trip as a getaway, and a memorably sassy Iris Adrian as his moll. The real scene stealer is Lewis Howard as Morans' eternally grumpy, bored companion who gets to utter lines like "Hello, Yorick. Get out of my bed." upon finding a skull.
"Horror Island" packs a reasonable amount of entertainment into its painless 61 minute run time. It really is over before you know it.
Seven out of 10.