Island of Terror: Planet Film Productions – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1966
Director: Terence Fisher
Writers: Edward Mann, Al Ramsen
Cast: Peter Cushing, Edward Judd, Carole Gray, Eddie Byrne, Sam Kydd, Niall MacGinnis, James Caffrey, Keith Bell, Joyce Hemson

Release Date: August 26th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 9 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"Horror is unleashed on an isolated island community when the inhabitants find themselves at the mercy of tentacled creatures that can liquefy human tissue and bone. Stanley, a pathologist, and Dr. David West attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery and discover that a scientific team on the island, now dead, may have been responsible for the ‘Sillicates’ which carve a deadly trail across the island." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Re-Graded High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray(TM) Presentation in 1.66:1 Aspect Ratio."

Island of Terror comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 25.2 GB

Feature: 24 GB

The source looks great; it is a marked improvement in every area over this film’s previous home media releases. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent, the dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film journalist David Flint, reversible cover art, a double walled reverse-board gloss O-ring (limited to the first pressing), and a 16 page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with an essay titled Beware the Silicates on the Island of Terror! written by Barry Forshaw, and archival images.

Summary:

Terence Fisher directed Island of Terror. His other notable films include The Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, The Revenge of Frankenstein, and The Mummy (1959). Island of Terror is the first of two films that Terence Fisher directed for Planet Film Productions; the other was Night of the Big Heat.

Tentacle creatures, which digest bone and tissue, attack an island isolated from the mainland.

In 1960s British cinema, there was an influx of horror and sci-fi films after Hammer Films rejuvenated the market in the late 1950s. And though Hammer Films would continue to rule British horror cinema in the 1960s, during this period there were a few smaller companies that rose to prominence. Planet Film Productions were the least known among Hammer Films' competitors.

Though Island of Terror is a horror/sci-fi hybrid, it leans more towards the latter. There are no bum into the night frights like one would expect from a horror film; instead, Island of Terror relies heavily on an insidious kind of terror, the unknown. And when it's revealed what the creatures look like, it becomes clear that they are not going to be easily disposed of, and worse yet, they are doubling in numbers by the hour.

Despite being a film that is working with limited resources, Island of Terror comes out swinging with a very effective opening setup. A man's corpse is found in the opening sequence, but it no longer resembles him. His outer flesh is all that remains. That said, this opening moment does a superb job setting the tone for what follows.

Peter Cushing (Corruption) is the only name actor in Island of Terror; he portrays one of the doctors trying to stop the creatures. Familiar British cinema and television audiences will recognize the rest as actors and actresses making up the cast. Though she has a small role, Carole Grey is another notable cast member that some will recognize from The Curse of the Fly. That said, despite no performance standing out, the entire cast is all very good.

From a production standpoint, Island of Terror is a film that far exceeds expectations. That said, Island of Terror stands well on its own despite its similarities to The Day of the Triffids. And when it comes to the practical special effects, despite looking dated and crude, they work well within the story at hand. Ultimately, Island of Terror is a film that relies more on performances than moments of terror.

Island of Terror gets an excellent release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Night of the Big Heat: Planet Film Productions – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1967
Director: Terence Fisher
Writers: Ronald Liles, Pip Baker, Jane Baker
Cast: Christopher Lee, Patrick Allen, Peter Cushing, Jane Merrow, Sarah Lawson, William Lucas, Kenneth Cope, Percy Herbert, Thomas Heathcote, Anna Turner, Jack Bligh, Sydney Bromley, Barry Halliday

Release Date: July 29th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"The remote island of Fara is experiencing a stifling heat wave in the middle of winter, causing life, as the locals know it, to come to a halt. Tensions rise as the heat increases plus a high-pitched tone of unknown origin is incinerating the villagers.." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Restored and Re-Graded High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray(TM) Presentation in 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio."

Night of the Big Heat comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33 GB

Feature: 27 GB

The source looks great; it is a marked improvement in every area over this film’s previous home media releases. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent, the dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery with music playing in the background (pressbook/advertisement/stills/home video art/other promotional materials), an interview with 2nd assistant director Mike Higgins titled Mike Higgins Remembers Night of the Big Heat (6 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Jane Merrow titled Jane Merrow Remembers Night of the Big Heat (12 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film journalist David Flint, reversible cover art, a double walled reverse-board gloss O-ring (limited to the first pressing), and a 16-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with an essay titled Rising Temperatures on the Night of the Big Heat written by Barry Forshaw.

Summary:

Terence Fisher directed Night of the Big Heat. His other notable films include The Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, The Revenge of Frankenstein, and The Mummy (1959). Night of the Big Heat is the second of two films that Terence Fisher directed for Planet Film Productions; the other was Island of Terror.

An island is experiencing unusual heat, while mainland Britain is in the middle of winter.

In 1960s British cinema, there was an influx of horror and sci-fi films after Hammer Films rejuvenated the market in the late 1950s. And though Hammer Films would continue to rule British horror cinema in the 1960s, during this period there were a few smaller companies that rose to prominence. Planet Film Productions were the least known among Hammer Films' competitors.

Though modern sci-fi films rely heavily on special effects, there was a time where sci-fi took a less-is-more approach and left more to your imagination. Case in point: Night of the Big Heat, a film whose menacing enemy is not actually seen until its finale. What starts off as an unusual weather occurrence slowly transforms into a story about alien beings. That said, so much of the tension that builds up in Night of the Big Heat comes from the friction between characters as they fight among themselves.

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing have appeared in numerous films together; casting them in Night of the Big Heat is a no-brainer that adds some gravitas to the film. Though neither of them is technically the lead, they both deliver solid performances. The protagonist is Patrick Allen (The Body Stealers), who portrays an author named Jeff Callum. He delivers a good performance that is never showy but gets the job done. Another performance of note is Jane Merrow’s portrayal of Jeff’s mistress, who shows up at the island under false pretense.

From a production standpoint, despite working with very limited resources, Night of the Big Heat is a film that fully exploits its resources. The well executed narrative is overflowing with tension, and pacing is never an issue. Terence Fisher’s direction is pitch-perfect; the visuals let the performances take center stage. That said, the aliens are slow-moving and not imposing-looking; this is one area where Night of the Big Heat is not as effective. Ultimately, Night of the Big Heat is a well-made sci-fi/mystery hybrid that far exceeds the sum of its parts.

Night of the Big Heat gets an excellent release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer