Overrated and overhyped

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Boris Karloff stars as a TV host who is very much into debunking the supernatural. A hotel magnet shows him a man who appears to have been turned into a zombie. the man had been part of a lost party that was sent off to survey an island in the pacific for the location for a new hotel. Karloff insists that there is a rational explanation for what happened to the man and the party. he then heads off to investigate what happened. Plagued by weird happenings and equipment failures they eventually make it to the island where weird plants and weird creatures begin to widdle down the party.This is a creepy little drive in movie that is probably better than its reputation suggests.Up until you get to the island you really don't know whats going on and the film nicely exploits our fear of the unseen. Only when we get to the island and we see the inflatable plants and stiff crab creatures does the film begin to falter since the build up is better than the revelations. The film is clearly a 1950's B film with many of the island scenes stereotypical of similar movies. Making things so much better is Karloff playing a know it all man of science is very good in a role that is not his typical monster or mad doctor. its a strong role that avoids the histrionics of many of his later roles. The rest of the cast, including Rhodes Reason and Elisha Cook Jr is also good.Tim Lucas at Video Watchdog and others have mentioned this film a couple of times on their blogs with recent airing on Turner Classic Movies. The film gets noticed partly because Karloff is in it but also because one of the characters is very clearly a lesbian. The speculation is that this is possibly the first overt lesbian role in a horror film (or at least an American horror film). I might go farther and say I don't remember ever seeing a lesbian that openly portrayed in any film released prior to this. Sure we have say the tension in Johnny Guitar or other films where strong women are suppose to be equated with being a lesbian, but this is the first time where I remember one woman actively pursuing another while fending off her male pursuers by all but saying she wasn't interested because she liked girls. I think for my money this is probably the most open any "mainstream" movie was to dealing with a lesbian character prior to its release. (of course I could be wrong).Worth a look for those who like B-horror films

"Zombies and chomping plants greet an expedition led by a debunker of the occult." That's the description of VOODOO ISLAND given by TCM and it hits the mark. But the only real reason for watching is the presence of BORIS KARLOFF as the debunker. Others in the cast do little to help the project, but include BEVERLY TYLER as a frigid assistant to Karloff and RHODES REASON as the stalwart leader of the group. His romance with Tyler gets off to a bad start but heats up before the final reel.The special effects are unintentionally funny, especially a scene where one of the young ladies is attacked by a carnivorous plant. Les Baxter's score is a major asset though, accenting whatever danger is indicated by the script.But overall, the film is a distinct letdown for anyone expecting a good zombie movie. Most of the action takes place in bright sunlight amid sets that look like leftovers from Fantasy Island.Summing up: Karloff admirers won't mind watching him here, but no one is likely to be impressed by the lame storyline.

I've seen worse programmers. Boris Karloff brings class to anything he works in. It's fun just to watch him. His ill-health hadn't yet slowed him down and he was a real presence. Elisha Cook also gives an excellent performance.I think I know how the lesbian undertones between the two women got by (though the tones weren't that "under"). If it had been a big budget picture, the censors would have been on it like white on rice. As a low-budget picture it came in under the radar.Several of the actors do rise above the material. Actually it reminds me of some of the TV shows being churned out about the same time. They, too, didn't have much of a budget. What adds to the TV feeling are some of the actors, such as Rhodes Reason and Mervyn Vye, who were mainstays of '50s television.

I'm pretty sure that Boris Karloff wouldn't have been too quick to mention this film when it came to talking about his career, and that's hardly surprising as Voodoo Island is a cheap little adventure flick and there isn't much reason to recommend it to anyone. Perhaps the most disappointing thing about the film is, as others have pointed out, that despite the title; there is very little actual voodoo in the film. There are man-eating plants and big snakes and stuff...but that's not really voodoo now is it? The plot follows a hoax-buster who is sent to an island to investigate reports of voodoo. We are introduced to a whole range of dull characters, and even Karloff looks hideously bored. The special effects are so terrible that Ed Wood would have proud of them, but the rest of us are likely to roll our eyes as we watch Beverly Tyler wrap herself up in a very fake looking snake. The plot doesn't progress, it merely plods along and by the time we get to the actual voodoo tribe, I doubt many people will be left awake. I liked the fact that the film featured a performance from distinctive support actor Elisha Cook, and seeing Karloff is always a highlight - but overall, this is a very lacking film and while I consider myself a big fan of the horror genre in all of its forms; this isn't a favourite of mine. Maybe this film will fill a gap if you're really bored, but otherwise I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see it.