A competently directed British sci-fi / horror gem with a stirring and eerie musical score, colorful and crisp cinematography and an entertaining combination of suspense, humor and horror.
Directed by Terence Fisher
Written by Edward Mann Al Ramsen
Based on an original story by Mann and Ramsen
Produced by Tom Blakely
Cinematography: Reg Wyer
Edited by Thelma Connell
Music by Malcolm Lockyer
Barry Gray (electronic effects)
Production company: Planet Film Productions
Distributed by Planet Film Distributors, Universal Studios (US)
Running time: 89 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: £70,000
Cast
Peter Cushing as Dr Brian Stanley
Edward Judd as Dr David West
Carole Gray as Toni Merrill
Eddie Byrne as Dr Reginald Landers
Sam Kydd as Constable John Harris
Niall MacGinnis as Roger Campbell
James Caffrey as Peter Argyle
Liam Gaffney as Ian Bellows
Roger Heathcote as Dunley
Keith Bell as Halsey
Margaret Lacey as Old Woman
Shay Gorman as Morton
Peter Forbes-Robertson as Dr Lawrence Phillips
Richard Bidlake as Carson
Joyce Hemson as Mrs. Bellows
An isolated remote island community is threatened by an attack from something unimaginable!
Will this small community be able to fight back against the encroaching deadly horror?
Trailer
“He doesn't like company much”
“That's why he picked as isolated a place as this”
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Observing the unloading on the dock are locals Peter Argyle, the general store operator; Roger Campbell, the ‘mayor’ of the island; Constable John Harris; Dr. Reginald Landers, an ‘outsider’ who has resided on the island for a good 10 years; and farmer, Ian Bellows. It is remarked that Dr. Phillips is something of a recluse but Dr. Landers states that “he's one of the top research men in the world” and that “researchers are like that” in that they tend to shy away from close contact with any human beings who are not from their own fields of research.
The isolation and insignificance of the island and its community is reinforced by the observation that all the unfulfilled promises that the uncaring mainland has made to the islanders is due to the fact that “we don't pay enough taxes.” Apparently there are no working phones on the island and there is only one boat a week from the mainland. We can be sure that this will not bode well for the inhabitants of Petrie’s island.
“I've waited a long time for this moment”
“There shouldn't be any snags”
We next shift scenes to the laboratory where Dr. Phillips tells Carson that they will begin their experiment without first co-ordinating with the teams in Rome, New York, and Tokyo. (Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast!) After a bit of scientific techno-babble gobbledygook, Phillips is confident that “if we're successful today, it may well be that we have the cure for cancer.”
Suddenly the screen turns blood-red followed by the sound of breaking glass suggesting that something dangerous has managed to breach containment……..
Roll main title display
That evening a fog rolls in, the very one predicted by Peter Argyle on the dock who stated to the doctor, "if you weren't a newcomer, you'd feel it in your bones." The irony of this comment will shortly become all too obvious. We then see Ian Bellows, carrying a lantern near a cave entrance on a cliff-face overlooking his property not far from Dr. Phillips’ residence. He is suddenly pulled short by an odd atonal sound. Curious, Bellows enters the cave to investigate only to disappear from view. Only the sight of his lantern’s light moving up and down on the cave wall accompanied by the sound of his own anguished cries followed by a sickening slurping noise offer us a clue as to his fate.
“I'm afraid something's happened to him”
“There was no face, just a horrible mush with the eyes sitting in it”
“We can't take chances”
Landers instructs Harris not to mention what has occurred to anyone until he finds out what they dealing with. He intends to see Dr. Phillips first to seek out his expert assistance as this incident involving the death of Bellows is beyond his knowledge. If Phillips is unable or unwilling to help, Landers will then take the emergency launch, the islanders’ only means of communication with the mainland in between a larger vessel’s weekly visits, and go and see Brian Stanley, “the most eminent pathologist in Great Britain” who is in London. In case they have to fly back, Landers instructs Harris to “build a signal fire on Moor Heights.”
At this stage Landers believes that they may be dealing with a disease which is “virulent and could be contagious.”
When Landers calls on Dr. Phillips, no one answers the door. Landers then implements the next stage of the plan and takes the emergency launch to the mainland, where he proceeds to London to seek out the eminent pathologist, Dr. Brian Stanley....
“If that's true, it's beyond me”
Landers meets with Dr. Stanley who has just completed conducting one of his classes. Stanley appears to enjoy the respect and good will of his medical students with whom he engages in friendly banter concerning their dubious progress with their studies.
Landers quickly get to the point of his visit by informing Stanley that “we've discovered a body without any trace of bone in it.” Such a case is beyond even Stanley’s knowledge and experience. He therefore suggests they seek out the assistance of Dr. David West, the renowned expert on bone diseases and according to Stanley, “the most qualified man on bone disease that I know.”
“That's why we're tossing it into your lap. You're the young genius.”
We find the good Dr. West occupied with an attractive young wealthy and socialite-type lady, Toni Merrill. She is in fact his patient after “writing off a very expensive Maserati” which led her to be taken to the emergency suite where our good doctor was in attendance.
Again as luck would have it, right in the middle of the couple’s game of lip lacrosse, the doorbell rings. While Toni fetches West’s dressing gown, the doctor answers the door to admit Stanley and Landers. It seems that Stanley is taking some delight at having interrupted West in his post-medical rehab activities.
While Toni confirms she can look just as good in a man’s dressing gown as she can in a man’s shirt, Landers and Stanley explain the situation to West. Of course, West is sceptical and initially tries to dismiss their story with sarcastic humour: “No bones? Yes, well, of course, this is quite a common....” Eventually West is intrigued by the problem and expresses a desire to see Bellows' body for himself.
It is decided that they ought to fly back and like a shot Toni offers to ask daddy to lend them his helicopter but on one little condition- she is to accompany them. What ever spoilt little rich girl Toni wants…
“Looks like we'll be marooned on the island for a few days”
As preparations are made to fly to the island, the copter pilot tells them he cannot wait for them as Toni's father (due to his business commitments) will need the helicopter. This means that they will be to all intents and purposes, marooned.
Shortly afterwards the helicopter guided by the signal fire, lands and the three doctors and Toni are greeted by Constable Harris and Dunley, a hunter.
Shortly afterwards the helicopter guided by the signal fire, lands and the three doctors and Toni are greeted by Constable Harris and Dunley, a hunter.
“Not a very pretty sight”
Landers takes Stanley and West to the clinic to show them Bellows' body which turns out to be "not a pretty sight" what with its protruding eyes and tongue along with its grotesque mushy appearance. The tests that are performed reveal “a series of minute punctures…..all over the body” indicating that “something could have entered the body through those punctures” possibly “some kind of enzyme.” It proves difficult to determine “if they open inwards or outwards” or indeed if they are “punctures or ruptures,” raising the question as to whether “something came out or some organism producing an enzyme went in.”
One thing for certain is that “there's not one trace of calcium phosphate in the whole body” indicating that “this enzyme, or whatever it is, seems to attack and break down the calcium phosphate” which is “a major component of human bone.”
What is not yet know is “if there's a connection between the perforations and the absence of bone” and whether they might “be simply two evidences of a similar syndrome.”
At this point in the three doctors’ ruminations, the lights start flickering due to apparent trouble that the island community has been having with the generator recently. The generator supplies all the electric power of the island.
One thing for certain is that “there's not one trace of calcium phosphate in the whole body” indicating that “this enzyme, or whatever it is, seems to attack and break down the calcium phosphate” which is “a major component of human bone.”
What is not yet know is “if there's a connection between the perforations and the absence of bone” and whether they might “be simply two evidences of a similar syndrome.”
At this point in the three doctors’ ruminations, the lights start flickering due to apparent trouble that the island community has been having with the generator recently. The generator supplies all the electric power of the island.
Unable to continue their investigation due to the inadequate facilities of the clinic, the three men head out to the mansion of Dr. Phillips. Upon their arrival there is no response to their knocking on the front door so it is decided that a bit of breaking and entering might be in order. When the men gain entry, they discover Dr. Phillips, his butler and his two assistants dead, all displaying the same horrific physical symptoms as Bellows.
It is concluded that since Phillips had no contact with the villagers, a contagious disease can be ruled out. “Whatever it was, it must've started in this lab.” If so, “it might be moving down the peninsula towards the village.”
Judging by what they observe inside the mansion, the three men are convinced that Phillips and his staff “were fighting something, or the death throes were pretty violent.” They then decide to collect Phillips' notes and study them in the hope that it could give them a lead on what happened.
“At least I think it's one of my horses. It's all soft and flabby”
While Stanley and West collect Dr. Phillips' notes and take them to the inn to study, Morton, a farmer discovers one of his horses dead in a similar soft and flabby condition to the dead humans. Morton heads off to Constable Harris’ place to report this. Having to forgo a lovely cup of tea, Harris sets out on his trusty bicycle to seek out Dr. Landers who had earlier left him a note indicating where he and his colleagues were going.
“It's a bloody mess, a pile of flesh”
The next morning, Landers pays a visit to Harris’ place but does not find him there. Later on he comes across Peter and Morton at the general store. Morton informs Landers of his dead horse and of its strange appearance being of “a bloody mess, a pile of flesh.” Landers is struck by the fact that this happened on "the other side of the island." Somewhat evasively and abruptly, he rushes off leaving Morton and Peter puzzling over the "strange goings-on." Peter then decides to see the head of the island, Mr. Campbell who ought to know about what has been taking place.
“Let's not take any unnecessary risks”
The intrepid quartet head off to Dr. Phillips house, and you guessed it, Toni gets her way yet again by convincing the men to agree to taking her with them inside the house on the basis that there’s safety in numbers. Down in the cellar they spot the grizzly remains of Constable Harris followed by the “strange sound” that Toni earlier referred to. Suddenly they are confronted by the sight of the ghastly creatures that Dr. Phillips created.
“Good Lord, what's that?”
The creatures are approximately two meters in diameter and possess a hard turtle-like shell from which emanates a single tentacle that serves both as a sensor and a flexible limb that can grab hold of potential victims. The creatures can also travel flat along the ground using a system of suckers instead of legs.
Toni and the three men find themselves cornered by a couple of the creatures who appear to be coordinating their actions. As they close in, Dr. Landers takes down a fire ax from the wall, approaches one the creatures and takes a swing at it but with no effect. Just as Landers is about to take another swing, the creature latches on to his ankle with its tentacle. Landers cries out in pain before falling across the creature’s carapace. To the horror of the others, Landers suffers the same fate as all of the previous victims.
Toni and the three men find themselves cornered by a couple of the creatures who appear to be coordinating their actions. As they close in, Dr. Landers takes down a fire ax from the wall, approaches one the creatures and takes a swing at it but with no effect. Just as Landers is about to take another swing, the creature latches on to his ankle with its tentacle. Landers cries out in pain before falling across the creature’s carapace. To the horror of the others, Landers suffers the same fate as all of the previous victims.
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Just as the creatures move in for the kill, they suddenly come a halt. They seem to have chosen that very moment to divide. As West observes, “they're inactive now because they divided, but we don't know for how long, and we can't stay here.” The process of division resembles a combination of what one might observe with cell division under a microscope and what one might throw up after consuming pasta followed by copious amounts of alcohol.
During the creatures’ present inert state and in the face of Toni’s own fear-ridden state of paralysis, the party of four make their escape from the cellar. As they exit the house, they spot another creature on the grounds. They then hurriedly get into the car only to find that it won't start. With tension mounting, West manages to fix the problem with the engine and they drive off before the creature can get to them.
At the inn, West gives Toni a sedative to help her relax. He then apologizes to her for bringing her to the island and placing her in danger. West does not appear to be all that convinced that they’ll be able to “get out of this somehow” despite his assurances to Toni.
After learning at the general store that Landers hasn’t been found and that there are strangers (“two men and a girl”) on the island who arrived by helicopter the previous night and who were seen in the company of Landers at 7.00 am, Campbell and Argyle head off to the inn to find out what’s-what. They enter the inn as West and Stanley are studying Dr. Phillips' notes.
At the inn, West gives Toni a sedative to help her relax. He then apologizes to her for bringing her to the island and placing her in danger. West does not appear to be all that convinced that they’ll be able to “get out of this somehow” despite his assurances to Toni.
“There are creatures loose on this island. They're dangerous”
The two doctors inform Campbell and Argyle that Dr. Landers is dead, and a bit later add the names of Constable Harris and Ian Bellows to the list of the deceased. In addition, they are told that there are dangerous creatures loose on the island and that they may be the result of Dr. Phillips' experiments. They go on to explain that “Dr. Phillips, in the course of his experiments, created some kind of living organism that kills” and that was the cause of Landers’ death.
With the entire island and its inhabitants in serious danger, Campbell agrees to summon all the inhabitants to the village meeting hall, as they’ll “need a lot of help if this island is going to survive.”
With everyone assembled in the hall, Stanley and West address the villagers. Their message is frank and to the point with no sugar-coating. They begin by stating that “in order to understand the nature of cancer, Dr. Phillips was trying to create living cells, cells that he hoped would attack the cancer. He based his creation on the carbon atom which is the basis of all life on this planet. He did not succeed. But he probably succeeded in creating a form of life based on the silicon atom. Now these Silicates, as we call them, eat animal bone - human bone.” This last point elicits shocked murmurs of surprise and consternation. West goes on to explain that “Dr. Phillips' gave life to some kind of organism, something that we know nothing about” which possess “an external skeletal structure which is tough and resilient.”
Stanley takes up the account of their findings by admitting that they “haven't found a way to destroy them yet” but that they “intend to attack them with everything we can.” Based on Phillips’ notes and their own experience with the creatures, they “calculate that these creatures divide every six hours.”
With the entire island and its inhabitants in serious danger, Campbell agrees to summon all the inhabitants to the village meeting hall, as they’ll “need a lot of help if this island is going to survive.”
“I must warn you that we're faced with a very dangerous situation”
With everyone assembled in the hall, Stanley and West address the villagers. Their message is frank and to the point with no sugar-coating. They begin by stating that “in order to understand the nature of cancer, Dr. Phillips was trying to create living cells, cells that he hoped would attack the cancer. He based his creation on the carbon atom which is the basis of all life on this planet. He did not succeed. But he probably succeeded in creating a form of life based on the silicon atom. Now these Silicates, as we call them, eat animal bone - human bone.” This last point elicits shocked murmurs of surprise and consternation. West goes on to explain that “Dr. Phillips' gave life to some kind of organism, something that we know nothing about” which possess “an external skeletal structure which is tough and resilient.”
Stanley takes up the account of their findings by admitting that they “haven't found a way to destroy them yet” but that they “intend to attack them with everything we can.” Based on Phillips’ notes and their own experience with the creatures, they “calculate that these creatures divide every six hours.”
As Stanley proceeds with his account, there is a rising crescendo of shocked murmuring and mumbling among the assembled villagers. They learn that “there are about 64 silicates on the island at this moment; there'll be 128 by six o'clock this evening; two hundred and fifty-six by midnight and if the multiplication continues, until the end of the week, there'll be a million of them.”
West proposes that ‘the only ultimate way to stop them if all attempts fails, is to deny them food.” He suggests that everyone “move into this building with supplies” and “the cattle brought to this end of the island.” He concludes by reminding the villagers that they “must keep calm,” that fear and panic will defeat them just as surely as the Silicates and that they’ll need everyone’s help and cooperation with the population of the island all working together.
At the close of the meeting, Campbell begins to assemble a ten-member defense force that will launch an attack on the approaching silicates with guns, dynamite and petrol bombs. Toni now finds herself transformed from rich adventure-seeking girl to person in charge responsible for organizing the villagers: making sure “that everything's handled at the meeting hall,” that “all the supplies are organized” properly” and keeping everyone from panicking.
The plan of attack involves Dunley and two other men scouting out three locations on the northern shore of the island while the rest including Stanley and West advance to meet the wave of silicates using guns, petrol bombs and dynamite. Alas, their efforts amount to nothing as the creatures seem to be impervious to the men’s weapons. They also lose Morton when he gets too close and is killed by a creature that jumps down on him from a tree! Don’t ask me how it managed to climb up the tree in the first place considering its non-simian qualities.
Dunley suddenly rushes up to inform them that he has discovered a dead silicate along with Dr. Phillips' Great Dane, also dead and half-eaten. After they arrive at the site of the dead silicate and dog, Stanley and West using Geiger counters confirm that the dead silicate and dog are both radioactive. According to Dr. Phillips’ notes, his dog had previously received an overdose of radiation – Strontium-90.
They drive back to the clinic and meeting hall, where West informs the gathering that there might have a way to kill the silicates, but will only succeed with the assistance of everyone there.
After an examination of the dead silicate, it is decided that West and Stanley will return to Dr. Phillips’ lab to collect a quantity of Strontium-90 isotopes along with a pressure gun to inject cattle with. In the meantime, Campbell is tasked with gathering all the cattle into his cattle yard away from the silicates until they can be injected with the Strontium.
After five minutes of watching West and Stanley don radiation suits, they succeed in their mission to recover the Strontium and the injector. I would not put money on their suits’ ability to protect them from radiation!
West proposes that ‘the only ultimate way to stop them if all attempts fails, is to deny them food.” He suggests that everyone “move into this building with supplies” and “the cattle brought to this end of the island.” He concludes by reminding the villagers that they “must keep calm,” that fear and panic will defeat them just as surely as the Silicates and that they’ll need everyone’s help and cooperation with the population of the island all working together.
At the close of the meeting, Campbell begins to assemble a ten-member defense force that will launch an attack on the approaching silicates with guns, dynamite and petrol bombs. Toni now finds herself transformed from rich adventure-seeking girl to person in charge responsible for organizing the villagers: making sure “that everything's handled at the meeting hall,” that “all the supplies are organized” properly” and keeping everyone from panicking.
“Nothing seems to get through to them”
The plan of attack involves Dunley and two other men scouting out three locations on the northern shore of the island while the rest including Stanley and West advance to meet the wave of silicates using guns, petrol bombs and dynamite. Alas, their efforts amount to nothing as the creatures seem to be impervious to the men’s weapons. They also lose Morton when he gets too close and is killed by a creature that jumps down on him from a tree! Don’t ask me how it managed to climb up the tree in the first place considering its non-simian qualities.
Dunley suddenly rushes up to inform them that he has discovered a dead silicate along with Dr. Phillips' Great Dane, also dead and half-eaten. After they arrive at the site of the dead silicate and dog, Stanley and West using Geiger counters confirm that the dead silicate and dog are both radioactive. According to Dr. Phillips’ notes, his dog had previously received an overdose of radiation – Strontium-90.
“If we can get enough Strontium 90 at his place, we can contaminate the cattle”
They drive back to the clinic and meeting hall, where West informs the gathering that there might have a way to kill the silicates, but will only succeed with the assistance of everyone there.
After an examination of the dead silicate, it is decided that West and Stanley will return to Dr. Phillips’ lab to collect a quantity of Strontium-90 isotopes along with a pressure gun to inject cattle with. In the meantime, Campbell is tasked with gathering all the cattle into his cattle yard away from the silicates until they can be injected with the Strontium.
After five minutes of watching West and Stanley don radiation suits, they succeed in their mission to recover the Strontium and the injector. I would not put money on their suits’ ability to protect them from radiation!
When West returns to the lab to retrieve his radiation gloves, Stanley is attacked by one of the creatures outside at the rear of the car. It has its tentacle wrapped around his wrist which forces West to use the fire ax to cut off Stanley's left hand. In typical British stoic stiff upper lip manner, Stanley barely even cries out as his hand is parted from the rest of his arm. West just manages to apply a tourniquet to Stanley’s arm before they speed off in the car back to clinic.
We next see Stanley with his arm bandaged after West had performed surgery on him. It’s not as if West has had enough to do! Our British Batman then dashes off to inject the cattle, which he succeeds in doing except that he has had to reduce the dose of strontium for the last few animals lest they run out of the isotope.
In the meantime, a bit of trouble is brewing within the meeting hall in the form of Halsey who is all for getting out of there. He says to his small audience, “if you'd seen what that thing did to Archie, you'd swim.” Overhearing this and fearing that panic will spread, Campbell takes Halsey aside and says to him threateningly, “if I hear another sound out of you, I'll smash your face in and throw you out for those things.”
No long before midnight, the corralled cattle fall prey to the insatiable appetite of a couple of hundred calcium phosphate craving silicates. As the creatures next make their way to the building housing the terrified citizenry of the island, they begin the process of dividing resulting in the power and effect of the Strontium being halved.
With the generator beginning to fail and the lights starting to flicker, people are panicking. As Halsey makes a dash for the door, Argyle and some others who are armed block the way while Campbell fires a gun into the air and instructs everyone to move away from the windows and doors otherwise they will be shot.
Suddenly silicates break in through a window, grab hold of Halsey with their tentacles and kill him. Another silicate crashes through a skylight and falls upon Dunley killing him. Everyone then rushes into the clinic where they hastily barricade themselves leaving some of their friends and neighbors to a grizzly fate on the other side of the doors. Sometimes the need to survive trumps all other considerations.
Those in the clinic can only await the seemingly inevitable as the creatures continue to batter their way in. Toni Merrill, by now completely overcome by terror is comforted by Stanley's remaining intact arm while West prepares a fatal dose of morphine to spare her the inevitable horror to come. Just as he is about to do so, Campbell draws everyone’s attention to the fact that the silicates seem to be weakening.
As silence descends and the tentacles slip from the doors down to the floor, the barricade is removed and West flings open the doors to reveal the sight of dead silicates lying completely inert on the corridor floor.
The next morning, with the return of the helicopter, West promises Campbell that a large crew will be sent to clean up the island and bury the dead. He believes that “Phillips was just trying to help humanity” and that “science has its risks, but the risks aren't enough to hinder progress.” He also observes that they were fortunate this incident happened on an island, otherwise they might never have been able to destroy these creatures.
But there’s always an unforeseen HOWEVER…..Other scientific teams have been busily beavering away in Rome, New York City and Tokyo, the last city in which we see a scientist enter a lab to the accompaniment of an eerie sound. As he enters, we hear only his cries of horror as he apparently faces the same kind of fate we are already far too familiar with.
Island of Terror (Night of the Silicates) is a 1966 British sci-fi / horror film released by the short-lived Planet Film Productions. The film was released in the United States by Universal Studios on a double bill with The Projected Man (1967.)
Gerry Fernback's screenplay The Night the Silicates Came was the inspiration for Island of Terror. Producer Richard Gordon partnered with Tom Blakey of Planet Films to produce the film.
The film was shot on location in Wexham, St. Huberts, Buckinghamshire and (where else?) Pinewood studios.
Tom Blakely's Planet Productions made only four feature films, including Island of Terror, the vampire film Devils of Darkness (1964) and Night of the Big Heat (1968). Island of Terror and Night of the Big Heat make excellent films to watch back-to-back due to their similar nature and the fact that they were directed Hammer director Terence Fisher and starred Peter Cushing with Christopher Lee included in the cast of Night of the Big Heat. In both films we have a focus on characters in isolated communities having to contend with dangerous situations, as well as having to struggle with aspects of their own human natures and relationships.
Director Terence Fisher made many horror films for Hammer productions such as The Horror of Dracula, The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Prince of Darkness, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Revenge of Frankenstein, The Gorgon, The Mummy, The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll, The Curse of the Werewolf, Hound of The Baskervilles and more.
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Edward Judd plays the scientific swash-buckling hero of the film dashing about giving orders, lobbing incendiary devices at bone dissolving creatures, procuring a hot babe, coming up with solutions to problems and making authoritative pronouncements. Although good in this role it is nowhere near as compelling as his character in the excellent apocalyptic film The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) in which he really got his teeth into its biting, acerbic and irony-laden dialogue.
I’m quite happy to watch Peter Cushing in practically anything on screen and in this film he plays his character with effortless ease and class.
“One more transfusion and I'll be a full-blooded Irishman”
We next see Stanley with his arm bandaged after West had performed surgery on him. It’s not as if West has had enough to do! Our British Batman then dashes off to inject the cattle, which he succeeds in doing except that he has had to reduce the dose of strontium for the last few animals lest they run out of the isotope.
“We're all scared. If they go outside, it's certain death”
In the meantime, a bit of trouble is brewing within the meeting hall in the form of Halsey who is all for getting out of there. He says to his small audience, “if you'd seen what that thing did to Archie, you'd swim.” Overhearing this and fearing that panic will spread, Campbell takes Halsey aside and says to him threateningly, “if I hear another sound out of you, I'll smash your face in and throw you out for those things.”
“They're dividing. That means the effect of the Strontium will be halved”
No long before midnight, the corralled cattle fall prey to the insatiable appetite of a couple of hundred calcium phosphate craving silicates. As the creatures next make their way to the building housing the terrified citizenry of the island, they begin the process of dividing resulting in the power and effect of the Strontium being halved.
“If they start breaking out...”
With the generator beginning to fail and the lights starting to flicker, people are panicking. As Halsey makes a dash for the door, Argyle and some others who are armed block the way while Campbell fires a gun into the air and instructs everyone to move away from the windows and doors otherwise they will be shot.
Suddenly silicates break in through a window, grab hold of Halsey with their tentacles and kill him. Another silicate crashes through a skylight and falls upon Dunley killing him. Everyone then rushes into the clinic where they hastily barricade themselves leaving some of their friends and neighbors to a grizzly fate on the other side of the doors. Sometimes the need to survive trumps all other considerations.
Those in the clinic can only await the seemingly inevitable as the creatures continue to batter their way in. Toni Merrill, by now completely overcome by terror is comforted by Stanley's remaining intact arm while West prepares a fatal dose of morphine to spare her the inevitable horror to come. Just as he is about to do so, Campbell draws everyone’s attention to the fact that the silicates seem to be weakening.
As silence descends and the tentacles slip from the doors down to the floor, the barricade is removed and West flings open the doors to reveal the sight of dead silicates lying completely inert on the corridor floor.
The next morning, with the return of the helicopter, West promises Campbell that a large crew will be sent to clean up the island and bury the dead. He believes that “Phillips was just trying to help humanity” and that “science has its risks, but the risks aren't enough to hinder progress.” He also observes that they were fortunate this incident happened on an island, otherwise they might never have been able to destroy these creatures.
But there’s always an unforeseen HOWEVER…..Other scientific teams have been busily beavering away in Rome, New York City and Tokyo, the last city in which we see a scientist enter a lab to the accompaniment of an eerie sound. As he enters, we hear only his cries of horror as he apparently faces the same kind of fate we are already far too familiar with.
Points Of Interest
Island of Terror (Night of the Silicates) is a 1966 British sci-fi / horror film released by the short-lived Planet Film Productions. The film was released in the United States by Universal Studios on a double bill with The Projected Man (1967.)
Gerry Fernback's screenplay The Night the Silicates Came was the inspiration for Island of Terror. Producer Richard Gordon partnered with Tom Blakey of Planet Films to produce the film.
The film was shot on location in Wexham, St. Huberts, Buckinghamshire and (where else?) Pinewood studios.
Tom Blakely's Planet Productions made only four feature films, including Island of Terror, the vampire film Devils of Darkness (1964) and Night of the Big Heat (1968). Island of Terror and Night of the Big Heat make excellent films to watch back-to-back due to their similar nature and the fact that they were directed Hammer director Terence Fisher and starred Peter Cushing with Christopher Lee included in the cast of Night of the Big Heat. In both films we have a focus on characters in isolated communities having to contend with dangerous situations, as well as having to struggle with aspects of their own human natures and relationships.
Director Terence Fisher made many horror films for Hammer productions such as The Horror of Dracula, The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Prince of Darkness, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Revenge of Frankenstein, The Gorgon, The Mummy, The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll, The Curse of the Werewolf, Hound of The Baskervilles and more.
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Carole Gray’s character is pretty much stereotypical as a woman in distress who needs protection and is there for the love interest angle. Her eyelashes certainly get to work overtime.
The film portrays how science, no matter how good the intentions may be, can be responsible for creating its own monsters which then require science to produce solutions to those very problems. And so we see three experts tackling such a problem by assiduously studying available data before deciding on a course of action and applying accepted scientific methodology. The recent experience of the Covid-19 Pandemic shows what a hard sell that might be in today’s climate where everyone thinks they are an expert in everything and there’s little patience for taking one’s time, following processes and trusting scientific expert opinion.
There is definitely a danger when concepts like ‘science,’ ‘technology,’ ‘progress,’ 'profit,' ‘the economy,’ ‘democracy’ and so on are elevated to an almost divine status as something to be worshipped and revered. Such concepts are often presented as being sacrosanct, whole and perfect and not open to being questioned. If the products of science and technology, for instance result in the creation of ‘monsters’ that can cause death and misery or even threaten our very existence, then it is argued that is the price to be paid for human progress! But who in the end really does benefit, whose interests are really being served, who really ends up paying the price and when is the price to be paid just too high?
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