"Isle of the Dead" was the second of three films that Boris Karloff made for famed producer Val Lewton in 1945-46. It has all of the Lewton trademarks, darkness and shadows, mystery, horror and good performances. The film was directed by Mark Robson but follows Lewton's proved path to success. The film has an aura of impending death throughout. It also has more on screen violence than most Lewton films but it still manages to play with the audience's emotions and imagination.<br /><br />The film opens during the Balkan War of 1912 in a Greek army camp commanded by General Nikolas Pherides (Karloff). There is a particular gruesome scene here as the General walks through the camp. We see wagon loads of dead soldiers being drawn by other soldiers to a mass burial. It seems that a deadly plague is sweeping across the country.<br /><br />Located on an island across from the camp is an island on which Pherides' wife is buried. During a lull in the war, General Pherides and a reporter Oliver Davis (Marc Cramer) row over to the island. There, they are drawn to the haunting voice of a young woman.<br /><br />Investigating, the pair come upon the home of an antique collector named Albrecht (Jason Robards Sr.) who offers the men lodging for the night. There they meet the St. Aubyns, British diplomats (Alan Napier, Katherine Emery), a young girl, whose voice was heard earlier, Thea (Ellen Drew) and a mysterious old lady named Madame Kyra (Helene Thimig).<br /><br />When St. Aubyn falls ill, Pherides sends for his medical officer, Dr. Drossos (Ernest Drossos). The doctor diagnoses the illness as the plague and the diplomat soon dies. The General quarantines the island allowing none to leave. We learn that Mrs. St. Aubyn is susceptible to cataleptic seizures and that she has been befriended by Thea. Madame Kyra believes that Thea is a vampire and that she is responsible for the plague on the island. She manages to raise doubts in the mind of the General who confronts the young girl one night in one of the film's key scenes.<br /><br />More deaths occur including the "apparent" death of Mrs. St. Aubyn. When she awakes..................<br /><br />Lewton and Robson again play on the audience's fear of the unknown. Is Thea really a vampire? Is Mrs. St. Aubyn really dead? and the ultimate fear of being buried alive.<br /><br />Karloff gives another outstanding performance as General Pherides, who tries to be the protector of the small group. Of the rest of the cast, Helene Thimig as the superstitious Madame Kyra and Katherine Emery as Mrs. St. Aubyn, stand out.<br /><br />Followed by Lewton's final RKO "B" horror film, "Bedlam" (1946).