LeonLouisRicci It has often been said in Film Analysis that during WWII Hollywood mostly Stayed Away from "Death" or Morbidity in Movies because "Real" Death by the Multitudes was Occurring in such Frequency that Audiences wanted to Escape the Dread and be Entertained Away from the Overwhelming Occurrences that Resulted from the War. In Short Horror Movies were "Out of favor" because of the Real Life Horror of Global War.But Val Lewton's Movies made During the War were Certainly an Exception to that bit of Philosophical Observation. Death, Dread, and Gloom were Key to the Melodramatic Movies Spun out of the Lewton Loom Regularly and Routinely. Perhaps None so Much as this One.From the First Scene (actually set during a War), the Movie Introduces Death in the form of a Disgraced Military Officer and His Suicidal Surrender to His Superiors and that's just the First Scene.Almost Every Character Dies and the Fear of Death Never Leaves the Frame. Boris Karloff Playing "The Watchdog" General and a War Correspondent Traverse the Battlefield early on in a Surreal Scene of piled up Bodies amidst the literal Fog of the War. This Sets the Terrifying Tone and the Film Never Abandons the Death Linger for One Frame.There is Plague ("Following War") and Immunity is Absent. Add to that bit of Reality, Superstition, Myth, and Folklore and You have a Creepy, Suspenseful Scenario that is Haunting, Frightening, and Forever Foreboding. In this very Powerful Picture it is Relentless in its Eerie Situation of Trapped People with Different Beliefs that Fight off the Resulting Reclamation of Bodies and Souls.Overall, an almost Unbearable and Downbeat affair. Even more so than Usual for Lewton and Team. Certain Folks can Appreciate the Atrophied Atmosphere of Constant, Claustrophobic Calamity but other more Sensitive Types might Find this Fine Film just too Demanding and Dreadful. Recommended for those That Can Take It.

Uriah43 "General Nikolas Pherides" (Boris Karloff) is a commander of a Greek army in 1912 during the First Balkan War. Immediately after a battle he decides to visit his wife's grave on a nearby island and takes with him a war correspondent by the name of "Oliver Davis" (Marc Cramer). When they get there they find some people living in a nearby house and decide to spend the night with them. Unfortunately, in the morning they discover that one of the people has died during the night of the plague. Not wanting his soldiers to be exposed to this deadly contagion, General Pherides issues an order than nobody will leave the island until the plague has run its course. At the same time he is informed that the island also contains a Greek creature similar to a vampire and known as a "vorvolaka". At first he dismisses the suggestion as nothing more than superstitious nonsense but as time passes he eventually begins to accept it. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie I will just say that, although this film had some slow parts here and there, it still remained moderately interesting until the very end--at which time it actually got quite horrific. As usual, Boris Karloff performed in an excellent manner as did the beautiful Ellen Drew (as "Thea") and the aforementioned Marc Cramer. In summation, this turned out to be a decent horror film and I recommend it for those who might enjoy a movie of this type. Slightly above average.

AaronCapenBanner Mark Robson directed this Val Lewton production starring Boris Karloff as Gen. Nikolas Pherides. The time is the war of 1912, General Pherides goes to an isolated Greek isle to visit the grave of his wife. His is dismayed to find it disturbed, and discovers that because of the plague, all bodies had to be dug up and burned. In fact, the isle is in quarantine, and now the General(as well as the visiting journalist who was interviewing him) are as well. A superstitious old woman believes that a young woman staying at the Inn with them is responsible. Is she right, or is it something else? Eerie and well acted film has good atmosphere but is awfully slow and lacking in action. Karloff makes the difference though, as he is excellent as usual, and makes up for the faults of pacing and story.

Hitchcoc I do like Val Lewton's films. This one begins in an interesting setting with a war correspondent talking to a military man, Boris Karloff. He is a cruel and driven man, a total follower of military rule. Through a series of circumstances, a group of people end up quarantined from the plague. Karloff asserts his military power, forcing the people to do as he says, but some don't have the "proper" respect. He also shows himself to be very superstitious, believing in some old Greek werewolf stories. He directs his attention toward a young woman who defies him and gets people to believe that she is sort of an angel of death. As people begin to expire, he gains more and more power, but there is another woman who is, for all practical purposes, his equal. The movie is a moody portrayal of what people can do to each other when they are frightened. It's a good role for Karloff and comes off reasonably well.