The Island of the Fishmen (1979 film)
Island of the Fishmen, AKA Screamers, The Fishmen, Island of Fishmen, Island of Mutations, Volcano Island, Something Waits in the Dark (1979)
Summary
"They're men turned inside out! And worse... they're still alive! Killers from the deep guard the forbidden treasures on . . . Island of Fishmen!" Aquatic creatures threaten the existence of a mysterious island near Atlantis.
Details
- Release Date: 1979
- Country/Language: Italy, Italian
- Genres/Technical: Horror, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Action
- Runtime: 1 hr 21 min
- Starring: Barbara Bach, Claudio Cassinelli, Richard Johnson
- Director: Sergio Martino
- Writer: Cesare Frugoni and Luciano Martino (story), Sergio Donati (screenplay)
- Producer/Production Co: Dania Film, Medusa Distribuzione, Roger Corman (USA)
- View Trailer: (link)
Ratings
MPAA Ratings
- Rated: R (Violence)
Tentacle Ratings
A rough measure of how "Lovecraftian" the work is:
- S____ (One Tentacle: Debateably Lovecraftian; has almost no direct connection to Lovecraft's work)
I've not seen this one since the 1980s, but it seems unlikely to have much in common with Lovecraft beyond a common interest in fish-men from Atlantis (a common pulp fantasy/sci-fi trope from Lovecraft's era). Still, that might be enough to interest fans of "Lovecraftian" cinema from Innsmouth....
Note: This rating is not intended as a measure of quality, merely of how closely related to Lovecraftian "Weird" fiction the work is.
Reviews
Review Links:
- Ragnarok at Cinemasochist Apocalypse, (link) - "Surprisingly timid for an Italian horror flick of its vintage, it's a bizarre and really enjoyable movie. The cast is strong, the sets and model work for the underground caverns and ruins are cool, and most importantly, the monsters appear early and often and the suits are great. While the insanely rapid plot twists in the last half hour might leave you a little dizzy, there's plenty of H.P. Lovecraft-meets-Jules Verne fishman mayhem to be enjoyed. This mostly forgotten curiosity is highly recommended...."
Synopsis
Spoiler Section (Highlight to Read)
A madman's daughter and a shipwrecked convict flee a volcano island of fish-men, near Atlantis.
Notes
Comments, Trivia, Dedication
- The tagline "They're men turned inside out! And worse... they're still alive!" was added to the early 1980s American promotion of the film along with the title "Screamers" after its earlier release as "Something Waits in the Dark" failed to draw an audience. The tagline apparently succeeded in drawing the desired audience, but, unfortunately, nobody gets turned inside-out in the film, leading film audiences in the 1980s angry enough to riot in some locations. According to film legend, a scene of someone getting turned inside out from a completely unrelated film and spliced into "Screamers" to satisfy the audience demand for inside-out people....
Associated Mythos Elements
