Plot: What’s it about?
Matt Farrell (John Ashley) once lived a normal life, but now he’s held prisoner on an island run by a maniacal doctor, who seeks to turn Farrell into a strange half human, half beast super creature. Farrell was captured while he was skin-diving in the calm waters, and has been trying to escape ever since. The island is no normal tropical paradise, as it is populated by unnatural genetic creations and the mad doctor who works to create them, Dr. Gordon (Charles Macauley). While Dr. Gordon means to create a race of super creatures, his failures have been numerous, as evidenced by the island’s unusual occupants, including Gordon’s own daughter. The doctor tries to control all his creations, but tensions are starting to mount as time passes. In fact, Gordon’s own daughter (Pat Woodell) has conspired with his creations as well as Farrell, in talks of an escape and freedom for the half human guinea pigs. But when the creatures are freed, the island turns in a full scale warzone where everyone’s life is in serious danger. Can Farrell escape with this his life, and what will become of Dr. Gordon and his daughter?
In case you can’t tell from the synopsis, this is basically a low budget version of The Island Of Dr. Moreau. Now, I’ve seen both the original and remake of Dr. Moreau and I enjoyed them both, but this is a terrific alternative version of that idea. I am a fan of low budget, campy movies and this qualifies on both counts. This movie gets criticized for its low production values, bad make up effects, and even bad dialogue, but I think given the budget and nature of the film, it does a fine job at bringing the story to the screen. Of course, the make up and costumes aren’t up to current Hollywood standards, but I happen to like the crude fashion in which they were made. I’d love to see some those who criticize this film do better with a similar amount of resources. The characters in this movie are hilarious, such as a bat boy, panther woman, and antelope man. Isn’t that enough to make you want to see this cult classic? I guess it comes down to whether or not you like this style of filmmaking. If you’re into low budget offbeat movies, then I recommend this movie and disc to you, as I think you’ll be pleased with both.
This film was written and directed by Eddie Romero, one of offbeat/independent cinema’s best unknowns. Romero’s films are a fun blend of action, fantasy, science fiction, and many other genres. As with most of his work, this film isn’t held in high regard by the masses, but has captured the attention of fans of low budget and offbeat cinema. Romero doesn’t have much of a budget to work with, but he manages to create a fun, campy movie with what he does have. Sure, Romero’s movies aren’t for everyone, but then again not all of us want to watch Titanic and The Sixth Sense all the time. If you want to see more of Romero’s work, check out The Mad Doctor Of Blood Island, Moro Witch Doctor, and Woman Hunt. The acting in this movie is what you’d expect from a film of this nature, it’s adequate but falls short of winning any awards. John Ashley (2001: A Space Odyssey, Hell On Wheels), Pat Woodell (The Big Doll House), and Charles Macauley (Three O’Clock High) have the main roles here, and as such supply the best performances. Also of note is a performance from Pam Grier (Jackie Brown, Original Gangstas), who plays an interesting character named Panther Woman. The supporting cast also includes Jan Merlin (Take The Money And Run), Eddie Garcia (Bamboo Gods and Iron Men), and Ken Metcalfe (Savage Justice).
Video: How does it look?
Twilight People is presented in a 1.33:1 or full frame transfer. This appears to be the original aspect ratio, since no images seem cropped or panned and scanned. The visual presentation seems to be on the same level as a television broadcast, which is adequate but not as impressive as it could be. While some scenes display oversaturated colors, most have bright and accurate hues, and flesh tones seem to be natural, with a few exceptions. The contrast is much of the same, some scenes look overly dark, while other look very good. The source print seems in good condition, and the compression is of high quality. If this is a must have, then the video is good enough to watch, but I would really like a new release with improved visuals.
Audio: How does it sound?
As the video looks much like broadcast quality, the audio on this release sounds much like you’d expect from television as well. The front channels handle all the audio, and the results seem to be adequate. The elements are all present and distinct, with no serious separation issues. The dialogue is a little too loud at times, so you’ll need to keep that remote handy.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You’ll find trailers for this and other VCI releases, as well as some talent files.
