L'isola degli uomini pesce (1979)

Country of Origin: Italy
Year of Production: 1979
Running Times: 81 mins (USA)     93 mins
Format: Eastmancolor     35mm
Ratio:
Sound: mono

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Dania Film / Medusa Produzione
US Version Additional Scenes Executive Producer: Roger Corman
Producer: Luciano Martino (Lawrence Martin on US prints)
Production Supervisor: Gianni Sarago
Production Manager: Marcello Tagliaferri
US Version Additional Scenes Unit Production Manager: David C. Thomas

SCRIPT
Script: Sergio Donati, Cesare Frugoni, Luciano Martino, Sergio Martino
Story: Cesare Frugoni, Luciano Martino
US Version Additional Scenes Script: Miller Drake

DIRECTION
Director: Sergio Martino
US Version Additional Scenes Director: Miller Drake
Assistant Director: Massimo Manasse

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Giancarlo Ferrando
Additional Director of Photography: Uilli Knudsen
Underwater Directors of Photography: Gianlorenzo Battaglia, Daniele Nannuzi
US Version Additional Scenes Director of Photography: Gary Graver
Camera Operator: Claudio Marabito
Colour: Luciano Vittori

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Eugenio Alabiso

MUSIC
Music: Luciano Michelini
US Version Additional Scenes Music: Sandy Berman

SOUND
Sound Recording: Roberto Petrozzi
Re-Recordist: Bruno Moreal

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Nilo Iacoponi, Manlio Rocchetti, Stefano Trani
US Version Additional Scenes Make Up: Pamela Peitzman
Costume Designer: Maria Rosario Crimi

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Fishmen Designer: Massimo Antonello Geleng
US Version Additional Scenes Special Make Up Effects: Chris Walas

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Paolo Ricci, Cataldo Galiano

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Massimo Antonello Geleng
Set Designer: Giacomo Caló Carducci
US Version Additional Scenes Art Director: Aleka Corwin

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Riccardo Petrazzi

CAST
Claudio Cassinelli (Lieutenant Claude de Ross)
Barbara Bach (Amanda Marvin Rackham)
Richard Johnson (Edmund Rackham)
Beryl Cunningham (Shakira)
Joseph Cotten (Professor Ernest Marvin)
Franco Iavarone (José)
Roberto Posse (Peter)
Giuseppe Castellano (Skip)
Francesco Mazzeri (François)

US VERSION ADDITIONAL CAST
Eunice Bolt (Samantha)
Tom J. Delaney (Patterson)
Mel Ferrer (Radcliffe)
Cameron Mitchell (Decker)

PLOT SUMMARY

A group of prisoners and guards survive the sinking of their prison ship in the Caribbean and are washed ashore on what seems to be a deserted island. But they soon run into a Nemo-like nobleman and his young wife who are trying to raise the treasures of Atlantis with the help of the South pacific islanders they've mutated into scaly fishmen.

CAPSULE REVIEW

Originally conceived as a children's film, this is a silly but effective combination of elements from Jules Verne and H.G. Wells which has a certain naive charm lacking in so much of the contemporary Italian product. There's plenty of fast action, lots of loud explosions and loads of silly monsters to keep the kids quiet for an hour and a half. And for Dad, there's always Barbara Bach in her undies. Not much for Mum, however...

AVAILABILITY

Canada
Theatrical Distributors: New World-Mutual

Japan
DVD Distributors: Beam Entertainment Inc / Creative Axa Co Ltd

Spain
Theatrical Distributors: Izaro Films

UK
Video Distributors: Vipco (VIPC002)

USA
Theatrical Distributors: New World Pictures
Video Distributors: Embassy Home Entertainment

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Finland
Rating: K-16

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 12

TIMELINE

1979
January
18: Italy – theatrical release

February
28: France – theatrical release

March
23: West Germany – theatrical release

July
5: UK - London theatrical premiere on double bill with Nocturna (1979)
8: UK - London theatrical release on double bill with Nocturna (1979)

September
28: Finland – theatrical release

POSTER TAGS

They're men turned inside out! And worse... they're still alive!

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Le continent des hommes-poissons - French title
Het eiland van de nieuwe monsters - Dutch title
The Fish Men
Ihmislaboratorio - Finnish title
Die Insel der neuen Monster - West German title
La isla de los hombres peces - Spanish title
Isla del volan perdido
Island of Mutations – UK title
Island of the Fishmen
Människojakt på djävulsön - Swedish video title
Screamers – US title
Seres del abismo - alternative title
Something Waits in the Dark – US title

LINKS

SEQUEL
La regina degli uomini pesce (1995)

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Cinefantastique vol 2 no.3 p.52 (USA)
review

Cinefantastique vol.12 no.5/6 p.87 (USA)
review

Continental Film Review no.314 p.40 (UK)
review

Delirium no.2 (UK)
credits

Monthly Film Bulletin August 1979 p.175 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Screen International 7 July 1979 p.13 (UK)
review

Starburst no.34 p.35 (UK)
illustrated review

Vampir no.17 p.51 (West Germany)
review

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

atlantis, castaways, convicts, criminals, decapitation, fishmen, human experiments, islands, mad scientists, monsters, mutants, shipwrecks, telepathy, treasure

Last Updated: 26 August, 2009