Island of Death

One of the biggest pieces of shite I’ve ever seen. The director tried to cover up his complete directorial and screenwriting ineptitude with wannabe disgusting and controversial scenes, which are totally off, and the whole film looks like a home-video of a bunch of people on a trip to some Greek island. You can see the attempts to make the scenes as shocking as possible, but all that is left is effort and sheer boredom. Since the review of this masterpiece is one of the most visited on the Well, I expected at least SOMETHING to be interested in, or at least some gore, but alas. It’s neither shocking nor bloody, just pointless and boring. (10/17/2004)

"Ta paidia tou Diavolou" is not a directly exploitative film, as there are many scenes that are not captured by the camera and happen off-screen. But I like this aspect. I don't need to see how the kid - it's actually a little goat, not a lamb - dies, I'm satisfied with the fact that it's off-screen because it still has its effect. A film that was quite unpleasant for its time and has maintained its effect even to the present day. (02/20/2016)

One of those films I’m convinced nobody I know has watched, and about which I’m sure I’ll never watch again. Regardless, as an example of European exploitation horror from the 70s, it works quite well, but those people uninterested in these fringes of the cinema world won’t get anything out of watching it. Besides, if it wasn’t such a “celebrated classic”, even I would have turned it off after 15 minutes, after the lamb rape scene, which is so amateurishly made (or rather, asexually… :-D) that is funny rather than disturbing. The film’s intentions to provoke are clear, but it needs a bit of directorial and acting talent, because as it is, I think almost anyone can provoke. (12/11/2008)

Natural Born Incesters. With its exotic Greek island setting underscored with romantic music, Island of Death is an endearing provocation. Sex with a lamb, incest, a pile of bloody murders and even more hetero- and homosexual sex. In terms of filmmaking, there is nothing to fault, nor is the atmosphere lacking. It’s just a shame that the film doesn’t have a point to draw attention away from the idea that this is really ONLY a cheap provocation by a completely unhinged filmmaker. (06/23/2004)