Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

Darren Fisher (2454 KP) rated Island of Death (1976) in Movies

Jan 11, 2021 (Updated Jan 11, 2021)  
Island of Death (1976)
Island of Death (1976)
1976 | Horror, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
70's Exploitation At Its Best
Story has it that Greek director Nico Mastorakis saw the Texas Chainsaw Massacre at the cinema and was impressed that such a violent low budget horror film could make so much money. So with that in mind Nico decided to make an even more depraved feature than Tobe Hooper and therefore make even more money! He succeeded in the latter but as for make more money? Well, we can only guess not. I won't bother going into the plot as I assume most people already know about this depraved and sick little flick. All that I will say is that as far as 70's exploitation flicks go this is one of the best. Depravity has never been in so much abundance as is on show here. This will not be to many viewers taste (and a big "no, no" for the Snowflake Generation) as we are subjected to rape, gay rape, incest, drug abuse, beastiality, torture, urinating on pensioners and even a fart in the face as a downright insult. The list of depravity doesn't stop there but to list them all would take some time and spoil it for those that want to watch it for the first time...
The gore is kept to a mimimum and the acting is pretty bad, but as the film progresses this is not really an issue (there are some great bits of crazy dialogue throughout). The majority of death scenes are very imaginative, including deaths involving a plane flight, bulldozer and a pot of paint.
Also there is a cracking soundtrack provided by the legendery Nikos Lavranos (Destination Understanding being the obvious favourite of the 'cult elite').
I cannot recommend this film enough, it is superb, but if you are easily offended I would suggest giving this one a very wide berth. Maybe I need psychiatric help... A MUST SEE.
  
Obscura Burning
Obscura Burning
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
3.5 stars.

I love the cover of this. It's very sci-fi-y and drew my attention straight away before I even read the synopsis.

So I found this to be a bit confusing with the continuous switching between realities and it took me a while to get used to it, especially keeping up with how all the other characters interacted with Kyle between the two realities he was living. In one people are alive who should have been dead, in the other he was friends with a girl who treated him like crap in the former. Another strange fact is that while he's in one alternate universe, he continues to function in the other, so he zips back and forth and can be in the middle of doing something that he then doesn't remember starting.

The girl I just mentioned above, Mya, tries to help Kyle figure out what's happening by taking him to a scientist/professor who did a paper on multiverses. In the "Danny's dead" world, I really like her, she's friendly and fun, while in "Shira's dead" world, well, she's not. (I think I got that right...)

As for Danny and Shira, I don't think I was a fan of them from the start. I'm not sure why, maybe it was because we never really saw enough of them, or the them before the fire that injured/killed them. But by the end, I definitely didn't like them.

The writing style was easy to get into and I kinda devoured the book when I finally just sat back and let myself read it without any distractions.

Don't be put off with it having a gay relationship in it, there's nothing overtly graphic between Danny and Kyle, just references, it doesn't go into great detail. It doesn't go into detail with Kyle's female relationships either.

This was probably a little too sci-fi for me; alternate universes? Erm...not really my thing but I did enjoy it. If you like sci-fi and mystery then you'll probably like this.
  
Run with the Moon (Valen's Pack #1)
Run with the Moon (Valen's Pack #1)
Bailey Bradford | 2015 | Dystopia, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have put this book in the dystopian genre because there is a hint of it within these pages. Humans have basically tried to kill each other off using biochemical warfare which has decimated their numbers. The shifters, which were a minority, were immune to most of the chemicals and have since thrived, being able to live off the land and generally in peace.

However, they have their own set of rules regarding alphas, such as when they're old enough, they have to leave their birth pack and start their own, or they have to fight their father for the right to rule. Now Valen loves and honours his father so even though he doesn't want to leave, he abides by their rules. Through circumstance, he meets Aaren who has never seen a shifter before. Aaren lives in a village, guided by his father, where sex is for recreation and gay is something that just isn't mentioned.

There is an instantaneous attraction and reaction between these two when they meet and it just continues to get hotter as we progress through the story. Valen, although having doubts about how to act as an alpha, certainly has no issues in the bedroom... or next to a river or by a tree. Aaren is very happy to learn whatever Valen wants to teach him and learns about himself along the way.

The story is fast-paced and well-written. There are characters to enjoy and those that annoy slightly (sorry goofball!) but it all makes it more 'real'. I loved how the story evolved and became more than just about Aaren and Valen, although they do make a fantastic pair.

Definitely recommended for all fans of MM Paranormal Romance.
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 6, 2016