Terror Is a Man, which premiered in the U.S. today in 1959, was at the vanguard of the many grindhouse movies that would be shot in the Philippines (our former Asian headquarters), a wave that would crest during the mid-1970s with so many bad (but occasionally bad-good) features. It’s about a sailor who survives the explosion of his ship and washes up on an isolated Pacific island named Isla de Sangre—uh oh! Living there is a doctor who’s secretly experimenting with man-animal hybrids. If this rings a bell, yes, it was inspired by H.G. Wells’ novel The Island of Doctor Moreau, but it was shot cheapo style, like so many old movies made in the Philippines. However, cheap doesn’t always mean incompetent. Francis Lederer, Greta Thyssen, and Richard Derr are just-this-side-of adequate actors for a b-feature, and the film looks good, with decent sets and exteriors, nice lighting, good weather effects, and even real night-for-night shooting.
When Derr, the stranded sailor, takes a liking to the doctor’s wife Thyssen, she confesses that she wants to leave the island on the next supply boat. He offers to help, as well as provide, er, corporeal comfort. It’s rather funny how he edges his way into her personal space over a couple of days, like, “I’ll just innocently lie uninvited on this beach towel with you.” Meanwhile he learns more about the doctor’s experimentation—especially his creation the terrible Panther Man—and decides it goes against the laws of man, nature, ethics, good sense, gentlemanly conduct, and so forth. You know this abominable situation cannot stand. Will the doctor’s life work be ruined at the hands of Derr, the claws of the Panther Man, or some other calamity? We can’t say Terror Is a Man is good, but apart from a couple of unconvincing efx it’s well made, so we have to recommend it to vintage sci-fi/horror buffs—at least for late screenings with friends. And drinks. And sundry. Enjoy.
