MONSTER ISLAND (THE MYSTERY OF MONSTER ISLAND)

Spain, 1981, 100 minutes, Colour.
Terence Stamp, Peter Cushing, David Hatton,.
Directed by Juan Piquer Simon.

Monster Island (The Mystery of Monster Island) is based on a Jules Verne story. Verne has provided popular stories from the beginning of the 20th. century through quite a number of spectacular adventures in the '50s, especially Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This film is not quite in the same league. It is popular matinee material, Spanish-American? co-production with an English and Spanish cast.

Terence Stamp is able to glower (as he did in Superman) as the villain. Peter Cushing plays his usual dignified self. There is some fussy comedy-playing by David Hatton. The special effects are very good, though the monsters seem artificial (and, with the twist in the plot, it is revealed that they are!) the film is colourful and an undemanding adaptation of the Verne story for young audiences.

1. The attraction for this kind of adventure film? The world of Jules Verne and his imagination? The past, the present, the future? Audiences letting their imagination go? Identifying with the strange adventures? How faithful an adaptation of the mentality of Verne?

2. Colour photography, 19th century cities, the contrast with exotic islands? The location photography on the island? The special effects for action? For the attack of the monsters? The enjoyment of the special effects? The musical score?

3. The conventions of this kind of film and audiences taking them for granted? The setting up of the situation for the voyage? Jeff as hero? Taskinar as the mysterious villain? The ship voyage, the shipwreck, the survival on the island, the various hazards and tests, the menace of the monsters, the betrayal of the villains? The twist with the happy ending to prove that this had all been a test for the hero? The particular characters illustrating the conventions of this kind of adventure?

4. Jules Verne's imagination? His 19th century setting and the need for adventures and confrontation with images? Monsters? Tests to prove oneself?

5. Jeff as hero? His relationship with Kolderup, his wanting to marry Meg and her love for him? His being tested? The set-up of the voyage, the reaction of the Captain? His coping with the storm at sea and the crisis? His being put ashore? His relationship with Mr. Arttelet? His being tutored by him to be a gentleman, his having him as companion on the island? The techniques of survival? The encounter with Dominique and her seeming friendship? The importance of the black servant and his help, lack of communication? The various dangers and his confronting them? The memories of Meg? Kolderup's arrival and the revelation of the truth? The theatrical company? The black actor? Jeff having proved himself?

6. Kolderup as wealthy businessman? His wanting the best for Meg and Jeff? The irony of his arrival on the island? His having set up the whole procedure for testing Jeff? Peter Cushing's benign but acerbic style?

7. Meg as heroine -? a demure 19th century heroine? The contrast with Dominique as the island vamp? The improbability of her being on the island? Her vast resources? Her deceptions and the irony of her being in league with Taskinar?

8. Taskinar as villain? the initial killings and money deals? Terence Stamp and his glowering villain? The masks and disguises? The real dangers? The adventures and final confrontations?

9. Mr. Arttelet and his dancing instruction? The bumbling professor? The comic situations and all his trouble? The importance of comic relief in this kind of adventure?

10. The black servant and his help, strength, skills? Lack of communication? Irony of his being part of a San Francisco theatre troupe?

11. The supporting characters: in San Francisco, on the ship, the villains on the island?

12. The monsters and their impact, dangers? The various special effects for all kinds of dangerous adventures and audiences responding to these?

13. Satisfying adventure matinee material? The sparking of the imagination and fantasy? The age-old ingredients of heroic stories, myths, endurance and testing?