Twilight People

Twilight People

I have been doing some research to try and find out just what the story behind Twilight People is. I have found pretty much nothing other than finding out that it was filmed in the Phillipines and the standard cast and crew info. The main bit of info I am trying to find out is if this thing was a TV movie or not. I think that may be telling some of you as to what to expect from this film. Word of warning to those who can't pick up on it, Twilight People looks like a TV movie, sounds like a TV movie, and carries all of the trappings of a TV movie from the 70's. Is this a bad thing? Not sure, do you like TV movies from the 70's?

The film itself is far from original, as it is nothing more than The Island Of Dr. Moreau. A world-class diver is taken hostage (in a real nifty scene he is pulled out of the water by his feet and dangles upside down!), and brought to an island where a mad doctor is making a super-human race!

But while on our island resort, our hero Matt Farrell (John Ashley) falls in love with the mad doctor's daughter! Now who would have seen that coming!?! And within time, she realizes that Dad's experiments and dreams just aren't really all that nice. So she helps to stage an uprising of the creatures, and tries to help Matt escape! I'll stop there so that I don't ruin any of the surprises!

Really though, the film isn't that bad. It is in league with many TV films from the early 70's, but you do get a little bit of the over-the-top type of stuff lacking from TV films. In the beginning we are on the way to the doctors residence and our kidnapping party stumbles onto one of the creature experiments, and they quickly place a shot between the eyes, and a fountain of bright red blood spews from the wound, traveling a fine distance. The scene is quite fake, but also a bit of a surprise as to what to expect from this film. With that scene and a few others, you get the impression that this may not be a TV movie.

The cast is pretty decent and nowhere near as bad as some of the comments I have read while trying to find something out about this film. John Ashley does an admirable job as the films hero. While his interaction with the islands head of security add some nice interplay, especially in the scene where the security chief tries convincing Matt to escape from the island, obviously looking for a little hunt of his own.

There are no real surprises in the film, and the make-up is run-of-the-mill cheapo stuff. A few scenes of the bat/man creature flying are decent enough, and to a kid seeing this film back in 1972, these scenes must have been great!

Pam Grier fans take note as this is one of her first films. Though you would never be able to tell it is her as she wears a mountain of make-up, and spends her time wooing a strange antelope kind of guy. But she plays the panther woman. No dialogue though, sorry.

This DVD comes to us all from the fine folks at VCI. The picture quality is fine, and the colors are stable. Again, this film was made in the Phillipines in 1972 on a minor budget, so don't be expecting mind-blowing visuals and sweeping panoramic shots! You get some nice jungle footage, and some shots that obviously took some thought. But overall, it looks like…you guessed it, a TV movie.

The extras are slim. We get some decent bios for three of our stars, and some previews of other VCI product. Not bad for a film of this age and minor importance, but also not what is going to sell the product.

So should you buy this? Well, the film is now sitting in the budget bins, so if you are a fan of the Dr. Moreau films and the book and such, and you can't get enough of it, or if you saw the film as a kid and it scarred the hell out of you and you want it for sentimental reasons, or if you are feeling giddy, and you need a new flick but you just don't want to buy that new Girls Gone Wild Vol. 25, then sure, go for it! But if you are a jaded Horror fan and films like Re-Animator are too tame for you, then avoid this! It is just simple, kind of cheesy fun.

Review by Carl Isonhart

'Twilight People' can be ordered direct from VCI by clicking here.


 
Released by VCI
Not Rated - Region 1 (NTSC)
Extras :
Trailers, Biography pages
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