MAD
DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND (1969)Directors: Eddie Romero, Gerardo de Leon
Image Entertainment
MAD
DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND (1969)Securing a winning drive-in formula
with their previous outing, BRIDES OF BLOOD, Hemisphere pictures quickly followed
it up with another "Blood Island" epic shot in the Philippines and
again starring John Ashley (this time as Bill Foster rather than Bill Farrell).
With MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND, Hemisphere really began to push the limits
of 60s exploitation films, with extra doses of sex and blood, but the picture
managed to escape with an M rating in a time when the system was in its in infancy
and obviously in a serious state of confusion (it easily deserves an R rating,
even today).
Dr. Bill Foster (a long sideburned Ashley) travels to Blood Island to investigate some strange happenings. Also along is Sheila Willard (sexy Angelique Pettyjohn) who is looking for her elusive alcoholic pop, and Carlos (Ronaldo Valdez) who wants to take his mother away especially after the captain divulges a report of a maniac with green blood. There they are greeted by the limping, sunglassed Dr. Lorca (Ronald Remy, the lead vampire in THE BLOOD DRINKERS) who at first glance resembles a discount James Bond villain. It's seems that Lorca has been experimenting with chlorophyll, searching for a leukemia cure, but his unwilling subjects are turning into green skinned/green blooded mutants.
One
such subject has turned into a wild, indescribable zombie with a bumpy green
head, scaly skeletal hands and a bad attitude. The monster roams around the
island, attacking people and ripping them to shreds, delivering a visual shock
of severed limbs, decapitated heads (one of which he tosses in the air like
a basketball), and ripped-out internal organs. To add to the absurdity of this,
all scenes of monstrous menace are shot with a pulsating zoom lens (a
ccompanied
by Tito Arévalo's unforgettable blaring score). Often cited as being
headache-inducing, the scenes are actually effective, feeling like an unearthly
heartbeat.
Sam Sherman states in his commentary
that he believes MAD DOCTOR is the best in the series, and I tend to agree with
him. It was a gimmick film from the start, catering to thrill-seeking drive-in
goers, 
and
taking it from that perspective, it's highly entertaining. Ashley is more confident
and likable this time out, Pettyjohn is incredibly sultry and even provides
some of the film's nudity, and there's enough gore to satisfy fans of the H.G.
Lewis school.
Previously available as murky
VHS release from Magnum Home Video, Image's DVD is a treat to behold. MAD DOCTOR
is presented full frame, and although the colors aren't as rich as they are
on the DVD of BRIDES OF BLOOD, the image is still pleasing and scenes that were
hard to make out in the past are now clear as bell. There is various degrees
of dirt and debris on the source print, but having been struck from the original
35mm negative, the film has never looked better. The audio track is satisfactory
but there is an annoying humming sound that is evident in several scenes when
the music and dialog are not prominent.
Extras include the commentary
with producer Sam Sherman who was heavily involved with Kane W. Lynn and Hemisphere
Pictures at the time of MAD DOCTOR's release. Sherman starts by saying that
the teenagers drinking the green blood at the start of the film--part of a theatrical
promotional gimmick where they distributed packets of green blood (colored water)
to lucky patrons--were the American children of military people stationed in
Manila! He later goes on to say he got a little ill drinking the 
green
stuff, and continues to tell the interesting story of Hemisphere Pictures (the
commentary lasts for about 50 minutes). I can listen to this man talk about
drive-in movies for hours, and I can't wait for the next three installments
in this series.
Other extras include a booklet
with the definitive liner notes by Jim Arena who rightly calls the film "the
jewel in the crown of the Hemisphere Pictures Blood series." Christopher
William Koenig provides an admirable essay/introduction to the film. Other extras
are carryovers from all the discs in this collection: Theatrical trailers for
BRIDES OF BLOOD, MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND, THE BLOOD DRINKERS, BEAST OF BLOOD,
BRAIN OF BLOOD and BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRES (aka CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES) and the
"House of Terror" Live Horror Show Promo; the Eddie Romero video interview;
and a modest still gallery made up of photos and ad art from the first two "Blood
Island" entries. (George
R. Reis)