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CAMP ON BLOOD ISLAND (1958). Gritty B/W Hammer War film involving British Soldiers being held in a Japanese POW camp, along with a separate camp for Women and Children. Some similarities to BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, but on it's own terms, not bad at all, being quite suspenseful in parts, especially when the Prisoners find out Japan has surrendered and knowing if the vicious Camp Commander receives the news, a brutal death for them is all but a given. Many Hammer vets in here like Andre Morrell (HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, THE MUMMY'S SHROUD, CASH ON DEMAND), Barbara Shelley (DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED, RASPUTIN and very good here), Michael Gwynn (REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED), Richard Wordsworth (THE CREEPING UNKNOWN), Michael Ripper (too many to mention) , and Phillip Brown (Uncle Owen from STAR WARS).
Good attention to detail, with many of the cast looking like they are soaked with perspiration from Malaysian heat. Also amazing how they found so many thin actors; Wordsworth looks almost skeletal.
Only thing that really doesn't work is casting the Japanese characters; one of the Officers looks like Jamie Farr and as much as I enjoy Ripper in his films, I don't think anyone could take him seriously as a Japanese driver. ***
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