User Reviews

In some ways, it's difficult to review "The Intruder". After all, the film was assumed lost and never released until 2017! Because of this, some of the post-production work on the movie was never completed...such as proper sound mixing. So, when you see it, realize it's not exactly in the best of shape. I saw it simply because I've seen most of Mickey Rooney's films...and he appears in this movie.

The plot to the movie is VERY similar to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None". A group of people are invited to some island retreat of some rich guy named Peterson. However, he's not there to greet them and instead leaves letters for each person advising them of their room assignments. Soon, folks start dying and they don't know who or what is doing this.

Despite having a derivative plot, sitting for 42 years to be released, having credits that look bad as well as having mostly minor actors, it's not a terrible film. I expected much worse. Now this is NOT to say it's a particularly good film but it's not a terrible movie if you're looking for a time-passer.

One interesting aspect of the film is that the only actors who were famous died off early in the movie or showed up very late. I assume this was to keep costs down. Because the film supposedly only cost $25,000 to make, having Rooney, Yvonne De Carlo, Ted Cassidy and a few others stay in the film long would have cost a lot more! This way the film could have claimed to have a few big-name actors without having to shell out a lot for their services!

Shot in Florida and pretty much forgotten until Garagehouse saved it, this movie was made by Chris Robinson (Stanley from, you know, Stanley) for $25,000 and the locations were free thanks to Yvonne DeCarlo and Mickey Rooney impressing the owners of the house they filmed at.

Several people have come to this house -- Rooney was the boat captain that got them there -- because Henry Peterson is going to give them the money they deserve. Or kill them. Maybe both.

Somehow, that budget also paid for Ted Cassidy and cinematographer Jack McGowan, who shot Zaat, Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things, Deathdream, Deranged, Mardi Gras Massacre and King Frat. I mean, look at that resume.

There's a great reveal of the killer as lighting explodes on the coast. That looks way better than the budget of this film would suggest. Imagine A Bay of Blood except shot in a Florida swamp by actors who also would show up on Love Boat or Fantasy Island and man, how do you not want to see that? How can you not love that?

There was an unintentional chuckle at the beginning of this movie as a group of passengers are scanned via the camera as the boat heads to a mysterious island. More than several of the men look like something out of "White Zombie", particularly the ghoulish followers of Bela Lugosi who were the living dead. That aspect had me asking, is this film for real?

Apparently this group of people have been summoned to the island by a supposed dead man, and one by one, a bunch of them are killed off. Among them is veteran camp adventure actress Yvonne De Carlo, maybe still here, but unfortunately stuck in this piece of dreck. The lead is also the producer, writer and director, soap opera actor Chris Robinson who became a fan-favorite as Rick Webber on "General Hospital" during its heyday. It's a little vanity project that doesn't come together and didn't even get an official release.

At least the film has a decent set but it's very similar to is there a often remade Agatha Christie mystery. In fact, it was officially remade the year that this was filmed. Ted Cassidy of "The Addams Family" is also featured and Mickey Rooney has a teeny tiny role as the man behind the controls at the boat. It's a weird little film, and the unintentional last don't make it necessarily watchable. To quote the title of Robinson s soap opera, this really was in "Another World".

I continue to praise the efforts of those who discover lost movies that saw the light of day decades ago and then suddenly disappeared from movie screens forever. Many of these movies were not blockbusters, some were good and some bad, but all of them deserve to at least be found and for people to have access to. Fans of those movies can rejoice in now having access to them and those who never saw them can enjoy or frown at them as well. In the case of THE INTRUDER I think we have one to enjoy.

The story is one used before but with a bit of a twist before the final credits roll. A group of well to do guests are on a yacht heading for a secluded island. Each has ties to the island's owner, a man who may have passed away and has now summoned them to the island to search for gold that he discovered and hid there. Of course there doesn't appear to be any among them who isn't self-centered and out to keep the gold for themselves rather than share. When they begin to be killed one at a time they begin to suspect one another while we are aware that there is a sinister presence on the island with them.

It's a simple set up and there's a reason for that. The man behind the movie is actor Chris Robinson who many will recall for numerous TV series as who starred as Dr. Rick Webber on GENERAL HOSPITAL from 1980-2002. In 1975 Robinson's brother was willing to give him $25,000 to make a movie but he had to put it all together in a matter of weeks. Robinson put together his script, his cast, locations and set to filming, coming in under the time allotted. Not only did he write the screenplay he directed and starred in it as well. To do so is a feat in itself. To make a movie that's as good as this one is even more so. That's not saying its Shakespeare but it is an entertaining slasher flick from that time period.

The film was mired in difficulties when it came time to distribute it, something that always seems to be the downfall of independently made movies from those days. It may have screened a few times but never received national distribution. Before the film could even make it to home video the only 35mm print was lost and the odds of seeing the film disappeared. Until 2012.

Harry Guerro, the owner of Garagehouse Pictures, found a copy by chance in when he purchased a lot of films in a storage facility on the outskirts of the Mojave dessert. Among the rusty cans of film that was deteriorating in said building was this one. Curiosity got the better of Guerro since he'd never heard of the film. Investigating it he discovered even less. But through perseverance he finally found some information on the film. Restoring it he discovered it was better than expected and digging deeper was even able to contact Robinson who had no idea that a print even still existed.

Now Garagehouse Picture is releasing the film for the first time on blu-ray in as cleaned up a condition as you will find. Since his discovery they've even added the film to IMDb.com and added the stars who were in the film, notable names that many would be surprised are here. Mickey Rooney is featured the small role of the man who takes the guests to the island via yacht. Yvonne DeCarlo is one of the guests on the island. And Ted Cassidy is included in the cast as well. How many movies can claim to have a Munster and a member of the Addams family in the same film? In addition to just having the film there to enjoy it has been transferred in 4k (note that this doesn't mean the film grain is changed but the print is as clean as can be expected). The sound has been remastered digitally from the original optical tracks. The extras include an audio commentary track by Robinson, an interesting interview with Robinson, liner notes, new original artwork by Stephen Romano and a trailer collection of other films offered by Garagehouse Pictures. As I said from the start, the movie is not a mega-budgeted million dollar film. But what it lacks in dollars it fuels with creativity, solid production value, good acting and a story that while familiar still holds your interest from start to finish. This movie is enjoyable enough to watch more than once and become a welcomed addition to your movie collection. It would make a great movie to watch during a drive-in night with friends. And it is a lost treasure that deserves to be finally discovered.