Review of Pilot

Fantasy Island: Pilot (1977)
Season 1, Episode 1
The Dark Side of the Island
8 November 2002
The previous comments seem to relate to the TV series rather than to the pilot. I haven't seen this in 25 years, but I remember it being far darker than the series. I remember people getting their fantasies with horrific consequences, much like the classic "Monkey's Paw" horror story, or the tale of the genie who grants wishes with literal precision only to have them go horribly awry. Mr. Roarke seemed malicious if not downright evil, and Tattoo was a scary little imp who made you uneasy because of his ability to appear and disappear unseen. I know they had to tone it down to make it a weekly series, but it wasn't too many seasons before it turned into another "Love Boat" where every episode ended with Barbi Benton falling in love with Don Knotts.

Am I the only one who remembers the original made-for-TV movie as a horror movie? I used to tell people that you would never see the pilot on TV again for this reason, but I think it's been long enough. They could show it, if the demand were there. I see Amazon wants $50 for the video; that's too much for my pocketbook. Maybe I'll find a used copy somewhere and answer my own question.
33 out of 33 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed