Island of the Dead, Flies and Maggots, oh my!

I admit, this isn't a great movie...at least on the surface. However, a deep exploration into the swamp that is 2000's "Island of the Dead" turns up some shining gems that every fan of this blog should enjoy. I speak of Malcolm McDowell and Bond girl Talisa Soto. The two can ooze appeal and allure that can turn any flawed plot into a must-see period piece. Directed by Tim Southam, "Island of the Dead" may be your first introduction to the eeriest plot of ground in this country...or on Earth.

Yep, its a real place...Hart Island. This Long Island Sound piece of real estate, just a few miles from Manhattan, serve's as New York City's Potter's Field. Over a million New Yorkers' are buried there...prisoners of war (Civil War), drug addicts, unclaimed babies, the homeless, and the destitute and insane. It used to house an insane asylum and a disease colony (lepers and typhoid, etc.). Now developer Rupert King (McDowell), with the mayor's blessing want's to build a low-cost housing high rise there. Also, haunted and grouchy NYPD detective Melissa O'Keefe (Soto) heads there to try to ID a missing little girl. As they arrive at this creepy island, King and the mayor break ground for a new city of "hope" and Melissa identifies the corpse of a little girl.

Uh oh...the dead don't want to be disturbed. Boat loads of maggots appear everywhere and swarms of flies start attacking...one poor schmuck at a time. The swarms actually bite and the victims swell up and boils and then maggots explode out of their chests. So cool! We are let in on a limited backstory of Melissa and understand her grouchiness and dedication. King, on the other hand, is all greed and has an ultimate plan of housing the homeless and destitute on the island...and then use them for human experimentation. The swarms come and go and pick off the peeps stuck on the island. As the sultry Melissa shows bravery and honor, we wonder if she will survive the maggot attack.

Will that sultry NYPD detective survive the swarm and somehow shed the torment of her haunting past? Will the developer/mad-scientist wannabe King get what he deserves? Don't you now want to head to NYC and find some way to visit Hart Island? I know I do. For a neat and hidden piece of New York history, see "Island of the Dead," and maybe think up a few maggot recipes...okay, I admit...that's gross.