Devil’s Island is set in the fifties, in a couple of corrugated iron huts left by the Americans when world strategic interests made their stay on Iceland less expedient. American memories, music and dreams are significant factors motivating Icelandic greasers in particular to live on. And in the weekend, out comes the bottle. Christ, what a lot of drinking in one film. So much that I am convinced the drunkenness is not acted. Seldom in the history of film have such dissolute scenes been filmed. The only possible way for it not to be real, is if Fridriksson thoroughly rehearsed all the scenes and may even have demonstrated them himself in advance. Devil’s Island is not a really great film, but has a few wonderful moments, so when Simon Field hesitated about including it in the programme, I decided it was my Critics’ Choice. As homage to the giant from Iceland who claims he can drink more than Aki Kaurismäki.
