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Iguana 1988

A grotesquely disfigured harpooner called Iguana is mistreated by his fellow sailors aboard a 19th‑century whaling ship. One night he escapes, fleeing to a remote island where he declares himself ruler and wages a personal war against mankind. Any hapless visitor who washes ashore is forced to endure his cruel and ruthless tyranny in a cruel fashion.

A grotesquely disfigured harpooner called Iguana is mistreated by his fellow sailors aboard a 19th‑century whaling ship. One night he escapes, fleeing to a remote island where he declares himself ruler and wages a personal war against mankind. Any hapless visitor who washes ashore is forced to endure his cruel and ruthless tyranny in a cruel fashion.

Does Iguana have end credit scenes?

No!

Iguana does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Take the Ultimate Iguana Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Iguana with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Iguana (1988) Quiz: Test your knowledge of the 1988 film *Iguana* with these ten mixed‑difficulty questions.

What nickname is given to the harpooner Oberlus because of his facial disfigurement?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Iguana

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Read the complete plot summary of Iguana, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


Set at the dawn of the 19th century, Oberlus [Everett McGill], a harpooner on a whaling ship, endures constant ridicule and brutal abuse from his fellow sailors. His right half of the face is grotesquely disfigured by hummocky outgrowths, earning him the nickname Iguana. After a brutal beating, he escapes to Hood Island, an uninhabited refuge. There he is discovered by a team led by captain Gamboa [Fabio Testi], who brutalizes him and binds him for punishment, though Iguana manages to escape and hide in a cave. The ship leaves the island, and Gamboa orders that sailor [Sebastián] [Michael Madsen] be tied to a post on the coast as punishment for letting Iguana escape. Oberlus finds Sebastián and proclaims himself King of Hood Island and Sebastián his first slave, forcing him to cook his meals.

Declaring revenge upon the world, Oberlus enslaves two other sailors thrown ashore after a shipwreck. He keeps his captives in a cave with a disguised entrance. One day, a ship carrying [Carmen] [Maru Valdivielso] and her fiancé [Diego] [Fernando de Juan] moors near the island. Oberlus takes them prisoner. Oberlus kills Diego and makes Carmen his concubine. The ship’s captain, assuming Carmen and Diego to have died in the storm, does not look for them, but sails away.

One day, Oberlus notices the arrival of his former whaling ship. At night, he climbs on board, kills two sailors on the deck, takes Gamboa prisoner, and sets the ship alight, having previously locked the hull. Gamboa fights Oberlus, but is killed by him.

resigned to her fate, Carmen tells Oberlus that she is pregnant with his child. Months later, the captain of the ship Carmen and Diego arrived on, returns with a group of armed sailors. They begin their search and Oberlus has to flee to the other end of the island with pregnant Carmen and his surviving prisoners. Carmen gives birth, but Oberlus takes the child, saying that he will not allow him to suffer as he did, implying that the child is disfigured as he is. With the child in his arms, he enters the sea, intending to drown himself and the child.

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Iguana Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


graphic rapewhite slaveryrapebrutal rapefemale sex slavesadistdesert islandslave raped by masterwoman sexually abused by a manman sexually abuses a womanman abuses a womansexually abused womansexual slaverywoman forced to be a concubinebrief male frontal nudityrapistrapist rape victim relationshipdisfigured faceintoleranceprejudicemisogynyderogatory nicknamefemale captivetyrantcircle of violencefishermanbeauty and the beast scenariostrandedchildbirthpregnancycharacter name as titlenickname as titleone word titleman tied upthrown overboardnoosevillain as protagonistimplied child murderbulliedvictim turns villainimplied murder suiciderapist as protagonistchild born of rapepregnant from rapeenslaved womanmisanthropemisogynistkidnapped womanforced into abusive relationshipgirl forced into abusive relationship

Iguana Other Names and Titles

Explore the various alternative titles, translations, and other names used for Iguana across different regions and languages. Understand how the film is marketed and recognized worldwide.


Kampf auf der Todesinsel Ігуана Wyspa śmierci La Iguana 鬣蜥

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