Island of Lost Souls (1932)

Touches You

That was an excellent one.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good concept, poorly executed.

The main reason my initial rating of a 9 suddenly morphed into a 10 are some of the climactic sequences towards the very end of the film in which atmospheric tension and brilliant performances collide to create one of the most evocative finales in horror history. The rest of the film is also wonderful, filled with slight eroticism and bizarre creations little seen in the American films of its day. The material here may be a little dated, but it was still far ahead of its time (in terms of film history, as literary history has already presented us with everyone from de Sade to Joyce by this time) due to its unremitting weirdness and borderline surrealism. In many ways, one can draw many parallels to it and Tod Browning's cult movie legend "Freaks" which was released in the same year. Both cover similar themes, both were somewhat notorious in their day (although "Freaks" was obviously much more so), and both have that 30's horror movie feel to them in which the absence of music feeds the atmosphere delightfully. The scene in which Dr. Moreau's beastly, but sympathetic, characters rebel against him is one of the most chilling sequences I may have ever seen in a horror film, classic or otherwise. I got legitimate chills when Bela Lugosi's performance lit up the screen with deep intensity, it is easy to mock Lugosi, but it is also easy to praise him, and one must admit that he is one of horror's most beloved icons for many genuine reasons, and that his spot among the legendaries is well deserved, particularly because of this minor masterpiece of blood curdling science fiction thrills. This is an amazing, mostly underrated film that combines exploitatation, art house, surrealist, Gothic, and classical filmmaking seamlessly, and likely without any awareness. It's deserving of the cult following it has steadily begun to pick up over the years, and holds up well considering its age, and it's so short and entertaining to watch that this no excuse for you not to go out and see it as soon as possible. It's frightening, intense, exciting, suspenseful, odd, shocking, and, in its final moments, surprisingly somber in tone.

After Universal scored such hits with 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein' in 1931, it was clear that horrifying audiences was big business. Amongst the steady stream of cinematic terrors that followed, a year later Paramount brought us swathes of monstrosities courtesy of HG Wells and his insane Doctor Moreau.The make-up for the 'lost souls' is very impressive on the more subtle mutations, but less so on the more 'advanced' experiments. Which brings us to the most vocal, The Sayer of the Law, played by Bela 'Dracula' Lugosi (as he is billed, just above 'The Panther Woman'). Covered in fur, this is the actor that, a year earlier, had supposedly turned down the Frankenstein Monster for fear the make-up would obscure his matinée looks (which is given as one of a number of reasons he didn't end up playing the role despite being touted for it). The Sayer of the Law would seem to debunk that particular theory.Lota, the Panther Woman herself, is played very appealingly by Kathleen Burke in an outfit that exposes a lot of flesh for the time. Her growing relationship with Richard Arlen as Parker – a hero not quite as overshadowed by the other characters as is usual in horror films from this era – is interesting, but causes problems when his girl Ruth (Leila Hyams) travels all the way to the remote island to look for him.Finally, what an actor Charles Laughton was. Whilst time has rendered the performances of some of the actors around him dated and theatrical, Laughton's Moreau is every bit as convincing and villainous in 2017 as he was 85 years ago. Superbly spoken but dripping with malice, or uncontrolled and snarling like one of his own animalistic experiments, he is compelling at all times. Moreau's ultimate fate is one of the most unpleasant you could imagine, but horribly satisfying too.This is a mighty slice of grim and effective cinema. We could smile at some of the quaint make-up effects of course, but Director Erle C Kenton is at his creative peak here. He would go on to direct future Universal horrors, but never does he imbue them with the sense of unease and danger as is on show here. Strange, leering faces loom of out the jungle, misshapen shapes move in the shadows, revealing deformed limbs – or in one case, a solitary hoof – although we are fairly sure that their animalistic fury is directed only at those responsible for their current predicaments.After all, 'are we not men?'

I know H.G Wells hated this adaptation of his novel "The Island of Dr. Moreau" but the film is a brilliant one. Rather violent for its time - it was banned in Great Britain for many years - this film is a well-made one. Charles Laughton steals the film as the evil scientist, Dr. Moreau. Bela Lugosi was wasted in his brief scenes but still adds a lot to the proceedings.The recent DVD has restored picture and sound quality.One of the leading horror films of the 1930s.

Dear Earl.C.Kenton,I am sure this was a provocative and controversial film for its time. A scientist who tries to play god by turning animals into humans and studying their behavior. Humans/animals kept as slaves in a controlled environment. Brainwashing and social repression through use of slogans (later used by the rock band Devo in their songs). Suggestions of bestiality. Voyeuristic study of human sexual behavior. Man messing with nature and paying for it. The dark side of human sexuality and its connection with mass riots. Charles Laughton was terrific as the sinister scientist. He had the best lines compared to the other actors. Arthur Hohl as the sullen Montgomery was also quite good. Richard Arlen was quite macho but he sort of disappears in the middle of the film. Kathleen Burke was too thin to be sexy as the scantily clad panther woman. I liked the sets on the island which were dark and in a state of decay indicating imminent mutiny and chaos. The film was a bit cheesy due to the bad acting by some of the monstrous human-animals. But even then, it is a film way ahead of its time. You seem to have made quite a lot of horror films. I will check them out, Earl.Best Regards, Pimpin.(6/10)