Island of Lost Souls (1932)

An obsessed scientist conducts profane experiments in evolution, eventually establishing himself as the self-styled demigod to a race of mutated, half-human abominations.

Director:

Erle C. Kenton

Writers:

Waldemar Young (screen play), Philip Wylie (screen play),

Stars:

Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charles Laughton	...	Dr. Moreau
Richard Arlen	...	Edward Parker
Leila Hyams	...	Ruth Thomas
Bela Lugosi	...	Sayer of the Law
Kathleen Burke	...	The Panther Woman
Arthur Hohl	...	Montgomery
Stanley Fields	...	Captain Davies
Paul Hurst	...	Donahue
Hans Steinke	...	Ouran
Tetsu Komai	...	M'ling
George Irving	...	The Consul

Storyline

After his ship goes down, Edward Parker is rescued at sea. Parker gets into a fight with Captain Davies of the Apia and the Captain tosses him overboard while making a delivery to the tiny tropical island of Dr. Moreau. Parker discovers that Moreau has good reason to be so secretive on his lonely island. The doctor is a whip-cracking task master to a growing population of his own gruesome human/animal experiments. He does have one prize result, Lota the beautiful panther woman. Parker's fortunes for escape look up after his fiancée Ruth finds him with the help of fearless Captain Donohue. However, when Moreau's tribe of near-humans rises up to rebel, no one is safe...

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Plot Keywords:

experiment | island | half human | ship | escape | 

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Taglines:

TERROR! Stalked the Brush-Choked Island...Where Men Who Were Animals Sought the Girl Who Was All-Human!

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Genres:

Adventure | Horror | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

December 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Island of Dr. Moreau

Filming Locations:

Catalina Island, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Charles Laughton claimed that he based his Dr. Moreau appearance on that of his dentist.

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Goofs

On the first ship, a man carries a large bucket of slop and accidentally spills some slop on Captain Davies. In the next shot, as Davies punches the man and knocks him down, the slop bucket is sitting on the deck behind him.

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Quotes

Captain Donahue: That jungle don't look any too inviting.
Ruth Thomas: We must go on. We've got to find him.
Captain Donahue: All right. I'd just as soon leave it for somebody else to do. If there was anybody else here to do it.

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Connections

Spoofed in Saturday Night Live: Christopher Lee/Meat Loaf (1978)

User Reviews

A Chilling Classic!

This chilling adaptation of the H.G.Well's novella, "The Island of Dr Moreau" remains unsurpassed, despite two later wretched attempts to improve upon it. Banned in England upon release! An exotic, but sinister atmosphere pervading Moreau's privately-owned island is enhanced by filming in Black & White, whose shadowy contrasts imbue the setting which a dark, suspenseful tone. Moreau amorally attempts to "play God" by creating "manimals" - hybrid humans and animals - via surgical vivasection and blood transfusion in his laboratory, The House of Pain. Charles Laughton has never been more campily devilish as when playing Moreau - an exquisite performance by a great actor.

Bela Lugosi plays a small, but effective part as "The Sayer of the Law": "Are we not men?" Kathleen Burke as the beautiful, erotic "Panther Woman" who develops an ill-fated romance with the protagonist, Edward Parker (played by Richard Arlen). Crisp direction by Erle Kenton, with nice make-up effects by Wally Westmore. The cutaway from the grisly ending when Moreau is about to be subjected to "surgery of the most fatal kind" in The House of Pain is most appreciated and is what I consider to be an exercise in directorial restraint and finesse. My imagination more than filled in the horrific details. Kudos to Mr. Kenton!