Island of Lost Souls (1932)'s comments

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Wise Jake

Interesting film indeed. Intense, twisted climax - and very well filmed. Charles Laughton's performance is extremely enjoyable to watch, as expected.

11 years 8 months ago

Pulpy, schlocky fun, although a megolomaniacal white man whipping "savages" into submission is disturbing when you think about it. As usual the south seas serve as a focal point of colonial desire (the panther woman particularly), "primitive" fear and experimentation, although I'm certain the film is far from self-reflexive about it. Worth thinking about, on one level, but mostly it's just stupidly entertaining. Laughton is pretty good as Moreau, though.
Also, MrMushroom, that is exactly what I was thinking!

10 years ago

Big ander

Currently active here: https://archive.org/details/1932-island-of-lost-souls

1 year ago

Siskoid

1932's Island of Lost Souls adapts H.G Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau for the Universal Monsters fan, its success almost entirely hinging on Charles Laughton in the mad scientist's role. No really, wow. While the humanoid animals are meant to be the "monsters" on the surface level, it's really man's potential for inhumanity that makes Moreau the real monster, first as unthinking cruelty to animals, but at SOME point, one must consider whether they deserve human dignity. Laughton creates a whole performance here, not simply a portrait of obsession or sadism. He's sinister, funny, quirky, intelligent, deluded, tortured... and more. He may rise above everyone and everything else in the film, but everyone else is at least competent, the pacing is adequate, and the cinematography atmospheric. Given the lack of success of 70s and 90s adaptations of the story, Island of Lost Souls may well still be the best "Island of Dr. Moreau" we've ever gotten.

5 years 11 months ago