Island of Lost Souls (1933)
87%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Island of Lost Souls is a horror classic that has stood the test of time, with its gruesome and disturbing portrayal of the mad vivisector Dr. Moreau and his experiments on the boundary between humanity and the animal world. Charles Laughton’s performance as the villain is nothing short of horrifying, as he humanizes the role beyond the demands of the script. While the action may not appeal to everyone, the horror sequences are unrivaled and the definitive ending is neatly disturbing. However, the screen version fails to convey the scientific scope of Wells’ work, resulting in a picture that can be repulsive at times. Overall, Island of Lost Souls is a must-watch for horror fans who enjoy a good nightmare.
Island of Lost Souls is a horror classic that will make you question the line between humanity and the animal world. Charles Laughton’s portrayal of the mad vivisector Dr. Moreau is creepy and horrifying, while Karl Struss’s cinematography adds to the spooky atmosphere. The beast-men uprising will definitely bring you out of your seat, but be warned that some of the scenes may be too revolting for the faint of heart. Overall, this movie is a must-watch for horror fans who want to experience a nightmare on screen.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Passed
Year of Release
1932
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Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.33 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English, Cantonese
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Country of origin:Denmark
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 12, 1933 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 28, 2006
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
Island of Lost Souls, horror, 1933, Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Kathleen Burke, Arthur Hohl, Erle C Kenton, Waldemar Young, Philip Wylie, box office, budget, reviewed by SMH Staff, Michael Sragow, Keith Phipps, TIME Staff, Variety Staff, Ian Nathan, Martin Dickstein, P.S Harrison, Shadow Stage, Tele Staff, Film Daily Staff, Mercury Staff, MPAA rating, genetic experiments, half-human, half-animal hybrids, Panther Woman, Sayer of the Law, god, H.G Wells, novel, adaptation, Edward Parker, shipwrecked, remote island, society, horror sequences, Karl Struss, spooky cinematography, mad vivisector, villain, horrifying quality, Devil and the Deep, The Sign of the Cross, scientific scope, House of Pain, whip, eerie, claustrophobic effect, realistic, frightening make-up effects, reserved, complex performance, pre-Hayes Code, suggestion of bestiality, disturbing ending
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Bela Lugosi – Sayer of the Law
Richard Arlen – Edward Parker
Leila Hyams – Ruth Thomas
Kathleen Burke – The Panther Woman – Lota
Arthur Hohl – Mr. Montgomery
Director(s)
Erle C. Kenton
Writer(s)
Waldemar Young, Philip Wylie
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (5)
It has the appalling, monstrous quality of a nightmare.
October 8, 2020
SMH Staff
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
A tight, gruesome shocker, featuring Karl Struss’s spooky cinematography and Charles Laughton’s creepy portrayal of the mad vivisector Dr. Moreau …
February 16, 2015
Michael Sragow
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Island Of Lost Souls is a horror film based on the premise that the divide between humanity and the animal world is one that should never be crossed, but also one that’s impossible to determine.
February 23, 2012 | Rating: A
Keith Phipps
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
Laughton, as he managed to do in Devil and the Deep and The Sign of the Cross, gives the role of the villain a peculiarly horrifying quality by humanizing it far beyond the demands of the script.
October 17, 2011
TIME Staff
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
While the action is not designed to appeal to other than the credulous, there are undoubtedly some horror sequences which are unrivaled.
October 17, 2011
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
This may have been made (and banned) in the 1930s, but it remains a neatly disturbing horror with a definitive ending.
October 17, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
If The Island of Lost Souls is also a little too silly for words, i.e., if it fails to achieve anything but “horror,” that is something against which you should be warned.
October 8, 2020
Martin Dickstein
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
What it presents is more ugly and revolting than horrifying.
October 8, 2020
P.S. Harrison
Harrison’s Reports
The uprising of beast-men will bring you out of your seat.
October 8, 2020
Shadow Stage
Photoplay
Everyone expected a sterling performance from Charles Laughton, but again he proves that he has something fresh to give each film.
October 8, 2020
Tele Staff
Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Laughton’s performance is a grand piece of work, as usual.
October 8, 2020
Film Daily Staff
The Film Daily
Tho screen version ls too sketchy adequately to convey the scientific scope of Wells’ work, with the result that, apart from the characterisation, the picture has little moaning, and at times becomes repulsive.
October 8, 2020
Mercury Staff
The Mercury (Australia)…
Plot
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…
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a note-perfect performance from Charles Laughton as Dr. Moreau.
Erle-C.-Kenton.jpg
