Amazon.com: When you've got Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi, how can you go wrong? Shipwreck victim Edward Parker (Richard Arlen) is stranded on an island run by the mysterious Dr. Moreau (Laughton). Moreau is hospitable enough, but the jungle is full of menacing shapes--and what about those ominous references to the House of Pain? Parker gradually learns of Moreau's unholy experiments and worries that he'll never escape. Though it has aged a bit, Island of Lost Souls is surprisingly spine-tingling, particularly the horrifying climax. Light and shadows are used especially well--occasionally, Moreau speaks with his face entirely hidden, except for his glittering eyes. Laughton turns in yet another superbly evil performance and even the somewhat worse-for-wear Lugosi is creepy as the pronouncer of the law. ("Are we not men?" Well, no, not exactly.) This is a nicely chilling classic that may even make you think twice about modern science's experimentation with genetics. Don't miss it. Remade as The Island of Dr. Moreau in 1977 and 1996. --Ali Davis
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Not sure what is going on but...
I can only guess. It's not released due to hints of beastiality in the movie Island of Lost Souls??? IF so that's just rubbish.
Island of Lost Souls is a great, classic Friday night B&W horror ... Read More
Rating: - One of the very finest from the golden age.
This was released a year before the production code went into enforcement, and it shows! There are things and suggestions of things here that the filmmakers would never have gotten away with once the Breen Office ... Read More
Rating: - COME ON UNIVERSAL!!!! RELEASE IT!!!!!!!!
Universal has now released almost ALL of its classic films on DVD, especially in the horror genre. Sadly though this is still to make an appearance despite numerous calls for it from dedicated fans. Was this dvd ... Read More
Rating: - Please please please
These are two of the greatest classic horror movies, as good as anything Universal put out besides The Mummy and Bride of Frankenstein. Each of these has been copied many times in later years, and every copy has ... Read More
Rating: - are we not men?
worth the price for the the Lugosi scenes alone. Laughton makes for a great god-like sadist, ruling over his island with sadistic glee.
light and shadows blend to make for a creepy atmosphere. one of the great ... Read More
- Not sure what is going on but...